Just An All-Around Star University’s Kim Meyers Has Dominated Gsl Competition For Two Years
They had to drag Kim Meyers into the gymnastics room and may have to drag her out.
Meyers “quit” gymnastics in junior high school because advancing to a higher level meant added commitments.
Now, with the end of her University High career in sight, Meyers wonders how she can set the sport aside.
“I gave it up once, and this time I don’t want to leave,” the Titans senior said during preparation for Friday’s District 8-AAA meet at North Central. “It’s going to kill me next year to sit in the stands and watch.”
According to Stacey Heaton, the U-Hi coach who has watched her star pupil win every Greater Spokane League all-around competition for two years, Meyers doesn’t have to repose in the stands.
“She might struggle for a year, but she’d be an asset to any (college) program because of her upper-body strength, talent and work ethic,” said Heaton.
The strike against Meyers may be that she’s waited too long to develop a strategy for selling herself to college programs. That oversight could be corrected in two weeks, provided Meyers again advances to state.
As a junior, Meyers placed seventh at state in the all-around and eighth in the balance beam.
“(Teammate) Kalie (Cossette) and I didn’t expect to make it to the finals,” Meyers said. “We were planning to go shopping.”
Cossette, now a junior, tied for eighth in the floor exercise and 10th in the vault. If not for Meyers, Cossette would have been the all-around champion at eight of the Titans’ last 11 GSL meets.
Last year Meyers scored an average of 34.7 in the all-around, while Cossette was a point behind. Both have moved up a notch this year.
Cossette, Lindsay Linerud of Central Valley and Liz Miller of Ferris have nipped at Meyers’ heels for two years. The closest any came was late last league season, when Meyers scored 34.65 and Cossette 34.55.
Heaton will lose Meyers, Kady Honeychurch, Denae Smith, Jen Repp, Adrienne Mullinex, Christine Worley and Marla Morse from the team that won U-Hi’s fourth consecutive GSL title. Cossette, Coleen Pierce and Minnesota transfer Jennifer Lee will likely pick up the pieces.
Meyers prefers to stay close to home. U-Hi gymnasts tend to return to the roost to visit, as is the case with U-Hi assistant coach Amy Kobs, who was the league’s most consistent winner before Meyers.
U-Hi’s overall team is stronger now, as last year’s fifth-place finish at state would attest. Heaton expects at least the same this season.
“When we first started going to state, we saw a bus from Sehome with a sign that said, ‘170 (team points) or bust,”’ Heaton said. “We’d say that 170 was impossible, but now we’re not happy until we get there.”
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MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: District 8-AAA gymnastics Time and site: Friday, 6:30 p.m. at North Central Defending team champ: University. Central Valley was second. Team favorites: University, Ferris. Top all-around returners: Kim Meyers, U-Hi, first; Kalie Cossette, U-Hi, fourth; Lindsay Linerud, CV, fifth; Kelly Herron, Mead, seventh; Coleen Pierce, U-Hi, ninth; Kacey Fredrickson, Ferris, 10th. Returning events champion: Meyers, floor exercise. At stake: Top four teams advance to Feb. 10 regional meet at U-Hi. Also advancing are the top three all-around and top 10 in each event who aren’t on qualifying teams.