South Plains College - Caprock Yearbook (Levelland, TX)

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f0pposifeJ Ginger Inman, captain of the SPC Women's Gym- nastics team, performs a stag jump on the balance beam. 1Abovej Women's Gymnastics team members are: TOP LEFT: JoAnn Keefer, Ginger Inman - captain, Marvanna Cave, and Debbie Hammerle. TOP RIGHT: Janice Benham, Pam Husky, Kathy Kirkpatrick, and Jeaniece Robertson. NOT PICTURED: Toni Brown.

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Women Gymnasts Rebuild Under New Program In 1971 Mrs. Jeanelle Spears, South Plains College Women's gym- nastics coach, had a problem most coaches dream of enduring. She had composed and developed one of the greatest gymnastics teams in the nation on any college or university level - so the prob- lem! She couldn't find anyone to compete against. She, after correspondence With over 100 colleges and universities, hosted the national Women's meet here in the Dome the same Week- end the men's nationals were going on in Wrangler Gym in Odessa. The responsesto her letters and participation was lean. South Plains won the national title. To compete the girls had to trav- el hundreds of miles. No schools in the Western Junior College Athlet- ic Conference suited a team with the exception of Odessa. Little Toyua Lee was the only talent the Wranglers could boast. What is the purpose in building a great team if you cannot find any- one to beat? She has found someone. In 1970 a relatively new organi- zation known as the Texas Commis- sion On Intercollegiate Athletics For Women sponsored a state gym- nastics meet for Women and in the pastctwo years has boomed as the number one alliance of amatuers Women athletes in Texas outside of the AAU. The SPC women worked exclu- sively inside the TCIAW frame- Work this season and competed in the State TCIAW Gymnastics Meet March 10-11 at Tarrant County Junior College. I28 g,:f:. ,.gf1s5,.- ' 'f --f .Ag 'f- ::l1:x.sLu::: . .- e , ?+'3Wf.vrn-ff? 5 . 15 1 M G . Q 19 Vs? 1,355 A 1 ' mi f-.. J .nfitgff-fir--2.11, 4 :- :- ' - F 1 gt: ,,.1,, M an -:ft . .. -L: ,- - - -Q. s.. .-.-virus 1 -.fl .fs L - V v i 'gi-.-:Q-.1Eij5lv'+1:1f5-:ff.Juvlv--:fri-9 - ' V Vmfgsmgqgi-:J--5 '?a:1'1e'pl.z iff I -1 . 'ff I, turf ...-,,1'Tv1wf7 'Q-, ,vw ' - . Z.- ' - fig-fffqtvifij.'iGi'.'f',f:'1. ' -' .' , '5.f.g j1,: H . - 1 , . L ,I I.-1... .elim . ,. 1 5 3g21..g,:'1,1,1f:.i.z?f 1175? I 159-13. -- 1 5 5 F:3MjaiG1 Q7?,V- ill L '45 ' A .,.1 , fi , -- -' 3 Q V -, -- ..- f . sm. .-J .5241 53 I V I M !,' , r j,,,,',' dm, ,jx - - . f . ' iff -- I'ze'- J.w1. Ll1A'71 1 Ll? 251113 rf: 'if nl X ' , . - -L I.. . Ib ' ning.

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Freshmen Learn Trlcks The TCIAW gives the reason for its foundation as the need for a more centralized executive body of inter-collegiate athletics for women and because of the increased awareness of the need for en- couraging the development of program for the highly skilled woman athlete, an area long neglected by professional physical ed- ucators. It was formed October 5, 1968. But the TC law has one rule that prevented two returnees for the outstanding SPC team of last season from competing in the state meet at Tarrant County. No scholarship recipients are al- lowed to compete. TCIAW outlaws scholarships. Thus South Plains College's womens' gymnastics team will be a club instead of a recruited, skilled, highly experienced group of athletes working under financial. contract. The two returnees who competed for South Plains at all other meets this year except the state TCIAW, are Carlsbad, New Mexi- co product Ginger Inman and Marvana Cave of Levelland. Ginger was recruited out of high school after winning over 100 events, medals and meets in all areas of competition in New Mexi- co - one of the leading states in the nation in high school gymnas- tics. Marvanna joined the gymnastics team last season at mid-semes- ter after performing in the Tex-Anns in the fall. Her talent was noticed in Physical Ed. classes and at Levelland High. She pro- gressed quickly 'in work-outs after joining the squad. Thus these two sophomores' major task this season, in addition to competing and getting points, will be to instruct and motivate the basically Freshman volunteer team. Ginger is team captain. Toni Brown is another sophomore from Levelland who competed this year from the team of last season. She holds 12 years of expe- rience - 10 in dance and two in gymnastics. She will work on the balance beam and in free exercise. All three will compete in the Southwest Texas State University Invitational Meet Feb. 26 at San Marcus and in the SPC Invita- tional Meet March 18 in Texan Dome. p Coach Spears' nucleus for next season's team lies in Freshmen Jeniece Robertson, Debbie Hammerle and Janice Benham. Unlike the team members of last season with most members and especially the primary point getters possessing years of high school gymnastics, summer camps and dance lessons, neither Robertson nor Hammerle have any experience, and thus face an impressive challenge in preparing to compete against such experience. Both, however, have already, according to Mrs. Spears, shown considera- ble progress. By the middle of next season she feels both will be outstanding all-around performers. Both have been cheerleaders for four years. J eniece, at Smyer High School and Debbie at Garland High School. Miss Benham, a graduate of Levelland High last spring, adds ex- perience in the Freshman troupe. She has participated in gymnas- tics two years at LHS and was president of the Gym Club at LHS. She also has eight years of dance. She will work on the beam, vaulting and in free exercise. Pam Huskey is another Freshman on the team and will work on the balance beam. She is from Lubbock. Kathy Kirkpatrick is a Sophomore who joined the team at mid- semester after performing with Tex-Anns her Freshman year and during the fall semester. She should develop into an all-round per- former. Ginger has competed in gymnastics for eight years in all four of the Olympic events. While in high school she performed on the New Mexico state championship team for three years, as Carlsbad High took the state title three years straight. She compiled a mound of individual victories in high school and last season as a Freshman on the best gymnastics team South Plains College ever suited. 130