Gymnast Philana Henning excels for LC despite pain

Overcoming adversity is a part of the world of gymnastics.

Improving one’s routine and getting past the fear of failure are just the beginning of the tasks the gymnast faces on a daily basis.

Then there’s dealing with injuries. Sprained and broken limbs are frequent companions, and no one knows that better than Lewis and Clark gymnastics head coach Jackie Fulton.

“We’ve had some injuries early on, and they’ve just continued throughout the season,” said Fulton, whose team had only three healthy gymnasts at a practice last week. “We’ve pretty much been plagued with one injury after the other, and they’ve really pulled through and stepped up to the plate. The younger girls have stepped up.”

One of those younger gymnasts is sophomore Philana Henning. The Tiger all-around performer has consistently been Lewis and Clark’s top performer this season.

“She is one of the younger gymnasts, but she’s one of the leaders,” said Fulton. “Being only a sophomore, she is the one gymnast that sets the stage pushing through and overcoming. She just works so hard.”

“The great thing about Philana is she’s consistent and great in all four events,” continued Fulton.

“Usually you have specialists that spend their time on just one, two or three of the events, whereas she spreads her time in the gym on all four. She’s consistently one of my best on all four events.”

Becoming an all-around performer didn’t come easily to Henning, though.

“Before I competed in high school, I was in club gymnastics, so you have to compete in all four events,” said Henning. “Last year, I was just comfortable on floor and bars because they’re my favorite.

“I don’t mind vault, but I was trying to stay away from beam, but Jackie convinced me to do it. The beam is like the devil to me – not really – but I don’t really like it.

“I’m afraid of heights, so I wasn’t comfortable standing on a 4-inch beam four feet off the ground.”

The 5-foot-5 Henning has had to overcome more than just her fear of heights in her career.

“Philana is also really good in track, but she had to quit early on because she has a horrible problem with shin splints and ankle injuries,” Fulton said. “The shin splints actually affect her hips.

“She’s taped from toe to knee every day. She fights through a lot of pain.”

“I’ve been injured, but I’ve pushed myself through the pain,” Henning said. “I just try to channel it out.

“I just focus on the event and don’t worry about the pain. It’s pretty hard to do.”

Henning, who lists the floor exercise and bars as her favorite routines, has taken her interest in the floor to a new level, developing a new routine that has her jump, tumble and dance to a mix of rap music.

“Last year’s routine I wasn’t really comfortable with,” Henning said.

“This year I told myself I’m going to get my music that I want to do that’s me, and show the judges who I am. My routine is really different from everybody else’s from other teams.”

“Her routine is out of the norm for gymnastics,” Fulton said. “It’s jazzy with a little bit of street dancing in there, but the judges have been kind enough to talk to us and tell us how to change it.

“Slowly throughout the season, we’ve been making the necessary adjustments, so we can incorporate her personality and style of dancing to her routine and satisfy the artistry needs. It”s really fun for her.”

“I like Philana; she’s a lot of fun,” said Tiger junior Rachel Rupp, who is coming back from a broken arm she suffered last season. “She’s very solid and consistent.

“She has the skills she does in her routines down perfectly. Everyone loves watching her floor routine because it’s a lot different than everybody else’s.

“She’s got a lot of rap songs mixed together, and she does this kind of ghetto dance. It’s good. It looks like something off of MTV.”

Henning, who will lead the Tigers into their final regular season meet at Lakeside, hopes to get the chance to show off to fans at this year’s district meet, which she missed last season due to the flu.

“It (missing districts) has pushed me so hard to work on my routines and get everything tight,” she said. “I’ve been trying to not get sick.

“I’ve been working so hard to get to this point.”