It seems like only yesterday that seniors Kaylie McGivney of Tappan Zee and Olivia Blachno of Clarkstown made their varsity gymnastics debuts.
Six years later, they are seasoned veterans.
"I remember starting out when I was in the seventh grade, being really nervous and being the youngest of the group," Blachno said. "I really looked up to the older girls like Kristyn (Romaine) and Diona (Straub)."
"It's strange being the oldest on the team because I started so young," McGivney said. "It is crazy how quickly six years have passed since seventh grade."
Last season, both made an impact on the Section 1 team at the state meet. McGivney qualified as a floor-exercise specialist, and Blachno made the team as a balance-beam specialist.
Blachno, who attends Clarkstown South, was runner-up on the balance beam at the Section 1 championships. She tied for 11th at the state championships, having won the event at the Division I meet.
McGivney finished seventh in the all-around at the Section 1 championships. Competing only in the floor exercise at the state meet, she finished 11th.
Blachno contributed to a Clarkstown team that won the Section 1 championship for the first time since 2006. She has high hopes for this season's team, too.
"I just want Clarkstown to be the best we can be," Blachno said. "I think we will do pretty well. We have a lot of good girls coming up, and we have all been working hard, so hopefully we will do well."
Tappan Zee's McGivney has a strategy.
"I will probably upgrade my floor to a one-and-a-half turn instead of a full, just like I did at states," McGivney said. "Possibly by the end of the season, I'll do a punch-front out of it.
"I would like to accomplish a consistent scoring pattern on each event, with floor and vault in the nines as well as bars and beam in the eights."
McGivney and Blachno are not looking forward to the end of the season, whenever that may be.
"It's going to be really sad when the season is over, because I'm going to miss the team and doing gymnastics for Clarkstown," Blachno said. "It's been such a big part of my life, and I'm really going to miss it."
But for now, they're focused on their senior year.
"I hope to prove that we are better than people may think," McGivney said. "We have a young team now that I think will only get better."
