Willmar Gymnastics Team Soars with Youthful Talent and Veteran Leadership
Willmar, Minnesota – The Willmar gymnastics team is poised for a dynamic season, fueled by a remarkable influx of young talent and guided by experienced leadership. Seven of the team’s nine roster spots are filled by ninth-graders or younger, signaling a bright future for the Cardinals.
The team’s up-and-coming gymnasts will first be showcased when they host Sartell at 6 p.m. on Thursday. “We ended last season on a high note with this group,” said Torrie Heitzman, who is beginning her fourth year as head coach, alongside assistants Michael Heitzman and Emily Quitney.
Among the promising newcomers, Kylie Carlson, a freshman, is expected to make a significant impact. “Kylie will contribute very large scores,” Heitzman stated, adding that Carlson will compete in the all-around. She joins senior Carlee Brown as the team’s two all-around performers to start the season. Brown, a two-time state tournament entrant, returns as the Cardinals’ top gymnast, having previously earned All-Central Lakes Conference honors in the all-around in both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. However, Brown’s participation in December may be limited due to a recent concussion.
Until Brown is fully cleared, senior Mia Koosman will provide stability in the lineups. Koosman possesses the potential to also compete in the all-around. “Mia has been awesome,” Heitzman commented. “I see her starting a lot of our events as a calm, cool, collected competitor who has seen it and done it before. I’m really excited for her.” Brown and Koosman are the only two upperclassmen on the team following the departure of Mallory Beier, a four-time state tournament entrant, who chose to prioritize her physical and mental health.
“Mallory decided to part ways for her physical and mental health,” Heitzman explained, emphasizing the team’s support for her decision. “We had a really long conversation about it and, with where she was at, she decided that would be the best thing for the team and for her. It definitely is a loss and we are sad about that, but our program’s philosophy is athlete first.”
The team also welcomes eighth-graders Brynnlee Carroll, Ali Slagter, and Hadley DeBoer, alongside seventh-grader Maggie Strand and ninth-graders Camila Oehlers. “Our freshmen and eighth-graders have really stepped up and they’re going to be adding difficulty to their routines, which I’m really excited about,” Heitzman said. Willmar finished seventh in the Central Lakes Conference (CLC) with a 1-5 record in the 2024-25 season, and held an overall record of 1-6.
The defending Class A state champion, Detroit Lakes, finished atop the CLC with a perfect 6-0 record and a 7-0 overall record. The St. Cloud Crush, a co-op program, along with Sartell and Alexandria, are also expected to be strong contenders in the conference. “We are a little fish in a big pond,” Heitzman acknowledged.
Willmar will conclude its season by hosting the Section 6A championships on February 14. “We are excited to be in the Big Red Gym and just share with our community what high school gymnastics is about at a prime level,” Heitzman said. “I’m excited for our kids to have that opportunity to shine on the stage that their peers get to use so often.”
Willmar Gymnastics Schedule:
- vs. Sartell, December 11
- at Alexandria, December 18
- at St. Cloud Crush Invitational, December 20
- vs. Brainerd & St. Cloud Crush, January 6
- at Detroit Lakes, January 15
- vs. New London-Spicer, January 22
- at Fergus Falls, January 27
- CLC Championships, February 7 at St. Cloud
- Section 6A championships, February 14 at Willmar
Michael Lyne, a sports reporter for the West Central Tribune, joined the team in May 2022 after graduating from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with degrees in journalism and Spanish studies. He can be reached at [email protected] or (320) 214-4345.
