The countdown clock has hit zero and the student-athletes are ready for their opportunity.
The stage is set and the crowd is buzzing, waiting for the judge to make the motion to start.
The spotlight is on the Michigan State gymnast as her turn to perform awaits, with just seconds remaining before she makes her way to the apparatus.
There is nowhere to hide.
In this unique team sport, you don't get to take a play off. There's no safety in numbers.
Each member of the team performs on their own, in front of the entire crowd and their teammates.
And it's in this moment that the Spartan gymnast spends a few moments with one of her coaches.
This is where MSU assistant coaches Nicole Curler Jones and Devin Wright step in.
A calming of the nerves. A little pep talk. Some last-second encouragement.
If you watch Michigan State gymnastics, you see Jones and Wright doing this part of their job – but what you don’t see is everything else that they do.
And, boy, do they do a lot.
Prior to the team’s final practice of the season Monday morning in Jenison Fieldhouse, Rowe was asked what these two coaches mean to the program.
“Tons, tons, tons,” was the quick answer.
Then came the in-depth explanation of everything they do.
Starting with Jones:
“She does just about everything. Working with the strength coaches in strength conditioning. She designs all our award-winning (leotards). She does the choreography for floor. She's an amazing beam coach. (She’s) great with marketing and sports information and social media. She's just going, going, going at all times and she has a family of three children under 5 – I don't know how anybody could do that.”
For her part, Jones says she grew up with Michigan State Gymnastics.
“It has shaped the person I am today,” she said this week as she was helping the Spartans prepare for their first national championship appearance since 1988. “This program has had a huge piece of my heart since I was 17 years old. It hasn’t just been a job for me, it’s been home, this team is my family. Every day that I have been able to help lead them has been a dream come true.”
Jones was a former Spartan gymnast standout and is finishing her eighth season as associate head coach, and her 15th season overall on the MSU gymnastics staff, serving as assistant coach from 2012-17 and as MSU’s volunteer assistant in 2011.
Jones was the Spartans’ 2010 team MVP and qualified for the 2010 NCAA Championships after finishing fourth in the all-around at the NCAA Kentucky Regional with a score of 39.175. Jones was ranked second all-time in program history with a 39.525 all-around score against LSU on Feb. 29, 2008. She graduated from MSU in 2010, having earned her bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies in social sciences - human resources.
Rowe had glowing praise for Wright as well:
“Devin comes with a plethora of gymnastics technical experience. She's the sweetest personality, (she’s) got the biggest heart, and the girls love her. What a technician when it comes to what she's putting on the floor and the technical aspects of understanding what these kids (have) to do to be successful on vault and floor – and our vault lineup is one of the top in the country right now. (MSU is) one of the only teams that are putting 10.0 values all on the floor at the same time (for vault).”
Wright joined the Spartan gymnastics staff as an assistant coach in September 2022 and is finishing up her third season with the program this weekend.
“Michigan State gymnastics has become my family over the past three and a half years,” Wright said earlier this week. “The joy and love I have for this university and team is unmatched. Achieving this goal (of going to nationals) with Team 51 sets a new standard and expectation for the future of the program. It’s a testament of their hard work and dedication in and outside the gym.”
Wright is from Dayton, Ohio, and was a competitive gymnast for nine years, also earning a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the Chamberlain College of Nursing in 2017.
Jones and Wright both help Rowe mentor and teach the gymnasts in their charge.
“They're younger, closer (in age) to the student athletes, so they relate (more) with the student-athletes,” Rowe said Monday. “Sometimes things I say are foreign to the (student-athletes) because I'm their grandpa’s age. It may not translate as well as something that came from Nicole or Devin and I appreciate that because I'd rather them get the message (rather) than miss it completely because of how I said it.”
Rowe, Wright, and Jones try to leave the office every day on the same page. All three have the same drive and are very passionate about the competitive product they put out there. They have no problems intertwining between events and giving corrections, as needed.
“We're all in it for the right reasons,” said Rowe. “(Jones and Wright) were just named regional assistant coaches of the year as well, very proud of them for that. I gotta hang on, hang on tight, because (it’s) the end of the season and the vultures are on the fence and I don't want either one of them going anywhere.”
For her part, Jones had a feeling this might happen this year.
“To see this group of women accomplish this huge milestone isn’t a surprise,” Jones said. “Nothing was going to stand in their way this season. They’ve earned every bit of the success they are living. They have set the new standard for MSU Gymnastics; and we couldn’t be more thankful. The best is yet to come for us, starting with this week at the National Championship!”
Wright agrees that, despite all the success they’ve seen this year, this team isn’t quite done yet.
“These women are extraordinary human beings and I’m grateful to be a part of their journey. Team 51 continues to inspire me and everyone around them. Getting to Fort Worth was the first goal but we aren’t done yet!
The Spartans are set to compete Thursday night in Fort Worth with ESPN2 broadcasting the competition starting shortly after 9:00pm eastern. The top two from Thursday evening’s semifinals will advance to compete in the final four competition on Saturday afternoon.
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