Dutch gymnasts hope to heal up for sectionals





GUILDERLAND — The Guilderland gymnastics team is hoping for a flipping good time at the end of the season.

The Lady Dutch hope to overcome some key injuries and lack of experience as they look forward to the Suburban Council and Section II meets next month. Out of 14 competitors on the team, only one is a senior.
"We have 14 girls this year which is a little on the small side," said Guilderland Coach Brenda Goodknight. "We have a really young team. We have five middle-schoolers. We’re a little younger than in the past."

The only senior on the team is co-captain Erika Pesta. But she is out with an injury and has not competed recently.
"Leadership-wise," Goodknight said, "it affected the team a little bit."

The Guilderland team’s other two captains are juniors Corrine Chatnik and Corrina Goutos.
"That makes us a really young group," Goodknight said. "Skill-wise we are young. They are talented, but they don’t know what to expect."

Plagued with injuries

Ninth-grader Alexa Patnaude is out with an injury, but is looking to return for the big end-of-season meets.
"She’s a number-one and she is injured," Goodknight said. "She has been working on the bars. She should be ready to go for sectionals. That’s three weeks from now. We’re hoping she heals up quickly. We’re missing her scores on the floor and beams. It’s a little disappointing but, when she comes back, we’ll be in good shape."

The Lady Dutch beat Shenendehowa in December to win their first league competition of the season. But Guilderland lost to Shen in a close match in their last meeting on Jan. 15.

Guilderland also finished third at the season-opening Shaker Invitational.
"We were in a good place at the beginning of the season," Goodknight said. "The injuries took the wind out of our sails. I’m impressed with their work ethic. They have stepped up to the plate."

Ninth-grader Kristi Russell has slid into the number-one role and done a good job, Goodknight said. Goodknight has also been impressed with ninth-grader Jasmine Day.
"We want to be ready for sectionals," Goodknight said. "We want to get back to where we started."

The Dutch have one more home match and two more before the sectional meet. Guilderland hosts Shaker today (Thursday) and then travels to Saratoga on Feb. 5.

Goodknight has had help this season. Lauren Quirk, a college student, is an assistant coach this winter. Quirk is a former six-year member of the Bethlehem High School gymnastics team.
"A different year"

Last year, the Lady Dutch had a successful campaign winning the Suburban Council and coming in second at the Section II meet behind Saratoga. Dana Goodknight, the coach’s daughter, was the overall champion, but she has graduated and taken her skills to Southern Connecticut State University.
"This is really a different year," Coach Goodknight said. "We have eight returning girls that are used to the workout routine a bit. Competition-wise, it has been an interesting season. We have had two or three meets crammed into a week. It’s hard enough for the experienced girls. And it’s difficult for the inexperienced girls as well."

Goodknight is pleased with the way the younger team members have worked this season.
"The seventh-graders are stepping up," she said. "They have come in and given us quality scores."

Two gymnasts who Goodknight mentioned by name are Lena Rotella and Casie Girvin.

Goodknight thinks that her team will be ready to put together a good performance at the Section II meet, which is good, because the Dutch are hosting the event at their home at Lynnwood Elementary School. The Section II meet will be on Feb. 14.

Before that will be the junior varsity all-around meet on Feb.7 and the varsity all-around meet on Feb. 8 and 9.
"Half the girls will be going to the ‘A’ [varsity] meet and half will go to the ‘B’ meet," Goodknight said. "There are no JV teams. And, instead of rolling it all into one, the less experienced kids will compete with others of their ability in an all-around meet."

The season is coming to its climax quickly, but Goodknight sees good things on the horizon.
"It’s been a long season," the coach said. "But the girls are finally starting to get connected. Things are starting to come. They have come a long way since the beginning of the season. The girls look at tapes of meets and practices. We are proud of the progress they have made."

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