As winter sports wrapped up this year, many students may have noticed that a new sport was added to the high school sports list.
This year, four female athletes from the high school joined the Kenowa Hills co-op gymnastics team. The co-op team comprises Kenowa Hills, Coopersville, West Catholic and Northview. The team practiced at Kenowa’s gym and at a club gym during the week. Competitions were held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. The team had a great first year, where three out of the four girls from the high school made it to regionals, and one of them made it to states.
Senior Madalyn Gallatin has participated in gymnastics for most of her life and has been very dedicated to the sport. She was a big advocate for making a team this season.
“I’ve done 13 years; I was about five when I started, and [I started] competing, I would say, maybe seven years old,” Gallatin said. “I stopped doing club, and I wanted to get back into it. I know many other schools around here have a team. I just asked Marsman, and he got in contact with Kenowa Hills. They said we could join.”
Athletic director Pat Marsman helped the move to join Kenowa co-op as opposed to go it alone.
“A couple of girls expressed interest in having a gymnastics team, the problem with that at first was space, enough athletes and equipment,” Marsman said.
Though creating a team was challenging, Marsman worked with the Kenowa Hills athletic director and made it possible for these girls to compete.
“The whole process starts with a verbal from Kenowa saying we’re interested in having your kids over here,” Marsman said. “Then you do the paperwork, and send it to MHSAA. They either approve it or say no, then we’re ready to roll.”
After confirming that Northview would be able to compete in gymnastics this year, senior Kendell Berryhill jumped at the opportunity.
“I’ve been doing gymnastics for 11 years and I started competing when I was like seven,” Berryhill said. “I was excited that I was able to get back into the sport after being gone for a little bit, and just to be able to do it for my senior year.”
Gallatin, Berryhill, and Joyce Tchuente made it to the Regionals competition this season. Gallatin then went on to the State competition, she did not place but had a great time observing other competitors.
“States was fun, it wasn’t my best because I was nervous but it was fun,” Gallatin said. “There were a lot of JO’s or junior Olympic competitors, and it was cool watching them.”
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