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By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports

(February 12, 2023 7:00 AM) When gymnasts at Western High School are experiencing trouble – on or off the mat – they generally gravitate to “Dr. Heydenburg.”

The senior has a way of talking to people and making them feel better about his/her situations.

WHS senior Lilly Heydenburg would like to be a psychologist in the near future, but she as another month or so of gymnastics and three more months of high school. 

She plans to attend the University of Michigan to study biology and hopefully become a psychologist and therapist.

“I really like talking to people and helping with their problems,” Heydenburg said. “I took AP psychology at our school and loved it.”

Heydenburg has been helping the Panthers in gymnastics the past three-plus seasons. Last year she was voted as the team MVP and is leading the Panthers in scores this season.

Her favorite event is the vault.

“That is the one event I am the best at, and it has less stress,” Heydenburg said. “My least favorite is the floor exercise … I like watching it, but I feel awkward on the mat.”

Which is odd for someone who took three or four years of dance. Heydenburg has been involved in gymnastics since third grade having started at All-Around Gymnastics.

She loved the reactions of her classmates when Heydenburg did flips at recess.

Heydenburg became interested in club gymnastics prior to high school.

“Club gymnastics is harder because you have to deal with perfection,” Heydenburg said. “It (club gymnastics) feels like it is a bigger deal.”

Her teams performed in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois during her club days. 

She has improved during her high school days and has a personal best of 9.0 on the vault.

The Panthers finished seventh in the regional competition a year ago and look to improve on that.

“Right now it is important to get as many gymnasts qualified for regionals and get our team scores higher so we are not as scared going into that event,” Heydenburg said. 

Heydenburg is expected to graduated from WHS with a perfect 4.0 grade points average and be one of the school’s valedictorians. 

“Sports has taught me how to deal with stress and how to work hard,” Heydenburg said. “After doing one hour of conditioning, studying doesn’t seem that hard.”

Top scores by area gymnasts 

Vault

Alyssa Budd Napoleon 9.075

Megan Jones Jackson 9.05

Kaitlynn Rumsey Jackson 9.05

Melody Placeway Jackson 9.0

Jenna Bradley Lumen 8.925

Addi Richmond Jackson 8.85

Bars

Jenna Bradley Lumen 8.875

Alyssa Budd Napoleon 8.775

Addi Richmond Jackson 8.65

Megan Jones Jackson 8.65

Melody Placeway Jackson 8.475

Lilly Heydenburg Western 8.25

Ally Thrun Northwest 8.075

Beam

Alyssa Budd Napoleon 9.475

Jenna Bradley Lumen 9.375

Addi Richmond Jackson 9.275

Alaina Brown Grass Lake 9.25

Megan Jones Jackson 9.25

Melody Placeway Jackson 9.05

Floor Exercise

Alyssa Budd Napoleon 9.75

Ally Thrun Northwest 9.525

Melody Placeway Jackson 9.475

Jenna Bradley Lumen 9.475

Megan Jones Jackson 9.4

Addi Richmond Jackson 9.275

Lilly Heydenburg Western 8.975

Alaina Brown Grass Lake 8.875

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