Teft, Dame, Reighard set to head to nationals
Three gymnasts will head to Nebraska April 24 for the National Championship after finishing second at the NCAA Central Regional in Alabama.
Seniors Katie Teft and Sarah Dame in the all-around and sophomore Kara Reighard all qualified to compete as individuals. Dame and Reighard qualified in the all-around, while Teft qualified on the uneven bars.
“To take three individuals to nationals is something that very few teams have ever done,” said Head Coach Jerry Reighard. “We have never taken more than one gymnast in a year.”
Teft finished in a first-place tie on the uneven bars with a 9.9. She executed a hop-full during her routine, a skill she had only done in one other routine this season.
“It was in my routine all of last year, but I couldn’t compete because of my injury,” Teft said. “At nationals, I am going to do two hop-fulls and right into a heck, instead of doing a full-giant-full.”
Teft is happy to go to nationals, but wishes the rest of the team could go as well.
“Obviously, I am very excited, because it’s something a lot of people dream of,” she said. “It’s bittersweet because I would much rather have the whole team go, but at the same time it’s exciting because I could’ve went last year and now I can redeem myself.”
Jerry Reighard said Teft has helped to teach the entire team.
“She has helped everyone on this team become more confident in themselves,” Reighard said. “Her qualifying isn’t a surprise to me, and she made a bold step to add a new skill in her routine.”
Dame finished fourth in the all-around with a score of 39.3.
“I couldn’t be more excited for anybody on this team to qualify,” Reighard said. “She is such an inspiration to our program. To go from where she came in at and to go to nationals is great.”
Similar to Teft, Dame also would rather have the entire team go.
“I am very excited for nationals, and I never thought I would make it here,” Dame said. “But to know how hard we’ve worked as a team and how close we came is gut wrenching.”
Jerry Reighard soon will find himself coaching his daughter Kara in the all-around at Nationals. Reighard scored a 39.2 at Regionals to advance.
“This year I felt so much more mature as an athlete, because last year I was really nervous,” Kara Reighard said. “It was a big crowd and my experience helped, but the seniors and captains really set the stage for getting people pumped up.”
The National Championship experience will allow her to grow as a gymnast and as a leader.
“Kara has made a statement for herself throughout the whole season,” Jerry Reighard said. “To qualify as a sophomore makes her the youngest CMU gymnast to make it. She has just had an incredible impact on out program and the future leadership that going to Nationals will provide her will pay big dividends not only for her, but for this team in the future.”
The gymnasts were not the only people raking in the awards. Jerry Reighard earned Co-Central Region Coach of the year honors. Assistant Coach Christine MacDonald was named the Central Region’s Assistant Coach of the Year, while Marcy Weston took the Administrator of the year.
“This award shows the respect that Jerry has gained throughout the Region, not only for producing quality athletes, but quality teams as well,” said Assistant Coach Christine MacDonald. “It says a lot for Jerry because he was chosen out of 13 schools, and it’s a credit to his hard work. He produces the best athletes and teams, and he’s taken them farther then they ever expected.”
