SEC Senior Saturday: Mizzou Tiger Blair Elmore

Jul 3, 2015 by Rebecca Johnson

Coming off a very successful season for the Missouri Tigers, senior Blair Elmore is looking forward to another year of defying expectations and rising up in the rankings. Mizzou climbed from 41st to 21st in the national rankings from 2014 to 2015, and Elmore knows that is only the beginning.

The Tigers will be adding huge talent to their roster this year, while undertaking the challenge of an immensely young squad. “It's hard to be able to tell exactly what our team is going to be like next year, because there are only nine returners and seven incoming freshman” said Elmore, “ but they all performed really well last season so we can't wait for them to get here.”

The freshmen will move in on July 5th and the whole team will be there to help, because it’s important for the team to start the bonding process right away. Additionally, each of the newcomers will be placed in a “family” for the year, which will consist of three returners and either two or three freshmen. Elmore noted, “the families were made to help the freshmen feel comfortable by automatically having people they can go to for questions or anything.”

Although there are only nine returning Tigers, a lot of hard work has already been done in Columbia this summer. The team is using the summer months to set themselves up for a big season ahead. The girls participate in voluntary practice four days a week, with two of those days including in-gym conditioning with circuits. They are also doing running and lifting workouts with the team strength and conditioning coach three times a week. Elmore said that the summer contains the most difficult running workouts of the year, but she believes the team is getting stronger and will be in great shape for preseason. “It is extremely tough, but we never give up or stop pushing.”

Elmore spoke about another main component of summer training being mental preparation and the incorporation of sports psychology. The team has meetings that are used to help the girls develop their mental toughness so that they are fully prepared for competition season. The freshman will be involved immediately upon their arrival, “which is a really good time to start opening up to one another,” said Elmore. The meetings double as team bonding sessions.

Elmore speaks highly of her younger teammates—motivated by them daily and excited to see what they will accomplish in the coming years. She highlights the sophomore class as ones to watch for next year. “They are such a strong group of girls with so much talent. I'm surprised every day by their skills and work ethic.” In the gym, the team as a whole is working on both upgrades and perfecting old skills. Elmore said there are some exciting upgrades being worked on floor from the sophomores, such as double layouts and full ins. Several of the girls are also focusing on release move upgrades on bars.

As the lone senior on the team this year, Elmore is taking on a lot of responsibility in a big leadership role. Her other classmates have been medically retired and she herself was injured last season with a torn labrum. Elmore is working hard to get back and keeping apositive attitude through the process. “I think the extra responsibilities include holding the team together and moving towards the same goal, but the team is already like that so it's really not too difficult.” She doesn’t see herself as superior to the other girls because of being older or having more experience, but rather as an equal who is there to inspire and motivate. “This year is all about no regrets and giving my all, not for myself but for my team.”