Gymnasts prep for spring semester competitions by developing routines, culture

Gymnasts balance beam — Liberty captains Annabella James (left) and Sarah Dyk at the Club Sports Complex

Though it has yet to showcase its talent in an official meet, Liberty University's women's gymnastics team — fresh off a third-place Level 9 finish at the NAIGC Championships in Albuquerque, N.M., last April — has demonstrated tremendous potential in practices this semester, out of its training facility in the Liberty Club Sports Complex.

"It's been a great fall season," Lady Flames third-year Head Coach Jessie Lowe said. "We've definitely gotten the ball rolling pretty quickly. We have a great group of (gymnasts) coming back this year and then we've brought in four new freshmen who are fantastic additions to our team. They're bringing a lot of energy on top of bringing a lot of skills that will add depth to our program."

Junior captain Annabella James said she and her teammates have worked hard throughout the semester to polish their execution of routines on the balance beam, floor exercise, uneven bars, and vault.

"The fall is really crucial for us when it comes to practicing," James said. "We're really focusing on building up our skills and putting together routines to prepare for the spring."

"We're not just building up our skills, but we're building up our team culture in the fall … to get to know each other in and outside of the gym so that you know when you go into the spring, you know that you have that community and those people around you," sophomore assistant captain Sarah Dyk added.

Lowe said she has set the bar high for her returning gymnasts and newcomers alike as they prepare for competitions in the spring semester leading up to the April 2-5 NAIGC Championships in Pittsburgh.

Gymnast uneven bars — Junior Kate Haluck adjusts her gloves between practicing on the uneven bars.

"We've set certain benchmarks for them throughout the fall that they need to reach, so that by the time we get to spring they're set up and ready to go," she said. "The upperclassmen have done a great job. They know the expectations coming in and understand the process that it takes to get there. The new kids coming in have done a great job just trusting us, following the upperclassmen. Those kids work extremely hard, coming in extra days (to practice)."

"I'm super excited for the spring," James added. "I think we have a super good culture already and it's only going to get better from there."

The newcomers are freshmen Kelsey Bailis, Malaika Campbell, and Kaylee Ockerman as well as sophomore Victoria Bradfield and the team's Disciple Makers are juniors Sarah Baugher and Isabella Sierra.

Dyk said more importantly than contending for individual and team podium finishes, the Lady Flames have the opportunity to reflect the light of Christ wherever they go.

"There are a lot of people that aren't believers within the sport, so when we do go to meets in other states or other places, we have a unique ability to be a witness in that aspect and share what the Lord has done in our lives and who He is to people with kind of a connection to gymnastics behind that," Dyk said.

Lowe noted that the team's strong performances — including a best-ever second-place Level 9 finish at the NAIGC Championships in Memphis, Tenn., in 2023 — have given the gymnasts a sturdier footing from which to share their faith. She said the Lady Flames have become ambassadors for Liberty and the Lord by stewarding their God-given athleticism through disciplined workouts while also extending grace and love to their teammates and competitors.

Gymnastic newcomers 2024-25 — Newcomers Kelsey Bailis, Victoria Bradfield, Malaika Campbell, and Kaylee Ockerman

"Our program has been extremely successful in the last few years, so now other schools know our school really well, they know we're competitive, and they see that we run things differently," she said. "That's given us a really good privilege to go out and have a platform for other people to see this is what it means to be a team of Christ-followers, as well as doing gymnastics extremely well."

She does foresee her gymnasts continuing to sharpen their skills as they encourage one another and being ready to reach their individual and team goals in the spring.

"The girls work extremely hard," Lowe said. "They know we're a really good team and we're excited to build off of what we've done the last couple years. You can definitely sense the energy that these girls know … what we can achieve together. We've done it before … and I'm excited to see how the girls compete together."

Video edited by Reagan Underwood/Club Sports Video & Media Intern

Gymnasts prep for spring semester competitions by developing routines, culture

Players Mentioned

Kelsey Bailis

Sarah Baugher

Victoria Bradfield

Malaika Campbell

Sarah Dyk

Annabella James

Kaylee Ockerman

Isabella Sierra

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