Preparing for two meets in one weekend is a lot like coming back from an injury. Everything is strategic, and there are no shortcuts.

The University of Alabama gymnastics team knows how to handle both situations. It has been recovering from injuries even before the season started and faces its first double weekend starting Friday at Arkansas then Sunday against Auburn.

"You have to have a plan, and you want to try to execute that plan the best you can," UA head coach Dana Duckworth said. "But you also need the input of the athlete because they know their body better than you do."

It comes down to trust and confidence, things freshman Wynter Childers had to rebuild after tearing her ACL back in May. She made her collegiate debut at Oklahoma for Alabama's season opener on the balance beam, scoring a 9.825. The following week, she fell off the apparatus at home in Coleman Coliseum and ended up with a 9.275.

The Spearfish, South Dakota, native didn't let mishap rattle her. She posted a 9.925 most recently at Missouri.

"She's wired for greatness," Duckworth said. "She didn't like that mistake."

Except, the bounce-back wasn't all Childers accomplished last week. She also overcame an obstacle that has been growing since last year.

For the first time since sustaining her injury on the event, Childers competed on the vault.

"She was fearful, just of the 'what if?'" Duckworth said.

It was a big step for Childers, but it was also an even bigger sigh of relief. The 9.85 officially marked the end of her recovery. Vault was the last beast she had to tackle.

Duckworth and the rest of the team were proud of Childers to say the least. Fellow freshman Shea Mahoney, who had just made her own career debut on the uneven bars, wanted to cry after Childers' routine.

"She's come so far since her injury," Mahoney said. "I was just really excited that Dana decided to put her in, and she just went. She stuck that vault."

Childers didn't hop or take a step on the landing. She was glued to the mat. So although Duckworth knows there are still aspects of Childers' performance that need improvement, such as straighter arms, they'll work on it.

All that matters was Childers did it. That initial vault is out of the way.

"She's been definitely pushing through that mental toughness inside the gym, but she's been handling it really well," junior Nickie Guerrero said. "She showed how tough she is in competition."

Childers will likely compete again this weekend, maybe even twice. As a rookie, she has never experienced two college meets within 48 hours.

Just like with her injury, there's a plan in place. This time, however, it isn't individualized just for her. It's for the whole team, and it's pretty simple.

"You want to tackle one, get the recovery, then tackle the next one," Guerrero said.