While the majority of LSU students visited family or sprawled out on beaches during spring break, the Tiger gymnasts were hard at work.
It’s a small price to pay after LSU squeaked out a second place finish at the NCAA Regionals on April 7 to earn the right to compete in the NCAA Championships as the No. 11 seed this weekend.
“When you’re doing different routines, you remember we could be done and we could be finished with this and the season could be over,” said freshman gymnast Lloimincia Hall. “We’re fighting for it, and we’re practicing, and that overlooks all the pain and injuries and anything you want to complain about.”
Hall was part of the LSU beam lineup that sent the Tigers to the NCAA Championships. LSU led Washington by just .025 points before the final event, when the Tigers pulled ahead with a 49.10 on beam, while Washington earned a 48.875 on floor.
LSU coach D-D Breaux described the event as one of the most gratifying and exciting experiences she’s had with any team.
“To go to beam in our last event with the people we’re trying to beat going to floor is really daunting,” Breaux said. “Traditionally, floor is a higher scoring event than beam. Our team just did a terrific job of holding it together and staying focused.”
Hall and fellow freshman Jessie Jordan each scored a 9.825 to lead the Tigers in the event.
Hall said the greatest part about the experience was performing and advancing as a team. She said she could hear her teammates and feel them pushing her when she was on the beam. Tears and laughter both followed.
“In high school, you’re up there and maybe you make it to nationals, maybe you don’t,” Hall said. “Here, it’s like maybe we make it to nationals or maybe we don’t.”
Since that meet, the Tigers haven’t taken much time off. LSU began practices earlier than normal during spring break, taking advantage of extra time without classes.
“We were able to come in the morning, because our practice and competition will be in the morning on Friday,” Breaux said. “We were able to use our spring break to relax and come in the morning and have their afternoons free.”
Breaux said she gave the gymnasts time to themselves during the afternoons so they could experience at least a taste of spring break, because the group has stayed committed and intense during practice and training.
She said if the gymnasts continue to maintain their focus throughout the next week, they’re capable of posting a higher score than they have at any point this season.
“The best that this team has in them is good enough to be a Super Six team, but it’s going to take an emotional effort, a physical effort, a great competition,” Breaux said.
Breaux said she’s tried to take the pressure out of practice for the two weeks between NCAA Regionals and NCAA Nationals.
While the long span between meets can be nerve-racking for the young team, lone senior Ashley Lee said she wants to drag the time out as much as possible.
“It’s my last meet,” Lee said. “As long as it needs to take, I’m happy with it, because I’m not ready to be done.”
 
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Contact Rowan Kavner at [email protected]