The club gymnastics team will compete in its first competition of the season March 28 in Chapel Hill. Six to eight teams are participating in the meet, which is hosted by UNC-Chapel Hill.

Club co-president Betsy Newsome, a junior in communication media, said she is ready to face the rival Tar Heels.

“Last year, the team was much smaller than we are now, and we still beat Carolina on their home turf,” Newsome said. “We placed first on every event, as well as first overall last year, so we want to do well again.”

Not only did the team set the bar high in Chapel Hill last year, but it has great expectations for nationals this year. The team placed third overall out of more than 40 teams in 2008, and Newsome earned a first place 8.75 on bars

The team’s season is short-lived, consisting of only two tournaments. Following the Carolina meet, the gymnasts will travel to Atlanta April 3 for nationals, hosted by Emory University.

“Carolina is just getting our feet wet for nationals,” Newsome said. “We’re trying to do as well as last year, because the other teams expect us to come in and do just as well.”

Coach Sara Myers is in her fifth year with her team and expects great things from the gymnasts in the coming weeks.

“We’re strong overall because we’re more rounded,” Myers said. “We were a little weak on bars last year, but now we have enough people to make the scores — we’re hoping to finish first at nationals.”

The team only has full access to Carmichael Gymnasium one day a week, but consistently practices at off-campus facilities, including Impact Athletics and Artistic Gymnastics. Each member uses the different facilities based on individual schedules, but the team also has group workouts and practices in the fall and spring.

“We’ve been going over routines, polishing our skills and making sure our handstands are solid,” Myers said. “We’ve got to be consistent with no missing connections and just be as clean as we can be.”

Gymnastics requires lengthy practices and conditioning to prepare for each meet, and the athletes find it beneficial to have adequate time to prepare for major meets. In addition to workouts in the fall, the team participates in community service throughout Raleigh.

The team is also considered co-ed, and according to Newsome, four male gymnasts practice with the team on a regular basis. There are nine competing gymnasts on the team, including six all-around gymnasts. While the freshmen on the team have yet to see competition, both Myers and Newsome believe the new additions skill will boost the team as a whole.

A majority of the gymnasts have been competing since childhood. According to Newsome, who has been involved in gymnastics for 17 years, each athletes’ long-standing experience is key contributor to the success of the team, in addition to practices and conditioning.

“Everyone does a consistent job in competition — that’s how we’ve managed to place so well in the past,” Newsome said. “We have a lot of fun and work well as a unit.”