NEW PALESTINE — A disappointing performance proved to be a learning experience for New Palestine gymnast Grace Shanahan.
The 2019 Columbus East Regional didn’t go as planned for the then-junior Dragon gymnast. Instead of leading into her first-ever trip to the IHSAA Gymnastics State Finals, the regional round of the postseason was the end of the road for the talented tumbler.
“She’s normally rock steady,” New Palestine gymnastics coach Deb Bruns said. “She just missed state her freshman and sophomore years. She went in to that meet feeling pressure.”
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In 2018, Shanahan just missed qualifying for state on both bars and floor. She finished seventh in each event, one position shy of qualifying. Bars had been her best event in the postseason. She finished second, twice, and third in three sectional meets.
On bars, the first event of the regional meet, Shanahan had a fall trying to perform a high-skill dismount. Her score suffered and she wasn’t able to get back on track for the remaining events.
She had worked on the dismount in practice, but she hadn’t performed it in a competition.
“It motivates me in some aspects,” Shanahan said of last year’s regional. “I was disappointed, but at the same time it was like, this is what I get for not (performing the skill) earlier. This season, I’ve started throwing the big skills I would do at the regional at the beginning of the season instead of a week before the regional.
“I was feeling the pressure really hard (last year) because I only have a couple more years,” Shanahan recalled. “Me being nervous made the whole team a little shaky, especially me. It really showed.”
The team feeds off Shanahan, who is the lone competing senior on this year’s team.
She decided after her junior year came to an abrupt end, things were going to change for her final campaign with the Dragons.
Shortly after last season ended, Shanahan and teammates wanted to get a jump start on 2020.
“After the season last year, we were a little disappointed,” she said. “We tried our best to stay in shape before this season started. We stayed after school and worked out. We all did extra things to be more prepared for this year.”
It is already showing for Shanahan and her teammates.
The Dragons won their season opener, Jan. 14, at Connersville, the site of next month’s sectional. Shanahan led the Dragons to a 101.825 score. She won three events and was the all-around winner with a score of 35.75. She won the floor exercise (9.25), balance beam (9.125) and uneven bars (8.825).
Against a state-finals caliber field at the Valparaiso Viking Invitational last Saturday, New Palestine placed fourth. Shanahan scored over 36 in the all-around and placed fifth. She had a season-best 9.0 score on the vault.
On bars, Shanahan had a fall on the double-back dismount, the same skill she attempted at last year’s regional, but being early in the season, there’s plenty of time to work on getting it right before postseason.
Bruns said Shanahan is right there. It’s key that her senior standout is trying her big skills during the early stages of the season.
“Even though she had a fall at Valpo, she threw that dismount. She over-rotated, so I know she’s going to be able to safely land it,” Bruns said. “She has come in with the attitude to get the skills in earlier.
“I believe she is capable of a 38 (all-around score). She almost had 37 at Valpo and we’re just starting (the season).”
The senior’s hard work, and early work, appear to already be paying off.
“It’s a matter of keep working, staying consistent and not changing my mind set a week before the regional and psych myself out. I feel like that’s what happened last year,” Shanahan said, noting along with being better prepared she’s got a ‘senior-year’ attitude.
“I’m going in more positive and more laid back, like this won’t be the end of the world if I don’t stick this (skill). I am just having fun with it, and enjoying it.”
