365 days are enough to change the fate of a team, and the Oklahoma Sooners are a shining example of the same. Last year, with the LSU Tigers flying high, the Sooners missed out on securing their championship. But this time around, the OU were determined to defeat the last demons from last year. Coming to the finals, the Sooners looked like a dominant force. And once all the rotations were done, their reign of power was further established. Seeded number 2, the Sooners were on top of their game right from the start to the very end. And after having secured their seventh NCAA Gymnastics Championship, coach K.J. Kindler had some interesting thoughts to share.
Quite expectedly, Kindler was elated at the marvelous achievement. Starting off the presser, coach Kindler mentioned how they have been incredible all year round. However, she also criticized her team for not having a perfect season and getting some serious hiccups on the way. But what made the ultimate difference was consistency. “Consistency-wise, this team has been incredibly consistent, especially considering the amount of freshman routines and even new routines that we were competing, which I think says a lot for the future of Oklahoma Gymnastics, so we’re excited about that,” said Kindler. She also praised all the leaders and gave kudos to all of them for instilling a champion mindset within the team.
Moving on, the obvious question of how the OU failed to make an impact last year surfaced. Kindler, however, had an honest answer. “Um, but I will say like our theme wasn’t redemption this year at all, you know we, we did our best to put it behind us,” said the Sooners’ head coach. However, she also agreed on the fact that the experience from last year was definitely there in the back of their minds. Surely, having been able to put everything behind this time made the triumph feel all the sweeter.
“Last year we just failed, you know, and people fail all the time, they fail every day, and we talk about all the time that the glory is in getting back up again,” echoed a beaming Kindler. She stated that the nerves calmed right at the very first meet of the season. But they did not become complacent. The entire team knew that they would need to clinch the national championship in order to put away the critics who doubted them after last year. Surely enough, a look at their performance in the finals would tell that the Sooners were almost perfect in their approach.
How Oklahoma seized the NCAA gymnastics crown with ruthless precision
There was no stopping the Sooners! From the first routine on beam to the final salute on floor, Oklahoma brought fire, finesse, and a near-flawless performance to Fort Worth, Texas, clinching yet another NCAA gymnastics title on Saturday. With senior Jordan Bowers fresh off her all-around win and the team laser-focused on redemption after last year’s disappointment, Oklahoma put together a statement win. And they dominated the arena from start to finish with ease.
The Sooners opened the final with an electric rotation on the balance beam—an event head coach K.J. Kindler called critical to their championship hopes. “It would probably take a score of 49.6000 on that apparatus to win,” Kindler said on ABC. Oklahoma responded with a clutch 49.6125, setting the tone for the afternoon. And the floor, you ask? Well, they put up 49.5875, with 49.3750 on bars. Their rhythm never faltered. By the time the final rotation rolled around, only UCLA posed a threat. But the Bruins couldn’t close the gap, and the Oklahoma girls powered through, sealing their sixth title in nine seasons.
Vault, which derailed them last year, became their exclamation point! Oklahoma posted the highest vault score (49.4375) of the afternoon, exorcising the ghosts of 2024. “This was a group that sacrificed for one another,” Kindler said. The Head Coach even added, “You could see it in their chemistry. It changed us.” And in the end, that unity delivered gold. Indeed, with unshakable unity, the Sooners once again proved they’re the gold standard in collegiate gymnastics.
The post Defeating Last Year’s Demons, Oklahoma Sooners Coach Sends Strong Message to Gymnastics Community: “Theme Wasn’t Redemption” appeared first on EssentiallySports.