Emily Roberts CV Year: Sophomore Sport: Gymnastics Event: All-Around

The absence of four teammates forced Emily Roberts to face what she might have otherwise avoided.

Roberts entered and won her first all-around competition last Thursday, scoring a 34.85, tops in the Greater Spokane League this year.

Roberts hadn’t attempted an all-around because she’s recovering from a broken foot. But CV coach Kim Brunelle was short-handed last week and asked her first-year gymnast to try all four events.

“I was really nervous… ” Roberts said. “But it was kind of like, ‘Emily, we need you. You’re on.”’

“She’s able to start working the skills that she wants to work,” said Brunelle, whose Bears (18-3) host a GSL season-ending meet tonight with University (21-0) in attendance. CV, without Roberts in the all-around, came within one-half point of U-Hi two weeks ago.

Roberts, who had competed at Spokane Elite Gymnastics for eight years, joined the high school team at the urging of CV’s Lindsay Zacher.

Roberts discovered the less-stressful environment allowed her more time to work toward a straight-A average in her classes.

Club gymnastics had its positives, such as an excursion to Alaska, but Roberts is finding the Bears team to be a different kind of trip.

“Everyone’s so nice,” she said. “It wasn’t always like that in club.”

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