HARTFORD, Wisc. — The Hartford Orioles gymnastics team qualified for the WIAA State Tournaments over the weekend.
The team is inspired by their coach. Head coach Mary Scherr hasn't let an accident limit her and plans to become one of the best high school coaches in the state.
Wow!!! In Five Days we will be off to @wiaawistate as a Team!!! 🧡🖤 #WeAreHartford #strongertogether pic.twitter.com/CxL6EHh9US
— HUHS_Gymnastics (@HUHS_Gymnastics) February 28, 2022
Scherr has coached gymnastics for 40 years. This is an accomplishment after she crushed her spine in a car accident at the age of 24.
"I don't want people to view me as some helpless person in a wheelchair," Scherr says. "I want them to see me the way I see myself."
Now after 34 years at Hartford, she has one simple message for her Orioles.
"There are things I can't do," Scherr says. "I can't spot a lot of things. But then I have other coaches that help out that can do that. I still can be the best coach that I can be. Even though I'm never going to be the best coach, I wanna strive to be the best coach that I can be."
She is the aunt of former WWE champion Adam Scherr. Her nephew thinks she's a champion at life.
"I got a package," Scherr says. "When I opened it up and it said title replica, whatever. He had on there, congratulations on your state champ, 2020 state championship. It just meant a lot. Later he told me when he won his title, he could get three replica belts. He got one for his mom and one for, I believe it was the guy that had got him into the bodybuilding, the gym that he worked out at. And then one for me."
State gymnastics is Saturday, March 5th at Wisconsin Rapids High School.
