HHS senior graduating with multiple records
By: Rudy Brandl
Fans of Hillsborough High gymnastics have enjoyed watching some very gifted athletes over the past seven years. For the last four seasons, Lauren Watts has been a huge part of the program’s great success.
Watts arrived on the scholastic scene as a talented freshman with tremendous potential. Hard work, perseverance and dedication helped her blossom into one of the state’s best all-around performers.
On any given day, Watts was capable of posting a 9.5 score on all four events. She wasn’t a one or two-event specialist and she didn’t have a weakness.
Watts stamped her name into the HHS record books several times during her final season to complete her great scholastic resume in style. Watts set the school record for best all-around score (38.1), breaking the mark of Kim Yates, who was considered the school’s first great star gymnast.
Watts established a new school mark on the balance beam (9.675) and tied Ashley Miller’s standard on vault (9.5). She contributed to team records on all four events and all-around score (113.125).
All told, Watts will graduate with her name linked to eight of the 10 possible school records.
"She’s been the backbone of our program," Hillsborough head coach Beth Murrin said. "When we needed her to do something, she came through for us. She was confident and she knew what she could do. She’s the one that everyone looks to and she handles that pressure."
Watts was a very unselfish leader. She always put the team above her own aspirations. She wasn’t jealous when one of the team’s young stars posted higher scores.
Watts realized the team was benefiting and used it as more motivation to push herself to improve.
"She rose to the challenge and continued to lead this team," Murrin said. "That was always Lauren’s focus and it’s hard to find that in a high school athlete. She was always so encouraging and helpful."
Watts enjoyed her share of individual accolades. She won the Skyland Conference all-around title as a sophomore. She finished fourth in the state on floor as a junior.
Watts showed just as much of what’s she’s all in her junior season on a rare off-day at the conference meet, which was held at Hillsborough that year.
Instead of pouting after making a few mistakes on her routines, Watts remained positive and encouraged her teammates.
She remained loose and made sure the pressure didn’t get to her team. Hillsborough’s team depth prevailed and the Raiders won the team title despite a supbar performance from their leader.
Watts showed mental toughness in her own routines and tried to help her teammates do the same. She could fall off the balance beam twice like she did in this year’s state finals and come back with a dynamic routine on the floor 15 minutes later.
Experience helped Watts overcome adversity within a big meet and she made sure the younger girls on the team learned this important lesson.
"It’s important for the younger kids when they mess up on something," Watts said. "You have to tell them we still need them on other events. It makes them feel better and it helps the team."
Watts, who also competes in winter track and girls’ lacrosse, embodied the true spirit of a team gymnast. It’s something she hadn’t experienced during her days as a club gymnast. There’s much greater emphasis on the team in high school gymnastics, especially a tight-knit group like Murrin’s Raiders.
"I’ve definitely had a lot of fun," Watts said. "Club gymnastics is a whole different atmosphere. When I came here and learned about competing for a team, it made me like gymnastics that much more."