Nearing the peak: GymDogs continue to climb proverbial mountain, take next step

Georgia gymnastics sees its lengthy season as a mountain. Once the mandatory practice begins in September, it starts on the ground and looks at an upward task ahead. The peak the GymDogs see is a realization of their potential, and each week they inch closer toward it.

That’s been the objective over the last two seasons under head coach Courtney Kupets Carter. She has been in her athletes’ situation. She knows the steps to achieve the ultimate goal. She has passed on that philosophy, and the GymDogs embrace such a gradual climb — one that involves patience, positivity and trust.

“We’re trying to get up the mountain. There’s always one more step to go,” sophomore Rachel Baumann said. “It’s bringing the confidence we have in Stegeman, traveling with it and keeping that composure.”

Georgia has evolved a lot from its quest, even from the season-opening meet where it powered through a 195.100 result at the Critique Classic Invitational. There have been numerous steps to take since Jan. 3.

First, enhancing the team dynamic. Then, transferring confidence from the practice gym into strong competition performance. Suddenly, the GymDogs surged two full points by notching a 197.425 only four weeks later.

Each week, Georgia has seen an elevation in execution and result. They focus on the smaller details of gymnastics — landings, straight knees and pointed toes. All of those compliment the work done with mental strength, because Georgia sees the mind game as 90 percent of its recipe toward success.

Home meet scores: 196.150 (LSU), 197.325 (Iowa State), 197.425 (Auburn)

Road meet scores: 195.100 (Critique Classic), 196.300 (Metroplex Challenge), 196.750 (Arkansas)

“You can really see the confidence growing,” junior Marissa Oakley said. “We are getting comfortable in a bunch of different environments. We stay within our little bubble. That’s helping our gymnastics so much.”

Said freshman Haley de Jong: “We have a long way to go, we are working through it and I am not worried about us. We are doing great.”

Georgia has used the word “great” to describe its team. Kupets Carter realizes the talent and team chemistry are higher than each of her past two seasons. The GymDogs have been to national championships each time, but now envision themselves making a run toward the top-four. There’s even a special leotard to be revealed if Georgia advances.

The GymDogs are working around the midseason wall of fatigue and a flurry of minor injuries, but are confident in ability to reach the peak by the beginning of the postseason.

A goal of perfection could allow Georgia to achieve excellence. That’s all done by focusing on controllable factors, not the final result.

“We have to give everything so they can’t take anything,” Baumann said. “There shouldn’t even be an if. That’s what we’re shooting for.”

GymDogs fighting through injuries on vault

Kupets Carter walked into Barnhill Arena and had to shuffle ahead of Georgia’s meet at Arkansas. A flurry of setbacks made her insert Baumann and Megan Roberts to replace Amanda Cashman (calf) and Sabrina Vega (heel).

Georgia began to find a rhythm on vault and wanted to eventually update some routines to feature more 10.0 start values. But that change might be halted due to the nagging injuries — Kupets Carter’s primary goal is to keep gymnasts healthy for the season’s final stretch.

Mikayla Magee performed the one-and-a-half twisting Yurchenko after being held out on vault against Auburn due to a heel injury. Cashman and freshman Soraya Hawthorne will stick with the full-twisting Yurchenko, despite its 9.95 start value.

“We can stick with what we’ve got, we just have to perfect it,” Kupets Carter said. “These small injuries take away a lot, so we have to rest them rather than put in those upgrades.”

Emily Schild closer to competing for role

Junior uneven bars specialist Emily Schild has taken another step toward a potential return. She’s connecting her skills and practiced a full routine in Tuesday’s training session. Schild suffered an extensive knee injury toward the end of the 2019 season and has progressed through a lengthy recovery.

Georgia set a timetable for Schild to connect her skills by the end of January, so it has only been delayed slightly. The GymDogs have taken safe approaches, including changing her dismount sequence to a giant full double back. Schild previously competed with a double layout dismount.

Schild competed on uneven bars 10 times last season, averaged a 9.673 and had five scores above a 9.800.

Even though Schild is ready to piece together a full routine, there’s no guarantee for a return to competition. Georgia, after averaging a 48.100 on the event over the first two meets, has scored over a 49.000 in four-consecutive competitions and has peaked at a 49.275 twice. The GymDogs have found a semblance of comfort with contributions of five underclassmen in the lineup: Rachael Lukacs, Amanda Cashman, Loulie Hattaway, Megan Roberts, de Jong and Oakley.

“She has a lot to really prove and do,” Kupets Carter said. “We have a lot of momentum on that event right now.”

This story was originally published February 14, 2020 at 4:27 PM with the headline "Nearing the peak: GymDogs continue to climb proverbial mountain, take next step."