Paquin, Western Headed Toward New Heights in Gymnastics

By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports

(February 22, 2025 8:00 AM ET) Western High School gymnast Taylor Paquin kept telling her teammates about her younger sister and how good she was.

Emma Paquin could do a back handspring on the beam.

But the WHS freshman is more than a one-trick-pony and a four-inch beam.

The younger Paquin along with numerous veteran gymnasts at Western have turned some heads this winter winning the conference, defeating four-time champions from Jackson Area Gymnastics, and having a chance to qualify for the state gymnastics final as a team.

“My coaches and teammates have been so encouraging … it feels good,” the younger Paquin said of the team’s success this season. “It was really exciting to win the conference.”

Western started the season edging JAG in a meet at home. The Panthers went undefeated headed into the conference final last week at Adrian. Western earned its first league title in 25 years edging Tecumseh 133.450-133.375.

Paquin finished second on the vault (8.9), third on the floor exercise (8.85), and fourth in the all-around (34.400).

“At the end of the conference final I started looking at the scores and felt like we could win,” Paquin said.

That surge of confidence has pushed the Panthers all season according to Coach Abigail Kamke Gleeson.

“The higher our scores went, the more reachable a conference title was,” Gleeson said. “I think we just needed the right support from staff, parents, and each other.”

Gleeson said Paquin is very coachable and has adjusted from 11 years as a club gymnast.

“You go from club where you are competing for yourself to high school where you are competing for the team,” Gleeson said. “Emma has a bunch of friends on the team who are very encouraging.”

Western has a chance to qualify for the state meet as a team in a week at Rockford. Gleeson believes there are four teams who could fit into the three spots for the state team tournament.

“I have crunched the numbers and I think we could score 138,” Gleeson said. “Rockford, JAG, and Lowell are the other top teams.”

The Panthers have not qualified as a team since 2000 according to the coach.