It’s been a rollercoaster ride for the LSU freshman gymnasts, and it’s not over yet.
All-arounder Myia Hambrick and beam specialist Erin Macadaeg adjusted to collegiate competition faster than expected because of their contribution in the Tigers lineup this season.
“I am happy but not content,” said LSU coach D-D Breaux. “I know that Erin can do more. The contribution that she is giving us right now on beam is exactly what we need. Myia — we had her in the all-around, took her out then put her back in.”
For Hambrick, the biggest adjustment occurred inside her mind.
“She makes things in her head bigger than they are sometimes,” Breaux said. “We are trying to get her mental approach to what she is doing as focused as her physical approach, as she is absolutely a total package.”
Macadaeg, meanwhile, is working on staying calm and loose.
“The biggest thing that has helped me is when D-D tells me to stop trying,” Macadaeg said. “Because trying too hard messes me up sometimes. She just tells me to relax, be loose and have fun.”
Nerves struck the gymnasts toward the beginning of the season, but they realized that many people and fans are going to care about their production, so the nerves must go.
In their last meet, the freshmen were exposed to a record-setting crowd of 13,179 fans at the PMAC. Hambrick recognizes the growth in attendance and holds her performances to a higher standard.
“The fans in the PMAC have grown exponentially,” Hambrick said. “That has definitely contributed as to how we see ourselves as LSU gymnasts. I have started to hold myself to a higher expectation. Not putting more pressure on myself, but this many people are interested in what I am doing. So I want to do it really well.”
Their change in attitude has developed throughout the season. The pair has grown to find ways to feed off of the crowd, using it for their own benefits.
The team spends a large portion of time constructing how it needs to be mentally prepared, and Breaux said she has her freshmen where she wants them mentally.
“There are slight changes to your gymnastics to make it better all the time,” Hambrick said. “It’s mental for me. I don’t like to think about performing in front of that many people because I get nervous, but at the same time, I have to remember that I am still performing in front of that many people.”
Although gymnastics is a sport of individual scores, the team comes first for Breaux.
“It’s not about the ‘me,’ its about the team,” Breaux said. “You can’t focus on your performance because you are just one of six in an event and one of 24 in a meet. If you focus on only what you are doing, then it becomes very self-centered. You have to have a broader approach and mindset.”
You can reach Christian Boutwell on Twitter @CBoutwell_TDR.