In some sports, the first event always seems to come too soon. Gymnastics is the exception.

Lawrence High and Free State High have been practicing since Aug. 19, but ask a gymnast if they’re ready for Thursday’s season-opening quadrangular at Shawnee Mission Northwest, and they might hesitate.

City gymnasts Kim Baker, left, of Free State High, and Lawrence High's Molly Hoss hope to lead their teams this fall.

“I’m thankful for having a long time before the season starts,” LHS senior Molly Hoss said. “We lose some of the elements from our routines, depending on what we do over the summer. It takes us a while to get back in the groove.”

Lawrence qualified for the state meet for the fourth straight year last year. Hoss is the Lions’ top returning gymnast, placing 19th in the all-around competition at state and sixth in floor exercise. She’s the glue of the 11-girl squad, which, for the sixth straight season, practices with Free State.

When Free State opened in 1997, the Firebirds didn’t have enough gymnasts to hold practices, so they doubled-up with LHS. It’s a routine they’ve stayed with each year, even if practices get a little crowded.

“It can be at times,” LHS coach Kathy Johnson said. “We have to rotate people from station to station.”

Lawrence and Free State compete separately but have nearly identical schedules, except LHS will travel to Olathe South on Sept. 18 and FSHS will travel to Emporia on Sept. 19.

Junior Jamie Hornbaker was the Firebirds’ lone state qualifier last year, but on the eight-girl squad juniors Kim Baker and Lacey Baxter should be able to contribute. Besides, they’re just as concerned about team scores as individual scores.

“It’s almost as much of a team sport as it is individual,” Baker said.

The top three, sometimes five individuals in each event account for team scores, so, as Hoss said, “If one person doesn’t have a good day, you have to make up for it.”

Of course, early on, everyone may be rusty.

“It takes such a long time to choreograph gymnastics routines,” Johnson said. “It never is enough (time).”

Gymnasts and coaches will tinker with routines and experiment throughout the season, always searching for something to improve. For instance, defending state champ Shawnee Mission Northwest may put on a great show at Thursday’s quad. If there’s an element of a floor routine Hoss wants to add, she’ll incorporate it next week.

And then she’ll work on the routine until the next meet a never-ending cycle.

“We’re constantly changes our routines,” she said. “If we want to, we’ll add something. We’re flexible that way.”