[youtube]https://youtu.be/u3sUDT41QsI[/youtube]

The Girls Varsity Gymnastics team is very excited to compete against Glenbrook South next week. However,  qualifying for Sectionals is the team’s goal this season.

Head coach Susan Arcus said in a statement, “making it to sectionals is like other teams qualifying for state, freshman Jasmine Dirks has a great chance this season to go to state. Juniors, Haley Aichholzer and Claire Embil have a high chance of going to sectionals as well.”

The girls have only had one meet so far and won at all three levels in Highland Park. Their varsity team consists of two juniors and three freshman. They practice everyday after school until 6pm and on Saturday for three hours. The team puts in several hours of hard work, sweat and desire.

“I’ve had a lot of people say gymnastics is not a real sport. Their diminishing what my girls do, but I’d like for one of them to stand on a piece of wood and balance themselves and have the power and grace like my girls. It is not something everybody can do,”  Coach Arcus said.

These are true athletes, the amount of upper body strength the team has to have is not impressive, it’s phenomenal.

The power house teams for the lady wolves to take on this season are Glenbrook South, Maine South and New Trier.

Coach Susan Arcus also added, “these are girls that have played at a varsity level for quite sometime. If you haven’t played club, varsity from the elite schools in the CSL have no spot for you. The girls that are on the team have had private lessons since they were children, which brings my girls at a bit of a disadvantage. But I have no doubt in my mind that my girls can compete at a high intensive state like the other teams.”

The Girls Gymnastics team is a very young team, but they are strong and wise when it comes to their sport. The team and coach have great confidence in their abilities for this season. Having a team be together for about three years shows a lot of trust in one another. They have to learn to share and support each other in order for the team to do well.

“Every child that leaves our program, leaves an all around better person and athlete. We teach our girls things that they can carry on throughout their lifetime. Those are things that are priceless.” Susan Arcus said.

An early good luck to the girls when they compete against our rivals, Niles North at the end of their season on Jan. 26.

Video by Katrina Nickell