Westfield girls gymnastics team prepares for inaugural season
WESTFIELD, Ind. — Sports give us lots of examples of athletes coming out of retirement to take another crack at the competition. Think Michael Jordan wearing number 45 or Tom Brady donning a Buccaneers jersey. But, when you conjure images of unretired athletes, you鈥檙e not likely to think of a teenager wearing a high school uniform. That, however, is exactly what will happen at Westfield High School when nine young gymnasts come out of retirement to start the first-ever Rocks gymnastics team and take another shot at competition. And it all started because one young girl wanted a chance to represent her school.
鈥淕ymnastics has always brought me joy,鈥� said Molly Moskovitz, senior Rocks gymnast. 鈥淚 had to retire from the sport because of injuries and rigorous training as an outside club sport. But then I started thinking about what I could do to create some opportunities for myself and other girls who want to compete. That鈥檚 when I got the idea to bring the club to the high school.鈥�
Moskovitz approached Westfield High School Athletic Director Andy Tebbe and Westfield High School Assistant Athletic Director Ginny Smith and asked if they would be interested in having a gymnastics team in their program. They obliged, and, just like that, Molly unretired.
鈥淚 started recruiting friends I competed with before, I had a booth at the high school club fair at the start of the school year, I talked to people during our study periods, I started social media accounts to promote it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 did as much as I could to reach out to people who might have been interested in competing, and everyone had the same story: 鈥業 retired a few years ago, but I would love a chance to compete again!鈥欌��
When she heard the similar refrain while recruiting athletes, she knew she was doing something right.
鈥淭here are so many little girls in our community who are forced to retire from the sport because there isn鈥檛 a high school team, and I will be a huge part of changing that by starting this gymnastics team and giving young gymnasts a way to extend their competitive careers,鈥� Moskovitz said. 鈥淭his is definitely an opportunity for me to create my legacy and leave an impact on this school and in this community.鈥�
The team will be coached by Lynn Moskovitz, mother to Molly and a 30-year veteran gymnastics coach. She鈥檒l be assisted by Ally Dunkin, a Westfield High School class of 2018 graduate. They are responsible for setting the vision for the team, and they preach that team success starts from within.
鈥淚 want each girl to focus on her own individual achievement,鈥� Lynn said. 鈥淚f everyone is intentional about making themselves better every day, our entire team will continue to improve, and it will be reflected in our performance.鈥�
The squad will officially be a high school club because they will fund themselves through their own dues and community fundraising. But the high school athletic directors will allow the athletes to earn varsity letters.
鈥淭he athletic directors at Westfield High School have been so supportive of us, of the girls and of the program,鈥� Lynn said. 鈥淭hey seem to be as excited as we are to have a gymnastics team at the high school.鈥�
Westfield High School does not have a gym for these events, so the team practices at Wright鈥檚 Gymnastics, and all of their competitions will be on the road. The inaugural season of the Rocks gymnastics program starts on January 7, 2023, with a competition against Columbus East High School. The team is looking forward to competing again, but their focus will be on something much bigger than wins and losses.
鈥淢y goals for this season are to get back to the joy of gymnastics,鈥� Molly said. 鈥淚 want to come back stronger than I ever was, and I want to get back to loving the sport even more than I used to.鈥�
Lynn鈥檚 expectations are similar to her daughter鈥檚.
鈥淚鈥檓 hoping for a healthy, safe and joyful season for this team,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he season will have its ups and downs, but we will always focus on finding joy.鈥�
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