Freshman lead team to MAC
Head Coach Jerry Reighard never intended to have four freshmen this season in the starting lineup.
In past years the gymnastics team has relied on its upperclassmen to propel teams to MAC championships and NCAA regional bids.
The freshmen at CMU are typically supposed to only be in one or two events and rarely go three or all four events.
But don’t tell that to freshmen Sara Burtinsky, Shanna Duggan and Laura McLaren.
“They came here with different ideas,” Reighard said. “They didn’t come here to watch the upperclassmen compete.”
The freshmen’s chances to compete came in January after seniors Kelly Duce and Bethany Couturier, as well as junior Michele Orloski were out of the lineup.
“It was no surprise that the three freshmen stepped up for us,” Reighard said. “We knew they would make an immediate impact.”
But it took about a month to make the adjustment to NCAA gymnastics, Reighard said. He knew the talent was there, but they were inconsistent at the season’s start.
“Every freshman goes through a maturing process,” he said. “They have to learn to do gymnastics for not only themselves, but now for a team.”
“It’s a big adjustment for every freshman, but they are going to be instrumental for us all for four years.”
He credits their efforts for the mid-season turnaround.
“They have been a key factor to our success. We also got Bethany healthy and Michele in the lineup and Sarah Dame has been great for us,” Reighard said. “The sky is the limit with this group.”
He said it’s the first time to have four freshmen on scholarship and it’s a unique situation to have half the lineup be freshmen.
Burtinsky said it was tough at the beginning of the season.
“It didn’t make sense at first, I never had experienced this type of gymnastics before,” she said. “There were joys and there were trials.”
Burtinsky was the 2000 Canadian National all around champion. She also was the Wymgym International all around champion in 2000.
The Oshawa, Ontario freshman scored the first perfect score on floor exercise at the 2001 provincial championships, which was the first 10 in Canadian National history on floor exercise.
She also scored a 9.925 on floor exercise at the finals of the Canadian National Championships.
“She really has lived up to expectations. She is a great athlete,” Reighard said.
Burtinsky’s career-highs are a 37.9 in the all around, a 9.85 on bars, a 9.675 on vault and a 9.875 on the beam.
The biggest adjustment for Duggan was the new equipment and the coaches.
“I came in and tried my best,” she said. “I had never seen a college meet before, so it was a new situation for me and it was weird to not compete all four events.”
Duggan, a Sault Ste. Marie freshman, was fourth at the USAIGC nationals in 2000 and won the all around at the Friendship Classic.
She also finished sixth in the all around and third on the vault at the USAIGC nationals in 1998.
“Shanna has been the biggest surprise,” Reighard said.
He said she has learned a new vault and new beam skills, and has made huge strides this season.
Duggan’s career-highs are a 9.85 on the vault, a 9.9 on beam and a 9.9 on floor exercise.
“I learned to push myself through the tough days,” Duggan said. “You just don’t grumble and fight through pain.”
McLaren said the biggest adjustment was to adapt to the rapid change in her athletic career.
“Everything happened so fast,” she said. “It felt like you were always being watched to see what you could do for the team.”
McLaren was a member of the Ontario National team for six years and won the all around at the 1999 Tour Selection meet.
The Unionville freshman finished third in the all-around at the 2000 Elite Ontario meet and placed 11th in the all around at the Canadian Nationals.
She also took sixth in the all around at the Blue Water International meet in 1998.
Her career highs are a 9.175 on beam, a 9.8 on floor exercise and a 9.85 on the uneven bars.
Reighard said she has been more consistent for the team and has made a lot of progress.
“I’ve learned to fight and that you can’t be perfect all of the time,” McLaren said. “If you want it bad enough, you can do it.”
Burtinsky said the girls have supported each other throughout the season and it helped to get through the beginning struggles.
Also, she said it helped the coaches were always there to support them and make them better athletes.
Reighard said it’s not a surprise on how far each of the gymnasts have come since the beginning of the season.
“They now have a stubbornness to win,” he said. “For them it’s not good enough to be in the lineup. They want the 9.8 and to finish first.”
“They can’t even begin to think to fail.”
Reighard said with freshmen Kara Reighard and Tiffany Dykstra, along with the other three freshmen, it could be the best-ever recruiting class.
“The No. 1 goal not yet obtained by this class is a MAC championship,” Jerry Reighard said. “The 1990 class won four straight. This year’s class can potentially also win four MAC championships.”
