A need for control is everywhere in gymnastics.
It's in the chalk slapped on the hands that cling to the bars.
It's in the toes that curl around the balance beam between jumps and flips.
It's in the arms that attempt to provide an anchor of balance to a floor tumble or vault landing.
But it's this fundamental element of the sport that's eluded the ASU gymnastics team recently, culminating with the Achilles tendon injury to junior Tia Orlando at the Pac-10 Championships on March 29 and the subsequent disappointing seventh-place finish at the meet.
The unfortunate series of events relayed a sobering message to the Sun Devils.
"You can't control everything," coach John Spini said. "You can't control this injury."
But the team can believe in its ability, and that's the message Spini is relaying to the team as it attempts to take back some of that control Saturday at the South Central Regionals in Norman, Okla.
"The attitude is to stay strong and just not lose hope," Spini said. "Get out there and believe that we have a chance, and that's what we've talked about out here.
"Beliefs become reality."
But reality is what's standing in the way of the No. 19 Sun Devils' pursuit to continue their season. ASU will compete alongside five teams, three of which have higher rankings — No. 4 Alabama, No. 10 Oklahoma and No. 16 Boise State. Only the top two teams will receive an automatic berth to nationals.
"It's going to be very hard unless [another team] stumbles to go as a team," Spini said. "But we have a chance, so we're trying to do the very best we can."
A few changes have been made to the rotations to compensate for the loss of Orlando, who had successful surgery Tuesday to repair her ruptured Achilles. The team will only use five competitors on bars instead of six and will only use a sixth competitor on floor if necessary to improve the overall score.
Junior Tiana Jean, who received Pac-10 First Team All-Around honors, will move to the third spot in the vault rotation from her usual position near the top of the rotation.
In addition to Jean, Spini said he thinks junior Ashlee Hinkle and freshmen Beaté Jones and Francesca Mercurio all have chances to make it to the national tournament based on their individual performances.
"Obviously, I would love to go to nationals individually, but it's not something I'm totally stressing over," Hinkle said. "I just want our team to do well. I'm totally a team person 100 percent."
Reach the reporter at: sarah.mclellan@asu.edu.
