Centenary Ladies Gym Talk: April 14 Edition
Hey Centenary Ladies Gymnastics Fans! It’s your Senior Class of 2021 - Jerrica Harris, Jenny Jackson, and Si~Si Ponder - here for our last and final gym talk!
Hey Centenary Ladies Gymnastics Fans! It's your Senior Class of 2021 - Jerrica Harris, Jenny Jackson, and Si~Si Ponder - here for our last and final gym talk!
To start off we are going to recap our last and final meet as a Centenary Lady. This past weekend we had the opportunity to compete at the USAG Collegiate National Championships. On Saturday, our team competed in the Team Finals in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The atmosphere at Nationals was contagious and was amplified in our gymnastics this past weekend. We went into the meet with the mindset of having fun, being all confident, and leaving it all out there on the floor. We are extremely proud of our team and our two event finalist (Kendall Sanders on floor and Taylor Ann Wilson on bars). At the Event Finals, we got a taste of what retirement will look like from the stands. The meet was structured by flip flopping between vault and beam for two rotation and then bars and floor for two rotations. It was nice to get to watch the other competitors, cheering on all the teams. That is what the sport of gymnastics is all about. Something bigger than yourself and supporting each other no matter what color leotard they have on! We had the time of our lives supporting all gymnast and our own teammates!
First, Kendall Sanders (Baby) represented Centenary on the Floor. WHAT A FLOOR ROAR SHE WAS! Kendall definitely had all of us on our feet jumping, yelling, and cheering with her dance party on the floor. Baby didn't go without being noticed. There was no way anyone could have missed her HUGE tumbling and her all for Big Syl finish! Sanders scored a 9.787, placing 8th for her final floor routine of the 2021 season! Baby we are so proud of you and so grateful that we got to compete alongside of you for 3 GREAT years! In the last session of Event Finals, our sophomore friend Taylor Ann Wilson represented Centenary on the Uneven Bars. As most of you know, Taylor had a bumpy start to the season but with hard work earned her spot in line ups! Again, Tay had us all on our feet jumping, yelling, and cheering with her flawless lines and sticky feet! Taylor scored a 9.875…………. making her the NATIONAL CHAMPION on the uneven bars! Man, what a BAR STAR! We are so proud of you Taylor and can't wait to see the great things you will do in the future! To say the least, both of these Ladies have a heart of determination and resiliency. That is what it takes to be at the top! To make this past weekend even more special, we were delighted to have our family members cheer us on making the arena feel like home. We are so thankful for the love and support our parents pour into us and our program.
Now that we've caught you up on how our last weekend as a Centenary gymnast went, here is what each senior has to say about this season and our time at Centenary!
Jerrica Harris: I can definitely say that this season has been very unpredictable. I remember at the beginning of the Fall semester worrying if I would be able to compete my senior year or not. The Centenary Ladies have always been persistent and have always been able to overcome any obstacles that is thrown our way. So I knew for sure we could take on anything head on as a team. I am truly grateful that I got to spend my last year as a gymnast with the best group of ladies. My time at Centenary has been nothing short of a great experience and great memories. Besides having to deal with COVID all season, I'd say this season was by far my favorite season and I cannot wait to continue to support my favorite Ladies in many more seasons to come.
Jenny Jackson: To describe my time at Centenary, I would use the word grateful. I am so grateful I got to compete my senior year and get the opportunity to say I was a collegiate gymnast. The love and passion I have for this sport and this team is definitely immeasurable. I have enjoyed every year and every team that I had behind me as a centenary gymnast. However, this year was just something special. First off, the adversity we went through this season was unreal. To be honest, it was one thing after another and there were times when we didn't know how much more we could handle. Anyone who is normal would've pulled the straw for this season but this team was one to say "knocked down seven times, get up eight". It was a honor to jump through the hoops and compete alongside of these 17 ladies who will forever hold a special place in my heart. I wasn't sure I would be content when I walked away from gymnastics but this team gave me a senior year that was truly unforgettable and one that could never be topped. From all the laughs, cries, long bus rides, hugs, and memories thank you to Centenary Gymnastics for giving me the best four years of my life!
Si~Si Ponder: The past 4 years of my college career Centenary have been anything but ordinary. I've been through more ups than downs but I can honestly say that I wouldn't have anything any other way. This season specifically, with my teammates was one for the books. I can't tell you how many times we were knocked down and got right back up together as a team. Nothing was easy this season and at first it seemed like we weren't even going to be competing and we made it by the grace of God to nationals as a team. We are so blessed and I'm more than proud of my ladies, a fantastic group of girls that I get to call my teammates. If there's one thing that I learned this season is that you can defy the odds even if the big picture might seem impossible to reach. I'm thankful for this experience and cherish every moment and every memory that I've made here at Centenary. Always and Forever Go Ladies! This season my Senior season is one that I will never forget!
To our parents: Thank you for providing us with all the love and support for us to live out our dreams. We cannot thank you enough for all the countless hours y'all have spent in the gym and in the car! We are forever grateful for your sacrifices to get us to where we are today! We love y'all with all our hearts!
To our coaches: Thank you! We are so grateful for believing in us and pushing us to reach our full potential these past four years. We wouldn't be half the gymnast or individuals we are today with you and your guidance. We love you and we know you will miss us greatly since we are your favorites!:P
To our teammates: Thank you for giving us a great senior year! We will miss all our fun times in and out of the gym but we must be real grown-ups and get big girl jobs. *insert Hannah Montana "Wherever I Go" song* We love you and we will miss you! We can't wait to see y'all FREAKING kill it next season.
But remember this is not goodbye, it is see you later!
Forever and Always GEAUX LADIES!
Signing off,
The QUEEN, The RAY OF SUNSHINE, and The WISE
