In the 2024 LHS yearbook there is a picture in the sports section showing the image of someone participating in gymnastics even though we have a gymnastics team. Although LHS doesn’t offer gymnastics, Lincoln junior Aislinn Henry still represents the Lions, while competing at the Division 1 Warwick High School gymnastics team.
This unusual arrangement is allowed under the rules of the Rhode Island Interscholastic league because, if a school does not offer certain sports that students want to participate in, up to three students can play for a different school representing the school they attend. Although she competes with a different school, she still represents LHS when competing.When she competes with Warwick High school, Aislinn’s score is separate from the team score.
“We have one student, Aislinn Henry who participates as an individual representing Lincoln High School in the sport of gymnastics for the Rhode Island Interscholastic League,” said Athletic Director Greg O’Connor.
Henry has been competing in gymnastics for seven years, and does best at floor events. She also competes for Ocean state school of gymnastics which is how she found out about being able to compete for Warwick. Many of the teammates and coaches from her club team competed and coached for Warwick.
“I found out I could compete with Warwick through my club team,” said Henry. “The majority of the girls on my team go to Warwick public schools, so I competed with them at meets as an individual. Additionally, the coach of the Warwick team is one of our club coaches. With the suggestion from my teammates and coach, I had decided to be an individual, following the Warwick Co-op.”
Although she may know many of her teammates from her club, it can be hard for Henry to not have any teammates from the same school.
“It can be difficult competing without teammates from Lincoln,” she said. “Gymnastics is an individual sport, but high school generally has a lot more of a team aspect than club does.”
Lincoln does have a competitive cheerleading team that incorporates some aspects of gymnastics, but it’s not close enough to pull Henry away from gymnastics.
“There are similarities between cheer and gymnastics, but I felt that I would rather stick with the sport I have been doing for years, rather than try to substitute it with something similar,” she said.
Even though Lincoln doesn’t offer some sports students may want to take, the option to participate with other schools provides a way to do the sport students are passionate about.
