2015 All-Western Racine County Female Athlete of the Year
BHS grad used pace to break records at state
By Mike Ramczyk
Sports Editor
Molly Benavides is one of the most decorated gymnasts in Wisconsin sports history.
The 2015 Burlington High School graduate had an illustrious four-year career, and 2015 was her icing on the cake.
For her sheer dominance, including a historic all-around performance at the state gymnastics meet in March, Benavides, a native of Lyons, is the 2015 All-Area Female Athlete of the Year.
Our features will include a male and female athlete, coach and team of the year.
Student-athletes, coaches and teams are selected from Burlington, Catholic Central, Union Grove and Waterford high schools.
Benavides, along with teammates Bailey and Jenna Fitzpatrick, dominated the state competition and formed one of the strongest trios in state gymnastics history.
Benavides put together the finest performance of her career in March at the WIAA individual state gymnastics meet, capturing the Division 1 all-around title with the highest score ever recorded in state history, a 38.300.
It was the sixth state title overall in her high school career.
Remarkably, Benavides didn’t win a single event, as second place on vault (9.533) was her highest finish.
Also, Benavides was a strong performer in the triple jump in track and field.
Burlington Standard Press Sports Editor Mike Ramczyk recently caught up with Benavides and discussed her 2015 and what’s ahead.
MR: What are you up to these days? Take me through a day in the life of Molly Benavides.
MB: I am a student at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. I am really enjoying life in La Crosse. College has been such a great and new experience for me. I am meeting so many new people and creating lifelong relationships. School has been challenging, but I am very interested in my schoolwork. Right now I am just going with the flow and I’m loving it.
MR: Congrats on being named Female AOY. Do your days of gymnastics and track seem like they were yesterday? Are you missing your competitive sports memories?
MB: Actually it seems like it’s been forever since I’ve been at the gym practicing my routines, or doing sprint workouts around the track. I do miss it very much, I catch myself watching video after video of gymnasts online, which brings back so many memories of my team and competitions from past years back. Gymnastics will always be apart of me I don’t think I’ll ever stop missing it.
MR: We talked last year about how your senior season had a bit of a rocky start where you weren’t practicing your full routine. By season’s end, you posted the highest all-around mark in state tournament history. Did the fact that you waited to use your full arsenal play a big role in your late-season success?
MB: To be honest, the rocky start and not competing my full routines was totally unintentional, there was no plan behind it. I was having a rough time for most of the season, I am not proud of that. All I can say is I never gave up even when I was at my worst and it paid off in the end.
MR: Do you still see the other two of the “Big Three,” Bailey and Molly Fitzpatrick?
MB: I don’t see Jenna or Bailey Fitzpatrick often. But when I do we don’t really talk about gymnastics it’s more so just catching up on how we’re doing. I do miss the fact that I will never compete with those two girls again, but also I’ll miss competing with any of my past teammates.
MR: In your personal opinion, why did you have such a strong gymnastics season and state meet?
MB: There’s no particular reason that I had a strong season and strong end to my season except for working hard to get where I needed to be.
MR: Your former coach Diane Biedrzycki recently retired from coaching after more than two decades. What did you learn from Diane, and is there a funny or meaningful story about your relationship that you can share?
MB: “Di” had a big impact on me, she was my coach for four years. Even when we wouldn’t be the happiest with each other at a practice, in the end I knew she’d be by my side and have my back no matter what and that’s what made her such a wonderful woman and great coach. The four seasons I had with the BBW team wouldn’t have been so memorable if it wasn’t for her.
MR: You decided not to compete in college gymnastics. Did you have any scholarship offers? Why did you hang up the leotard?
MB: I did not have any scholarships offered. College gymnastics is something I wanted to do in my earlier years because I watched it so much, and it was always something I wanted to be involved in. But during my junior and senior year I knew I didn’t want to continue on in the sport anymore. I’ve done it for so long I knew it was time to close that chapter in my life and start experiencing new things. Also it was getting harder and harder on my body, and it was getting to be too much.
I ended on a great note, which is what I’ve always wanted.
MR: Despite the fact that you devoted countless hours to gymnastics, through both club and high school, you also found time for track and field. Why did you stick with track for four years, what did it teach you and what is the biggest benefit of playing multiple sports?
MB: As a freshman, the first day of track I made a promise to my Coach Boz (Jason Bousman) that I wouldn’t quit on him. And I didn’t, I stuck with the sport for all four years, and I don’t regret a single moment. Boz taught me a lot throughout the years. He became my rock, he knew me better than I ever thought he did, and I appreciate his overwhelming commitment to the Burlington track team. He is an amazing coach.
He got me involved in triple jump, which I became very fond of and I miss practicing and competing in it.
The biggest benefit to me from being involved in cross country, gymnastics and track is having all different experiences, being able to push myself in different ways, and being able to have so many different people impact my life from each sport. I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to compete in three different sports.
MR: What does it take to be an elite athlete, both on and off the playing field, and what advice can you provide young girls whom may want to win a state title someday like Molly Benavides?
MB: Never give up even after failing, take that fail and learn from it. Train for what you want to accomplish. Hard work will always be beneficial in some way, and always believe in yourself.
Meet Molly Benavides
Gymnastics is: in my blood.
Favorite movie: “Interstellar”
Favorite song: “I Am” by AWOLNATION
Food ritual before gymnastics meet: Applebee’s dinners with the BBW team after team state every year, and also team dinners in general were my favorite, they’re always a blast.
College major: Right now I plan on majoring in Business Management.
In 10 years my life will include: Traveling the world, having someone to build a family with, and having a job that I enjoy.
If you could have dinner with one person dead or alive, who would it be and why? I would have dinner with Miley Cyrus. She has been my favorite person since her Hannah Montana days.
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