Gymnastics: Olentangy Berlin endures pressure after seeing state title possibility
Tuesday, December 5, 2023
By Michael Rich
mrich@cbussports.com
Olentangy Berlin’s Taten Swain works on her floor routine in practice Nov. 28 at Gym X-Treme Gymnastics. Photo by John Hulkenberg
Tayten Swain does a lot of talking before she competes. She can often be found pulling a teammate aside to verbalize some self-encouragement as a way to take some of the pressure off during a big meet.
Often it was 2023 graduate Stephanie Balthaser last year and it worked wonders. Swain took second in the all-around at last year’s individual state meet with a score of 38.275 behind champion Tessa Brousek (38.5) of Parma Padua Franciscan.
Sometimes, she just talks to herself.
“During all my routines, I talk to myself with positive, encouraging words,” said the now sophomore, who also led the Olentangy Berlin gymnastics team to a second-place finish in the team tournament with scores of 9.775 in the floor exercise, 9.675 in the balance beam, 9.625 in the vault and 9.3 in the uneven parallel bars. “I just block everything out and it’s me and the event. I talk through my routine and that’s really all I can do.
“I’m a talker to my teammates. So, when we’re in a big meet, I try to talk to all my friends just to try to get my head somewhere else. Say I’m on vault, I’ll have a friend come down to the end with me and I’ll talk to them and calm my nerves. But when we’re in the event, that’s when I’ll talk to myself just saying anything encouraging to get me through the routine.”
The Bears scored 148.05 points, but were edged by Brecksview-Broadview Heights (148.825), which won its 20th consecutive state title and 24th overall. A central Ohio team hasn’t won a state title since Upper Arlington in 1995.
Berlin’s performance proved to coach Jen Hedrick that a state title was possible. But with possibility comes pressure. And that’s what Hedrick is charged with alleviating this season.
Olentangy Berlin’s Tia Estrada works on her beam routine in practice Nov. 28 at Gym X-Treme Gymnastics. Photo John Hulkenberg
“We absolutely would love to win state, but there’s never been this kind of pressure until last year,” she said. “(Winning a state title) was really in reach. Now that we’ve reached that skill level where we could compete for the top spots at state, it just adds that pressure knowing the possibility is there. So, you want to make sure you’re doing everything you can to be the best that we are capable of.
“Right now, it’s trying to find the right motivation. For some girls, the end goal of winning states is motivation. For some girls, that’s a stressor and it’s not helpful. So, it’s finding the right motivation for the team as a whole to do the best that they can.”
Hedrick isn’t the only one trying to keep the pressure off.
“As a team, we try to keep everything light and fun,” Swain said. “We’re all really close and we support one another. So, as a team, we don’t put pressure on each other. We’re more of a support system for one another.”
Senior Alex Downing and junior Tia Estrada also return after competing in both the team and individual state tournaments last season. The duo finished tied for 16th in the individual all-around, each scoring 36.425.
Downing also was fifth in the floor (9.525), tied for fifth in the bars (9.250) and tied for 24th in the beam (8.9) in individual competition.
Estrada was seventh in the bars (9.225), tied for 19th in the floor (9.175) and tied for 24th in the vault (9.075).
“I think (finishing second) really motivates us to want to win states,” Estrada said. “It really did open up possibilities for us. Our team bond was so strong last year and I think this year, we’re all just working hard to win that title this year. I think there is a little bit of pressure just because of how close we got last year.”
The Bears won their third consecutive district title the previous week with a program record 148.5. Berlin was OCC-Cardinal Division champions (6-0, 146.725) for the fourth season in a row.
Olentangy Berlin’s Alex Downing works on her floor routine in practice Nov. 28 at Gym X-Treme Gymnastics. Photo John Hulkenberg
“We definitely have the grit and determination to go in there and take that (state) title,” Swain said. “We’re getting in the gym trying to (improve) our skills. We’re trying to up (our) skills – we’re trying to up our start values, fix our form and just fix the little details.”
Replacing Balthaser will be difficult. But Hedrick believes the Bears have enough depth to fill the void.
Junior Kalyn Davis scored an 8.875 in the bars in team competition at state after battling an ankle injury throughout the year.
Sophomore Christina Drakeford and freshman Allison Waller along with a mixture of talent that can contribute in different events should help shore up that fourth spot for the Bears.
Swain set program records in floor (9.8), vault (9.75) and all-around (38.3) and Downing holds the program record in bars (9.45).
Though the season officially begins on Dec. 4, Berlin opens at the Hilliard Invitation on Dec. 16 at Hilliard Davidson.
“These girls have put in the time and energy and effort long before they were (with Berlin),” Hedrick said. “I’m just taking that and making sure that I can keep a love of gymnastics for these girls that have been working hard for so many years … and give them a place where they can compete in gymnastics while still giving it their all.”
‘Mental blocks and fears’
Swain hadn’t planned on competing when she entered high school. After competing at the club level and being home-schooled, she became tired of the lifestyle and stopped in the sixth grade.
“I was in the gym 30-plus hours a week doing the (USA) TOPs program and (Junior Olympic) stuff,” she said. “I think there just came a point in time where I was getting older and things were starting to change. I hurt my back and was pushing through a lot of back pain. All gymnasts experience mental blocks and fears at some point and I hit that point.”
Swain was back in the gym when the COVID-19 pandemic forced her into another break.
“We’d get on our Zoom calls and all of my friends were like, ‘I miss gymnastics so much.’ For me, I loved being in the gym always,” Swain said. “But I wasn’t dying to get back in the gym anymore. I think I realized this break was really needed for me.”
Olentangy Berlin’s Kalyn Davis works on her floor routine in practice Nov. 28 at Gym X-Treme Gymnastics. πhoto John Hulkenberg
So, she took the opportunity to try some different things, namely she went back to school.
Swain took up cheerleading in middle school as a way to make friends. She found she enjoyed being a part of the team. Some of her friends encouraged her to join the gymnastics team last season.
“I was so against it … I was just nervous to get back into it,” Swain said. “I talked to (coach Hedrick) and she walked me through the process of high school (competition) and stuff. So, I was like, ‘I’m just going to go in for practice and try it.’ And it was fun. Ever since then, I really did start finding my passion for it again.
“(The passion) definitely wasn’t there right away and that’s partly because I’m so hard on myself,” she said. “There were a couple of skills that I needed to work a little harder at to get again. But being around the high school environment and (coaches Hedrick and Kristy Poehler) – they just helped me not put as much pressure on myself and calming everything down.”
Finding the joy again
Downing went through a similar experience and stopped competing with Buckeye Gymnastics before her freshman year.
“It just wasn’t the right fit for me anymore,” Downing said. “At times, it was a little too much for me. I really love gymnastics, so it kind of led me into a perfect path with high school gymnastics”
Like Swain, Downing found her love of the sport again from the team. She returned after a year off and competed with Berlin as a sophomore.
“I think my team really helped me find the joy in it again – just being surrounded by people that are working hard and have the same goals as me,” Downing said. “I just missed the sport. So, I was just excited to get back into it and try something new. I always enjoyed my gymnastics, but I hadn’t done it for so long. So, it was fun to get back into it.”
Swain had no expectations for herself last year. The goal was simple: have fun.
“I had no clue what to expect,” she said. “I was not expecting any of the (results) that happened. All my intentions starting high school gymnastics were to just go out there and have fun. That’s what I told myself to go out there and have fun and whatever happens, happens at the end of the day.”