Cougar gymnastics secures win in first meet

Niwot High School gymnasts took on the Poudre School District (PSD) on Sept. 4 and walked away with a win in the all-around competition by 11.75 points. The event, the Cougars' first meet of the season, was held at Niwot High School in the small gym.

Competing from 5:30 p.m. until nearly 8 p.m., Cougar athletes rotated through four events. Every team member took part in at least one exercise, all performing the routines they had practiced throughout recent weeks.

Niwot earned 173.350 points in total, exceeding their opponent's 163.600 score. The team took the winning rank in every event in the team competition, and secured individual first-place scores in all exercises except the uneven bars, where senior Claire Vardas led the Cougars with a second-place finish. "I've had a lot of fun with my teammates, and cheering and actually getting to compete my routines," she said.

Kylee Schlepp, a junior, claimed first place in vault, an event she has shown strength in since her freshman year, and took third on the balance beam. Junior Lilly O'Neill stood in second in both floor and beam at the end of the meet.

Sophomore Evie Saunders placed first in floor, beam and the all-around, starting her introductory year on the team with a standout performance. Reflecting on vault, where she took third, Saunders stated, "My routine was definitely a reflection of the hard work I have put in, and I am really proud of how it went."

The Poudre School District gymnastics team put forth a strong showing, but ultimately fell short of the Cougars' performance. However, with individuals from PSD taking third, fourth and fifth place in the all-around, the team definitely brought a challenge to Niwot's first meet.

Collaboration is an essential component of the Niwot team's dynamic. Throughout the entirety of the competition, gymnasts cheered spiritedly for one another. Schlepp reflected, "We all just want the best for each other, and I think the team aspect is definitely what is driving a lot of us."

This sentiment was echoed by other students and coaches involved in the program. "The team is really fun this year; we have really great connection and friendships between everyone," assistant coach Maddi York explained. "I think a lot of moving forward is being able to tweak things, ... and just keep growing, but I am really proud of all of them for showing up and doing the skills that they have been working so hard [on]."

Niwot gymnasts are now looking to the challenges ahead. While community and growth are at the forefront of their ambitions, a common goal was voiced by multiple athletes: "Win state!" This was Vardas' exclamation, who knew precisely her hopes for the group.

Schlepp offered confidence in her team's ability to achieve their goal saying, "With the amount of depth, if we work extra hard, I think it is in reach."