ASHLAND — Mansfield Senior’s gymnastics team placed for the first time at a recent tournament in North Canton, according to coach Keirsten Proulx.
For Proulx, who coaches high school gymnastics for four high schools in Ashland and Richland counties, the accomplishment was a long time coming.
Proulx works full-time and teaches gymnastics at the Ashland YMCA. She started coaching at the high school level six years ago, after some parents asked if she’d consider coaching a high school team.
The athletes on the high school teams practice at the Ashland YMCA year-round, but the high school season only lasts from November to February. Proulx said the high school competition is at a higher skill level than the YMCA typically practices.
Proulx only had two high schoolers who wanted to compete at first. That number slowly grew. Eight girls are competing this year. Four compete for Mansfield Senior; one for Ontario; one for Mapleton; and two for Ashland High School.
In gymnastics, individuals compete in events, and their scores add up for a team score. Teams have to have at least three athletes competing in all events, per Ohio High School Athletics Association guidelines.
Athletes can place individually, as a team or both. But with only one or two athletes on a team, you can’t field a competitive team.
Having a fourth athlete join the Mansfield Senior squad this year pushed that team into a more competitive spot.
“They’ve worked so hard year-round and it’s a new sport, and not that many people know it’s out there,” Proulx said.
Lessons learned
Macey Wade, a senior at Mansfield Senior High, has competed at her school for the past four years.
The first girls whose parents pushed for high school gymnastics were her teammates and she felt like it was important to represent her school. She’s earned four varsity letters competing in gymnastics.
But practicing with girls from other schools in the area has also served as a good experience, Wade said.
“Although it’s an individual sport, it teaches you to be part of a team,” Wade said.
At tournaments, the girls all cheer each other on in their separate events, even though they’re competing against each other.
Frankie Rupsis, an Ashland junior, agreed with Wade. Rupsis has been a gymnast for nine years, but is competing for her high school for the first time this winter. She suffered a stress fracture in her back last year that stopped her from competing.
Rupsis described gymnastics as an “open-ended” sport that’s helped her become a better all-around athlete. She said working on her strength and skills in gymnastics made her a better diver this year — another sport she competes in for the Arrows.
Plus, practice and meets have been fun. Rupsis said she has appreciated the chance to meet many people. Watching other girls her age do high-skill tricks at competitions has inspired Rupsis.
“It’s been a big jump, but you just have to go in it with an open mind and heart,” she said.