GYMNASTICS: Bemidji names Ericka Pickett program's new head coach

Micah Friez, The Bemidji Pioneer, Minn.
·2 min read

Dec. 7—BEMIDJI — There's a new leader in the Gym Bin.

Ericka Pickett has been hired as the new head coach of the Bemidji High School gymnastics program, and she will take over for the Lumberjacks this winter.

"(Activities director Troy Hendricks) had come to me and asked if I'd be interested," Pickett said. "I said yes because this is a good time in my life (and) I thought it would be fun to get back into it. My obligations let me have time again, and I enjoy coaching gymnastics a lot."

Pickett replaces Briana Fleischhacker, who coached the team for eight seasons from 2014-22. Fleischhacker was the Section 8AA Coach of the Year in 2020-21 and oversaw undoubtedly the most successful era in program history. Fourteen of Bemidji's 16 individual state appearances all time came under Fleischhacker's watch.

Pickett, meanwhile, has a lengthy resume of her own in Bemidji. A California native and a three-sport prep athlete in gymnastics, soccer and volleyball, Pickett first came to town to attend Bemidji State in the 1990s.

She got her first coaching gig as an assistant with the BHS girls soccer program at 19 years old. She later assumed the head post of that program for several years and even coached BSU women's soccer as the head coach in 1999. Pickett has also spent 11 years coaching youth levels of gymnastics.

Now as she takes over a new varsity program, Pickett is optimistic about its future.

"There's a lot of energy," she said. "There's a lot of strong team-building going on. We're getting to know each other every day, and we have a lot of excitement in the gym, for sure."

This year's roster features zero seniors, as state meet regulars like Lauren Berg, Tatum Offerdahl and Mady Schmidt have graduated. Moving forward, Pickett wants to boost the numbers in the program and add depth as they continue a tradition of success at state.

"We have about 13 girls, and I would like to grow that a little bit into a bigger squad and have a really strong JV and varsity," Pickett said. "I want to keep a really strong team that goes to state and individual girls who we can get to state on a regular basis."

Bemidji begins the 2022-23 season on Friday, Dec. 9, with a 6 p.m. road meet in Park Rapids. The Lumberjacks will first compete at home on Jan. 20 against Long Prairie-Grey Eagle.

"The girls are very excited to get involved," Pickett said. "A lot of new skills are getting developed. They have a lot of strong individual skills, and they just need to put it together into a strong routine that we can stick each time we go to a meet."