Kansasville native was athlete, assistant coach under Biedrzycki
By Mike Ramczyk
Sports Editor
In 2008, when Andrea Hegemann was a freshman at Burlington High School competing for the gymnastics squad, longtime coach Diane Biedrzycki and Lindsay Grant were in their first year coaching together after Biedrzycki took a hiatus from the team.
By 2013, Hegemann became an assistant coach with the duo, and the three helped lead the Burlington/Badger/Wilmot combined team to a team state appearance and several individual state championships.
Now, Biedrzycki and Grant have stepped down to spend more time with family, and Hegemann, 25, takes over a program that has to start over after the graduation of state champions Molly Benavides and Bailey Fitzpatrick.
“Last year, we were on our way home from sectionals, and they both looked at me and let me know they were done,” Hegemann said. “It’s a successful program, and I was able to learn under both of them. It was Diane’s master plan.”
“I have a soft spot for the sport and from I learned in high school gymnastics from Di and Lindsay. I wanted to be in charge and give these girls the same memories I had.”
Hegemann was a part of the 2007 Demons squad, which had a state-winning score but had a one-point deduction because the spring board wasn’t removed during a beam routine.
“That’s when the curse began,” she said. “Every year, we’ve had great gymnasts and we should be winning state, but we get runner-up.”
Hegemann is a substitute teacher at Union Grove High School, and she hopes to become a full-time teacher.
The Kansasville native said she and a friend traveled to Europe from September to October before the grind of the gymnastics season.
“It’s a lot more responsibility than I ever gave the head coach credit for,” Hegemann said. “It’s always something on my mind. We had a first meet, and it wasn’t good. We counted 12 points in falls and errors.”
Hegemann said the team must count on every tenth of a point this season, as they can’t rely on the big scores from Benavides and Fitzpatrick every meet.
Six of the team’s 10 varsity competitors are from Badger High School, including Hailey Siegler, Mia and Amara Trent, Sophie Baerwolf, Grace Bahr and Colleen Wall. Baerwolf, Amara Trent and Wall are freshmen.
Burlington only has three members, senior Hailey Borkovec and juniors Brooke Flesche and Mackenzie Terry.
Senior Sophia Ellsworth attends Wilmot.
Hegemann’s assistant is Carmella Pease, who teaches at Wilmot and has kids at Badger High School.
Hegemann said she will try to emulate Biedrzycki and Grant, because she valued their coaching styles.
“It’s kind of a rebuilding year for us, so I want to look back and realize that they maximized their full potential,” Hegemann said. “My expectation is for our seniors to become leaders.”
Siegler shines at Emerald Invite
The Demons took fourth at the annual Pam Beck Emerald Invite with a score of 127.925, just behind Waterford (128.050).
Siegler won the balance beam event with a score of 9.3, tying Kenosha’s Molly O’Boyle.
Siegler placed third in the all-around with a score of 33.625.
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