After placing No. 7 at state last year, New Trier High School’s girls gymnastics team has no intention of stumbling now.

The team will compete at state on Feb. 21, after winning first place at regionals on Feb. 6 and sectionals on Feb. 13. The Trevians beat schools such as Warren High School, Hersey High School, and conference opponent Deerfield High School. Seniors and co-captains Clara Crossgrove, Taylor Kim, and Sammy Mills all advanced to state individually in at least one event: all-around, vault, uneven bars, and floor for Crossgrove; vault for Kim; and all-around, vault, and uneven bars for Mills.

Yet the team’s success during the journey to state was preceded by setbacks early on. Eight ankle injuries and other minor injuries affected the team. 

“A lot of ankle rolls and sprains that were kind of out of the blue prevented us from having our whole varsity team compete altogether until maybe the end of December, January,” assistant coach Sammi Lococo said. “That’s pretty much half of our season.” 

Yet each injured gymnast persevered. To help make their return to the mats smoother, many of the girls with ankle issues worked on strengthening and conditioning as they healed. The training staff even made a regimen for those with ankle injuries. With the help of their team and the training staff, the girls were able to fully practice for competitions.

“Our training staff is fantastic and they work with the girls to get stronger and back to practice and competition,” head coach Jen Pistorius said via email. 

Once back on the mats though, the gymnastics team worked hard to improve. As the end of the season rolled around, the team practiced even more to perfect its events.

”Gearing up toward the end of the season—conference meet and the State Series—we are focusing on fine-tuning skills and routines and working on confidence,” Pistorius said.

As the season was coming to a close, the coaches worked to keep confidence up and nerves low by running a “pressure set.” All levels, freshman and sophomore, junior varsity, and varsity, would act as a crowd, allowing gymnasts to get used to being watched by a crowd.

“Being in a meet and having those eyes on you is something that changes your gymnastics, so trying to recreate that and prepare them for that is that part of practice that changes,” Lococo said.

What has helped the team prepare for meets is the advice and experience of past state-bound team members. 

“[The seniors] are giving [the other gymnasts] advice and experience and pushing them to get new skills and clean up some old skills,” Lococo said. 

Crossgrove, Kim, and Mills were major supporters for gymnasts across levels.

”[We rely] on their experience and their wisdom, and relying on them to be leaders,” Lococo said. “[We want the co-captains] to really take the reins and step up and motivate the new gymnasts coming in, motivate their teammates that they’ve had for a while.”

As state approaches, the team will continue to work hard. Last year, the team placed seventh overall. This year, improving on that performance as a united team is one of its goals. 

“For a lot of them, this is going to be their last time doing gymnastics,” Lococo said. “So we want to make sure that they have the opportunity to go out with a bang [at state] and come together as a team.”