After a mediocre season last year, the Garfield girls gymnastics team is looking forward to competing and breaking last year’s season point total of 159 by scoring 160 this season.

“Scoring 160 is our goal,” said senior Caitlin Anderson, who participates in all the events during matches.

With these high hopes, the team is hoping everything else will fall into place.

“Making state would be nice,” said senior Misa Shikuma. “Having more people qualify would be better, but right now 160 points is our goal and everything else will fall into place.”

Though it would seem that the team is all work and no play, “That is not necessarily the case,” said senior Sundus Abdilahi, whose events are the floor and balance beam.

“Scoring 160 is our goal,” said Abdilahi. “But we also want to have fun and enjoy the ride along the way.”

The gymnastics team is led by head coach Yekii Killion, who describes her coaching style as strict but enjoyable.

“I’m strict to a certain point, but always have room for fun,” said Killion.

Coach Killion’s style must be enjoyable since the team practices six days a week for two hours a day.

“Practices pretty tough, but many of us do gymnastics for other clubs so we get twice the work in,” said Shikuma.

Coach Killion knows that their goal of cracking 160 points is possible, but first they’ll need to improve their techniques.

“We need to get our balance beam and bars score higher,” said Killion.

The willpower of Garfield’s gymnastics team will be tested for their first two matches will be against two powerhouse teams, Woodinville, and Bothell.

“We don’t know how we’ll fair against Bothell and Woodinville,” said Anderson, but we’ll definitely get Ballard.”

With the focus on scoring a season total of 160 points this season, the gymnastics team seems confident and ready to compete. Led by senior captains Caitlin Anderson and Misa Shikuma, look forward to the gymnastics team making a run at districts and eventually state.