Girls gymnastics: Lake Zurich's Bailey hoping for successful closure
It was about a year ago when Lake Zurich gymnast Kayla Bailey made the best of her opportunity at the North Suburban Conference girls gymnastics meet by winning the all-around competition. It was the first time that she was able to perform in all four events, since she was dealing with a back injury and was limited to the uneven bars and the balance beam.
Bailey, as a junior, went on from there through the state series and had a very successful state meet at Palatine High School in her first appearance. She became a state champion on the vault, then took third place in the all-around, fourth on the balance beam and fifth on the floor.
Bailey, along with all other Illinois gymnasts had to play a waiting game to get the 2021 season started as COVID-19 caused the pause of sports. That changed recently and the opportunity for an abbreviated season will now take place, albeit with no state series.
"At first, I didn't think I would get my last year," Bailey said. "It's all kind of crazy, there was a lot of decisions in the last minutes. I'm a little excited and nervous at the same time."
Bailey spent time in the offseason working on what she can do better for her final year.
"I was out of the gym for a few months (March through June)," Bailey said. "I had to find ways to work out for myself and learned how to do that."
She also stepped out of her comfort zone doing more things at home and even tried to cook.
"I cooked more dinners," Bailey said. "I practiced cooking and made some Korean chicken wrap and oatmeal cookies."
As for her back injury, it occurred during her sophomore year, which limited her to a return last year in a limited capacity.
"Kayla's back injury isn't going away," Lake Zurich coach Chelsie Grotelueschen said. "That's how she was competing last year."
Bailey is approaching this truncated season cautiously with some concerns on her injury.
"Going into this year," Bailey said, "it's OK. Certain skills, pushing hard or bending the back, I feel some pain."
Her efforts for another opportunity at state medals won't be what she wanted in her senior year. Instead, she will take part with the rest of the Bears with dual meets in the North Suburban Conference.
"I'm just hoping that Kayla has that closure," Grotelueschen said. "This could've been a successful year. We're still excited to go far as a conference meet. We just don't know what might happen tomorrow. We'll just go out and practice like it's our last meet."