Lock Haven Lynx gymnastics team focuses on personal growth this season
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LOCK HAVEN -- The Lock Haven YMCA Lynx Gymnastics team is having an amazing season for the personal growth of its seven veteran and six new gymnasts, ranging in age from 8 to 18 years old.
With four meets already completed this season, the team is conquering the goals it set at a rapid pace.
At the beginning of the season, coaches set a goal for the team to reach 50 personal best scores. With three meets left to go in the season, the team has already surpassed that goal with personal bests for their beam, bars, floor, vault and the all-around scores.
The team has also seen each gymnast gain numerous new skills this year, which can be attributed to the focus on acquiring the strength and conditioning needed prior to learning a new skill.
Of note, is the amazing season Devin "Dee" Hefferon, the team's sole senior gymnast, is having. Dee received two scores of 9.0 so far this season. The first was for a handspring-full twist vault on Dec. 20, 2025, against Huntingdon Community Center Gainers. The second was for a well-executed floor routine during a tri-meet against the Gainers and Blair Regional YMCA Aerials on Jan. 17.
It is particularly difficult to achieve a score this high while being judged by the rules set forth by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).
NFHS rules start gymnasts with a score of zero and require them to earn the starting difficulty value of their routine by adding skills of varying complexity as determined by the Associations' rulebook. Point deductions are then taken from the difficulty score for imperfections in execution to determine the final score.
The Lock Haven YMCA Lynx Gymnastics team saw a change in coaching staff in the past year and is now led by Head Coach Lynda Brittan, and coaches Courtney Mackenzie and Harleigh Andrews.
The team will host their first home meet of the season on Saturday, Jan. 24, at the Lock Haven YMCA.