Cardinal hopes to erase pain of last year’s near miss

For the members of the 2009 Stanford women’s gymnastics team, 0.075 is not a lucky number. It was by this very narrow margin, 0.075 of a point, that the squad missed qualifying at last year’s NCAA preliminaries, thus losing a spot in the Super Six team finals. A fraction of a point had stood between them and their goal of reaching the championship, yet failure to come through in the clutch resigned the disheartened Cardinal athletes to seats in the bleachers, as they watched the top six teams compete on the floor below.

It was this frustrating finale to last year’s season, however, that has so far proven to be the best thing that could have happened to the Farm’s gymnastics program. This year’s team knows exactly what is at stake and the gymnasts are back with an intense fire and optimistic outlook on the road ahead. Their motivation to realize their full potential is stronger than ever and their goal is clear: be one of the six teams that competes on the last day of the season

First, however, the team plans to focus on what head coach Kristen Smyth calls a “meet-by-meet basis.” This will require clean execution of all 24 routines per meet, as well as a strong focus on the aspects of the competition that the gymnasts can control.

And the team has no time to waste, as the first meet of the season will undoubtedly be the most significant. This coming weekend, it will head to Georgia to face the five-time defending national champions in a stadium filled with 10,000 fans. Though the competition will certainly be a challenge, Coach Smyth sees it as the perfect opportunity to immediately “test ourselves against the best.” Because of grueling preseason workouts and contributions from several key returning team members, the girls can definitely show Georgia how it’s done on the Farm.

Senior co-captain Carly Janiga is one such critical returner, who her coach deems “one of the top all-rounders in the nation.” Janiga is a not only a six-time All-American, but also the reigning Pac-10 conference balance beam champion. Her new floor routine will tremendously contribute to the team’s efforts this year, but more importantly, so will her strong leadership skills. Smyth describes Janiga’s presence to her teammates as “calming,” which sets the tone for workouts and the team’s overall mentality.

Junior Shelley Alexander and senior Allyse Ishino are the two remaining co-captains and Smyth has high expectations for both, noting Alexander’s remarkable work ethic and passion, as well as Ishino’s “show-stopping” floor routines. Ashley Morgan, a standout freshman, is also expected to create a serious impact on the team with her spectacular talents on the beam and solid vault and floor performances.

But as the entire team acknowledges, their success this year will not be a product of individual efforts. Rather, they will utilize what Janiga calls their “unique team chemistry” to earn each win.

“We have a special ability to give and receive constructive criticism that most other teams do not have,” Janiga said. “We are able to listen to what our teammates have to say and we can feel comfortable saying anything to each other without getting a negative response.”

In fact, team bonding has been an important aspect of this season, as the coaches and the players treat each other as members of a close-knit family. This is consistently emphasized by Smyth, who always tries to ensure that a fun and comfortable energy is being maintained in the gym. Her success is certainly evident as she enters her ninth season as head coach: she has been named Pac-10 Coach of the Year four times.

Yet this year in particular is special, because never before has a class made three Super Sixes in its four years at Stanford. This year’s seniors could be the first. Furthermore, as a whole, the team is younger than in past years, including several sophomores who were unable to compete last season due to injuries, as well as three freshmen who are entirely new to the realm of collegiate gymnastics. Yet Coach Smyth sees the team’s youth as a strong suit; it will be hard for competing teams to keep up with the Cardinal spirit and enthusiasm.

Thus, looking forward, the 2010 team is well deserving of four sold out home meets in Burnham Pavilion. It is an exciting time to be a part of the up and coming program and with dynamic performances and no shortage of all-around talent, it doesn’t seem that 0.075 points will stand in the way of anything that Stanford women’s gymnastics sets out to accomplish