Florida came into this season without two of its best all arounders from 2023, leaving a lot of open lineup spots that needed to be filled. A strong freshmen class, led by Anya Pilgrim and Sylar Draser, have answered that call and stepped into the all around for the Gators.
Though they have had successful seasons, the transition to college can be challenging, so it was expected to take some time before the newcomers would fully be able to fill the roles of previous all-around competitors Trinity Thomas and Kayla DiCello. The team used that time wisely, and it translated directly into scores; Florida had an almost unprecedented streak of continuously improving its scores each week, doing so over the first eight weeks of the season.
With over a third of scores coming from freshmen, Head Coach Jenny Rowland attributes their success not to the traditional concept of pacing but rather to the confidence they’ve built throughout the season. Rowland said, “for our freshmen and returners, you know, the more you compete throughout the season, the more confidence you get.” There is the confidence the athletes have in themselves, as well as the confidence they have in one another: each athlete trusts that their teammates will hit.
Coming into regionals, Florida freshman Skylar Draser was expecting to compete on vault and beam, but was prepared to go on all four if her team needed her. With a strong week of training behind her, she felt confident in her ability to step into lineups. After a strong warmup, Draser heard her name called for all four events, making this pressure-packed moment only her second time competing in the all around since arriving in Gainesville. When it came time to go on floor, she relied on the confidence built through her competitive experience over the past season and knew she was ready to hit.
For Draser, building that confidence starts in the gym with the trust she has in herself to think of her routines as “copying and pasting what I do (in practice), to what I do on the competition floor.” The practice routines have been there, but over the season, the translation to the competition floor is what is most improved, and that takes a growing mindset.
The mindset piece is huge. As the season goes on there are peaks and valleys. In competitions there will be moments when a gymnast falls, bringing added pressure to the rest of the lineup. Early in the season, the mental toughness is not always there, especially for the freshman, but can be developed as the coaching staff and gymnasts have the time to work together. Gymnasts each need to learn what they need in order to be successful in those high-pressure moments.
Each athlete handles pressure differently, which is why Rowland believes “it’s really important for us not to have a tailor made answer…I think it’s very individualized. It’s something that each athlete has discussed on different events and the techniques that work for them.”
That process of figuring out what works best takes time, but is becomes more clear once postseason comes around. With the combination of lineups being figured out, and mental strategies being honed, the confidence shows on the competition floor when the scores matter most.
Florida has the luxury of being at home for regionals and can take advantage of the perks that come with that, from sleeping in their own beds, to having the home crowd cheer them on. It has helped make regionals feel like any other meet because, in a way, it is. The gymnasts will be able to go out and hit the same routines they have been competing all season and focus on controlling their controllables. The Gators are one meet away from punching a ticket to Fort Worth, and the confidence developed this season has set them up to take on the battle.
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Article by Alyssa Van Aauker
