Warsaw junior Remi Beckham looks to get flying again after a rough end to her sophomore year. (File photo by Mike Deak)

WARSAW – Injuries are an unfortunate possibility for any athlete. Suffering one right before the most important day of your season can be debilitating. Luckily for Warsaw junior Remi Beckham, she had time and options that has her back and ready to roll.

As a sophomore ace for the Warsaw gymnastics team, Beckham injured her knee just days ahead of the sectional, which is Judgment Day 1 of a three-step process for the gymnastics state tournament. The three-sport star was faced with a very tough decision, either compete and risk a tear or possible structural damage or bow out and heal up for the track season and a healthier return as a junior.

The decision to skip the sectional wasn’t easy, but a multi-faceted smart choice for all parties. Particularly that knee.

“I hyperextended my knee the meet before the sectional,” began Beckham. “I could barely walk on it and so we went to the doctor. He said I shouldn’t be competing on it, and if I tore it, I’m looking at surgery and rehab and all that. Being a multi-sport athlete, I couldn’t be impulsive about what I want to do, I had to think about the other sports. Running in track and cross country. I felt it wasn’t worth it to compete at the sectional.”

Beckham, who quietly is as graceful in the air as any gymnast in the area, has been able to get that knee back to health and had no major issues during spring track or fall cross country. Looking to regain her levels on floor, which she points to as her favorite event as well as improving her all-around totals, are all high on the goal list. Being back on the gymnastics floor is a primary focal point.

“I don’t get as nervous on floor as the other events where I just want to do them and get them over with,” Beckham said. “I feel like on floor I can be more expressive and show what my strengths are. It’s the best event for me to show what I can do.”

Beckham is the ace of a very young but talented Tiger roster. Head coach Tonya Douglass is overseeing seven gymnasts heading into the season, but five are returning and the other two, freshman Adree Beckham and Emily Gunter, have extensive club experience. Senior Gabby Waikel and junior Anna Wainscott along with sophomores Megan Metzger and Daylen Turner all have sectional experience.

“What’s unique of this team are five of the seven I coached in the Y program, and they all get along very well,” Douglass said. “They are all competitive and support each other. That’s what is going to be awesome is seeing the teamwork and their support along the way.”

Warsaw, which hosts its home meets at the Whitman Group building on Parker Street, begins its season Jan. 9 at home against East Noble, and Douglass is really anticipating what her group can do to improve on what was a fruitful 2017 season.

“I think one thing we all learned from Remi’s injury was that we can come together as a team and we have the ability to perform at a high level,” Douglass said. “They all bring something to the team, and we need them all to put together a good team score.”