Entering this season, the gymnastics team roster was without the experience and leadership of multi-event seniors. This resulted in a leadership void for the team that junior Taylor Seaman, along with sophomores Brittney Hardiman and Brittany Vontz, stepped into. As the three oldest teammates that compete in multiple events, it was a natural progression for the team.
“We really have three kids that we look [to] for leadership right now -Taylor [Seaman] an all-around junior who is doing a phenomenal job for us, Brittney Hardiman an all-around sophomore doing a tremendous job for us and Brittany Vontz, [who] will be an all-around sophomore in the next few weeks,” coach Mark Stevenson said.
Stevenson noted that the three gymnasts were thrust into a leadership role that they may not have been comfortable with.
“Last year [they] were lead by four extremely good seniors, so they really didn’t have a leadership role – all they had to do was go out and get it done,” Stevenson said. “Now they are under the gun because they are the people that have to do the job.”
Nonetheless, Stevenson stated that Seaman, Hardiman, and Vontz transitioned smoothly into their new roles and that they have become even more effective in recent weeks.
“Taylor and them, over the last couple of weeks, have been phenomenal – they have really stepped up to the job,” he said.
According to assistant coach Todd Henry, Seaman has progressed every season not only as an athlete but as a leader as well.
“Every year Taylor has gotten a little bit better, gotten a little bit vocal, a little bit more aggressive,” Henry said. “This year she struggled a little bit early on with the weight of expectations but we have had some talks and these last few meets she has been red hot. She is a great leader.”
Seaman has been a solid performer all three years that she has been at N.C. State. She has had no problem leading by example, always doing what she was supposed to do. However, vocal leadership is something that she has had to transition into this season.
“That is the big transition I am trying to make – going from leader by example to a vocal leader,” Seaman said. “I have always been the quiet one, never really spoke out unless there was something really important to say and a lot of times your team already says it, but coming from an upperclassman it might mean more to the younger ones.”
According to Henry, who specializes in vault and floor, he has delegated some tasks to Seaman in order to catalyze her transition into a vocal leader.
“Floor and vault are my specific responsibilities,” Henry said. “When it comes to these two events, I ask her opinion about lineup changes, and I let Taylor have a few words with them and I walk away.”
Henry has been impressed with the way Seaman has been handling her new responsibilities and control over the team.
“I don’t know what she says but it seems to be working,” Henry said. “I let her do that to force her to start speaking up and, she has done a great job with it.”
Seaman will look to lead the Pack past No. 3 UCLA and Minnesota at No. 12 Nebraska this Sunday.