Coldwater Meet Provides Decade of Support
February 5, 2020
By Wes Morgan
Special for Second Half
Coldwater High School gymnastics coach Kim Nichols and the many athletes that have been a part of the program over the last decade will probably never fully fathom the impact they’ve had and continue to have on their community.
The scoreboard says it’s been a $79,000 (and counting) contribution to the local fight against cancer. What can’t be calculated are the intangible byproducts of the donations, such as the smiles on patients’ faces as they enjoy more comfortable spaces in which to undergo treatment, or even the social lessons learned by the student-athletes interacting with the business world for the first time.
This Saturday marks 10 years since the Cardinals started the “Stick It For A Cure” charity event, a day full of top-notch competition, fundraising and fun designed to support local folks fighting all types of cancer.
Nichols and her team were honored last year with a regional and national Junior Philanthropic award by Promedica. Nichols was named 2018-19 Coach of the Year by the Michigan High School Coaches Association and was a candidate for a sectional award from the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Coaches Association.
All proceeds from “Stick It For A Cure” raised to date have gone to Coldwater’s local oncology center.
“We really start planning as soon as gymnastics season begins right around October,” Nichols explained. “We start making plans and organizing things. In December we meet once a week with some parent volunteers that want to be on the committee to help. We had a chili supper that we hosted in early December as kind of our kickoff for the event and start (to) the fundraising. The girls served chili and cleaned tables. We did Krispy Kreme donut sales, and the girls delivered them.
“The big push is getting the girls to go out into the community and canvas the local businesses for donations. We parents organize a lot of it, but I want them to be in the front and involved so they learn how to talk to other adults, how to be responsible, respectful and learning about volunteering and giving back. Oftentimes, they see a direct impact that they have on people. It’s a really good experience. They do a lot. I keep them very busy.”
All of that is in concert with growing a successful gymnastics program.
Participants in arguably the toughest Regional in the state, the Cardinals are still working towards their first appearance as a team at the MHSAA Finals. However, most recently, Leah Goodwin placed 13 overall at the 2019 Division 1 Individual Finals. Layla Schoch was 22nd. More than 20 individuals have qualified for the Finals under Nichols. Kylie Dudek was the Division 1 Finals champion on the uneven bars in 2013, when she also finished all-around runner-up.
Coldwater set a school record for team total points (136.675) last season. The Cardinals have qualified as a team for Regional competition this winter, scheduled for March 7 at Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills.
Nichols points to the support of the school district and local businesses that has helped the gymnastics team flourish.
“I can take some pride in building this program,” Nichols said, “but a big part of it is having gym space, gym time. We started from the classic ‘drag your equipment out of the closet, use half of the court for two hours’ and it would take us 30-45 minutes to set up and 30-45 minutes to tear it down. We’ve been able to get some generous donations from folks in the community that have supported us, and the athletic department has kept us going. We have full equipment now. It’s really cool.”
They’ve more than paid it forward, with at least $12,000 in donations expected from this year’s campaign.
“Everybody knows somebody affected by cancer,” Nichols said. Many Cardinals gymnasts over the years have had family members affected by cancer, including sophomore McKenna Hantz, whose mother, Mindy, was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago, is in remission and volunteers for the annual event. Nichols’ grandmother passed away from stomach cancer 10 years ago when they were trying to get the event off the ground.
“I think the community really enjoys it,” McKenna Hantz said. “It’s good to be known as helping the community out and the people who need it. It’s scary, and it’s hard to deal with. These patients get more stuff and money to help them out.”
“I’m amazed that our little team can put that much together from our little community,” Nichols said.
10th Annual Stick It For A Cure
What: Gymnastics Invitational for Cancer Awareness
Where: Coldwater High School"
When: Saturday, Feb. 8; Doors open at 8 a.m.
How it helps: Devoted to cancer awareness, the fundraising event supports the Promedica Coldwater Regional Hospital of Branch County. Activities include a gymnastics meet, donation raffle, silent auction, food and games.
