Gymnastics Finalists Raise Their Goals
State gymnastics
The smiles came out on Saturday, although it might take a year for Tara Hulbert’s best grin.
Hulbert, Kalie Cossette and Kacey Frederickson were the Greater Spokane League representatives when the gymnastics season came to an end with the individual event finals at the State meet in the Tacoma Dome.
“I’m mad,” Hulbert, a University junior said. “I’m determined for next year.”
Hulbert matched last year’s eighth-place finish on the bars, but once again struggled in the finals. On Saturday, she lost her grip and dropped to the mat midway through her routine.
“I don’t know what happened. I felt like it was a dream. I wish it was a dream. I was blanked out. I don’t know what happened,” she said. “I’m happy overall how it went. I accomplished more than last year, but I’m 100 percent more determined.”
That determination a year ago paid off. Hulbert also made the finals in floor exercises.
Frederickson, a Ferris junior, has the same goal after tying for sixth in the floor exercises in her first finals.
“It makes me realize these people aren’t so much above me,” she said. “It used to be, ‘Wow, these are finals people.’ It makes me want to work harder and make it in two events.”
She had a solid 9.35, but that was secondary.
“It was fun, it was definitely exciting,” Frederickson said. “My goal was to get here. I don’t care if I finish first or 10th. I got here so I’m happy.”
Last year, my coach and I were in the stands watching the finals, and he said next year I was going to be out there.”
While Hulbert and Frederickson are using opposite means to motivate themselves, Cossette, a U-Hi senior, is waiting for the reality to sink in.
“It probably won’t hit me until Monday, when I don’t go to practice after school,” said Cossette, who was seventh in the vault and ninth in floor exercise. “I’m happy. I’m really happy with my vault. I’m happy with how I finished. I made it to finals in two events. No disappointments.”
Her reflections on a four-year career that included four regional titles and accompanying trips to state hit both extremes.
“I wanted to get first for the team, but I thought we all competed well,” she said of the Titans’ fourth-place finish Friday night. “My biggest highlight was making it to finals as a sophomore. It was so unexpected. I thought we came over, did the team competition and shopped.”
Instead, she learned to grab up honors.
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