The Sooners know that they have a reputation for being intense and competitive.
“We have a job to do and we’re not shy about it and we’re not afraid to say it,” KJ Kindler said. “Young women need to be confident in what they’re doing and they need to be proud of what they’re doing, and I think that as leaders we try to instill that in them, but they also need to have fun doing it.”
Oklahoma was undoubtedly focused at the Washington regional, sailing through to the final and then advancing to nationals on the heels of a lights-out 39.900 performance from Jordan Bowers, which included three perfect scores, her first 10.0s of the season.
“I just let loose and was just my best self and was free out there and poured into the team and they poured into me so I have to give it all to them,” she said.
Throughout the regionals weekend, Bowers, Faith Torrez, and Audrey Davis all spoke about the camaraderie of their team. Relationships and bonding have been a focus this year, and it has resonated with all three.
“We really focus on going out there and doing it for each other,” Torrez said. That focus on team breeds some of the intensity Oklahoma is known for, but it also fosters another side of the Sooners that they wish people recognized.
Bowers, Torrez, and Davis characterized their team as bubbly and funny. They dance badly in the corrals and get their nails done together.
It’s when the Sooners step onto the floor that they are all business. “I have this idea of like the way that actors step onto a stage,” Kindler said. On the floor, it’s time to work: the sharp choreography, practiced landings, and intense focus that have become its hallmark are on display. But behind the scenes, the team lets each athlete’s personality shine.
Kindler believes the focus on relationships and her team’s love for each other and having fun will set the Sooners up to shine at nationals. Her focus until then is on recovery and giving the team time to enjoy being this iteration of Oklahoma gymnastics for a few more weeks.
There’s no sense of a chip on anyone’s shoulder after last year’s nationals didn’t go as planned. Rather, Oklahoma recognizes that there is a job to do. When the Sooners are on the floor, that’s the focus. Each gymnast is competing for her team and feels supported by her teammates. Off the floor, they will keep being goofy.
READ THIS NEXT: How UC Davis Leaders Helped Pave the Way for Team Success
Article by Emily Minehart and Jenna King
