Packer gymnasts turn to a new head coach
Published 9:11 pm Monday, November 16, 2015
First year Austin head gymnastics coach Nikki Lindberg talks to her team after practice at the YMCA Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
After establishing themselves as one of the top gymnastics programs in Class A over the past six years, the Packers are hoping a new coach can keep them near the top as they prepare for the upcoming season.
Nikki Lindberg, who is the YMCA gymnastics director, will be the head coach of the Austin gymnastics team this season. She replaces Alex Bade, who coached the Packers last season.
Austin’s Rachel Quandt hits the vault Friday during the Class A Minnesota State Gymnastics Meet at the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion last season. Herald File Photo
Austin has competed in the last four Class A state gymnastics meet and its had a gymnast finish in the top five in the individual all-around state meet in each of the past four seasons.
Lindberg is hoping to keep that success going this season.
“I’m excited,” she said. “We have a lot of good girls coming back and we have a few new ones up and coming too.”
Austin’s lone senior this season will be Rachel Quandt, and the Packers bring back a strong core as sophomore Jennifer Boyle won the state title in bars last season, junior Maddie Mullenbach has taken fifth in the state all-around meet the past two seasons and junior Paige Raymond competed in the beam at state last season.
“I think we’re all pretty excited to make it back to state. We’re hoping to have some good results again this year,” Raymond said. “In the past, all of us kind of led the team in our own way. It’s time to step up a little bit more, but we all are pretty strong leaders.”
This will be the second straight year the Packers have to adjust to a new coach as Bade replaced long-time Austin head coach Mark Raymond last season. The team will have to adjust to Lindberg’s style, but Raymond said the Packers are equipped to handle it.
“It’s been a challenge to get used to and get our season started on the right foot,” Raymond said. “We’re hoping for the best and once things get going and we’ll get used to our new coach things will probably be going really well.”
Lindberg was the head gymnastics coach at Mounds View High School for four years about a decade ago and she helped out with the Packer varsity team last season.
She wants her two team to stay competitive, but she also wants to the Packers to enjoy themselves.
“I try to make it a combination of working hard and trying to make it fun. Part of it is having fun and having the experience with your teammates,” Lindberg said. “I also believe in working hard and if you’re not ready to work hard I would expect you not to be on the team.”
The Packers will open their season at Faribault Dec. 4 and they will host Mankato West and Mankato East Dec. 10.