Gymnast handles end of career
The strange sound Brittney Williams’ foot made as she finished her tumbling pass gave her an eerie feeling.
But what the Nebraska senior gymnast didn’t know was just what that feeling would cost her.
Williams had just done the last tumbling pass of her career.
It was early January and the Hatboro, Pa., native was in the middle of practice, working on the first pass of her floor routine when she ruptured her Achilles tendon.
“I kind of had a funny feeling,” Williams said. “The sound wasn’t normal and I told myself that this was it.”
Since that day, Williams has stayed with the Husker program, cheering on her teammates and lending a hand when needed.
Williams will sit on the Devaney Sports Center floor for the last time tonight when the Huskers take on Big 12 foe Iowa State.
The meet, which begins at 7 p.m., is a double dual with the Husker men, who will take on No. 10 Iowa.
Despite twice having arthroscopic surgery on her ankles, Williams had rarely been unable to compete — until this season.
“It was tough in the beginning,” Williams said. “I had a lot of up-and-down days, but I still had a job to come in and be a leader for this team.
“At first I wanted to give up. But I don’t like letting people down and I still play a major role with the team, but it wasn’t easy.”
Nebraska coach Dan Kendig said Williams has been an inspiration to her teammates this season.
“When I think of Britt, a lot of things go flying around in my head,” Kendig said. “She is a senior with no competitive responsibilities, yet she is still a mentor to the girls. She helps them do the right thing.”
Williams, an All-Big 12 uneven bar specialist as a junior, had special ways of saluting the judges at the end of a routine. Since her injury, some of her teammates have been doing the same.
“Now the girls do it. They do it in honor of her,” Kendig said. “She is strong around the team and a very positive influence. They feed off her.
“Overall, she has handled this detour in her plan in a relatively mature manner. She could have sat around and wondered ‘why me,’ but she took what she had and made something positive of it.”
Williams has been at every practice and travels with the team to all the away meets.
While at a meet in Oklahoma in early February, Williams, who had spent most of the early season on crutches, came back to Lincoln without them.
“One minute she had them, the next they were gone. She had just left them somewhere,” Kendig said. “But that’s just Brittney.”
Williams is part of a senior class that has had a large impact on the Husker program.
The four seniors include uneven bars specialist Vanessa Meloche and all-arounders Emily Parsons and Desire Sniatynski.
“We’re just like sisters. We fight, we break up and we make up,” Williams said. “We’ve gone through everything together and they’re my best friends.
“I’ve grown so close to these girls and it’s hard to think that this is the end.”
Reach Lori Griffin at 473-7174 or lgriffin@journalstar.com
But what the Nebraska senior gymnast didn’t know was just what that feeling would cost her.
Williams had just done the last tumbling pass of her career.
It was early January and the Hatboro, Pa., native was in the middle of practice, working on the first pass of her floor routine when she ruptured her Achilles tendon.
“I kind of had a funny feeling,” Williams said. “The sound wasn’t normal and I told myself that this was it.”
Since that day, Williams has stayed with the Husker program, cheering on her teammates and lending a hand when needed.
Williams will sit on the Devaney Sports Center floor for the last time tonight when the Huskers take on Big 12 foe Iowa State.
The meet, which begins at 7 p.m., is a double dual with the Husker men, who will take on No. 10 Iowa.
Despite twice having arthroscopic surgery on her ankles, Williams had rarely been unable to compete — until this season.
“It was tough in the beginning,” Williams said. “I had a lot of up-and-down days, but I still had a job to come in and be a leader for this team.
“At first I wanted to give up. But I don’t like letting people down and I still play a major role with the team, but it wasn’t easy.”
Nebraska coach Dan Kendig said Williams has been an inspiration to her teammates this season.
“When I think of Britt, a lot of things go flying around in my head,” Kendig said. “She is a senior with no competitive responsibilities, yet she is still a mentor to the girls. She helps them do the right thing.”
Williams, an All-Big 12 uneven bar specialist as a junior, had special ways of saluting the judges at the end of a routine. Since her injury, some of her teammates have been doing the same.
“Now the girls do it. They do it in honor of her,” Kendig said. “She is strong around the team and a very positive influence. They feed off her.
“Overall, she has handled this detour in her plan in a relatively mature manner. She could have sat around and wondered ‘why me,’ but she took what she had and made something positive of it.”
Williams has been at every practice and travels with the team to all the away meets.
While at a meet in Oklahoma in early February, Williams, who had spent most of the early season on crutches, came back to Lincoln without them.
“One minute she had them, the next they were gone. She had just left them somewhere,” Kendig said. “But that’s just Brittney.”
Williams is part of a senior class that has had a large impact on the Husker program.
The four seniors include uneven bars specialist Vanessa Meloche and all-arounders Emily Parsons and Desire Sniatynski.
“We’re just like sisters. We fight, we break up and we make up,” Williams said. “We’ve gone through everything together and they’re my best friends.
“I’ve grown so close to these girls and it’s hard to think that this is the end.”
Reach Lori Griffin at 473-7174 or lgriffin@journalstar.com
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