Sophomore Kytra Hunter, with her body balanced in preflight, stuck her vault routine to round out Florida’s rotation at the Southeastern Conference Championships on March 23.
Alongside Bridget Sloan, the two were the only Gators gymnasts who stuck their landings — an issue that watered down the team’s total score.
With NCAA Regionals on Saturday, the recent lapse on its signature event has Florida reassessing its mechanics.
“The focus of course is going to be doing what we’ve done all year long — taking it one step at a time, starting on vault,” coach Rhonda Faehn said. “Just being aggressive and getting those (stuck) landings and carrying it on through the meet.”
The Gators needed to overcome a poor vault rotation in Little Rock, Ark., against some of the more premier teams in the SEC. Prior to the competition, Florida averaged a 49.47 on the apparatus.
Collectively, Florida's lack of stuck landings led to its lowest showing on the event since totaling a 49.325 versus Missouri on Jan. 18. Much of Florida’s faults during the SEC Championship can be attributed to extra steps following the initial landings.
Fortunately for Florida, its prowess on each apparatus allowed the team to rebound on the next event despite a fourth-place start – a luxury it may not be able to afford again on a tougher platform.
In addition, Faehn has yet to decide on a set lineup at the front end of her rotations.
Four gymnasts, including Rachel Spicer and Jamie Shisler, have led off this season. When the leadoff gymnast fails to hit higher than a 9.76, the Gators have produced season lows — as was the case at the SEC Championship.
Spicer, who averaged a 9.8 prior to the meeting, led off the rotation with a 9.775 that led to Florida’s lowest vault score in seven meets. Coincidentally, when Jamie Shisler posted that same score versus Missouri on Jan. 18, UF scored a 49.325 – the lowest total of 2013.
Despite the varied results, Hunter says UF has not strayed from its usual mentality and training.
“Everything has been the same,” Hunter said. “We haven’t changed anything … just been working on our landings because we need the landings and the handstands and just the little details that we missed at SECs.”
The focus remains on aggressiveness and correcting technique post and preflight. After two days of rest following competition, Faehn was adamant about proper footing during the team’s film session — a new addition to weekly practices.
And with all the corrections made during a two-week resting period, Hunter is confident the team will prepared.
“We’re going to stay humble, we’re going to stay in our bubble and we’re going to compete like we practice,” she said.
Bridget Sloan performs on vault in UF’s 196.975-196.075 win against UK on Feb. 22. Sloan and Kytra Hunter were the only Gators to stick their landings in vault at the SEC Championships on March 23.