Wes Morgan has reported for the Kalamazoo Gazette, ESPN and ESPNChicago.com, 247Sports and Blue & Gold Illustrated over the last 12 years and is the publisher of JoeInsider.com. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Members of the Coldwater gymnastics team hold up ribbons representing awareness for various forms of cancer. (Middle) The event includes the gymnastics meet, donation raffle, silent auction, food and games. (Photos courtesy of the Coldwater gymnastics program.)
Preview: Field Full of Contenders
March 11, 2015
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The Canton gymnastics team truly was a feel-good story in 2014 as it claimed its first MHSAA championship after three straight runner-up finishes, while ending Grand Ledge’s run of six straight titles.
The Chiefs are a likely favorite again Friday at Rockford High School – but nine of 12 other finalists are hoping to follow Canton and become the next first-time MHSAA Finals champion.
Team competition begins at 2 p.m. Friday, with the final rotation scheduled for 6:40 p.m. Individual competition in both Divisions 1 and 2 begins at noon Saturday.
Two-time Division 1 individual champion Christina Shabet graduated from Troy last spring. But Grand Ledge junior Rachel Hogan is back after finishing runner-up, and reigning Division 2 champion Cassidy Terhorst is back as only a junior. Read on for more on both and others who also should be in the hunt for individual titles, plus a number of teams that should be in contention Friday. Click for rotation schedules for both days of competition.
Team contenders
Canton – The reigning MHSAA champion won the most competitive Regional last weekend with the top Regional score anywhere this winter, 146.500, despite losing top 2014 all-around finisher Jocelyn Moraw to an injury midseason. The Chiefs still boast three Division 1 contenders and a Division 2 favorite among a strong group of contributors.
Farmington – Last season’s third-place Finals finisher also was a Regional champion at 141.600 and will return this weekend with four of six who competed in last year’s Final, along with a top freshman. The Falcons finished second to Canton at White Lake Lakeland’s Invitational in January.
Grand Rapids Forest Hills United – Last season’s fifth-place finisher should be in good position for another top finish with a trio of strong Division 1 gymnasts and the Division 2 reigning champion leading the way. Forest Hills Central finished second to Rockford at their Regional, scoring 143.925.
Grosse Pointe United – The Blue Devils are an intriguing possibility among teams seeking a first MHSAA championship. They finished second to Canton at their Regional at 144.375 after finishing fourth at last season’s Final – and return their top three all-around competitors from the 2013-14 team.
Plymouth – The Wildcats finished third to Canton and Grosse Pointe South at their Regional, but scored 143.500. Plymouth returns this weekend with both gymnasts who competed all-around when the team finished sixth a year ago.
Rockford/Sparta – This season’s host won its Regional by a point with a score of 144.925 and took four of the top six in the Division 1 all-around after missing the Finals last season. The Rams have won the MHSAA team title once – in 1989 – and have the star power at the top to make a run. They won the Canton Invitational in February ahead of both the host Chiefs and Grosse Pointe South.
Division 1
Katie Fabian, Bloomfield Hills Academy of the Sacred Heart junior – Went from competing on one apparatus at the Regional as a sophomore to winning the all-around this season in 35.125 and taking first on beam in 9.150.
Mary Grace Fries, Jackson Lumen Christi senior – A Regional champion scoring 37.300, she could make a jump from last season’s eighth-place Finals finish. Fries also won the Regional title on beam at 9.525.
Rachel Hogan, Grand Ledge junior – Her team might not be among the favorites this time, but Hogan is the likely contender to catch in the Division 1 individual competition after she finished second by a tenth of a point a year ago. Hogan won vault and tied for first on bars at the 2014 Final, won floor at the 2013 Final, and claimed last weekend’s Regional title at 38.825 – with a 10.000 on vault, 9.500 on bars, 9.550 on beam and 9.725 on floor to finish first on all four.
Morgan Korf, Rockford/Sparta junior – Finished 11th and 18th in Division 1 her first two years of high school, respectively, and should surge after putting up a 37.175 all-around at her Regional to finish second to Hogan. She also took second in vault (9.600) and beam (9.550).
