As the team is sitting on the mats, anxiously waiting for its last practice at the O’Connell Center to begin, Mackenzie Caquatto playfully tackles teammate Marissa King.
As the most important meet of the season draws near, the Gators will be faced with a special test: mending two areas that need perfecting before the NCAA National Championships in two weeks.
Although it was the biggest meet of the season, something was off for the Florida gymnastics team on Saturday.
Second place isn’t bad. In fact, with the talent in the Southeastern Conference, it’s pretty impressive.
In the week that flowed into the Southeastern Conference Championships, freshman Mackenzie Caquatto was ready to go.
From the moment their tiny toes first peeled from the gym’s worn, leather mats, their clocks began to tick.
The Gators rolled up to the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center prepared to defend their conference title, but after small mistakes, mild sicknesses and pestering injuries, they fell short.
"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman;">
By making a conscious effort to push tomorrow out of their minds, the Gators have strived tirelessly to avoid jumping ahead of themselves throughout the season.
Numbness shot from her neck and tingled down to her fingers.
"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman;">
Perhaps a fireworks display is just what the Gators need to spark a solid warm-up.
Before each practice, a gymnast steps in front of the team with a quote and a word of the day.
The Gators were untouched all season.
"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman;">
While prepping for practice in the locker room earlier this week, it hit them.
The Gators were already sitting pretty with a No. 1 national team ranking.
When the Gators took the floor Friday night, freshman walk-on Jade Wiggins was the first to come running out of the foggy Gator head tunnel.
"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times New Roman;">
Maranda Smith already bid her farewell to The Gator Nation.
Solutions by The State News
