Gymnasts look to build off last year’s success

Waseca Winter Sports Preview 2022

Sat, 12/31/2022 - 4:47pm

Jim Lutgens

“I am looking forward to this season to showcase our talent and be competitive in the conference.” — Coach Kim Wendland

Last season was a very successful one for the Waseca High School gymnastics team.

Head coach Kim Wendland has no reason to think 2022-23 will be any different.

The squad - comprised of athletes from Waseca, NRHEG JWP and WEM - has varsity experience, strong senior leadership and, of course, good coaching.

"I am really proud of the way we improved last season and came together as a team despite some injuries and adversity,” said Wendland. “This year, we have solid leadership from our captains, seniors Kara Doyle and Katheryn Kofstad and junior Haydn Lynch. They will prove that working hard, and staying consistent in their skills, leads to success in competition. I am looking forward to this season to showcase our talent and be competitive in the conference."

Lynch and freshman Layla Keith earned all-conference honors last year and honorable mention all-state in floor exercise.

Wendland also expects big things from junior Lindy Caldwell and eighth-grader Elli Hoban.

The remainder of the roster: juniors Macy Anderson and Norah Schimming, sophomore Ines Sanchez, freshmen Nora Flatness and Layla Keith, 8th-graders Angelica Lopez and Katelyn Weber, and 7th-graders Miley Anderson, Avery Carda, Kiyha Helmer, Maddie Root, Tru Thao, Lilian Welder and Addison Zimmerman.

Doyle, Flatness, Kofstad, Tru and Welder hail from NRHEG. Miley Anderson, Macy Anderson and Caldwell are from WEM, Carda from JWP. The rest are from Waseca.

Wendland enters her seventh season as Waseca's head coach and 23rd year as a high school gymnastics official. She'll be assisted by first-year coaches Sara Lynch and Cici McNair, who replace Sheryl Stroda after five years.

"Last season was one of performance, high-level competition and successful meet outcomes," said Wendland. "Overall, we had a winning season for varsity and junior varsity. In January, our varsity outscored eight of the 10 teams they competed against, winning five meets in a row."

Last year's season-best score was 133.025.

"It was our highest score in the past six years," said Wendland. "We placed fourth in the Section 2A meet, capping off a really successful season."

2022-23 Waseca Gymnastics

Dec. 1 at Byron 6:00

Dec. 10 at Mankato 1:00

Dec. 13 New Ulm 6:00

Dec. 15 at St. Peter 6:00

Dec. 20 Kasson-Mantorville 6:00

Jan. 7 at Fairmont Inv., 10 am

Jan. 13 at St. James Area 6:00

Jan. 19 at Stewartville 6:30

Jan. 21 at Kasson-M Inv. 9 am