BookmarkVALPARAISO -- Steffanie Long's nickname is "Stu." It may as well be "Smiley" since she always wears one.
Smiling is what she and her Valparaiso High teammates will do after tonight's gymnastics regional in the VHS gym.
The top-ranked Vikings are huge favorites to capture their fourth straight title and sixth in seven years. Long and company have never tasted defeat. This is the third year in a row they've gone undefeated.
Long is the team's veteran -- in just her second year. She's the lone state scorer back from last season when she took third on floor exercise and eighth all-around as a freshman.
Valparaiso graduated three super seniors after winning its second successive state title and seventh overall including two-time state all-around champ Kellie Kidd.
No problem. Coach Lorie Cook simply reloaded with Haley Whipps, ranked first in three events and all-around in her first year on varsity, and two solid freshmen.
"We lost an amazing group of seniors not only in terms of skills but also consistency and leadership (state record 115 score)," Cook said. "We knew these kids had talent but weren't sure about consistency. We didn't know if we could expect to see amazing high scores continue. They've stepped up."
Her young Vikings own the state's top three scores this season, all 114-plus, with a high of 114.30 in taking the Duneland Conference crown two weeks ago. Next best is No. 2 Columbus North's 112.575.
Long, good last year, has elevated her game. She's tied for first in the state (9.8) on floor, her specialty. Fluid and graceful, she's no slouch on the others: sixth on vault (9.65), seven on beam (9.65) and 10 on bars (9.55) for second all-around (38.475) to Whipps.
"Floor is my favorite. I really like dancing, expressing myself by flipping and flying high."
An "A" student in Cook's dance class, she loves it so much she'd like to go to dance school.
"It's my passion," Long said.
Long likes "contemporary, hip hop, anything upbeat. Next year I plan to create my own floor routine with new music and dance moves." Her current music is mainly classical. Most gymnasts change every two years to stay fresh.
Cook said Long is a super "showman on floor. She's an artistic, powerful tumbler and fantastic dancer with the highest level of difficulty" on all three tumbling passes.
"She's also very solid on beam as our anchor," Cook said. "She loves to dance on beam with some unique dance combinations. She looks pretty much like she's on floor when on beam; that's tough to pull off.
"Bars used to be her weak event but she's improved. Her vault is very strong, a powerful Yurchenko."
Cook praised Long's leadership and attitude. "She's definitely a leader; very calm, she doesn't get hyper at meets. She's very consistent, we can count on her to hit her routines."
Long credits years of practice for her success. "I learned hard skills at a young age. The goal in gymnastics is to make everything look easy." And she does.
The team's goal is to win state for a three-peat to tie three schools for that honor.
"We want to beat last year's records," Long said.
Cook said regional is "the girls' favorite because it's in the main gym with lots of students and teachers coming to the Friday night main show. It's tourney time, what you work really hard for. The team's excited."
So is Long. "I can't wait to perform for family and friends." As for her nickname? "I got it years ago at my old club (Gym Plus). As the smallest one I reminded coach Ed Gibson of the little mouse Stuart Little." Now her parents and friends cheer for "Stu" at meets. "Over half the kids in school call me Stuey."
"Smiley" also works. "She's a poster child for gymnastics," Cook said. "She's very positive and upbeat, loves to compete and have fun."
Long admits "I tend to be bubbly and upbeat. A kid today said 'you're one of the happiest people I know.'" She'll be even happier tonight and next week after winning state.
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