Desch cleared to compete at Championships

Jul 29, 2013 by Elizabeth Stranahan

Maddie Desch of GAGE entered the Senior Elite rankings having already amassed a collection of accolades during her time as a junior international elite. However, knee surgery in December to repair an injured meniscus almost cost Desch her Senior debut. At the 2013 Secret US Classic, Desch performed only the balance beam then waited to see if the National Selection Committee approved her petition to move forward to the P&G Championships happening a few weeks later. Immediately following the Classic, we caught up with Desch to ask her about her recovery, how she felt the meet went, and most importantly, whether we would see her in Hartford, CT.

Desch at the 2012 Visa Championship where she placed second All Around. Photo by Melissa Perenson.

So will Desch make the trip to Championships? "Yes." Desch assures. "[B]ecause of a former knee injury, I was not quite able to compete floor and vault, but I sent in a petition, and it came through, so I will be competing for the P&G Championships." Despite intensive rehab, the knee injury prevented Desch from competing in the Classic competition at her full potential. "I'd say right now I am about like 85 or 90%" Desch states. But she feels confident that she'll be looking her best at Championships, "With the next two weeks, that's a good enough amount of time that I believe I will be ready 100% by Championships."

Although only able to compete one event, Desch and her coaches count the Secret Classic as a success. "[My coaches] were happy with me because, ya know, it's my first real meet back," Desch says, "My goal was just to get out and do my best, and hit my one event: my beam routine." Desch indeed executed a clean routine receving a 14.15 (5.90/8.25) for the event. While not performing the signature handspring- handspring- layout full twist connection Desch is capable of, the routine still carried significant depth with a side somi, a switch leap to switch 1/2 connection, and a roundoff banck handspring double back dsmount. And Desch is already looking ahead to upgrades for the Championships. "On bars, I'm working new combinations and new skills," Desch disclosed, "a stalder reverse immediate pak, that's probably my biggest new skill."

Desch on beam at the 2013 Secret US Classic.

Her biggest goal for the Championships, though? "Be back on all four events, compete everything, and then I would like to make it to the World Selection Camp...possibly make it to World's" Desch concedes.

As Desch prepares for the P&G Championships, she relies on GAGE teammate and fellow elite Brenna Dowell to push her to her fullest potential. "[Brenna and I] are great friends, but then we also help each other get better, and we give each other corrections." Desch also cites the London Olympics as a source of inspiration for her own gymnastics journey. "I mean I really look up to Kyla [Ross], McKayla [Maroney]. I'm really happy that they came back," Desch says. "I wanna be like them, I want to be an Olympian like that. Having them, being able to train next to them is really amazing, and they push me to do better." When asked if making an Olympic team fit in her list of goals, Desch gave her second confident, "Yes," of the day.