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03/05/2012 11:00 PMIf Hand senior gymnast Kimmy Megargee's entire high school career was judged and scored just like an all-around, her score would have to be as close to perfect as one can get. For the last four years, Kimmy has been a force on the Hand gymnastics team, turning herself into not only one of the best gymnasts in the state, but also the country.
"I've been here six years and she has been here for four of those six," said Hand Coach Kelly Smith. "There have been some good kids who have come through, but she is probably the best all-around I've ever worked with. Not only are her skills high, but she is really easy to work with. She listens to you, tries not to ever give you a problem, she is not one to ever act like she is having a bad day, she leaves everything at the door, and comes to work. Kimmy is easy to work with and such a likeable kid-she will definitely be missed next year for sure."
Kimmy recently stuck her gymnastics career dismount at the State Open on March 3, her final high school gymnastics event. It has been a storied career for Kimmy who earned All-Southern Connecticut Conference, All-State, and New Haven Register All-Area honors all four years, as well as being named to the All-American and Academic All-American teams as a junior and senior.
Yet somehow Kimmy has maintained a certain level of humility under the bright glow of the spotlight.
"I haven't really even thought about [all the success] yet," Kimmy says. "My teammates and coaches are great and everyone in the gym has helped me through some really stressful times. Gymnastics is so much fun; I just love it."
A gymnast since kindergarten, Kimmy competes in the USA Gymnastics circuit at Nutmeg Twisters in Guilford during the offseason, but it is the accomplishments of her last four years as a Tiger that deserves a standing ovation. She guided the Tigers to four straight SCC titles during her tenure at Hand, three times winning the all-around-a feat she boasts glowingly about because of the team effort, not her individual performance.
"As a team, winning SCC's for all four years stands out to me," says Kimmy. "It really shows how great a team we were; I was just happy to be a part of such a great team."
Being a part of a team is why Kimmy says she loved high school gymnastics so much. In the USA circuit it is every gymnast for themselves, but at the high school level, a single standout gymnast-even one as great as Kimmy-can't carry an entire team on its back. That passion and camaraderie of team was what Kimmy took away from her gymnastics career, not just her medals, titles, and accolades.
"Gymnastics definitely is an individual sport, but doing high school gymnastics is so much more about team and that is why I love it, being a team and growing up together and your teammates cheering you on to do as well as you can," she says.
It might just be part of her modest approach, but Kimmy claims she wasn't always the talented athlete whose body control in the air or on a narrow beam rivals only the elite. While certainly her skills have improved over time, she says it has been her increased confidence which has made the biggest difference.
"I have become more confident, and the more confident you are, the better your routines look," Kimmy says. "Also, Hand gymnastics helps because for USA there aren't as many meets so Hand has helped me become more confident during other competitions, which has helped a lot."
Natural talent and confidence are a lethal combination on the mats, but Smith adds that there's a third ingredient into the All-American's success recipe: hard work.
"Certainly, she has a lot of natural talent but she is also one of hardest workers in the gym," Smith said. "She is there multiple hours a day, several days a week. She is extremely committed to her goals and makes steps towards accomplishing them. Talent can only take you so far; work ethic brings you to the next level. She is really humble, not one to boast. She is very team focused even though she is a standout."
However, there was one thing Kimmy and the Tigers couldn't quiet achieve in her time at Hand: winning a state title.
"We did the best we could; we are just proud of the way we performed. We are in a hard division so coming in second [this year] is something we are really proud of," says Kimmy.
Kimmy says she'll continue competing on the USA circuit, but in college she'll likely only compete on a club team. Also an honor roll student who is taking AP statistics, Kimmy is waiting to hear if she will qualify for the Senior Showcase Invitational held in May in Florida. Conventional wisdom says Kimmy will be heading there, leaving future Hand gymnasts with a piece of parting advice.
Says Kimmy: "Stay confident, listen to your coaches, and really work hard. Try your best but don't get too caught up in it and have a lot of fun."