The sport of gymnastics has been a part of my story since the very beginning. My mom was a national champion gymnast at Oregon State, and within the week I was born, I was attending OSU gymnastics meets in a baby carrier.
It was clear from a young age that I was destined to be a powerhouse little gymnast, just like my mom. As a toddler, my parents had to literally strap me down to my high chair to stop me from climbing around on the dinner table! It was only natural to put me into gymnastics at the age of 3. From there, I progressed quickly: from hanging on the low bar to jumping to the high bar, from somersaults to back handsprings, and eventually, from simply an extracurricular activity to my favorite and biggest time commitment.
I dreamed of being a college gymnast at OSU just like my heroes: my mom, my coaches, and the many OSU gymnasts I grew up watching and idolizing. In high school, to give myself the best shot at making it to the collegiate level, I began training at the best competitive gymnastics club in the state. This meant a 3 hour daily commute, 20–25 hours of training a week, an atypical high school experience, and a physically exhausting schedule. But my passion for the sport, my dream of being a college gymnast, and the amazing relationships I made along the way with teammates and coaches motivated me to continue working hard and pursuing my dreams.
To my surprise, in my senior year of high school, I was offered a walk-on spot on the OSU team. I joined a talented class of 10 freshman on a team of 20 top level gymnasts. The chances of me competing were slim from the beginning. In my four years, I performed just two exhibition beam routines and one bar routine, and those routines didn’t even count towards our team score. Even still, I knew that very few gymnasts make it to the collegiate level, and I was thankful just to be a part of the team.
Even as a kid, my goals in gymnastics were pretty much never about winning or personal accolades. I was a hard working, achievement driven, and highly competitive athlete. However, I also treasured the relationships, interstate and international travel, and other unique experiences and lessons that came with the sport.
In college, my contributions to the team were almost never about accomplishment in the outward sense. If I wasn’t going to make the cut for competition, I decided I would help the team in whatever possible way I could. At times, I essentially served as a team manager, taking time away from my own training to help others with drills and mat moving. I put in countless extra numbers and conditioning in practice and lifted heavier than anyone else in the weight room. I met regularly with the sports nutritionist and learned to be diligent and balanced with my nutrition. I strived to lead by example, to hold my teammates accountable, to set the pace in the gym and weight room, and to encourage my teammates to be their best. I learned to be extremely self-motivated and disciplined with my grades, athletics, and involvement in church and community life.
Though overall things did not pan out how I would have originally hoped or expected, being a college gymnast for four years was one of the most formative, meaningful, and memorable experiences of my life. It was a childhood dream come true to be a Beaver Gymnast.
I also learned that I THRIVE in a team environment and love collaborating and working together with passionate individuals. I gained lifelong friends, connections, and memories that I will treasure and look back on with gratefulness for the rest of my life. And most valuably, I gained a holistic perspective on success in sport and life that I will carry with me into whatever future endeavors are ahead of me.
