You’d have to know Maryland gymnastics’ home to find it. The Terps’ practice gym is tucked to the side of the School of Public Health building, its exterior entrance sitting beneath the stairs and obscured by trees. This colorful arrangement of mats, beams and bars also houses Gymkana, a well-known acrobatic gymnastics troupe, but on a Tuesday afternoon in early April, the varsity team owns the place.
There’s a board of team goals hanging on the back wall. It includes a mix of tangible objectives and coachspeak mottos (my favorite was “trust the fight”). Right in the middle of the 10-item list is being the loudest team at every meet; everyone on the squad thinks that’s been achieved, and in hearing them at practice, it’s hard to argue.