Mercer Island gymnastics | Winter sports previews

This week, the Reporter takes a look at the five prep teams representing Mercer Island this winter.

Coach: Lenny Lewis (27th year)

Last season: Sixth at KingCo tournament.

Strengths: Floor and vault events.

“We always seem to be good on floor,” Lewis said. “It looks like we have some good vaulters who aren’t afraid to run and hit their handspring.”

Needs to improve: Experience.

“We don’t have a lot of club girls,” Lewis said. “It’s usually when you have a couple club girls to help lead the team, to bring the rest of the team up, you have a better team because you have that cohesiveness between the girls and they start working harder.”

Goals: “The goal is always [to make] state as a team, but that hasn’t happened for quite a few years, so we’re hoping to place higher at KingCo this year,” said senior captain Cece Belady.

“As long as we improve to the point where, come the end of the season, we can put up a good meet at KingCo,” Lewis said. “If we place there, it doesn’t matter what you did during the season, you can move on. That’s what I’m looking forward to: placing at KingCo.”

Captains: Cece Belady, Jamie Vanderwall.

Other key athletes: Stephanie Prince, Emily Culbertson, Madeline Gile, Mya Levin.

Meet to watch: @ Bellevue, Jan. 28.