As the gymnastics season moves into its seventh week of competition, there are bound to be some aches and pains running through the Gym Dogs’ bodies.

Out last week with a grade one ankle sprain, junior Shayla Worley tested out her ankle on the rod floor at practice earlier in the week.

“[Worley] tolerated it well,” Georgia head coach Jay Clark said. “It’s not pain-free, but I think she’ll be able to work towards getting back in the lineup on that event. However, I don’t know if it’ll be this week or not.”

SHAYLA WORLEY

Sophomore Cat Hires has also been out of the action on bars and floor because of a strained groin she suffered a couple of weeks ago.

She is expected to be back in competition either this week against Kentucky or the following week, when Georgia heads to Gainesville, Fla. to take on No. 2 Florida.

Fellow sophomore Lindsey Cheek has been out all season with back spasms.

“Lindsey is out for at least another week,” Clark said. “She had another injection in her back to try and get some things calmed down in there. There’s nothing specific going on that we can diagnose with that.”

Finally, senior Mariel Box — who had surgery on her legs at the end of last season — is just now getting back to the point where she is doing routines.

“It’s taken [Box] a long time to get going since that surgery last year but she’s about ready,” Clark said. “We’re starting to get our legs under us. I was proud of Mariel warming up as well as she did. She showed up for us this week.”

Clark says it was between senior Kat Ding and Box for the last spot in the floor lineup against Arkansas, and he almost put Box in at the last minute.

The injury has been frustrating for Box to come back since her recovery has taken longer than expected.

“I’ve been through a lot of injuries where I’ve been back a lot faster,” Box said. “Being out there and being able to warm up was a great feeling. Hopefully I’ll get a chance at the lineup soon, and I’m pushing on floor harder now… Even if I don’t make lineup, I’m pushing hard [and that] means someone else had to work harder and get a higher score to be in lineup.”

But who’s in or out of the lineup at this point in the season doesn’t matter to Clark as long as all of his gymnasts are healthy when the postseason gets underway in March.

“I’d rather arrive at the party a little late than not arrive at all,” he said.