The long-awaited gymnastics season has started for the winter of 2016-2017, and neither fans, students, nor gymnasts can contain their excitement! Since practices have been their top priority ever since late autumn, the Lady Knights are ready to take on anything that the universe throws at them this year. Gymnasts have been fine tuning their skills and practicing their routines to ensure for a flawless upcoming season.

This past Thursday, January 5th, was the very first Junior Varsity meet against hosts West Noble. The season proudly began with a win against West Noble High School. Senior Alyssa Skiles won all-around gymnast for the night, meaning she performed marvelously in all four categories, which are vaulting, bars, beams, and floor routines.

On Saturday, January 7th, the Junior Varsity team presented the first invite of the season: a Five-Way Meet against Dekalb, Carroll, Huntington, and Homestead High Schools. Regular areas of competition were held and East Noble performed well in all areas. East Noble placed 3rd out of the five teams that competed.

Ciara Honeycutt, a junior and third-year member on the team, reflects on past seasons and is very excited for the future. Honeycutt states that gymnastics is unlike any other winter sport: “We practice a lot longer than most other sports do before competing,” she said. “We have used this time to bond and create memories that will last a lifetime.”

Some of Honeycutt’s favorite memories consist of bonding with her teammates and spending time with her athletic “family.” She is looking forward to the “big” competitions this season and being able to compete with her “best friends every week.”

As far as the rest of the season goes, there will be high standards that the gymnastics team will hopefully meet. With very successful seasons in their reigning past, more members than in the past, and a strikingly positive mindset among every teammate, I am more than confident to inform that the Knights have a great season ahead of them.