Jenny Rowland speaks to ESPN at last week's home meet against Alabama. (Photo: Molly Kaiser/UAA Communications)
Carter's Corner: Rowland Has Gators 'Chipping at the Stone'
Friday, February 2, 2024 | Gymnastics, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — In a sport swathed in overzealous reactions, bouncy moves and Pollyanna vibes, the No. 8-ranked Gators mirror the best college gymnastics has to offer.
That is a testament to head coach Jenny Rowland and her staff, who have built a winning and inclusive culture that consistently attracts top recruits and Olympic-level performers. Still, after the Gators lost to Alabama a week ago, snapping the program's 20-meet win streak at the O'Dome, you wondered where the mood would land on the sad-to-happy meter.
You knew there would be no patches of scorched earth left behind, but what about a hint of a rain cloud? Or perhaps a streak of lightning to catch her team's attention.
Forget about it.
"The Gators got better,'' Rowland said. "Really great steps."
Yup, that's Jenny from the Orange & Blue Block, a consistent practitioner of positivity and a parental figure to her gymnasts.
What had Rowland sounding like she had just walked in from a Dale Carnegie course?
"A lot more free routines,'' she said. "Free means really just competing comfortably, confidently, and just owning what they do like they do every day in the gym."
She was talking about Sloane Blakely's floor routine, a sassy performance that had the home crowd buzzing. And Anya Pilgrim's floor outing, a stylish effort that had fans booing the judges because they wanted a higher score. There was Ellie Lazzari's uneven bars, a strong response after she fell on her vault dismount. And don't forget Victoria Nguyen's 9.900 beam score after she had to restart on uneven bars.
The Gators were far from perfect, but they were still tied after three rotations before the Crimson Tide pulled away. Florida seeks to get back to winning on Friday night at No. 21 Georgia, a meet that will be shown live on the SEC Network.
This young Florida team includes six freshmen, accounting for 35 percent of the team's routines in the first three meets. Rowland's playing the long game with this group. One routine at a time.
"I have a team of perfectionists. I have a team that is very hard on themselves, and none of us coaches could be any harder on them than they are on themselves,'' she said. "We do trust what they do. They put in the work. They put in the quality. They put in the daily intention.
"For them to go out and compete and not have to prove to anybody that they are any better than they think they need to be is the challenge this season,'' she said. "I know this team is up for the challenge. I see great sparks. It will come all together."
Pilgrim is one of the top newcomers and oozes talent. But she understands where Rowland is coming from in her early season assessment.
Let your talent take over.
"I'm beginning to trust myself more because it's really evident that my coaches put a lot of trust in me to be able to do what I need to do," Pilgrim said.
Said Blakely: "It's really just time for us to trust ourselves."
The Gators returned to the gym Sunday to prepare for Georgia. They worked to tighten their landings and sharpen their routines. No major changes. More like minor tweaks.
"Chipping at the stone,'' Rowland said. "Keep a calm heart and a strong mind, and let's bring this crowd to their feet."
That is a testament to head coach Jenny Rowland and her staff, who have built a winning and inclusive culture that consistently attracts top recruits and Olympic-level performers. Still, after the Gators lost to Alabama a week ago, snapping the program's 20-meet win streak at the O'Dome, you wondered where the mood would land on the sad-to-happy meter.
You knew there would be no patches of scorched earth left behind, but what about a hint of a rain cloud? Or perhaps a streak of lightning to catch her team's attention.
Forget about it.
"The Gators got better,'' Rowland said. "Really great steps."
Next opportunity⤵️
— Gators Gymnastics (@GatorsGym) February 2, 2024
No. 8⃣ 🐊🤸♀️ 🆚 No. 2⃣1⃣ Georgia
📍 Stegeman Coliseum | Athens, GA
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📺 @SECNetwork
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Yup, that's Jenny from the Orange & Blue Block, a consistent practitioner of positivity and a parental figure to her gymnasts.
What had Rowland sounding like she had just walked in from a Dale Carnegie course?
"A lot more free routines,'' she said. "Free means really just competing comfortably, confidently, and just owning what they do like they do every day in the gym."
She was talking about Sloane Blakely's floor routine, a sassy performance that had the home crowd buzzing. And Anya Pilgrim's floor outing, a stylish effort that had fans booing the judges because they wanted a higher score. There was Ellie Lazzari's uneven bars, a strong response after she fell on her vault dismount. And don't forget Victoria Nguyen's 9.900 beam score after she had to restart on uneven bars.
The Gators were far from perfect, but they were still tied after three rotations before the Crimson Tide pulled away. Florida seeks to get back to winning on Friday night at No. 21 Georgia, a meet that will be shown live on the SEC Network.
This young Florida team includes six freshmen, accounting for 35 percent of the team's routines in the first three meets. Rowland's playing the long game with this group. One routine at a time.
"I have a team of perfectionists. I have a team that is very hard on themselves, and none of us coaches could be any harder on them than they are on themselves,'' she said. "We do trust what they do. They put in the work. They put in the quality. They put in the daily intention.
"For them to go out and compete and not have to prove to anybody that they are any better than they think they need to be is the challenge this season,'' she said. "I know this team is up for the challenge. I see great sparks. It will come all together."
Pilgrim is one of the top newcomers and oozes talent. But she understands where Rowland is coming from in her early season assessment.
Let your talent take over.
"I'm beginning to trust myself more because it's really evident that my coaches put a lot of trust in me to be able to do what I need to do," Pilgrim said.
Said Blakely: "It's really just time for us to trust ourselves."
The Gators returned to the gym Sunday to prepare for Georgia. They worked to tighten their landings and sharpen their routines. No major changes. More like minor tweaks.
"Chipping at the stone,'' Rowland said. "Keep a calm heart and a strong mind, and let's bring this crowd to their feet."
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