2011-12 Winter Preview: New coach, Robinette to lead East Ridge gymnastics team

The East Ridge gymnastics team is in it to win it this season.

This winter, a combination of veterans and newcomers join new head coach Brittany Simmons, who served the team last year as an assistant coach, for the third year of competition in the 3AA section in the Suburban East Conference.

In her inaugural year as head coach, Simmons is joined by key returning Raptors team members in senior captain Leah Robinette, sophomores Kelly McKenzie and Keliana Thompson and eighth grader Megan Trollen.

This season, Simmons and her gymnasts hope to surpass their five Suburban East Conference wins last year over Hastings, White Bear Lake, Mounds View, Cretin Derham-Hall and Woodbury. Last year, the Raptors celebrated key wins over White Bear Lake and Woodbury and suffered losses to Park and Roseville.

Park and Roseville will once again be hefty opponents for the Raptors this season. The Raptors will host the Wolfpack on Jan. 5 and will host the Raiders on Feb. 9. East Ridge will also find a challenge in Stillwater this season as the Raptors host the Ponies on Dec. 8.

Other key meets for the team this year include: the Dec. 3 Becker invitational, the Dec. 17 Rush City invitational, the JV conference, held on Feb. 11 at East Ridge, and the sectional meets, which start on Feb. 16 at Park.

Simmons hopes that during the upcoming season, “all the girls go hard, do their best and never give up.”

East Ridge opens its season with a meet against Hastings, where the Raptors will host the Raiders at East Ridge on Thursday, Dec. 1.

Tags: winter preview 2011-12, east ridge, sports, raptors, prep, updates