Senior Claire Hartman is a captain of the New Trier girls gymnastics team, however, she is known for much more than this title. Her coach and teammates recognize her as both a supportive friend and a fierce competitor, on and off the mat.

Hartman began her venture into gymnastics relatively early. “I started when I was in fourth grade, because my younger sister was obsessed with it and wanted me to do it, too,” she said.

Her sister, sophomore Caroline Hartman, recalled those early days: “We used to do gymnastics in our basement all the time. We would even beg our mom to spot us on back handsprings.”

Hartman has been doing gymnastics for nine years, and her improvement is clear to those around her. Teammate and co-captain senior Taylor Kwok said, “She’s definitely become a much stronger gymnast over the years that I’ve known her.” Girls gymnastics coach Jennifer Pistorius agreed.

“She has improved with her tricks, getting stronger and more consistent,” she said.

On the team, Hartman’s typical routines involve dance: “My favorite events are beam and floor because those two events are more dance-y and I like incorporating elements of dance into my routines,” Hartman said. Caroline said, “She is so graceful and has such a pretty dance… In my opinion, she is best at beam because she is so poised.”

Both her teammates and her coach have noticed her achievement. “This year we needed her to step up on beam, and she’s been doing a really great job,” Kwok said. Pistorius added, “Her beam and floor routines are beautiful.” Caroline said, “She hits her splits and she does a Valdez on beam which is a trick not many people can do.”

Not only does Hartman possess a strong sense of competitiveness, but she is also one of three captains for the team. “She has been a strong leader for our JV team all four years,” Pistorius said. Her leadership has positively influenced the team and her co-captains.

“I’ve loved working with Claire on captain stuff. In the beginning of the season we helped all the new girls get accustomed to the team and planned some team bonding activities,” Kwok said. As captains, the girls have a variety of different responsibilities. Some of these tasks include designing and ordering clothes for the team and also organizing team dinners.

Despite Hartman’s new responsibilities as a team leader, she is still consistently there for her teammates. “She always has a smile on her face and helps her teammates,” Pistorius said. Kwok agreed and said, “She’s also one of the most supportive teammates I’ve ever had, because she’s always at meets to cheer people on or make them less nervous.” Caroline said, “When I’m done competing, Claire is always the first person to hug me.”

Gymnastics was never just a hobby for Hartman. “There are four events, so there are always new skills to learn,” she said. She has continued the sport throughout her high school career, however now the sport is more rigorous: “I practice everyday after school for 2.5 hours, and during the off season I practice three times a week for three hours.”

Her dedication to the sport can be matched to her sister, who is always there for inspiration.

“We motivate each other because if one of us gets a new trick, the other one wants to get it. The friendly competition helps us both improve,” Hartman said.
Caroline shares this feeling: “Claire is my older sister, so I definitely look up to her. She is always happy for me when I do well and I am always happy for her!”

Hartman is leaving for college next year, and is not planning on continuing gymnastics in school. University of Michigan is one of Hartman’s top choices, and would likely pursue a major in a math or science subject.

“I hope our team wins conference, and I hope we can win our regional, too,” she said. “I’ve been doing this sport for nine years, and this is my last year, so I want to make the most out of my last meets.”