NHS Gymnasts Find Camaraderie With Opponents

By Andy Hutchison

Newtown High School doesn’t have its own gymnastics team, but that doesn’t stop NHS sophomores Katherine Weiner and Ellen Tabler from competing as part of a high school squad.

The Nighthawks’ gymnasts, in many ways as a matter of fact, are on a several teams all at once.

During the season — which concluded this month — Weiner and Tabler compete at meets along with the Pomperaug High team, following their rival school’s schedule and traveling with the Pomperaug girls. But their scores are not reflected in Pomperaug’s results. The NHS gymnasts compete individually (and at the same time as a duo) just as individual members of a high school team compete among each other, yet as a team. What’s more, other school’s gymnasts in like situations also compete as part of Pomperaug’s schedule. So in essence, the Newtown gymnasts have teammates from Holy Cross, Torrington, and Naugatuck, for example.

“It’s really interesting interacting with other students,” Weiner said.

“We all support each other,” Tabler added. “We know each other and we all cheer each other on.”

“They enjoy the atmosphere. They also enjoy the camaraderie because they’re traveling with different teams,” said Pomperaug Head Coach Hal Rettstadt, who doubles as the individual high school gymnasts’ coach.

Rettstadt, along with his wife Sally, also owns Kinetic Kids, a gymnastics facility in Middlebury, home to the local gymnasts’ USA Gymnastics club team and also the Pomperaug team’s practices.

The Newtown gymnasts began their high school careers already familiar with their coach and the workout facility, which made the transition that much easier. During the school season, they practice with the Pomperaug girls only a couple days each week — putting in their club team workouts the other days.

Because of the individual nature of gymnastics, not having their own school team doesn’t have too many drawbacks for Wiener and Tabler.

“The disadvantage is they’re not eligible to go to any of the divisional championships,” said Rettstadt, speaking of the state’s year-end team meets.

But, Rettstadt points out, the NHS gymnasts are fortunate enough to be permitted to compete at the South-West Conference Championship. And they showcased their skills at this year’s SWC meet, held this month. Both gymnasts medaled at the SWC meet; Tabler tied for sixth place on bars and Wiener was third on beam. Weiner and Tabler were also named to the All-Conference Second Team and Wiener was named to the All-State Team.

“They’re really positive kids,” Rettstadt said. “They work very, very hard. They have a fantastic attitude.”

“I am incredibly proud of Katherine and Ellen for all of their accomplishments this year, but more importantly because of their persistence and passion for a sport they love and overcoming so many obstacles,” NHS Athletic Director Gregg Simon said.

Lack of interest in the sport — two is the most NHS has had at a time — is the main reason the high school hasn’t fielded a team, Simon said.

Schools with teams possess the depth to have gymnasts who compete only on bars or beam, for example, but for individuals such as Weiner and Tabler, they have to compete on bars, beam, floor, and vault.

The girls are accustomed to doing this from their time with the club team.

Although Weiner and Tabler experience the team environment with support from their competitors from other schools, they say it’s beneficial to be there for each other. Tabler said the NHS gymnasts decorated each other’s lockers the day before the SWC Championship meet.

“It’s nice having someone from your own school,” Weiner said. “It’s really nice having someone else there to support you.”