Each week throughout the fall, each UK gymnast will share her thoughts about the upcoming 2015 season, what it’s like being a Division I student-athlete at Kentucky and what makes being a Wildcat so special. Please note that these posts are the student-athletes’ personal reactions and the views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Kentucky or UK Athletics.
First up is redshirt senior Kayla Hartley, a native of nearby Versailles, Ky. One of two captains on the 2014-15 team, Hartley talks about the team’s fast start to preseason practice, helping the freshmen transition to life at UK and her excitement about coming back for one more year.
As the school year begins, so does the UK gymnastics team’s preseason training. We’ve been practicing for a week and a half now, and it’s been the best start to the season I’ve seen in my five years as a Wildcat. I feel like everyone has come in prepared and ready to go. We always want a fast start in the fall, as it makes the spring season easier because you’re ready, and feel confident walking into an arena knowing you’re going to hit your routines. Right now in the gym, we’re working on getting the routines down. As preseason progresses, we’ll slowly start perfecting these routines, and the faster that happens, the better our scores will be in the spring. Of course, it’s always fun getting great scores.
Our fast start to the preseason was definitely evident with a 100-percent passing rate on this year’s conditioning test. I was so happy to see everyone pass this year, I knew it would set the tone in the best way possible for the season. The conditioning test is the first time the team really comes together as one, supporting and cheering each other on. Knowing that we’re all in this together helps push each other along. For the upperclassmen, we know the conditioning test is only the beginning of a season of conditioning. The conditioning test is time to show the freshmen that coming together and supporting each other will really help make preseason and all the conditioning a little easier. The way I see it, as a big family unit we suffer (conditioning mostly) together, we survive (conditioning again) together, and we succeed together (winning, or for the conditioning test, passing).
Not only can you see it in the conditioning test, but the notion that everyone feels they have a place on the team is a great sign. Everyone comes in knowing they have a job to do and they are going to do it. Breaking records is always fun but not as fun as actually making the goals. Our goal is always to make it the nationals. Last year Audrey Harrison made it and this year we want to make it as a team for the first time in program history. Everyone agrees that we can do it, we just have to stay on track and get ready and down to business.
We have an equal distribution of upperclassmen and underclassmen, which is going to be a good thing for this team. In the past we have mostly been a young team still learning how to compete. This year we have plenty of upperclassman leadership that will help the freshmen make the transition into the demands and expectations of being a Division-I student-athlete. Upperclassmen will be able to help the freshmen handle all the particulars of being a student-athlete with little tips we’ve learned along the way. Things like getting more study hall hours in on off days rather than on Thursday nights, when everyone is trying to get those last few minutes, and learning the back roads to avoid traffic and getting to class and practice on time are some of those tips that I’ve told the freshmen to make their first semester in Lexington easier.
I’m really excited for the opportunity to come back for one last season. I’m looking forward to being with these girls and competing with them all for the first or the last time. I’m ready to break more records and make history with this team, doing the sport I love, wearing the blue and white and competing in my home state. I’ll always bleed blue.
Go CATS!
