Injury and inexperience dominated the storylines of the Gym Devils 2011 season as ASU failed to make it to NCAA Regionals for the first time in the team’s history.
The Sun Devils (4-5) lost their All-American senior Mary Atkinson to an ACL injury early in the year, and that, combined with an array of other injuries, unraveled ASU’s chances of qualifying for the NCAA Regionals.
With leaders like Atkinson and junior Amanda Davies out due to injury, the Sun Devils relied on inexperienced gymnasts during competition for much of the year.
“One thing this team learned the past year was how to overcome adversity in injuries and prevail as a team,” ASU assistant coach Kari Ward said. “Our team is very close-knit. So when one of your teammates and friends go down with a year-ending or even career-ending injury, it’s tough to shake off and regain focus to succeed in competition.”
When the Sun Devils did have their focus intact during a meet, spectators saw just how dangerous they could be. On Feb. 18 against Washington, ASU put up a season-high 195.750. But the Sun Devils would only score above 195 once more all season and finished with a 190.450 at the Pac-10 Championships.
The Gym Devils are looking to remain healthy and consistent next year in order to routinely tally these kinds of scores.
“I feel that this season was a learning experience,” said senior Beaté Jones, who competed in the all-around and qualified as an individual for regionals. “Teams will always have issues, but I think next year, if we have the right leadership and stick together through all of our problems, things will finally come together for our team.”
Yet even when things didn’t play out as scripted for the Sun Devils, the team remained cohesive through thick and thin. This camaraderie was extremely important throughout the season and will figure to be a big factor next year as well.
“The biggest testament to how this team never gave up is how they competed on beam at Pac-10 Championships,” Ward said. “At this point in the competition, we knew that we had been bumped out of our regionals spot, and we were not going to continue on to postseason. A lesser team with lesser heart would’ve given up. But this team stepped up and put up one of their best performances and scores for the year on beam, the event that was their nemesis earlier in the season.”
The lingering disappointment after the abrupt ending to ASU’s season this year has only added fuel to the team’s fire. The Gym Devils expressed confidence that they will return to competition next year more experienced and ready to make a run at nationals.
“Our season was cut shorter than any of us wanted, and I think that alone will give us the drive to really have a great season next year,” sophomore Tina Salavec said. “Everybody is rehabilitating, and we will be healthy and ready to go by the start of next season.”
The startling number of injuries this year has also forced ASU to re-evaluate its off-season training program in order to maintain the health and conditioning of the squad.
“We are definitely considering mixing up our strength and conditioning a bit more to hopefully prevent some injuries next fall,” Ward said. “We are also looking at adding more prevention-type exercises into our daily workouts.”
Inexperience, which also hindered the Sun Devils during pressure-packed competitions this year, shouldn’t be as much of a problem for ASU next season.
The team is losing five seniors heading into 2012 but will still return many of their starters, as well as bring in capable incoming freshmen.
“While losing our seniors and our All-American, Mary Atkinson, might hurt us a little in experience, we will make up for that with three young, driven and very talented freshmen coming in the fall,” Ward said.
The Sun Devils know that they will inevitably face some of the same adversity next year.
The team members realize that they must change the way they respond to such adversity in order to succeed.
“If we respond to the adversities as if nothing were wrong and we can still trust in each other and ourselves, competing won't even be an issue,” Jones said. “We [have to] trust our skills and what we want to accomplish and get it done. We didn't do that toward the end of this year, and that's what caused our outcome. Our attitudes are what really need to change in order for us to get done what we want to.”
Salavec agreed with Jones, stating that if team chemistry and trust in one another improve, then so will ASU’s scores.
“The way we approach next season with our attitude is going to be a big indication to how we perform,” Salavec said. “We need to decide day one of preseason what our goals are as a team. I expect everyone to come into practice every day with a positive attitude ready to work. Pushing through the hard days is what really counts and is something that we need to improve as a whole.”
In the end, the Sun Devils hope to use this season as a building block for next year, when they will hopefully return to competition healthy and ready to bring the program back to its previous national prominence.
“I think one of the most important things we have to do as a team is to let go of everything that has happened in the past and realize that we are a very talented team and we deserve to go to regionals at the very least,” Salavec said. “I also think we really need to continue to grow together as a team not only inside the gym, but also outside.
“Being able to connect with your teammates and trust them to back you up makes such a big difference on the competition floor.”
Reach the reporter at kyle.j.newman@asu.edu
