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21 O n April 1, 2017, the University of Iowa women's gymnastics team looked at the scoreboard and saw itself fall 1/10 of a point shy of qualifying for the NCAA Champion- ships. It's a feeling that has not been forgotten in the months since and it has given the Hawkeyes determination through their new motto — go to work. e Hawkeyes had two individuals — Angel Metcalf and Clair Kaji — quali- fy for the NCAA Championships, but the entire team felt it belonged. When the team returned to Iowa City, it knew what needed to be done. "We felt we should have been there," Iowa head coach Larissa Libby said. "We are not going to get outworked. It's the idea that we need to go back home and go back to work." e motto came about naturally in the gym. Team- mates said it to each other without explanation; the team knew what it meant. "Stop the excuses, stop this, stop that, and go to work," Libby said. "It's a 'no excuse' label. e only thing we ask them to do is push their potential. At the end of the season, I don't want to look back and say 'I wish I would have.'" e Hawkeyes are reminded of this mindset every day through small tin lunchboxes they carry with them. When they arrive at practice, they place their lunchboxes on a ledge and they go to work. "You have to bring lunch when you go to work, right?" Libby said. "ey were decorated by each gymnast at our team bonding event. ey have little things inside to remind them about a practice that went well or notes that help remind them who they are and, at the end of the day, what the most important thing is and that is that the team comes first." Assistant coach Jennifer Green gied every gym- nast a bouncy ball to remind them to remain resil- ient to whatever comes their way. e motto isn't just a mindset for the gym, but an idea that will help each Hawkeye succeed in life beyond their time at the University of Iowa. "We only get four years with them," Libby said. "When they walk away, they are a constant representative of the program, the university, and the state. eir accolades alone will not be representative enough of our program. It's about them being quality people." Heading into 2018, the Hawkeyes have the reign- ing Big Ten Coach of the Year in Libby, three All- Big Ten performers in seniors Melissa Zurawski, Lanie Snyder, and Kaji and two freshmen of the week honorees in Charlotte Sullivan and Kaji. e accolades are there, but they mean nothing if the GymHawks don't go to work. "We feel like if we go hard and go to work right away, then we can make it, but you have to go to work," Libby said. "If you put in the work, then you don't lose." e Hawkeyes 'go to work' in their regular season debut Jan. 6 in Tempe, Arizona, against Arizona State and Iowa State. e meet begins at 5 p.m. (CT). JANUARY SCHEDULE Jan. 6 at Arizona State vs. Iowa State Jan. 13 at Michigan State Jan. 19 Ohio State Jan. 25 at Maryland