Hampered by a nagging injury, Tara Tantari decided to walk away from club gymnastics last August after devoting countless hours to the sport the previous 14 years.
 
The Olentangy High School senior's intention was to focus solely on academics and varsity cheerleading for the Braves' football and boys basketball games. But after just a couple weeks away from gymnastics, Tantari began to sorely miss the sport that she had participated in since she was 3 years old.
 
After seeking advice from her mother, Kim, and several of her former club coaches, including Cliff Parks and Kittia Carpenter, Tantari chose to join her high school gymnastics squad this season for the first time.
 
The move has paid major dividends for the Braves, as Tantari has blossomed into their leading scorer.
 
On Jan. 15, Tantari finished second (32.525) in the all-around to help Olentangy score 118.275 points and win a five-team meet, finishing ahead of runner-up Buckeye Valley (117.1). She won floor exercise (9.05) and vault (8.6), finished second (7.35) on uneven bars and placed sixth (7.525) on balance beam.
 
Competing as an individual in the McGee Invitational the following day, Tantari scored a season-high 33.925 in the all-around.
 
"I'm definitely glad I came back to gymnastics," Tantari said. "I quit for three months and almost didn't return. But once I decided I wanted to come back, I looked at my options and saw that high school gymnastics is a lot more relaxed, and I figured it would be the better route for me. I wanted to come back and be the competitor that I used to be, and I'm having a lot of fun competing for Olentangy."
 
Coach Misty Lloyd-Matthews said Tantari has been an equally good leader.
 
"Tara's leadership has been amazing in both her actions and words," Lloyd-Matthews said. "She led Olentangy to its highest team score and first win (on Jan. 15) that it's had in quite a long time. She's very mature, and it's remarkable to watch the way Tara cheers on everyone on the team and makes them feel good about their routines."
 
Olentangy junior Hannah Olenick said Tantari takes time to help her less-experienced teammates learn new skills during practices.
 
"Tara's our only senior and she has the experience and skill to compete with almost anyone in high school," Olenick said. "She's been good support for the younger girls. She does what she can to help them and that allows Misty to spend time working with everyone."
 
Tantari began competing in club gymnastics when she was 9 and qualified to the state tournament in each of her eight seasons.