GUILDERLAND — Gymnasts want the highest score possible. Taking risks is the only way to get there.

However, no gymnast is perfect. Sometimes, they lose balance or get injured; they’re risking it all for extra bonus points.

Every Guilderland gymnast, no matter her talent level, works hard to achieve bonus points, Head Coach Brenda Goodknight told The Enterprise after the Jan. 15 meet against Saratoga. Her girls push the limits for the sake of scoring big.

“We do have some flipping vaults, but chose not to do those tonight; they are very risky and the landings aren’t always good,” Goodknight said. Saratoga took the top three scores on the vault, and won the entire meet overall, 175.10 to 166.75.

Serena Munoz did a double back flip off of the uneven bars for Guilderland, and so did Rachel Drislane and Shea Thompson. Munoz scored an 8.3 for fifth place. Meg Szesnat, who led the Dutch in all-around points (34.45), was second on the uneven bars with an 8.5.

Out of the four events — vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise — Goodknight believes that uneven bars are the most challenging for her gymnasts. “Tumbling passes with two flips are always risky,” she said. “Meg [Szesnat] did an amazing job tonight. She’s been working real hard on bars since the summer.”

Guilderland has dealt with its share of injuries this season, and that may be why no one was flipping around too much on Jan. 15. Emma Drislane was not competing because of a bruised tailbone; Munoz had recently come back from a concussion she sustained with her club team; and Isabella Bruno was limited from a previous heel bruise. Bruno had gotten injured by tumbling off the floor exercise mat and onto the gymnasium floor.

“That was not good,” said Goodknight. “We’re not at full speed yet, but we’re looking forward to it come sectionals. It has been tough for the core group, but I’m pleased with how they’ve handled themselves.”

Goodknight is just glad that there have been no catastrophic injuries like an anterior cruciate ligament tear. “The athletes’ safety is my utmost concern, so I make sure they’re cleared and ready to go before competing,” she added. “That’s why Munoz wasn’t going for the first half of our season. Now, she’s doing great.”

The Enterprise asked Goodknight if Munoz had been run through the ImPACT (Immediate Post Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) baseline after her concussion. Every Dutch athlete who plays a contact sport is required to take the ImPACT test. Gymnastics is defined as a non-contact sport.

“The gymnasts didn’t get the test this year,” said Goodknight. “I have no idea why.”

^{_{Striking a pose during her floor exercise routine is Guilderland’s Marina Christman on Jan. 15 during a gymnastics meet against Saratoga at Lynnwood Elementary. Rachel Drislane (9.2), Shea Thomson (8.9), and Meg Szesnat (8.8) placed in the top six for the Dutch. The Enterprise — Jordan J. Michael}}

Missing Emma Drislane on Jan. 15 made the proceedings different, Goodknight said; the other gymnasts would have to fill the void. “They put a little more pressure on themselves, but handled it well,” the coach said. “The kids in the middle of the pack really stepped up, showing me that they’re learning to compete.”

Gymnasts stay focused by using mental imagery. Goodknight says it’s easy for her to tell who knows what to do, and who is on a learning curve.

“Here, you only get one shot,” said Goodknight. “Before they get on the [balance] beam, they get that huge adrenaline rush — they jog in the corner or do jumping jacks to calm down. They think I’m crazy for telling them to do that, but it does work.”

One by one, each Guilderland gymnast had her moment while the visiting girls from Saratoga did the same across the way. The meet lasted about three-and-a-half hours.

“There is a rhythm to a meet, even in the way that it’s set up,” said Goodknight, who has coached gymnastics for at least 20 years. “It’s kind of like a ritual; the girls get used to the rhythm of it. That, in itself, can be calming.”

Judging by the serious demeanors of the Guilderland athletes, gymnastics may be one of the most internal sports. It’s also very friendly and festive; a message written out by the Dutch team on a white board welcomed Saratoga with love.

Section 2 gymnastics is a small community of athletes. The four teams — Guilderland, Saratoga, Bethlehem, and Shaker — compete constantly.

Despite the admiration, there’s always a competitive edge, Goodknight said, “because they’re girls, you know?”