Emily Kowal ’12
Web A&E Editor

Last year the gymnastics team had a fantastic season with the help of four outstanding gymnasts, Jessie Boas, Bizz Wiggin, Ariel Steinglass, and Rachel Sanfillipo. Unfortunately for the team, these phenomenal four all graduated last year.

Sanfillipo had an amazing season, becoming only the second Staples gymnast to make the national team. Both Steinglass and Wiggin were outstanding captains and Boas had a “great uplifting personality,” remarked Coach Melissa Zigmont.

However even with the loss, the whole team has been pulling together to make this season as successful as the previous one.

With seven girls making up the team, they have become a lot closer.

“This team feeds off each other. When one girl gets a skill, it becomes contagious,” said Zigmont.

This season the team is focused upon rebuilding the team, taking any chance they can get to improve and working harder to meet their goals.

“This is the most improved team I have ever coached in ten years,” said Zigmont.

The team scored a 111 at the try-outs and a 128 at their Wilton meet; a score that is comparable to the totals that they scored last year.

The team continues to get higher scores at meets and every gymnast is extremely positive about progressing to reach their highest potential.

“This is a rebuilding year for us. While we aren’t winning every competition, we are improving each time we compete,” said tri-captain Emma Vaimburg ’10.

Additionally, to help rebuild the program Zigmont also has the help of Lindsay Ross, her new assistant coach. Ross was previously on the Staples gymnastics team and graduated in 2005.

Just in this past week, the team developed 11 new skills; Zigmont feels now the team must work on consistency throughout the rest of the season.

According to Zigmont, the team’s strongest events are vault and floor with their weakest event being bars. However, they are continuing to advance on that event as well. As for beam, consistency is key for a win, so the team is putting more work into it.

“Our record of 2-4 does not reflect on how good we have become. We are doing just enough now to peak at the right time, during FCIAS’s and States,” said Zigmont