For some gymnasts, the once end-all-be-all of collegiate vaulting, the Yurchenko, just doesn’t pan out. Whether it stems from an aversion to backward skills, or attempting to raise one’s recruiting stock value, Tsukahara and front handspring vaults have re-emerged on the collegiate vault scene. Few have garnered similar scores and attention as Ball State’s Suki Pfister, who currently holds a share of the highest vault ranking for non-Power Five gymnasts at 16th. Her front handspring pike half has become a staple at the back end of the Cardinals’ lineup, going over 9.900 more times than not this season.
Pfister’s journey with front handspring vaults began in level 9 where she competed a front handspring tuck for three years. In level 10 she began to twist it and would occasionally pike one of two competition vaults at club meets. The pike half post-flight wasn’t her go-to vault until competing for Ball State, but since then, it has become a staple. Put simply by Pfister, “I guess Yurchenkos weren’t really my thing.”
While not a true “forward gymnast” with multiple signature forward skills, her front handspring entry translated smoothly from the Tsukaharas she competed in level 8. The largest factor—the run and board approach—remained the same…
