Celtic Gymnastics: How Small Numbers Can Lead to Big Successes

The Dublin Jerome gymnastics team has had a very successful past few seasons, but the 2020-2021 season was a special one.

During the 2019-2020 season, the team was made up of seniors Sydney White, Grace Krouse and Sammie Fowler, juniors Carrie Gosky and Izzy Willms, sophomore Raegan Ernst, and freshmen Kaylee Loper and Prisha Patel. Fowler and Patel competed in a select few events, leaving the team score up to White, Krouse, Gosky, Willms, Ernst and Loper. Ernst was a powerful athlete for the Celtics, undefeated throughout the regular season while White, Krouse and Willms were veterans for the program. This team was undefeated, winning the 2020 OCC championship and taking third place at Districts to advance to the State Championship. At the state gymnastics meet, Jerome placed 8th, three places ahead of the year before when they placed 11th. With this team, athletes couldn't afford any injuries. The four best scores from each event go to the team score, and Jerome had a mere six scores to choose from.

In this year's 2020-2021 season, that number went down. Gaining 2 freshmen, Ella Cooper and Taylor Walker, things were looking good for Jerome before the season, having two seniors, one junior, two sophomores and two freshmen. Unfortunately, before their first meet of the season, senior Carrie Gosky fractured her ankle and was informed that she would need surgery, making her unavailable for the remainder of the season. Things were tough for the team. With no room for error, Jerome struggled- but they also shined. They placed third in the OCC, but at a meet prior to OCC’s, Jerome hit a team score of 140, a team record! It was looking challenging as sophomore Loper endured a shoulder injury and was out for a couple meets, but she was lucky enough to return for the district meet. At the District Championship, Jerome scored 141.125, setting a new team record and placing first. The team advanced to the State championship for the third year in a row and the fourth time in Jerome history.

The Celtic gymnasts placed 9th in the state for all-around and 4th in the state for floor, receiving a score of 36.4. “It was really hard for a little while, but my teammates make it all worth it” Cooper stated. Over the course of a season filled with obstacles, these girls showed up, worked hard, shattered records, and earned every win they received. Above all, they defied the odds. Jerome Gymnastics is living proof that even small numbers can achieve big successes.