- ILLUSTRATION BY CHRISTOPHER WEHLING/THE FREE LANCE-STAR

All-Area gymnast of year Carissa Potente striving to be the best she can be

By KURT NICOLL

Date published: 3/25/2008

The bar for measuring success varies from gymnast to gymnast.

One might view an individual score of 8.0 or better as the pinnacle of success. But for veteran year-round gymnasts, such a score might represent a major disappointment.

Carissa Potente finds herself in a similar predicament when reviewing her performance at the recent Group AAA state gymnastics meet.

A 9.7 score on floor exercise netted her a runner-up trophy, but her sense of accomplishment was higher on the uneven bars.

"Bars always has been my weakest event," the North Stafford High senior reflected recently. "But I actually placed at state and had a pretty high score [9.65, good for seventh place]. It was the best routine of my life."

The Free Lance-Star's gymnast of the year is at a loss to explain her late fall off the balance beam routine on a movement she normally performs without a hitch.

The mishap cost Potente a 0.6-point reduction that dropped her from a tie for first place to 13th overall, as well as a fall from fourth to seventh place in all-around (38.2).

If the state meet provided a bittersweet finish to Potente's high school career, she still has plenty of reasons to be upbeat.

This weekend, Potente and Stafford phenom Aylssa Borschein will represent the Stafford Royals club team in the USGA Level 9 state meet at Oscar Smith High School in Chesapeake. A strong showing would assure Potente a spot in the regional competition for a third straight year.

Concerning her mental approach, Potente said: "I'm trying to keep a positive attitude and a mental state where I'm going to stick everything."

Earlier this month, Potente discovered she was named to the national team that will train in Florida in May.

"Alyssa beat me at districts and it was a bittersweet moment," Potente said of the Stafford freshman. "I love to see her win, but she is my competition at the same time.

"Gymnastics is so mental. So before [club] events, she will say, 'Carissa, you have this,' and I'd be the same way for us. We're really trying to push each other to be the best that we can be."

Between high school and club meets and practices, Potente sometimes was performing or refining her gymnastics skills seven days a week.

This week, The Free Lance-Star announces its 2008 winter sports All-Area team. Here is the slate for the week: TODAY: Gymnastics TOMORROW: Track THURSDAY: Swimming FRIDAY: Wrestling SATURDAY: Girls basketball SUNDAY: Boys basketball

Date published: 3/25/2008