Palmer Ridge gymnastics hoping to reach new heights in 2022

Over the last few seasons, the gymnastics team at Palmer Ridge High School has been one of the strongest in Class 4A. With a 3^rd place finish as a team in 2021 and a runner-up finish in 2020, the Bears are ready to break through for the program’s first state title.

“We have more depth this year,” head coach Kathy Clowes said. “We started off with a bunch of new girls and we’ve really tried to become a team,” added Rylee Staling.

The season is already off to a big start for Palmer Ridge who beat Cherry Creek and Northfield with a team score of 170.1, Aug. 24, before taking down Overland, the 2020 5A state champions, with a score of 168.075, Aug. 31.

“We’ve been super close this year and having a blast,” said Makenna Cook. “We’re all best friends out of gymnastics and hang out all the time. At meets, we cheer so loud for each other, and we have fun competing with each other – we have a lot of good, friendly competition.”

What’s different about Coach Clowes team this season, is that she has four gymnasts who are competing in the all-around discipline. Rylee Starling and Makenna Cook are joined by Sydney Cowan, adding to the team’s versatility.

“It brings a lot of depth; a lot of personalities have come together to create a really strong bond,” Clowes stated. “It really brings the team together.”

What sets the Bears apart is not what happens on the mat, but rather how the team supports one another when competing.

“We are by far the loudest team,” Starling shared with lots of pride. “It doesn’t matter if you fall three times or you stick it perfectly, it doesn’t matter if you’re the best girl on the team – we’ll scream equally as loud for everybody.”

While having their eyes set on hoisting a trophy at the end of the season, the Bears are focused on the process of getting better as the season goes along. Each of the last two seasons the team set a new school record for team score, and they did it yet again this weekend with a 180.025, the highest score recorded across all teams in the state this season.

“We’re trying to get new skills and new combinations to try to get our scores up higher,” Starling said of the Bears’ practice routine. “Our skill sets, and techniques have changed so much since Freshman year,” added Cook. “It’s an amazing feeling to salute at the end of your routine and have everyone screaming for you.”

The team has already seen immense progress this season, by raising their team score by over 10-points between their first meet in August and the latest meet last weekend. The hard work it takes to get better as individuals and a team is what Starling and Cook think makes gymnastics special.

“What I love about gymnastics is that there’s no limit. There’s always room to grow,” Starling said when asked what made gymnastics different. “Girls are throwing some of the biggest skills I’ve ever seen competed before, right in front of my eyes that you would never see anywhere else,” Cook added.

With something new always coming from Palmer Ridge, whether it be a skill on the mat or cheer off it, the Bears will be one of the top contenders at the state meet in November.