Hailing from Germantown, Tenn., only 13 miles from Elvis Presley’s home of Graceland, junior gymnast Jade Jenkins and the No. 6 LSU gymnastics team look to be king tonight as they take on Centenary in the Gold Dome in Shreveport at 7 p.m.
Jenkins competes for the Tigers in the beam and floor competitions. She has been plagued by three falls on beam this season, but Coach D-D Breaux said the coaches are working hard to correct this problem.
“We’re trying to do more numbers in the gym,” Breaux said. “We’ve been a lot more intense with [Jade] in her training as far as getting her to think through every situation and work with a little more intensity.”
Jenkins said she is trying to stay on the beam.
“I keep working hard every day in practice,” Jenkins said. “I can’t get down about it because I know I can do my routine and my skills because I’ve done it before.”
Jenkins said falling brings her spirit down at times.
“Sometimes it can be discouraging because you worked so hard and you know that you can do it or obviously you wouldn’t be out there doing it,” Jenkins said.
Breaux said Jenkins will probably be in the lineup today at Centenary.
“We’re trying hard to get her back into the lineup this weekend in one or two events because she really does bring a lot of experience to the table,” Breaux said. “She’s very t; the only thing standing in her way is the inconsistency and her cracking under pressure but I think part of that is the fact that we have not had to rely on her as much this year.”
Teammate Lauren Companioni said Jenkins will be able to correct the problem.
“She’s been working very hard,” Companioni said. “She’s one of the hardest workers I know and she’s going to get it done.”
Companioni said Jenkins is a positive influence in her life.
“I feel so blessed and lucky to have such a wonderful person in my life as a teammate and a best friend these past three years,” Companioni said. “She brings so much life and light into the gym every day. I’m so glad she’s on my team.”
Jenkins said Centenary does not pose much competition, but the team will still be ready.
“We don’t take any meet lightly,” Jenkins said. “We’re still pumped up about it.”
Breaux said the team will take advantage of the weak competition and make changes in the line-up.
“We’re going to take this as an opportunity to change our lineup and to test our depth,” Breaux said. “I’m going to rest some people.”
Jenkins said the team’s goal of reaching the Super Six National Championship Meet is possible.
“I think that [making the Super Six is] just within reaching,” Jenkins said. “I think it’s very realistic and we all want it.”
Breaux said she believes the team can make the Super Six and she knows what it will take to get there.
“I think that we have to become a little bit more intense,” Breaux said. “We’ve got to become the kind of team that refuses to be denied. Right now I think that we’ve gained some consistency and some confidence through the course of the season, but getting into the Super Six is really an elusive thing. If I were to judge this team compared to the other teams, I think this team has the best shot out of any other team I’ve ever had.”