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Steens leave gymnastics legacy at MCA

WELCOME — Parents clad in purple-and-white Magic sweatshirts synchronized maneuvering padded sting mats, springboards, score flashers and balance beams through a maze of equipment already set up in the gymnasium.

Trainers and coaches methodically taped up gymnasts’ ankles and wrists as other gymnasts stretched out while mentally visualizing their upcoming skills sets.

Judges filtered through the incoming spectators, perusing a few passages in their rule books and positioning their desks to find the perfect angle to watch routines.

It seemed like any other prep gymnastics competition, but there was a nervous electricity in the air on Feb. 9 in Welcome.

Martin County Area head coach LeeAnn Steen flipped on the microphone to give final instructions to everyone involved in the Big South Conference Meet’s Final Four showdown.

Her usual strong voice waned just a bit as she peered in the direction of Magic assistant coach Brian Steen, who flashed a friendly smile back in his wife’s direction.

The realization that this was the last time that they would coach a home high school gymnastics meet in the friendly confines of Welcome pierced the tension.

“No doubt about it — that was an emotional night despite the fact that we still had the sectional meet at Redwood Valley the following Saturday left, and then the state meet the week after that,” said LeeAnn Steen.

After 31 years as the only head coach in the rich histories of both the Martin County West Mavericks and Martin County Area Magic gymnastics programs, LeeAnn Steen had officially retired, effective at the completion of the season.

The consummate mentor maintained her composure during the final two weeks of her coaching career, guiding the Magic to a second-place showing in the Section 3AA Meet on Feb. 16 in Redwood Falls.

Ironically, Steen’s youthful and talent-laden rotation bested long-time rival Jackson County Central, 133.675-133.35, for runner-up sectional accolades to avenge a lower-place showing to the Huskies in the BSC Final Four competition a week earlier.

“I thought every one of our girls did a great job of executing their routines during the section meet after struggling a bit at the Big South,” said LeeAnn Steen. “I was proud of the way they bounced back and responded under the pressure of a big meet.”

The Steens then made the trek to Minneapolis to the Class A individual state meet one last time on Feb. 23, as MCA eighth-grade phenom Anna Bachenberg qualified on the balance beam and floor exercise, while sophomore standout Sabrina Segar advanced on the floor.

“There are so many great personalities and talented gymnasts returning to the program next season, along with outstanding parents, that whoever gets the coaching job will be in great shape,” said LeeAnn Steen, who ended her Hall of Fame-esque career with an overall 227-112 dual-meet record, including an incredible mark of 148-28 — an .841 winning percentage — since the 2003-04 campaign.

“It was a difficult decision to leave, but our family has gradually been shifting to traveling south during the winter time, and that’s when the gymnastics season takes place,” said LeeAnn Steen. “Our daughters (Sabrina, Matraca and Rebecca) are grown now and having families of their own, so it’s nice to spend more time with them.”

And it comes as no surprise, Brian Steen also departs after diligently serving as the program’s spotter and assistant coach for the past 17 years.

“The powers that be in the school asked if I could help out for a year in the sport, and 17 years later, I’m finally hanging it up,” Brian Steen said with a laugh. “I was fortunate that I had a job — farming — that allowed me the time to dedicate to helping coach.

“I wouldn’t have missed any of the meets for anything in the world, especially having all three of the girls and LeeAnn in the sport. Ironically, that’s what we do as a family — we do gymnastics. There’s probably not a day that goes by that we don’t talk about gymnastics.”

Sabrina, Matraca and Rebecca Steen played integral roles in the success of their parents’ programs, combining to generate 16 of the Mavericks/Magic’s 48 individual qualifying spots.

Team Steen also helped engineer seven consecutive Class A state team appearances from 2005-11, and then again in 2014.

The Mavericks placed seventh at state from 2005-07, netted fourth in 2008 and finished sixth in 2009.

When Fairmont joined forces with Martin County West to form MCA in 2009-10, the Magic just missed capturing second-place state team honors in 2010 before placing fifth in 2011 and eighth in 2014.

Matraca Steen, Rebecca Steen and Linnea Erickson generated points as all-arounders, while Paige Breneman, Andrea Johnson, Taylor Olson, Katie Krumholz and Erica Thate packed added scoring punch as specialists as the Magic produced a school-record state scoring mark of 144.375 at the 2010 Class A state competition.

“We’ve had so many girls who have gone on to do so many successful things after competing for us. Hopefully, gymnastics played a part in what they’ve accomplished in life,” said LeeAnn Steen. “We tried to teach them that every one has value in gymnastics, and hopefully, they understood how that philosophy transfers over into life in general. Every contribution matters.”

Indeed, especially the contributions of the Steen family to the MCW/MCA gymnastics programs.

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