The saying from the Wizard of Oz, "there's no place like home," is a perfect simile for junior Kevin Donohue as he, and the men's gymnastics team, competes in the West Point Open today and tomorrow.
Since Donohue's hometown of Saddle River, NJ is not far from the site of the tournament, he will not only have the support of his family, but kids from his hometown gym will also be on hand to cheer for him. Last year, he had, in his opinion, the best meet of the year at the West Point Open. He contributed this success to his hometown advantage.
"This tournament gives me more incentive because the kids look up to me and because I want to show my coach that he taught me well," Donohue said.
The Nittany Lions will face teams from all over the East Coast such as host Army, Navy and Temple as well as club teams and some of the top high school talent. Penn State has been victorious in previous years and is looking for similar results.
For head coach Randy Jepson, this two-day event is about finding out where the team stands mentally and physically. It also provides a good look at the new people and the skills of all the gymnasts.
"It will be nice to get started and see where we are at," Jepson said. "This is where I can get a feel for what the younger guys can do."
The West Point Open will be the first collegiate event for the freshmen. As with anything new, it brings a whirlwind of emotions, ranging from excitement to nervousness. It is also good exposure for the freshmen because they will be forced outside of their home gym comfort zone into a different environment with an opposing crowd.
"I am really pumped for my first meet," freshman Adam Pierce said. "I don't even know how to describe my excitement."
Since the team has been able to practice during the entire fall semester, unlike last season, they feel they are more ready this season. After months of strength training and work in the gym, the team is ready to go out and begin competing. The key to their success, however, is to remain injury-free during this event.
"We will be putting the machine to work," senior Jose Palacios said. "You never know what will happen."
