Girls Gymnastics: Glenbrook North gymnasts offer Betman their full support

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1/31/12 Lake Forest Northbrook's Katie Burnside competes on the vault during regional gymnastics at Lake Forest High School on Tuesday , Jan. 31st. | Dan Luedert~Sun-Times Media

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Updated: March 11, 2012 8:12AM

In preparing freshman gymnast Carli Betman for her first sectional this week, Glenbrook North head coach Julie Holmbeck has adopted a slogan more appropriate for a boxing match.

“I want her to be positive and confident and I told her to get ready to rumble,” said the coach, repeating what she told the youngster. “But I don’t want her to be nervous. (Using that phrase) is more about trying to be on the lighter side, so she’s not like, ‘Oh gosh! I’m going to sectional.’ ”

Betman, the Spartans’ lone qualifier, punched her ticket to tonight’s (Thursday’s) Niles North Sectional with her performance at the Jan. 31 Lake Forest Regional.

There, Betman qualified automatically (top five) on floor exercise (5th, 8.925). She then had to play the waiting game, as the other regionals wrapped up. On Friday, Betman learned her regional scores on vault (9.175), beam (8.825) and in all-around (35.3250) were sectional-worthy.

“(At the regional) Carli stuck beam and was really good on beam. It’s one of those events that if you stay on, and don’t have a lot of bobbles, you are pretty good-to-go,” Holmbeck said. “She had a beautiful floor routine. Bars (9th, 8.4) was nice, she was just missing a few skills (that would have helped her advance). She did a great vault, but lost her balance (on the landing) and took three steps back. I’m sure they counted it and deducted .10.”

This week, Betman has been in the gym, looking to add a few skills and shore up others ahead of the sectional. Teammates Miriam Mikhelson and Katie Burnside and a few JV gymnasts have joined in the workouts, or at least come in to show their support.

“It’s great because it could get kind of lonely (without them),” the coach said. “All of a sudden, the focus is on (Betman). Some girls would get a little shy with that because they don’t like all the eyes on them. We’re going through the routines, trying to pinpoint some things to work on here and there. She’s doing well and we’re trying to keep her motivated and positive.”

Tonight’s sectional is loaded with talent, and includes state powerhouses Carmel and Stevenson. Holmbeck said regardless of Betman’s performance, the gymnast no doubt will benefit from the experience.

“For her to see the other gymnasts and be a part of the experience, it will be great for her,” the coach said. “She’s a little competitor. Whether she makes it out (to state) or not, we won’t focus on that. We’ll just focus on her being confident and going after it.”

Betman won’t be among the favorites to earn a spot to next week’s IHSA state meet, Feb. 17-18 at Palatine. But Holmbeck wouldn’t rule out the possibility, especially on beam, where Betman could move up if higher seeded stumble.

“I’m going to be honest: There is a lot of talent. It’s a hard sectional,” Holmbeck said. “But whoever stays on beam is the one who goes. You could have an unbelievable trick. But if you fall, oh well. But I don’t wish that on anybody. It will be tough to get out. But you always want to think positive and never want to close the door on anything.”

The Spartans scored 129.675 and finished fourth at the four-team regional, which was won by Lake Forest (144.425).

Among the other highlights for GBN were freshman Tatum Zaransky taking 11th in the all-around (32.3) and ninth on floor (8.6), junior Val Bobart finishing 10th on bars (7.950) and Mikhelson, a junior, finishing 13th in the all-around (30.825).