From the good to the bad, the 2022-2023 season for the Forest Hills gymnastics team is one to remember. In every flip and with every jump, the ladies put in their all. 

“Every girl on this team puts forward their best effort. Each person worked hard with the purpose of improving their routines and skills,” said senior captain Charlotte Stephan. “Everyone wanted to be here, and everyone showed up. I think everyone did so well this season.”

The girls worked hard on and off the floor, putting in every second that they could. This effort helped them to produce some fantastic scores.

Every girl that obtained a score of 9.0 was placed into the 9.0 club. Sophomore Claire Worth had a perfect 9.0 on vault, junior Rachael “Jo” Yeager was welcomed to the club after her floor performance, and senior captain Abby Cumings also perfected her floor routine, allowing her to be a part of the club. 

Along with the 9.0 club, there are the girls who secured scores of 8.5. Seniors Charlotte, Maddy Bachert, Lauren Wolffis, and juniors Addison Hoxworth and Jia Niemeyer all managed to earn scores of between 8.5 and 9.

Going into the season, the overall score for the ladies’ first invite was 124.900, whereas, at the last invite, the team got a score of 132. The point difference is colossal. In gymnastics, even an 8-point difference is super impressive and important; the ladies had to upgrade their skills and incorporate more advanced techniques into their skills. 

With the growth of the team and each girl on it, every single girl got better day after day. The team ended up having 11 out of 16 people qualify for regionals in at least one event; five girls qualified all-around: Abby, Addison, Jia, Charlotte, and Jo. Not only them, but all of these ladies worked their tails off and came out with fourth place at regionals with two state qualifiers. 

The season was very bittersweet; there were many bumps in the road, but the girls did amazing. 

“When I reflect on this season, I see a recurring theme of resilience. From new coaches to new rules and injuries, each athlete had to work to overcome many challenges and obstacles. We worked hard to change the culture of the program and create a cohesive and passionate team, which I think we did,” coach Jordan Coleman said. “We had so many athletes advancing their skill levels this year—that is something to be proud of.”