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LSU gymnastics focused on "base hits"
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FORT WORTH, Texas - LSU gymnastics is gearing up for their most anticipated meets of the year, the NCAA National Championship.
For the most part, collegiate gymnastics is focused on perfection. An average fan may equate a perfect 10 score to a home run or a touchdown catch.
While perfect routines will get the highest scores, that expectation can put a lot of mental pressure on the athlete.
That's why LSU head coach Jay Clark tells his team to focus on getting, "base hits." He wants his gymnasts to be focused on doing just enough and their normal in order to get a high score.
The SEC Championship meet was a perfect example of the Tigers doing just that. They won their second straight conference title without scoring a perfect 10, while other teams scored multiple.
The gymnasts themselves express that the mindset of the "base hits," allows them to let go and enjoy what they're doing while competing. The pressure of perfection is not an expectation, so in turn, their performances are better.
That will have to be the focus for LSU as they head into the national semifinals on Thursday.
The No. 1 seeded Tigers will compete in the second session of the semifinals (Elite Eight) on Thursday at 8 p.m.
They're competing against Michigan State, UCLA and Utah. The Tigers will start on uneven bars and then rotate to balance beam, floor and finish on vault. The top two teams from the semifinals will advance to the Four on the Floor for a chance to win a National Championship.
The semifinal meet will be televised on ESPN2.
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