'Can't Break Steel' More Than a Motto for NCAA Championship-Bound Wolverines
4/11/2019 6:31:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics, Features
By Max Brill
The rallying cry this year for the University of Michigan women's gymnastics team has been "Can't Break Steel." The team can be heard ending a huddle with a "Can't break steel, Michigan!" and the student-athletes even wear the slogan on their T-shirts during warmups prior to meets.
The team's mentality has carried it all the way to the NCAA Championships in Fort Worth, Texas, and it all started with an intrasquad meet in the preseason.
"We had to wear our least-favorite leotards; they're steel-gray," senior captain Emma McLean said. "We were joking with one another that those things looked like refrigerators -- that steel color they have. We said, 'Well, you can't break steel,' and it just took off from there."
Senior all-arounder Olivia Karas said that "Can't Break Steel" is more about just being tough in competition; it is about the bonds that the team has forged throughout the season.
"This year is really unique in that there is a lot of genuine love and support as opposed to just us being teammates and not friends when we leave the gym," she said. "It's a continuous bond.
"I'd like to see someone try to break steel with their bare hands. Impossible."
The "Can't Break Steel" mantra has allowed the team to reach new heights this season. The team has faced adversity in the form of a season-ending injury to junior Maggie O'Hara, an appendectomy for freshman Abby Heiskell and even the loss of head coach Bev Plocki for the week before regionals due to thumb surgery.
"Everyone always goes through something," Karas said. "There's no perfect season without any adversity but unfortunately we got a large dosage of it this year. I think we've let it fuel us, not break us."
McLean, a two-time Big Ten champion on vault and three-time All-Big Ten first team selection, echoed Karas' sentiment.
"That's been one of our strengths this year," McLean explained. "We'll go through something, we'll conquer it and we'll just keep going. There's no looking back. There's no lingering. It's just whatever's next, we got it, let's do it."
For junior captain Lexi Funk, also a two-time All-Big Ten selection, "Can't Break Steel" has taken on a personal meaning. Funk battled through injuries all season and still managed to post a 9.875 on the balance beam and a 9.800 on floor exercise in the regional final this past weekend (April 5-6).
"'Can't Break Steel' reminds us that nothing is going to get in our way," Funk said. "No matter what obstacle it is, whether it's an injury or something outside of the gym, whatever you're dealing with, just put it aside when you're with the team and do everything you can do to make this team as great as it can be."
And the team has been great. After missing out on NCAA Championships last season -- the team was eliminated in the regional final -- the Wolverines came back stronger than ever, in part due to their "Can't Break Steel" mentality. The team finished second of four teams this past weekend to return to the NCAA Championships for the 24th time in school history.
"It was a pretty surreal moment," Karas said. "My first reaction was just to start bawling and falling over. It's just one of those moments where you couldn't believe it, but you also knew we could do it. It wasn't a shock that we did it, but when you finally see that moment come to life is when you get that moment of 'Wow. We did it.'"
Looking forward to Fort Worth, the team is sticking with its "Can't Break Steel" mentality.
"This is our time," McLean said. "We've been all gas, no brakes in practice all week, so now is the time to give it everything we've got and just end on a high note. We're excited to show everyone that we are a top school, too."
Players Mentioned
