Grosse Pointe United gymnastics features experience and youth in 2023 season

GROSSE POINTES — Grosse Pointe United gymnastics, a team of students from Grosse Pointe North and Grosse Pointe South high schools, had a difficult road to the state finals in 2022, and Region 4 proved to be loaded with talent.

With Bloomfield Hills, Farmington United, Huron Valley and Fraser all competing in the region, Grosse Pointe’s fifth-place finish would fall short of a state finals trip for the team. Sammy Lucido, now graduated; sophomore Allison Mattes; senior Madi Lucido; and junior Alayna Okonoski all qualified for states individually.

While Sammy Lucido’s departure will be a key loss for Grosse Pointe, the roster size spiked entering the 2023 season behind an influx of freshmen and newly acquired talent.

“I feel really excited because we have a new group of girls, especially freshmen,” Madi Lucido said. “I’m excited to see how we do as a team and just pushing our score up.”

Lucido will represent the senior leadership alongside Maddie LoPorto and Ava Rogowski, while Mattes, Okonoski and junior Ainsley Tanghe will bring valuable experience to the team.

The roster increase was courtesy of the returning starters recruiting more students to join the team.

While a tough transition at first, Grosse Pointe’s chemistry has created a comfortable environment for the gymnasts who are new to the team.

“During that first week of practice, we (Lucido, LoPorto, Rogowski), along with our coaches, were working with them,” LoPorto said. “We did a few team-bonding experiences so they got used to our team, and they decided to stick around.”

Out of the newcomers, expect senior Brooke Lezotte and sophomore Lucy Tull to make the biggest impact for Grosse Pointe this year.

Grosse Pointe coach Isabelle Nguyen said the young gymnasts will make an immediate impact, but the true test will be their transition into competition.

“They know what they’re supposed to do as a gymnast, but they don’t know the experience of a gymnastics meet,” Nguyen said.

Grosse Pointe’s biggest acquisition in the offseason was a healthy Rogowski returning to the team.

Rogowski, who missed the 2022 season due to an ankle injury, utilized the offseason to rehab and return to the team at full strength.

“I’m a little nervous because I have to re-get all my skills, but I’m really excited to be back with my friends,” Rogowski said.

Rogowski will look to be a reliable scorer in all four events for Grosse Pointe.

With her junior year in the rearview mirror, Rogowski is motivated and ready to end her high school gymnastics career on top.

“We all really want to make it (to states), and we all really want to make it together as a last hurrah,” Rogowski said.

It’s one last journey for Grosse Pointe’s senior trio of Lucido, LoPorto and Rogowski, who last made states as a team in 2020.

Unfortunately for Grosse Pointe, the 2020 state finals tournament was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s so surreal because we’ve been doing gymnastics for so many years, especially as children,” Lucido said. “It’s so surreal but exciting because I get to finish with them.”

Grosse Pointe United fell against Farmington United 138.4-134.8 in a tough season-opening meet Dec. 15, but the team will look to rebound Dec. 19 when it hosts Bloomfield Hills.

Experience and youth is a nice mix, especially when your experience is as strong as the group at Grosse Pointe United.

With all their strengths, Nguyen said there’s one thing Grosse Pointe United will need to have in order to reach the state finals.

“Hopefully, our goal is to make it to team states,” Nguyen said. “I think we can if the team mindset is positive.”