Athlete of the Week: Katie Kleiner

By Albert Chen

But before the win was locked up, before the team could reach 6-0 (2-0 Ivy), the freshman from Lake Worth, Fla. would have to come up with her biggest performance of the season. Kleiner was to go last in her floor exercise, and with the contest in a practical dead heat, all eyes would be on the rookie.

"I knew that I needed something big," she said. So when she stepped onto the floor, Kleiner muttered to herself, over and over, "I do this everyday. I can do this now."

Kleiner's performance, which propelled the team to a 184.45-183.95 win over the Quakers, set a school record in the floor exercise with a score of 9.750. When Kleiner landed a crucial tumbling pass, she whispered to herself, "Wow."

Julia Tiernan/YH

Suddenly, the Yale women are the team to beat in the Ivy League. And suddenly, Kleiner is emerging as one of the league's stars. Throughout the season, despite the fact that this is her first year in college competition, she has inspired her teammates.

"She motivates me," teammate Kerri McNamara, ES '01, said. "When she gets pumped up, she gets the rest of the team going, too."

Such a performance can do wonders for a team. The squad remained unbeaten, but perhaps more importantly, the women are now convinced they are the best in the league. "It was huge for our team confidence," Kleiner said. Confidence is everything in gymnastics, and Kleiner believes that when the Ivy championships arrive in a month, this team will be ready.

"We've been doing well," Kleiner said. "But certainly we haven't reached our potential. Personally, I haven't reached the level of consistency that I would like."

"She [Kleiner] works so hard," McNamara commented. "What's special is her positive attitude." Lisa Crowles, ES '01 added, "You can tell that she really loves the sport."

Kleiner started with gymanstics at age nine. She signed up with a neighborhood friend. Kleiner admits that at first her skills were unrefined, at best. "I pretty much sucked. But I kept with it, and things got better and better," she said.

This time a year ago, Kleiner had to decide whether she even wanted to come to Yale. But during visits with the coaches and the team, she knew that this was the place to be. "I felt the ultimate click. I had a gut feeling."

Kleiner, who is working on pre-med requirements and is considering a psychology major, didn't want gymnastics to be her main focus in her college years. "I've managed academically better than I thought," she said.

Her adjustment on the gym floor has apparently come just as easily.

--Albert Chen

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