Higher Grounds

Elite gymnasts are often cut from a different cloth than other athletes. Long hours of training come at an early age through private instruction and club competition. The dedication comes from a desire to work beyond the sprained wrists or twisted ankles to sharpen skills for the next routine. That description would certainly fit the bill for Lawrence Central junior Camille Hayes, a state runner-up in the all-around last year. When Hayes was only 2, she received her first introduction to gymnastics. A tall and gracious competitor, Hayes began competing at age 6 and had another leg up with a rich athletic tradition already established in her family. Her sister Meredith, 20, runs track at Southern Illinois University. Her brother Eric, 22, works as an assistant under Lawrence Central gymnastics head coach Barbi Kern. It was this background that propelled Hayes into prep prominence, beginning her freshman year when the Bears won the 2007 state championship. "That season still has an impact," Hayes recalled. "I had quit competing for club in May before my freshman year and had no intention of competing in high school gymnastics whatsoever. I obviously had my mind convinced otherwise and don't regret it. "It was neat to experience it. I still remember how the state meet was one of my most nerve-wracking experiences of my entire gymnastics career," Hayes added. "In high school there is such a strong aspect of team. Whenever I would make a mistake in high school competition, the thought that would come to mind is, 'This is going to damage my team, not so much that this is going to hurt me.'" Hayes finished fourth on vault and fifth on floor exercise at that 2007 state met. As jittery as she may have felt at the time, it has been replaced by the mantle of leadership she has assumed on the team, which finished seventh overall in the 2008 state finals. "What makes Camille stand out from the rest is her talent level along with her body lines," said Kern, who has coached prep gymnastics for the past 10 years and is in her first full season as Lawrence Central's head coach. "She's a beautiful gymnast to watch, and she has the skills that will 'ooh and aah' the crowd. She does them so gracefully, even if it is a hard routine. She makes it look so easy. It's really nice to watch." The fluid motion Kern talks about registers the most with Hayes in preparations for her floor routine, which she considers her gymnastics' passion. But it was on the uneven parallel bars where irony struck last year as Hayes had her best finish to win a state title. "I'm certainly not upset I won a state championship on bars, but I was really upset I didn't do as well as I wanted to on floor," she said reflecting on her 12th place finish in the event. "(Floor) is the one I'm really concentrating on right now. My main priority right now is to win state on floor. If I could do that before I graduate, that would make my high school career." As a team, the Bears' outlook is promising despite a seven-member roster without the presence of a single senior. Junior Alix Richey, like Hayes, has competed in top-shelf Level 10 meets as a club gymnast at Wright's Gymnastics in Greenwood. The two give the Bears stability. "Alix has been a great addition to our team," Hayes remarked. "We both know the work ethic it takes to be the best. I think we will complement each other well." For much of the gymnastics season, the main concern of coaches and gymnasts alike is building fitness and honing skills for the postseason, which begins with the sectional tournament March 7, leading up to the state meet March 21. Without a doubt, one of Lawrence Central's biggest foes come tourney time will be Center Grove. The Trojans, who were third as a team in the state last year, return one of the area's most accomplished gymnasts in senior Katelyn Fernandes. Fernandes was third in the all-around last year behind Hayes and won the vault competition. "She has so much natural talent," said coach Eric Howe, a mainstay at Center Grove for 11 seasons. "She puts in a lot of hard work to maintain that skill level as close to perfection as she can. It's something she is dedicated to, really unflinchingly." Center Grove has a large team by gymnastics standards - 15 girls - with three core seniors in Fernandes, Paige Vandoski and Laura Gregory. Howe said Lawrence Central is "fun to watch" because of their talent level and also, he said jokingly, "because they're not in our path during the postseason until we get to state." Howe admits their main obstacle before state will likely be Columbus North, a team that returned all its key gymnasts from a squad that was last year's runner-up behind champion Valparaiso. And while it may seem premature to speculate what might happen in a few months, Hayes is already putting in the effort to carve out what could be a few years down the road. Busy preparing letters and videos to send off to colleges, Hayes hopes to take her skills to the next level. "I have not been contacted by anyone, and I think that comes from the difficulty of getting recruited from high school," Hayes said. "Most scouts go to clubs, so what I'm trying to do is get my name out there by myself. ... Gymnastics is a sport where you really just have to get yourself out there." -