Neumann flips into Huskies’ starting lineup

While Owatonna seventh-grader Delia Neumann is still a ways away from stepping on campus as an Owatonna High School student, the new addition to the Huskies’ gymnastics team is no stranger to high school competition.

In her debut season, Neumann has already cemented herself as a regular contributor on both the balance beam and the bars, and has racked up multiple competitions’ worth of experience to begin her career.

“I’ve competed for about five or six years now, but this year has been cool because I’ve never really been on a team like this before. All the coaches and the girls on the team really push one another hard every day at practice, and it’s just a really tight group,” said Neumann.

On a team with just one senior and three total upperclassmen, Owatonna is no stranger to having young athletes contribute in big places.

However, Neumann has made herself hard to miss when she’s on the mats with some stellar routines.

This past weekend in Lakeville alone, the seventh-grader had fans and teammates on their feet after she landed her second-ever double-backflip in the bars event.

After sticking the landing in a practice routine before the event began, Neumann said she felt confident that she could pull it off when the team needed it most.

When the opportunity presented itself, she did not disappoint.

After setting up her dismount from the bar, Neumann accelerated into her flips with ease and landed solidly on two feet, leaning slightly backward as she attempted to keep her balance and stay on the mat.

The hush that had fallen over the crowd when Neumann began her dismount turned into an instant eruption of cheers as she faced the judges with a smile on her face.

As her teammates swarmed her, the judges marked a score of 8.850 – earning Neumann a team-high score in the event.

While fans from opposing schools may have been shocked to see a seventh-grade athlete pull off such a display of athleticism, Owatonna Head Coach Evan Moe said he was not surprised by his athlete’s capabilities.

“She’s always working and pushing herself hard. I mean, her beam and her bars are so solid. She’s already such a well-rounded athlete, and we’re looking forward to seeing her grow more as a gymnast. As girls age out, she has the potential to be a mainstay in multiple events for us,” said Moe.

Despite Owatonna taking second place behind Stillwater in Lakeville, Neumann was able to accrue a season-best overall score of 17.950.

While Neumann admitted she has not set any strict goals for the future as a gymnast, the seventh-grader did mention that she hopes to one day earn a scholarship to continue competing at the collegiate level.

Those looking to watch Neumann and the Huskies compete next won’t have to travel far as Owatonna will host a competition at Owatonna Gymnastics Club scheduled for Friday, Jan. 20 at 6:30 p.m.