Teeple climbs podium at gymnastics westerns

Maribell Teeple learned that no amount of training can simulate the nerves a big event can bring.

She learned from how her first Western Canadian Artistic Gymnastics Championship affected her last year, and handled it with poise last weekend.

The Brandonite captured a bronze medal in the floor exercise, posting a 9.35 in the age 15-plus Level 9 final in Whitehorse, Yukon.

Teeple entered the final last year in first place, but said it got in her head before her final routine.

“I freaked out a bit. I still am proud of how I did in that competition, but I knew I could do better, so this was me proving I could do it,” Teeple said.

“I really tried not to freak myself out. I tried to relax. I listened to all the music and started jamming out.”

While Teeple didn’t make the final in the other disciplines, she stayed on the balance beam, stuck her landing on the bars and scored a nine in the vault, completing all four exercises at a big meet for the first time.

“It was one of the best meets she’s had in the two years I’ve coached her,” said Brandon Eagles coach Adrianna Forrest.

“Part of it was learning from her mistakes. Last year was a brand new experience for her going into finals, and we weren’t sure how to control the nerves. From a coaches’ perspective, we didn’t see it coming because she was so solid all year.”

Forrest said she expected the same scenario to come up when Teeple reached the final, but she had already helped her prepare for the moment.

“I knew the same scenario would come up and it’s just about building her up more than anything,” Forrest said.

“Learning from your mistakes is something we teach the kids here a lot. That’s growth. It’s OK to fail. She had to fail last year to really do well this year, honestly.”

Teeple also matured as a second-year university student. She said in her freshman year, she prioritized training a bit too much at the expense of her school work, which led to some busy weeks of catch-up. She stayed on top of school better this year, which made it easier to focus in the gym.

Forrest said the biggest growth Teeple has made over the past few years is in taking control of her training. She communicates what she needs from her coaches, rather than sitting back and waiting.

She has also joined the Eagles coaching staff, training some of the young athletes.

“My kids have helped me learn a lot of things. They’re competitive gymnasts as well, a lower level, but they’ve really shown me how hard you can work, and if you work hard, you can get those things,” Teeple said.

“They’re really wanting to learn new skills and it’s nice to see that they love the sport.

“They really are my inspiration.”

The Eagles are hosting an event beginning today and running through Saturday.

Today features the Xcel division, a new group that doesn’t follow the standard level system and allows for multi-sport athletes who don’t have as much time to dedicate strictly to gymnastics to compete.

Saturday features the women’s provincial championships from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with men’s provincials from 4:15 to 7:45 p.m.

» tfriesen@brandonsun.com