Senior Maggie Murphy is a gymnast at heart. Gymnastics was the first sport she ever played, and she has loved it ever since she started practicing 14 years ago. Now, she is a four-time winner of the Dual County League (DCL) Gymnast of the Year award, winning each year of high school.
Out of the five teams in the DCL for gymnastics (Concord-Carlisle, Cambridge Rindge & Latin, Newton South, Acton-Boxborough, and Westford Academy), Murphy had the best average all-around score, which is what earned her the award. To win this award once is impressive. To win it in four consecutive years? Unheard of.
“I don’t think [the same gymnast winning the award all four years of high school] has ever happened in the DCL,” gymnastics coach Stephanie Coburn said.
With the support from her family, friends, coaches, and teammates, Murphy is a successful gymnast at the high school level even without the DCL awards. Murphy also currently holds the WA records in all of the four events: floor, beam, bars, and vault, and she holds the record for all-around score as well. She also contributed to the team’s current record for highest all-around score of 144 at a meet during the 2020-2021 season
Murphy is proud of her accomplishments and the fact that the hard work that she has put in her whole life is paying off.
“It feels amazing to be recognized, and being able to share the experience with everyone on the team and help them improve makes it even better,” Murphy said.
According to Murphy, it all stems from a positive attitude. By staying positive, Murphy is able to perform at her best at every meet.
“When you go in negative, it hurts the outcome of the meet or practice,” Murphy said. “It’s not always going to be positive, and there will be downs, but you have to keep working hard because that hard work that you put in pays off.”
Murphy loves the team aspect of gymnastics and how the team cheers each other on whenever it is their turn to perform.
“Being supported by the girls on my team and having that positive environment just makes it really fun,” Murphy said.
The end of this season marks a changing of the guard towards the next group of high school gymnasts, as Murphy will be graduating in June and attending the University of Maryland for gymnastics, and majoring in criminal justice next fall. Despite the fact that she will be leaving WA, Murphy’s legacy will live on in both the WA and DCL records that she holds.
“I am most proud of Maggie for her drive. She shows up, does her best at every meet, and strives to always be the best she can be,” Coburn said.
