Gymnastics coach of the year: Merrillville's Diane Roberts

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Merrillville gymnastics coach Diane Roberts began the season with four solid seniors and high hopes.

Top all-arounder Danielle Bly, a two-time MVP, broke her leg in December and was out for the season.

"With our depth I thought we could overcome that," Roberts said.

A week later, Taryn Woods went down with torn ankle ligaments. She returned just in time for sectional and did only beam. Roberts was still optimistic, going five deep.

At sectional, Tiffany Leicht hurt her knee on vault. She did bars but fell on her flying dismount as her knee gave way. Roberts had a sub but Leicht said she could do beam.

The gritty senior, despite the pain, had her best beam of the year but collapsed on dismount and couldn't do floor.

The fourth senior, Arien Taylor, got through the season but on heavily taped ankles after previous surgery. The two-time Mental Attitude winner won MVP and leadership honors this year.

If not for bad luck, Roberts and her plucky Pirates wouldn't have any. Junior Diona Milenkovski had ACL surgery a year ago and wasn't released by her doctor until January. Yet by sectional she was back at all-around with difficulty levels from before the injury.

No. 1 all-around Lisa Pozniak sprained both ankles in the last dual meet. After therapy she returned for sectional but on just bars and floor, Merrillville's last and best event.

After losing to LaPorte in a dual meet and at the Duneland meet, Pozniak and the Pirates rallied to nip the Slicers by .25 and make regional for the first time in seven years.

Doing that while keeping her sinking Pirate ship afloat earned Roberts Post-Tribune Coach of the Year honors.

"I'm very surprised and grateful," she said after her 36th season. "We've had injuries before but this is, by far, the most ever. We're kind of used to it. This group of seniors has seen our top all-arounder lost to injury all four years.

"We're used to adversity and to regrouping. There was frustration but we learned life lessons. Everyone worked harder, knowing they had to be ready. I'd joke with our fans that I had an extra leotard in the office, that we needed bodies.

"But we never gave up on our goal of reaching regional. When we did we hugged and cried and I thanked our kids for giving us an extra week."

By 'us' Roberts means her coaching staff of husband Bill and son Nick. "They do all the heavy work of lifting and flipping girls. It helped having family to support and share one of the toughest seasons to go through.

"We talk gymnastics at dinner. It's always a three-way decision. I'm mom for all the girls; we're a big family."

Sophomore Chandler Hill was the lone healthy Pirate.

"The glue that kept us together, her scores always counted," Roberts said, adding she missed the LaPorte dual due to the flu.

Leicht, who "started with us at age 6 got the DDD award (determination, drive, dedication). She eats, sleeps and breathes gymnastics. I haven't given DDD since the early 90s."

No. 7 LaPorte beat Merrillville, minus Pozniak, at the DAC. At sectional, Woods did her first beam routine of the season and it counted. Leicht fell on bars and couldn't do floor. But the Pirates pulled together and came through in a "very nerve-wracking meet."

Roberts said Merrillville trainers were critical to the team's success.

As for next year three starters return, joined by two freshmen all-arounders and Team 2 leader Theresa Yugo.