When senior gymnastics captain Kelly Knudsen entered the Central Community Center gymnasium Dec. 15, she was excited to see the floor had finally been replaced.

According to Knudsen, at first some of the players didn’t like the new floor but have gotten used to it.

“(The floor) was hard at first and I didn’t like it but we actually like it now. The floor is harder (than the old one) but the more you tumble on it, the easier it gets,” Knudsen said.

Assistant varsity coach Kelly Bergum said there was a rip in the old floor and it needed to be replaced.

“Everything needs to be replaced eventually. We have been lucky to get a new beam in past years as well and now it was time for a new floor,” Bergum said.

According to athletic director Andy Ewald, the new floor cost $6,000 and the cost was split between the athletic department and the Community Center.

Head coach Gretchen Novak said the floor needed to be replaced in order to be up to standards.

“(The rip) didn’t affect our practice much but according to the high school league, we wouldn’t we able to host meets so it needed to be replaced,” Novak said.

Ewald said he became aware of the need for a new floor last year.

“The old floor was worn and becoming unsafe so after last season (Novak) let us know it needed to be replaced. Then the district’s grounds shop employees installed the floor,” Ewald said.

The team’s next meet is at 6 p.m. Jan. 10 at Chanhassen High School against Chanhassen.