This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
01/26/2022 11:00 PMReagan Furgueson fell in love with the sport of gymnastics as a youngster. Although she’s been unable to compete in recent years due to injuries, Reagan has made a positive impact with the Valley Regional gymnastics program by serving as its team manager since her freshman season.
Reagan, a senior, started her career at Flip-Flop Gymnastics when she was in 3rd grade, but after numerous injuries and a devastating prognosis from a doctor, Reagan decided to retire in 8th grade. As a freshman at Valley, Reagan became the manager for the Warriors’ gymnastics squad, providing her with an opportunity to enjoy the sport without competing.
“After multiple knee dislocations, countless years of physical therapy, and two surgeries, I was finally told by an orthopedic surgeon that the toll on my body was too great, and I would have to quit. I was absolutely crushed,” says Reagan. “My teammates and coaches were as close to me as family, and I could not bear to leave them. I remember going into the gym at the end of 8th grade to tell [Coach Monica Bauer] the news. This conversation quickly turned into a positive when Monica enthusiastically, knowing my niche for the organization and sport itself, asked me to manage the team.”
Reagan’s role as Valley’s manager comes with its fair share of complexities. One of Reagan’s biggest responsibilities is making sure that every aspect of the Warriors’ meets runs smoothly.
“When my team goes to an event, whether that be vault, bars, beam, or floor, I sit with the judge and manage the scorecards. I have a notebook and scoresheet that the scores get inputted into, and I also wave the scores with a flasher for the gymnasts to see,” Reagan says. “At the same time as inputting and flashing scores, I am recording content for our Instagram page. Each gymnast has an individual highlight portal, which the videos get added into.”
Reagan likes being able to update Valley’s gymnasts on the progress they’re making throughout the course of a season. Reagan embraces the analytical side of the sport and how she can accurately forecast what her teammates are likely to score based on their performances in previous meets.
“I look at what each gymnast is scoring and put it in an order from one to six. Six is the highest a person can score,” says Reagan. “This is a numbers game for me, which is something I enjoy, because it is a test in my predictability scores of who will execute the best for the team. I attended every practice and meet in order to better my picture of each gymnast to make the most reliable meet orders possible.”
Reagan feels grateful for how Coach Bauer gave her another chance to be a part of Valley gymnastics when she was no longer able to compete. Reagan has known Bauer since 2016, when she was a member of the Xcel team at Flip-Flop.
“After my injury, Monica offered me the spot as manager, giving me a second opportunity at involvement in the sport. She is an extremely supportive and knowledgeable coach,” Reagan says. “Now that I am no longer an athlete, I still see these qualities in her as I watch her help the gymnasts learn new skills.”
Coach Bauer describes Reagan as a dedicated member of the Valley gymnastics program. Bauer adds that the senior is a major asset to her as a coach.
“Reagan has managed the team for all of her high school years. She is a huge help to the coaching staff and the team,” says Bauer. “Reagan helps with the scoring, stats, and creates the lineup with the coaches. She assists during practice and at meets, and we are so grateful for her dedication and support.”
In addition to being the manager for Valley gymnastics, Reagan served as a captain for the Warriors’ field hockey team as a senior. Reagan is also a four-year treasurer for the Steering Committee, a writer for the Voices of Valley school newspaper, a member of the Student Leadership Council, and a member of the World Language National Honor Society.
Reagan has great expectations for the Valley gymnastics team as it enters the latter half of its season. Reagan is hoping that this talented Warriors’ club can claim the Shoreline Conference title before all is said and done this winter.
“Every member of our team has some level of experience on the Flip-Flop levels and competitive team. This is really beneficial to our success, because all of them are very talented,” Reagan says. “With a team of mostly veterans to the sport, I think we are all hoping for a win at Shorelines. For us four seniors specifically, it would be nothing short of excellent to come out with a win in our last year with the program.”