The 2009-10 gymnastics season, so far, at Shores could not have been more perfect.

    Saturday, the Sailors, who went 7-0 in the regular season, captured its first OK Rainbow conference title since 1994 with 144.2 points. Second-place Rockford had 139.825.

    Senior Jaclyn Sipovic was conference champ on vault with 9.4.

    "Before the season started, we set the goal to be undefeated in our conference," Sipovic said. "Last year, we fell short of being conference champs by a few tenths of a point, and we were not about to let that happen again."

    Sipovic, senior Brittany Wilson, senior Amanda Weise and junior Gabe Poulin are the only Shores students on the team, which is a co-op with Reeths-Puffer.

    The team’s next action will be the regional tournament March 5.

    Wilson, who took last season off due to a back injury, has paced Shores, with first-place scores in six of seven meets.

    Her high scores on each apparatus include the following: bars – 9.50, floor – 9.55, beam – 9.50 and vault – 9.15. Her high all-around score is 36.875.

    "One of my goals was to get all of my skills back," Wilson said. "Since I quit last year, I was scared I would not be able to do anything this year."

    Head coach Carol Schneller, who has coached Wilson on and off since she was 8 years old, said she would not have expected less than what Wilson has offered thus far into the season.

    "She has shined this year and still has more to offer," coach Schneller said. "Brittany has shown her true competitive spirit this year and hasn’t let some nagging injures get in her way."

    Sipovic, not far behind Wilson, has the following high scores: bars – 9.25, floor – 9.55, beam – 9.30, and vault – 9.4. Her best all-around score is 36.875.

    Shores has also placed first in the Sturgis Invitational on Jan. 16, the Mona Shores Invitational on Jan. 23, and the Kenowa Hills Invitational on Jan. 30.

    Due to the success, Wilson’s and Sipovic’s goals have changed from conference champions to regional champions and a place in the state finals in March.

    "My new goal is to place at regionals, and state," Wilson said. "It is a challenging goal, but I’m up for the challenge."

    For Wilson and Sipovic, both agree, the most challenging part of being on the gymnastics team is not the demands of their performance but in avoiding injury.

    "Not getting hurt is the most challenging," Sipovic said. "There are so many things to fall off and so many ways to land on your head, it is a serious challenge."

    Despite the challenges, Wilson and Sipovic want nothing other than to be a part of the gymnastics team.

    "I love being on the team," Wilson said. "It is like my second family. We are all really close."