Hello Pioneer Fans!

Thank you for all of your support throughout the 2008-2009 season. We would not be able to do it without you! This year was definitely a road worth taking and here’s why…

Pre-Season:

It is easy to look back on what we have accomplished during competition, practice, and even back to preseason. Preseason is always a fun and interesting time together. We have a new class of seniors leading the team and a new class of rookies that get accustomed to TWU gymnastics. The September runs, the conditioning, the heat at UNT practices, adjusting to gymnastics again, and getting back into the routine of school, gym, and sleep in some weird way remind a lot of us why we do what we do. The unity that we develop in the preseason is needed for the success of our season. This past preseason preparation that we went through had some obstacles to overcome, as most teams do when they first start working out together, but we came out as one unit and ready to accomplish the same goal.

The preseason experiences that we as a team have are priceless. There are many traditions that we carry here at TWU, and being able to be a part of them, continue them, and teach the rookies about them are so fun and so memorable! Cookie night, toilet papering excursions, skit night, UNT football games, September challenge, UNT homecoming parade, and Thanksgiving circle: all things that we experience together as a team that help us work together and figure out each other’s strengths. The topper to our preseason is intrasquad. In my experience, each team that I have been on has gotten better and better each year at intrasquad. It is so fun to see the newbies perform their routines and fun to brush the dust off of our competition leos. Coming off the intrasquad in December, we were more than ready for the season!

Season:

After coming off of a great preseason, we were more than ready to start our season out together. As a team, it’s always the most exciting time of the year to start season. Our first meet, the first travel meet, memories, exciting times together, conference, Senior Night, and finally Nationals! We were finally ready to start competing after we had put in the work during preseason to get to where we were. After we had our first meet, we knew we had some things to work on and we were now in full swing. It wouldn’t be long until we were on a plane to our first travel meet.

One of the most notable experiences that I remember from the year is when we got the chance to compete at the University of Utah. Their fan base is so huge and they had over 15,000 people at the meet we competed at which was against BYU, Southern Utah, and the University of Utah. It was really one of the most memorable experiences that I will ever remember from my four years here. The excitement that we all felt when we were competing at that huge arena in front of all of those fans and the noise just pumped us up that much more! We appreciated being able to compete there and appreciated so much more, all of the hard work and thought that was put in for so many years by our coaches to give us the opportunity to compete in that amazing environment surrounded by 15,000 people. We all had a lot of fun!

We learned many lessons about each other and ourselves throughout the season, and even though our season did not end up with the results we wanted, we did a lot of talking, thinking, praying, and reminiscing together after the meets were over, and beyond and we know that everything happens for a reason. Also, we had some great things happen toward the end of the season! We got to celebrate the fact that we had so many people get academic awards at both the conference and national level, a rookie (Rashonda Cannie) won the all around at USAG Championships, seniors Tonya Pipkorn and Amie Boles were co-national champions on floor, senior Brittany Parker got second on vault, and we got to go out with a great senior class!!

Post-Season:

The time following nationals means a multitude of things for us. With the end of the semester approaching many of us have turned our focus to school. As a team we take pride in our efforts in the classroom, and right now has become the time to buckle down; practice has now turned to conditioning and open gym, giving us a little extra time in our weeks to do the things that need to get done to finish out the semester with a successful outcome. Of our eight seniors we have three (Amie, Jen, and Brittany) who are graduating and we wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors as they enter a new chapter in their lives.

Even though practice is winding down we still have a few exciting events to attend as a team. The Athletics Banquet, Convocation, and the Arts and Jazz Festival of Denton are coming up. At the banquet we get to dress up and take a 1,000 pictures that we all love! And at festival we get to volunteer and spend some time with the local children doing arts and crafts!

After season also is a time for returning Pioneers to heal injuries and refocus their efforts on their return in the fall. I know many have continued to condition and push themselves in preparation for next year. Gymnastics is a year around sport, and by giving the extra effort while practice is not is session is only going to give next year’s team the extra edge and put them one step above the rest. We are very excited for next year’s team because at the moment there are five strong incoming freshmen who can really add to the depth that the 2009 team established. The Pioneers want to bring home our 10th national title and next year at home is the year to do it. The senior class and upperclassmen of 2010 are remarkable gymnasts who have noteworthy leadership qualities that will certainly take the team a long way. We cannot wait cheer them on and follow their accomplishments!

We also have one senior, Brista Michael, getting married! How exciting is that! We cannot wait to share that special moment with her and the rest of the team. We are all very happy for her and can’t wait for Mrs. Mayfield to walk down the aisle.

This season was definitely a memorable one, not just because it was our senior year but because there were so many friendships established and good things that happened inside and outside of the gym; memories were created that will last a life time. We will miss our teammates and best friends dearly, but we will be with them in spirit as they continue the TWU Gymnastics tradition of excellence.

Forever and always – through our eyes you see our hearts!

Brista Michael, Brittany Parker, & Amie Boles
2009 Senior Tri-Captains