PALATINE — Gymnasts agree that performing routines on a narrow piece of lumber that’s shoulder-high off the ground can be as intimidating as it looks.
Lyons advanced three gymnasts — seniors Kelsy Kurfirst and Kelly Ryser and freshman Julia Cozzi —to Friday’s beam preliminaries of the IHSA state meet at Palatine. The Lions had varying degrees of success, with Kurfirst emerging as one of the best of the tournament.
“Beam is probably one of the toughest events in gymnastics,” Kurfirst said. “It’s an event most of the population can’t even dream of doing. It’s four inches wide and not many regular people can walk on a beam and we have to flip, jump, turn on four inches of wood. So just the fact we get up there is something to be proud of.”
Lyons head coach Kari Karubas has been involved in gymnastics her whole life, from competing as a youth to coaching the Lions to back-to-back state titles in 2013 and 2014, and she knows how tricky beam can be.
“Beam is interesting in that if you can tumble on floor, the word on the street is you can do it on the beam,” Karubas said. “But the beam is four inches wide and there’s such detail. It does take the most precision.
“You can’t be really strong and chuck the skill like you could on floor. You also have to be able to handle the pressure. Being up there you have to have a lot of mental and emotional control.”
Kurfirst doesn’t duck any event and placed fourth (37.7) in all-around. She tied for first on uneven bars at 9.7 and was third (9.725) on vault in addition to taking third on beam at 9.5.
She’s been on of top gymnasts on beam in the state during her career at Lyons, tying for third (9.425) as a sophomore and coming in third (9.5) as a junior.
Her beam routine on Friday and Saturday were two of her best this season with just a couple wobbles.
She open with a very difficult jump combination, a switch leap straddle quarter. She moves onto a full turn and a back tuck right to a split jump. Up next is a straddle jump wolf jump and her dismount is a flight series, which includes a flip-flop, a layout stepout with a layout full dismount.
“Skill-wise, beam is one of my weakest events, but as far as consistency goes it’s one of my strongest events,” Kurfirst said. “I’ve been doing this routine for a while now so I know how to remain calm and handle my nerves. It’s definitely not my favorite event, but I’ve gotten better over the years.”
Cozzi battled all the expected butterflies of a freshman competing in her first state meet. She came in 27th on beam with a score of 8.5, after scoring 8.95 at the Hinsdale Central Sectional.
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However, just making it to state on beam was an accomplishment considering that she hoped to skip that rotation when the season started.
“Actually, I hated beam and I didn’t want to compete in it at all,” Cozzi said. “But after the first meet I decided that I could actually be good on beam if I tried and did more numbers. Now I love competing in beam, but it’s also my least favorite because you can fall so easily over the silliest thing.
“You’re constantly worrying about making a silly mistake that makes you fall, but I do love the pressure.”
Cozzi had a bizarre moment at state when she looked up during one of her straddles on beam and saw herself on the large-screen TV screen. She said it made her both excited and scared.
“I learned so much,” Cozzi said. “I saw how good everyone here is and I saw some really cool skills. Maybe by next year I’ll get them.”
While Kurfirst and Cozzi came away from state feeling, Ryser had her worst beam of the year and scored 8.2.
“I’ve always liked doing beam, I just bombed,” Ryser said. “It should be about as difficult as the other events, but it can get to you if you let it, and (Friday) I let it get to me.”
Ryser was surprised it happened.
“Some people can pick themselves up after a fall, but it all depends on your mindset,” Ryser said. “I just didn’t have the right mindset.”
Rob Valentin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press