Gymnastics Team '85

As stated in the 1984-85 Hi Jacket (yearbook)

 Webster defines gymnastics as “a competitive sport in which individuals perform optional and prescribed acrobatic feats mostly on special apparatus in order to demonstrate strength, balance, and body control.” The girls’ gymnastics team, under the expert coaching of Jo Ellen Suter and Lynn Croushorn, lived up to this definition. The team members led by captains Pam Posey and Laurie King knew that their sport required lots of practice, dedication, stamina and actual love of the sport itself. Each girl on the team possessed these traits.

The team had the advantage of having some returning “veterans” including senior Angie Fontana who was the State AA Champion in the All-Around category last season. With the addition of some new outstanding freshmen, Missy Sokol, Christie Mehlhorn and Lori Mullinax, a strong competitive team was formed.

The girls were top-rated in the District throughout the season and placed second in District competition. The team went on to take the Regional title, and on February 22 and 23 at Robinson High School they won the first gymnastics state championship in school history. Freshman Missy Sokol walked away as the 1985 All-Around State AAA Champion.

· Districts - placed 2nd place with a 103.25, North Stafford 103.60

· Regionals - placed 1st place with a 106.35 and set a Team and Regional Record. The 2nd place team score was 104.70

· State - placed 1st place, this was OP's 1st year in AAA. Even though OP had the highest score in the state after the Regionals, they were still considered the underdogs. The powerhouse schools like Robinson, Lake Braddock, South Lakes and Cox and a few others were in the top mix. The fact that they won the State Championship was a huge accomplishment on many levels. With a score of 106.80, and the next highest score being 104.05, OP held the highest score for regionals and states for years.