Spartans Begin Big Ten Championship Preparations
3/30/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
March 30, 2007
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Michigan State head coach Kathie Klages joined head coaches from each of the participating Big Ten schools at a press conference on Friday.
Opening Statement...
Having hosted the Big Ten Championships last year, I'm all too familiar with how much work goes into it. I'd like to thank Penn State, and all their people for everything they're doing to make this a great Championship. As far as Michigan State University goes, we've had a very good year this year. We have a very strong freshman class, so we're in that same boat of `How are they going to handle a Big Ten Championship meet?' It makes it interesting. We have over half of our routines coming from freshman, and we have a fairly strong senior group, two seniors, that will be competing. We lost our team captain from last year, Chayla Hill, to a shoulder injury early, she was co-vault Big Ten Champion last year. But we've been hanging in there too. We have a couple of other athletes that will not be competing, are not able to compete due to injury. But we're really excited about what we were able to do throughout the season. We need to work on consistency, which is something that I think, depending on which team shows up tomorrow, we could be a contender, or, we could be in seventh place. I truly believe that, and I think that's a strong statement to how much the Big Ten has improved. We're really excited to be here, and we're really excited for the competition to begin. I was ready on Monday. We're just really thankful to be here, and thank you again Penn State.
On how she sees the freshman class competing in tomorrow's competition...
I have a very talented freshman class. Over half the routines are coming from freshman, and what we've tried to prepare them with is that it's just another meet, just like any other meet. It's not like we want them to do more, or work harder at this competition, they just need to do their gymnastics, Spartan gymnastics. We're not asking for more out of them, we're asking for what they do in practice and what they're capable of doing in competitions, which we've already done throughout the whole season.
On what is going to make a difference for Michigan State tomorrow...
I think it's interesting how we in the Big Ten select where we start. We draw that at the banquet tonight, so nobody knows where they're going to start the competition until tonight at the banquet. I think starting events can have an affect. Now we don't want our athletes to think that. We try not to let them think that. But I do think that does play a factory, possibly, into the outcome. If they're very nervous and we start on beam, there are possibly more falls. If we do beam maybe third, then you're a little more relaxed into the competition. That's going to come into play I think a little bit. I think they're just very excited to be here. It's fun to feel like there's some more parity in the Big Ten, and that there is a chance for us to win. Michigan has dominated the Big Ten Championships for many years, and the parity is just really exciting for the Big Ten Conference.
Players Mentioned
