On October 18, 2025, the South Brunswick High school Girls Gymnastics team competed in the Greater Middlesex Conference. It was hosted at Saint Thomas Aquinas, also known as Bishop Bahr. It was a cold chilly morning, and the team and I had to report by 8 am. We entered the bus and were ready for our victory to come.
Once we entered the building a sudden rush of excitement and adrenaline hit me. It was really happening. Once everyone arrived and settled in, the host announced it was time to walk in. We, the South Brunswick gymnasts, were ready, with our flowers in one hand and our high energy in the other. All the teams walked in and did their school cheers. The meet was ready and so were the gymnasts.
South Brunswick gymnastics started on beam. With steady focus, and composure under pressure. The lineup was Julia Kocik, Sana Patil, Shiika Anan, Mary Gappa and, me, Malavika Parulekar. Every gymnast cheered each other on, and the gym was filled with good energy. Heidi Henning, the head coach, was pleased with South Brunswick’s performance. I was so proud that day when my score of 8.25 turned out to be the highest on beam for our team!
Next came the floor, where the team’s energy was contagious and filled with high spirit. Competitors Katie, Daphne, Shiika, Mary and I had much power in tumbling and showing off dance moves like there was no tomorrow. The team spirit was also incredible. Everyone, including the other teams were cheering everyone on. Senior Shiika Anan came back from a hard and long recovery from injuring her knee, she took her last chance competing at GMC’s to bring back her hard tumbling passes. This was not a planned decision though; she decided on the spot after discussing with head coach Mrs. Henning to add the skill back in. Her performance was impeccable, and she scored an 8.2.
The third rotation, vault, included Julia, Sana, Daphne, Mary, and me. We all showed our speed and really stuck the landings. Our team effort and hard work paid off as Mary placed 9th overall on vault, a well-earned individual highlight for the Vikings.
The team closed the meet finishing off on bars, where Julia, Katie, Mary, Shiika, and I showed our skills through swings and dismounts. We did our weekly team huddle before starting on bars and gave each other a pep talk to get through the last and final event. The highlight of bars was Shiika Anan, with a 7.875. As a team we truly excelled in the bars rotation ending in a 32.15!
When the scores were announced, South Brunswick proudly took fourth place overall, a strong finish against tough competition. Despite the challenges and the fact that it was not our absolute best meet, our team’s energy, cheering, and positive attitude stood out throughout the meet. I knew every gymnast, including myself, tried their best, and we got through it with determination and passion.
The South Brunswick Vikings left the competition with smiles and hope for what the next season has to bring!
