Gymnasts don't allow health problems to wreck season

Many teams use injuries as an excuse. It can be an excuse for poor performances, or an underachieving team. Injuries have the ability to decimate a team, and ruin a season.

The No. 1 Michigan men's gymnastics team has had an injury riddled season. The team entered its first dual meet with six of 15 gymnasts injured. Five of them were completely out of action, and one - team co-captain Justin Toman - was only able to compete in three events.

Going into a meet with 40 percent of a team suffering from injuries seems to be a legitimate excuse to perform poorly and lose.

Something happened for the Wolverines though.

DANA LINNANE/Daily Co-captain Justin Toman leads the top-ranked but injury-riddled Michigan men's gymnastics team this week against No. 2 Michigan State in East Lansing..

Michigan won its opening dual meet of the season convincingly over Illinois-Chicago, and posted a very strong score. It happened because the competing gymnasts all stepped up their performances to make up for their hurt teammates.

Toman, although weakened, took first-place in one event and two second-place finishes. The freshmen on the team - competing for only the second time in their collegiate careers - rose up and took first and second in the all-around competition.

The success wasn't limited to only one meet either, the team continued to perform well and score high, rising to the top of the polls. While the team continued to succeed in meets, the injured gymnasts continued to get healthier.

Toman progressed enough to compete in five events. His return, marked by consistently high scores, sparked the team to its highest score of the season against Massachusetts.

In recent meets, the team has welcomed back Brad Kenna and Tim Dehr. Their return has coincided with a win over then No. 1 Penn State and the team's new high score, a 230.4 on Sunday against Michigan State.

That score makes Michigan one of only two teams in the nation to break 230 this year, and the Wolverines are still missing three gymnasts.

The return of the injured gymnasts has not caused the rest of the team to let up. Actually, their performances have strengthened through the season.

The team has been one of the best in the nation this season, ranking in the top five nearly all of the year. Now, the team is gaining strength through the return of injured gymnasts.

Kenna and Dehr have been competing, and in upcoming meets will be able to compete in more events. Kevin Roulston who has been out all year will be back in the next two weeks.

Jesse Coleman may return to the team also in the upcoming meets. The only gymnast who won't compete for the Wolverines this season in Bryan Pascoe.

"Dehr performed a really good routine last week in practice, and I think that he is ready to do it in the meets," Michigan coach Kurt Golder said. "Kenna is probably going to be ready to go in the vault, and he is ready to break out in his other events."

Toman who has been competing in five events for the last month will be able to compete in all six events either this week at Michigan State, or at the Big Ten Championships in two weeks.

For a team that has been successful all year, the returning gymnasts only make the team more powerful.

"We're getting stronger," Golder said. "I don't think that we have hit our peak yet, and we are getting more guys healthy which makes us a better team."

03-17-99