Hello from Littlejohn Coliseum in lovely Clemson, South Carolina!
I’ve live-blogged dozens of meets all over the country, but this one feels a little different: I’m a native of the Upstate and a lifelong Clemson fan, so this is a strange confluence of parts of my life that have rarely intersected up to this point. It’s certainly the first time I’ve covered a meet with an entourage of non-gym nerd friends and family in attendance (and a whole lot more reading along at home). No pressure…
More importantly, this is the long-awaited debut of Clemson gymnastics’ team one, an event nearly three years in the making. It’s the fans’ introduction to the team, but for a lot of the folks here, it’s also likely their first NCAA gym meet, if not their introduction to the sport itself, and the Upstate community is getting hyped.
By the way, if you’re one of those newer fans, hello and welcome! We have a trio of features written specifically to help you understand what the heck is going on:
Finally, let’s address the elephant in the room: There’s been a fair share of controversy surrounding head coach Amy Smith, and there are concerns that should (and hopefully will) be addressed in the upcoming season. However, tonight the focus is on the gymnasts and…
