Sammy Dame of Gateway named Gazette Player of Year for gymnastics
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Gateway Regional may not be a gymnastics powerhouse in western Massachusetts, but the Gators can boast one of the very best gymnasts in the area.
Freshman Sammy Dame finished second in the all-around competition at the western Mass. championships in November and displayed a remarkable consistency throughout the season.
Dame has been named the Daily Hampshire Gazette Player of the Year for gymnastics.
"I am very surprised but excited to be at the level I am," Dame said.
She posted an all-around score of 33.525 at sectionals, coming in behind only champion Emily Murphy of Westfield at 36.450.
"I improved a lot this year with newer elements and higher scores," Dame said following the sectional meet. "It feels good to improve."
Her best performance in an individual event was a fourth-place showing in the balance beam, with a score of 8.7. She had her highest score in the floor exercises with an 8.85.
"My best event would probably be the beam," she said. "It's not exactly my favorite event, but it's my best one because of my composure, strength, and patience."
Dame won the beam event five times and took first in the uneven bars once during the seven-meet season. She also had three second-place finishes and came in third five times.
When asked about the reason for her tremendous success so early in her career, Dame said, "I'm not exactly sure, but I would say confidence and having patience is a big part of it.
Along with those important qualities, competing in a sport she loves simply adds to her natural abilities.
"I put a lot of hard work into my practices but also have fun," she said. "My favorite part of gymnastics is being with my friends but doing what I love at the same time."
Dame also enjoyed a very solid regular season in the all-around. She came in first or second in the all-around during each meet with a pair of first-place showings.
As an eighth-grader, Dame surprised with a fifth-place all-around finish at western Mass.
Dame said, "I had more confidence because of that experience and wasn't so hard on my self."
Dame took up the sport nearly a decade ago and practices at the YMCA in Westfield.
"I have been doing gymnastics for about nine years now," she said. "I started all the way down at level 1 and throughout these nine years worked my to level 8, which I'm at now."
With other young and talented performers such as fellow freshman and first-team all-stars Samantha Grimsley and Aleesha Grochowski, the Gators will have an opportunity to move up in the team standings. They finished fifth at sectionals in 2011.
"I also want to help my teammates accomplish some of the skills they both want and need to get where they want to be," Dame said. "We need to increase our numbers, but I feel we can be a good team."
With three years remaining in her high school career, Dame figures to be among the favorites to win a western Mass. individual title.
"It will take a lot of hard work and concentration, but I think I will get there soon enough," she said. "For the next years to come I would like to accomplish some of the higher-level skills I've been working on to get some of those extra points I need to get to the top."
Michael Wilkinson can be reached at mwilkinson@gazettenet.com.
