22 | SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2025 ELK RIVER STAR NEWS
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Elk River, MN 55330.
Winter Sports Preview 2025-26: Elk River gymnastics
ERIK NELSON Sports Reporter
The Elks are gearing up for another winter of quality gymnastics. The Elks 2025-26 season begins two weeks after Thanksgiving.
Head coach: Anna Jouppi
Key returning gymnasts: Seniors Madilyn Tucker and Hailey Beck are multi-time state tournament entrants. Beck is recovering from multiple off-season shoulder surgeries. Senior Alyssa Fleahman is also a former state participant. Important meets: Thursday, Dec. 4 @ Park Center; Wednesday, Dec. 10 vs. Centennial; Elk River Invite on Saturday, Dec. 13; Wednesday, Dec. 17 vs. Anoka; Wednesday, Jan. 7 vs. Coon Rapids
Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026 @ Rogers; Saturday, Jan. 23, 2026 vs. St. Anthony-Spring Lake Park; Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026 vs. Blaine; Section 7-2A tournament at ERHS Friday, Feb. 13, 2026
Coach Jouppi’ s expectations for 2025-26:“ We would love punch a ticket to state this year. We’ ve been conference champions the last few years. It would be nice to keep that
FILE PHOTO
Elk River’ s Alyssa Fleahman finished eighth on bars at the Class 2A individual gymnastics tournament on Feb. 24, 2024, at Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul.
and stay strong with that. We’ re working on our routines this year to punch our ticket to state. We are hosting sections this year, so we will be at home, which is always fun.”
New Elks swim coach wants to keep swimmers in amazing shape
Katherine“ Kat” Vail takes over as head coach this season
ERIK NELSON Sports Reporter
Former Elks head coach Denise Green, who had coached the team since 1984, retired after the 2023-24 season after 40 years of coaching. The Elks have a new head coach again this season after former head coach Marcia Ford left the position. Elk River welcomes Kat Vail, who has years of coaching experience and found out about the job on the ISD 728 website.
“ I was waiting for my daughter to get out of the pool for her swim practice, and I talked to the girls head coach [ Julie Odegard ], and I said,‘ Hey, do you think this is something that I should apply for?’ And she said,‘ Yes.’”
Head coach: Katherine
“ Kat” Vail Important meets: Coach Vail’ s expectations for 2025-26:“ They have some lofty goals. We’ re coming into this season with some injuries and some deficits in fitness levels. We’ re going to take it one day at a time and make sure we have whatever little injuries that we can prevent. I want to see what these guys can do as far as work. They all told me they enjoy working hard, so I’ d like to be able to get these guys into amazing physical shape but also build a team that can depend on each other, both in the pool and out of the pool. Simple fitness and being able to swim fast is one part of this, being able to do dives and be
coachable is another, but also to be a true member of the brotherhood and take care of each other and put forth that effort in being a full team.”
Rogers
gymnastics /
From page 21
the past.
Important meets: Thursday, Dec. 4, vs. Anoka; Interstellar Invite on Saturday, Dec. 6; Thursday, Dec. 18 vs. Blaine; Hornet Classic on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026; Raiders Invite on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026; Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026 vs. Elk River; Buffalo Invite on Saturday, Jan.
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17, 2026; Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026 vs. Centennial; Section 5-2A tournament Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026 @ Elk River HS; 2026 Class 2A state tournament Feb. 20-21, 2026 @ Roy Wilkins Auditorium
Coach Meech’ s expectations for 2025-26:“ We have high hopes that our hard work over the offseason combined with our brand-new and returning athletes will take us to state as a team. We have put in a lot of work during
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the summer waiver period that’ s allowed by the Minnesota State High School League as well as having offseason training with different coaches from other teams and judges and things like that to do the work up until now and going forward, it’ s just keeping our heads down, keeping our confidence growing and bringing to each meet a clean, confident and consistent routine from each girl.” |
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