This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
12/18/2011 11:00 PMThere is a changing of the guard this winter for the Valley gymnastics team, and after three straight Class S state championships it will be up to Maggie Calamari to continue the program's winning tradition. An experienced gymnast, Maggie is jumping at the opportunity to show she can lead the next era of Warrior gymnastics.
Maggie, a gymnast since age three, will captain this year's Valley team as only a junior. The Warriors saw much of their varsity experience disappear after graduation in the spring, leaving Maggie as the only true varsity performer left to carry on Valley's winning ways. An instructor of Level 1 and 2 gymnastics at Flip-Flop Gymnastics in Deep River, Maggie in a natural teacher who's ready to post some high scores and guide the Warriors with her leadership ability.
"It is a huge loss losing our three seniors from last year, but I think we will do alright," Maggie says. "We don't know if we will be state champions four years in a row as the competition we are facing weekly will be harder, but we will do well and score well and our realistic goal is to make it to the championship. If we make it there then I'm happy; I just want us to do well."
After trying her hand at ballet, Maggie began her gymnastics career by competing at Shoreline Gymnastics in Old Saybrook. After a year off, she then joined Flip-Flop, where she has continued to train and compete. Maggie then joined the Warriors as a freshman and has watched her skills soar hand-in-hand with Valley's team success. A member of the Warriors' last two state title teams, Maggie proved to be a solid contributor, despite not having much exerperience upon entering high school.
In the state championship as a freshman, Maggie posted an 8.3 on vault, the only event she competed in, and then as a sophomore scored a 31.3 all-around in helping guide Valley to its third straight title.
"I never thought [two state championships in my first two years] would ever happen; it was surreal," says Maggie. "As a freshman, I was so nervous, but everyone was telling me, 'you are going to do great.' I had gone to states for my gym, but it was much different in high school. There were all these high-level girls doing all these skills that I didn't have and it was intimidating. I just tried to do well to help out the team. It was a great feeling to win states and to know I helped do that."
But now Maggie's role has changed, making her the team leader who needs to guide a young and inexperienced bunch. Valley only has four gymnasts this season, meaning all of them are going to have to compete at a high level if the Warriors are to continue their streak. As the team captain, the pressure is on Maggie's shoulders to make sure Valley is ready for the road ahead.
"[Being captain] feels great, actually," she says. "I like trying to unify us as a team, I like to do team-building things. We want our freshmen to know we are team."
Team building is important, but of course one of the best things Maggie can do for Valley is score well. Being well-rounded in all four events is key and Maggie says she has recently been trying to bring up her beam and bar scores to match the numbers she posts on floor and vault.
"Floor is my strongest event," Maggie says. "I consistently score highest on floor, but vault is not far after. I have the tendency to favor that one and work on that one more, but I'm trying to break that habit."
Despite the Warriors' inexperience Flip-Flop coach and Valley assistant coach Monica Bauer believes the Warriors should be just fine under Maggie's watch.
"Maggie is a great mentor and in a perfect place to lead the team," Bauer said. "It is a young team, but she has the mentoring skills and confidence to lead this team next year, if not the next two years. I think this team can definitely qualify for states with Maggie as the leader. She has only grown up over these last six years and I think she can lead this team. Maggie knows what to expect and what it takes to get to the State Open meet."
Maggie's scores in the classroom have been just as high as they are on the mat. as she's a member of the National Honor Society, the Interact Club, and takes AP Biology.
Says Maggie: "It is difficult, but I manage to make it work. I go to practice and try to keep on top of all my academics."