Allison Kunz, Canton senior – Finished second in the all-around at 37.175 in a loaded Regional, winning bars (9.625) and taking second on floor (9.650) and vault (9.300). She did win the all-around at the White Lake Lakeland Invitational at 37.975.
Margo Mekjian, Brighton junior – Finished second to Fries at their Regional with an all-around score of 36.400 and won the vault in 9.600. She finished 12th at last season’s Final among a strong group of contenders who all broke 36.000.
Haley Metz, Plymouth sophomore – Won her Regional in a school-record 36.950 and finished second on bars in 9.425. She took 13th in the Finals all-around as a freshman.
Madi Myers, Rockford/Sparta junior – The only Sparta athlete on the Rockford/Sparta co-op team, Myers finally will compete in a Finals after injuries derailed her first two opportunities. She finished third all-around (36.825) at her Regional and took second on floor (9.550), but won her Regional as a freshman.
Isabelle Nguyen, Grosse Pointe United sophomore – After finishing fifth all-around in the Final last season, took first at her Regional last weekend with a score of 37.575. She also won the vault in 9.500.
Maria Nguyen, Grosse Pointe United senior – Finished less than a point behind her sister, Isabelle (above), to take fourth at the Regional in 36.725 after finishing 14th all-around at last season’s Final.
Carina Wright, Farmington junior – Finished sixth all-around at last season’s Final and third as a freshman. Wright placed second at her Regional last weekend with a score of 34.675 and won vault after also taking second all-around at her Regional as a sophomore.
Division 2
Elisa Bills, Farmington freshman – The Falcons’ first-year standout finished second all-around at her Regional with a 35.000 and a pair of first places in the bars (8.800) and vault (9.000).
Lauren DeHaan, Lowell senior – Tied for 12th all-around at last season’s Final and should be a contender despite finishing fifth (35.575) in last weekend’s most competitive Division 2 Regional field, at Kenowa Hills.
Hailey Hodgson, Canton junior – Won her Regional in 36.000 after tying a teammate for the Regional title in 2014. Hodgson finished first on floor (9.200), beam (9.050) and vault (9.300) and should be in the hunt Saturday after finishing fourth all-around a year ago.
Kelly Momber, Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills/West Catholic/Grandville senior – Won the all-around at her home gym with a score of 37.100 while taking first on beam (9.475) and floor (9.660). Momber tied for 12th all-around at last season’s Final.
Brianna Rhoad, Livonia Blue junior – Finished seventh and 15th in her first two MHSAA Finals, respectively, and should move up after taking second at last weekend’s Regional with a 35.775.
Marissa Schuh, Farmington senior – Came in 14th all-around at last season’s Final but should also move up significantly after taking first in the all-around at her Regional at 35.475 and winning beam with a 9.200.
Tiana Seville, Grand Ledge junior – After missing last season with an injury, Seville could finish this winter well after taking third at her Regional with a 36.125. She was first on vault at 9.500 and should be a favorite on that apparatus.
Cassidy Terhorst, Grand Rapids Forest Hills United junior – The reigning Division 2 all-around champion finished second at her Regional with a 36.825 but easily could push back to the top this weekend. She finished first on bars at the Regional with a 9.300 but can score high on various skills – she took three second places in winning last year’s Final.
Alyssa Walker, Howell sophomore – Led the Highlanders to their first team Regional title and won the individual all-around in 36.075. Perhaps more impressively, Walker also finished first in a loaded field at the Kensington Lakes Activities Association end-of-season meet.
Jessica Weak, Livonia Blue sophomore – Another top competitor from the strong KLAA, Weak finished eighth all-around at last season’s Final but was third at her Regional last weekend with a 35.725. She also took second on floor at the Regional with a 9.150.
Kacy Wolfram, Howell sophomore – With Walker, also played a big part in Howell’s first team Regional title and finished second all-around with a 35.325. She’ll should be in the mix on vault after winning that apparatus with a 9.500.
PHOTO: Canton’s Hailey Hodgson, here on balance beam, helped her team to its first MHSAA championship last season.