Seymour’s Ivy Brown competes on the vault while coach Angie Mellencamp looks on during a 2019 meet against Bloomington North at Gymnastics Lane. Jeff Lubker

Seymour gymnastics coach Angie Mellecamp is calling the 2020 campaign a developmental year.

But don’t let that fool you. There are still plenty of athletes to look out for this season as the Owls look to recapture some of the rich history the Seymour gymnastics program has become known for.

“We have a young team that is working hard and developing clean skills,” Mellencamp said. “So what we are going to see is solid, clean gymnastics as we work toward maximizing bonus skills for sectional.”

A few of the gymnasts to look out for this year are Lillie Cote (bars), Marlo Cornn (vault), Grace Lewis (beam) and Allie DeHart (floor exercise).

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Though learning new skills will be key, this year also stands to be the largest the program has ever had, which means the Owls will not only have a strong varsity team but a well-rounded junior varsity squad.

Still, the team has no seniors on the roster this season, so while the focus is on showing improvement this season, they know there are larger goals to accomplish beyond this season.

Mellencamp said many of her athletes have been working toward the moment they can compete for the Owls. She also contends one of the biggest hurdles to overcome during practices is self-motivation due to the large number of athletes.

Cote and DeHart are two of three returning athletes to this year’s team. Mellencamp praised them for their production last season and is hopeful for another solid season in 2020.

Another returner is Ivy Brown, who took last season off and is showing a lot of growth, Mellencamp said.

Though the three are going to be pushing their abilities to the max, the whole team will be working toward developing bonus skills for their events and in the all around.

Development may be the keyword this season, but Mellencamp states her Owls are “born to fly.”

“The No. 1 thing to know about SHS gymnastics this year is that our future is really bright as this young team grows and develops,” Mellencamp said. “Many of the athletes have been training together for years, so this is a cohesive team with a solid core coming from club.”

The Owls get started this morning against rival Columbus East at 10 a.m.