The sport of gymnastics is often not talked about enough; the overall technique and skill of athletes takes lots of practice. There have been different routines learned over years of practice and competition; from Handstand Flat Back onto Stacked Mats, etc.
Although gymnastics isn’t a sport offered through OSAA at Wilsonville High School, there are many gymnasts at Wilsonville who take it very seriously. The technique, skill, and core strength that gymnasts exercise often earn them a reputation as elite athletes.
Gymnasts like Junior Spencer Black take pride in skill routines of his sport. Black is a level 10 in his rank, working hard every practice, not only training his body, but training his mind for challenging competitions.
Black established the complex nature of gymnastics stating, “To be able to do lots of the routines, it takes incredible practice and training to be fit and be able to do everything correctly, while demonstrating technique.”
In high school gymnastics, there’s an expectation to master and learn many techniques, but there’s also an element of dance that gymnasts perform. Black praises his coaches and teammates for getting him prepared and fit, pushing him to be a well-rounded athlete.
“In gymnastics, it is important to have a good relationship with your coaches and teammates, which leads to success throughout levels and different categories,” Black shares.
“The sport of gymnastics is not spoken about enough,” said Junior Abby Khamvosga.
Khamvonsga states, “It should be looked at more because of how unique it is; the various skills. It challenges your mental toughness at times, training you in a specific mindset.”
In her last competition, Khamvonsga performed at the State level, proudly landing her vaults, sticking her bar dismount, and staying on the beam.
A huge strength in the sport Khamvongsa reflects on in her meets is the overall team energy.
A reality about gymnastics is the injuries; they have very high injury rates with studies showing to be around 2-3 injuries per competition season. Black points out the injury concerns relating to Gymnastics by explaining,
“We have to stay motivated, but it’s a sport of many injuries throughout the season, so it’s important to keep your body fit throughout the season.”
Gymnasts spend hours in the gym, many athletes fully dedicated to their growth. In that, gymnasts can attest to the family dynamic that is developed throughout each season within the teams. There’s a factor of accountability and pushing excellence that each athlete is able to ensure upon one another, but the relationships formed also serve a greater purpose in the shaping of gymnasts as people, students, and friends.
Khamvonsga points out, “Gymnastics is a scary thing at times; you become very vulnerable to your teammates because of all of the ups and downs, creating a sense of trust and friendship.”
Gymnastics may be regarded as a unique, underrated sport, but it’s also extremely challenging. Both Black and Khamvongsa have spent countless hours perfecting their passions, with many more practices ahead. Mastering routines can seem demanding, but nonetheless, gymnastics pays off in the end. Not only do gymnasts build strong bodies, but also determined minds.