Roach reflects, will miss State Qualifier

On a night where Bethpage battled Plainview JFK for a conference title and honored its 10 seniors, senior captain Erin Roach was notably absent from the lineup.

Roach has now missed the last three meets with a back injury, and has learned she won’t be able to compete at the Nassau Individual Championships/State Qualifiers Feb. 4. Roach has played at the varsity level since she was in seventh grade, and had qualified for the state championships in each of her previous five seasons.

“It’s disappointing. I’m more sad than mad because I’ve been [to states] every year,” Roach said. “I thought I’d make it again this year and go out with a bang but my body’s not letting me.”

Roach said she had never missed a meet in her career before this season, and felt awkward sitting on the sidelines against Plainview with so much at stake. Although Bethpage lost Wednesday, Roach’s teammate stepped up in her absence, posting the team’s highest score of the season in a narrow 171.75-168.15 defeat.

“It’s the weirdest thing [to not compete],” Roach said. “But I trusted my team would do their best and they did so I couldn’t be more proud.”

Roach hopes to return for the Nassau Team Championships Feb. 7, but said she won’t know her status until then.

Even if Roach has competed for the last time, she said she looks back on her career with no regrets.

“Gymnastics is a huge part of my life. I’m happy I started [at varsity] when I did and I’m happy to [finish my career] with the team we had this year,” Roach said. “After we split with Plainview, we weren’t doing well at all and this year we gave them a run for their money. [Our team is] so close too, eighth graders or seniors, it doesn’t matter, we’re all that close.”