Sloan Fires Up Crowd in Home Debut, Nearly Pulls off a 10
Saturday, February 28, 2015 | Gymnastics, Men's Swimming & Diving, Scott Carter
Bridget Sloan made a triumphant return to the O'Connell Center on Friday night. (Photo: Jim Burgess)
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Bridget Sloan unveiled a different look on Friday night at the O'Connell Center.
She ditched the warm-up attire and bulky protective boot she had worn at previous home meets. Instead, Sloan was in her leotard and more importantly, back on the floor competing.
The junior All-American suffered a severely sprained right ankle in the Gators' opening meet of the season at Ball State. So for the first two months of the season, she served as the team's head cheerleader during home meets.
The role suited Sloan's bubbly personality, but she had bigger things in mind.
“Competing at home is honestly one of my favorite things about college gymnastics,” she said. “Obviously the O'Dome has a very special place in my heart, but being back here and competing it was just incredible.”
Sloan returned to action a week ago at LSU, easing into the lineup on the bars. She made her home debut Friday night in Florida's win over Kentucky and didn't disappoint.
Once again competing only on bars, Sloan nailed a career-high-tying 9.975 to electrify the O'Dome crowd and provide the Gators with a jolt of energy as only she can.
“Her energy is so fun,'' said teammate Rachel Spicer. “It keeps us light.”
The 2009 World Champion and arguably the biggest talent in college gymnastics, Sloan had doubts she would be able to return this season when she injured her ankle during the floor routine at Ball State in her native Indiana.
But intense physical therapy, daily workouts and twice-a-week acupuncture sessions has her reinvigorated as the back-to-back national champion Gators prepare for the stretch run toward the postseason.
In typical Sloan fashion, she was on a mission to make her home debut Friday night one worth remembering.
“I was really going for that 10,'' Sloan said. “I kept telling everyone, 'tonight is going to be the night; tonight is going to be the night.' I guess it will have to wait. Either way, I was so happy with the way things went. I'll take a 9.975 any day.”
The 9.975 was the fifth of her career on bars, the only event in which she has not scored a perfect 10 during her UF career.
Florida head coach Rhonda Faehn has seen enough since Sloan's return to feel confident about her potential to provide the Gators a huge boost in the postseason.
The plan is for Sloan to continue to ease back into competition. She warmed up on beam Friday night and also practiced her floor routine before the meet started. Faehn expects Sloan to be ready for competition on beam perhaps as early as next week.
“That was a beautiful routine from Bridget. And it was nice to see her really going for the stick, which shows us that her ankle is getting stronger,” Faehn said. “It's great having her doing more out on the competition floor.
“She is excited. she is motivated. I think this will only continue to help her.”
Sloan's return can only help a Florida team that is a strong contender for a third consecutive national title. She has clearly turned her focus to the future instead of the challenges she faced in the wake of the most serious injury of her college career.
“I really didn't know if I was going to be back at all,'' Sloan said. “When I first injured myself at Ball State, I thought I was done for the season. Luckily my body is just really responsive to treatment. I can make the impossible possible if I believe I can. I definitely believe I can and my team believes I can. That's what drives me, having my team behind me.”
Two months later, the impossible appears on the verge of turning into reality.
Faehn is ready for the mission to be complete.
“She has that competitive fire. She definitely wants to be out there doing everything as quickly as possible,” Faehn said. “There's no doubt in my mind that she will be there.”
