Boys gymnastics: Tripp leads Panthers by steady example

For whatever reason, Micah Tripp couldn't put it all together.

Tripp couldn't pinpoint a weak spot. He never fell on the same event twice.

But at the beginning of this year, the Permian senior had trouble turning in a complete all-around performance.

"He's one of our top guys on every event," Panthers head coach Jared Whiles said. "We had a string of meets where he struggled on one event or another for no apparent reason. Of late he's put it all together."

Tripp has been rock-solid for the Panthers since the team entered postseason competition.

Competing at the District 2-5A Championships in late March, Tripp won the all-around title with 110.8 points. A week later he added a Region III all-around title by scoring 110.6 points.

Permian needs another vintage performance from Tripp to contend for the title at this weekend's Texas High School State Gymnastics Championships at the Garland Special Events Center.

Tripp doesn't seem fazed.

He's been preparing for something like this ever since he was a little kid.

"I was probably six or seven when I decided that this is what I wanted to do," Tripp said. "I just stayed with it."

Making such a strong commitment might seem like a feat for a kid so young.

But Tripp has had a string of talented coaches.

From Todd Vesely in elementary school to Michael Urpani at the gymnastics program sponsored by Odessa College to Vesely again at Permian and now to Whiles, Tripp has been trained by some of the biggest names in Permian gymnastics history.

His coaches helped him get through the tough spots in his development as a gymnast.

And every gymnast struggles every once in a while.

"Gymnastics can be frustrating, period," Tripp said. "You have to think about a lot of things at the same time. Over time that becomes second nature, but when you're starting out, that's the hardest part."

Frustration is a part of gymnastics.

For Tripp, the sport is also an escape.

To master a single skill, a single tumbling pass, a gymnast has to turn all of his focus to the task at hand.

And that doesn't leave much room for anything else.

"I've always felt that gymnastics is a place I can go and get away from everything else," Tripp said. "You really do lose yourself in it."

During Permian practices, though, Tripp doesn't seem too lost in his thoughts.

Instead he's at the high bar, spotting a younger teammate as he works on a difficult dismount. Offering pointers to Riley Murphy on the rings, offering encouragement to Matthew Martinez on the parallel bars.

"He's given them a great picture of what a Permian gymnast should look like," Whiles said. "If they can embody a lot of the traits and characteristics he's embodied this season, I think we're going to have a great team for years to come."

Tripp has one more chance to add his name to the list of Panthers gymnasts who have won a state all-around title.

But he's already found a place in Permian history.