NEW PALESTINE — Grace Shanahan didn’t want her senior year to be a repeat of the past.
The New Palestine gymnast had a history of doing well in sectional competition. She was a sectional champion on the balance beam in 2018 and was twice runner-up in the all-around at the Connersville Sectional.
Regional competition had not been as kind. The pressure of being just one step to that ultimate goal, the IHSAA Gymnastics State Finals, kept getting in the way of the Dragons tumbler’s dream.
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“The last few seasons, there was a lot of pressure felt,” said Shanahan, who is the 2019-20 Daily Reporter Hancock County Gymnast of the Year. “It was pressure that I put on myself that I had to go to state.
“Obviously, that didn’t work. This year was about having fun, and if it happens it happens.”
It happened.
This year, Shanahan followed up a strong performance at the Connersville Sectional, where she won the beam and was third in the all-around, with state-qualifying routines at the Columbus East Regional.
Shanahan placed third in the all-around competition, finishing with a score of 36.375. She was fourth on vault (9.325), fifth on floor (9.3), seventh on bars (8.925) and 10th on beam (8.825).
She was the first New Palestine gymnast to reach the state finals since 2017, when Emily Heighway qualified for bars.
Getting to the state finals was all about relaxing and enjoying the sport she loves.
“I think it was important to the team, too,” Shanahan said of the tactic that she helped spread to her fellow Dragons. “We have the potential, let’s go out and do our thing. As a team, let’s go to meets and have fun. If that’s the way you go in you’re not as disappointed.
“It created more of a positive atmosphere.”
Shanahan had her share of disappointments at the regional, and though the team, which was looking for its first trip to state since 2015, fell shy, she was able to represent New Palestine well at the March 14 finals held in Muncie at Ball State University’s Worthen Arena.
At the state meet, the New Palestine senior finished 16th in the all-around competition with a score of 36.100. Her best placing was an eighth on vault (9.525). She was 21st on floor (9.325), tied for 26th on beam (8.750) and 29th on bars (8.500), besting Heighway’s 32nd-place finish from three years ago.
Shanahan’s effort was the best state finals performance by a Dragon gymnast since 2015 when Regan Elsea finished third overall, which included a runner-up finish on vault.
Week-by-week during the regular season and tournament series, Shanahan took a “have fun” approach. Along with her new attitude, she had to make meet-by-meet adjustments to her routines.
She had the right attitude, now it was about selecting the right skills to be successful.
“I had to make a few changes so competing wasn’t so stressful,” Shanahan said. “It depended on the week. I wanted to keep it safe, but still go for it. It was a matter of what was going to work each week.”
She would tone things down a bit in the less competitive meets, while ramping it back up against the better teams.
“When the competition was tougher, I would throw some tougher skills. I wanted to keep myself safe and not over-stress. I was doing it to have fun,” she said.
It was a lot of fun for Shanahan. It worked out perfectly and, almost, as planned.
She made it to state, but her parents, family and friends, due to coronavirus pandemic, were unable to attend her final competition. They had to watch it via live stream from their homes.
Shanahan, who said she plans on going to Ivy Tech in the fall to study Nursing, missed her family not being there, but admitted the more laid back atmosphere at the finals led to a less stressful meet, which was right up her alley.
“It was weird,” she said. “It was like a competitive practice, but it took a lot of the stress off. It made it less stressful and I think that’s why so many competed so well.”
It all fell into place for the Dragon senior who wanted to take away the pressure and the stress in her final season.
“I enjoyed the atmosphere. I just went out to have fun.”
