The 2017 Girls’ Gymnastics Team celebrates a successful season. photo courtesy of Christy Jordan
TJ’s Girls’ Gymnastics Team had a successful season, breaking their record score and sending multiple girls to compete at state.
The Thomas Jefferson Girls’ Gymnastics team had a fantastic season this school year. Five out of the eleven team members qualified for state and although the entire team didn’t qualify, all of the girls pushed themselves harder than ever before. Throughout the season, the team competed in and hosted many meets. TJ competed against Denver East and Denver South/George Washington. The results per meet throughout the season fluctuated many times, and TJ took first place to their rivals, East High School, twice. The team also began fundraising to replace the floor mats in the gym that were 25 years old. The commitment seen this season is what aided the girls in breaking records and having a successful season.
To end the regular season, the team competed at the DPS City Meet. Although they had won in prior meets, TJ took second place with a record breaking score of 151.8, only two points away from Denver East. Even though the team took second, the girls still showed success due to the fact that seven qualified for Regionals. However, only five were able to compete due to injuries or vacations. All five of the athletes who competed at regionals qualified for state on multiple events. Coach Molly Sifers and the girls were thrilled about the qualifications, statistics, and experiences this year brought them. “I loved bonding with such a wonderful group of female athletes. The endless positivity and laughs made for a great season,” senior Molly Little said. Although the team didn’t score as high as they’d like to, the girls had an amazing season due to the fun aspects of the sport.
Unfortunately, the team is losing six senior members who will not be returning next year: Tori Conroy, Chloe Richter, Cecelia Allen, Molly Little, Dani Kuta, and Maia Freedberg. Sifers reflects on her time with the seniors and all they brought to the team. “This year in particular we had some great leadership on the team from our seniors and our captains (Conroy and Richter), which seemed to drive us in a positive direction,” Sifers explained. In the past, the team hasn’t been as big as they’d like it to be. They’re working on rebuilding the program and recruiting more students to get involved. “We encourage girls to come out, even if they don’t have gymnastics experience, because at the end of the day it is about having fun and learning something new and we as coaches can teach you pretty much anything as long as you’re willing to work hard to learn it,” Sifers added.
This season was full of achievements for the TJ gymnastics team. They gained new members and broke their record score at City. The team is proud of their hard work and dedication they showed this fall. They will continue to work diligently during the off season in order to prepare for next year.
