10 Freshman to Watch for This Season

Olivia Karas - University of Michigan



Olivia Karas is one of the freshman we are most excited about this season! Liv, as she calls herself for short, trained at IK Gymnastics in Illinois and was a powerhouse level 10 who had lots of success during her JO career. She's a three time JO National qualifier with her highest finish being in 2014 when she won the all-around and vault titles. In 2015 she placed 4th all-around and claimed the vault title yet again. She's also a two time Nastia Cup qualifier, placing 3rd all-around and 2nd on vault in 2015. With the yurchenko full being devalued starting this season, many teams have been forced to learn new vaults that start from a 10.0. Luckily for the Wolverines, Liv has consistently competed a yurchenko 1.5 for the last two years and should be a staple in their vault lineup. Liv also comes to Michigan with some big tumbling- on floor she does an arabian double front (which she has also competed in the piked position and it's amazing!) and a beautiful whip to double twist. It's also noteworthy that on beam she does a standing layout step out (that she plans to connect to a split jump) and on bars she dismounts with a very unique toe on front pike- which we love! The Wolverines are lucky to have her for the next four years!

Katelyn Ohashi- UCLA



One of the biggest names joining the NCAA this season is Katelyn Ohashi. Katelyn is best known for being one of the top elite gymnasts in the country during the 2012 quad and was considered by many to be a contender for Rio until injuries took her out of the game in 2013. Luckily for UCLA, she's healthy now and should make a great impact on all their lineups, but especially on beam. Katelyn was the beam queen during her elite days and once had a start value as high as 17.3 (which easily could have won her a World or Olympic gold medal if she was able to compete.) Ohashi was known for her beautiful lines and signature back handspring layout full. Prior to coming to UCLA, Katelyn trained at WOGA and was a national team member from 2009-2013. She is the 2011 Junior National Champion and won the American Cup in her only competition as a senior elite in 2013. We can't wait to see what Katelyn will accomplish at UCLA!

Sarah Finnegan- LSU



Another big name joining the NCAA this season is Sarah Finnegan. It's been a long time since we've seen Finnegan compete- her last major competition was the 2012 Olympic Trials where she was named an alternate to the 2012 Olympic team. Finnegan was a national team member from 2010-2012 and trained at GAGE for most of her career. In 2012 she won a silver medal on beam at the Visa Championships and took home three medals from the Jesolo Trophy meet in Italy. (Gold with the team and bronze on floor and in the all-around.) The anticipation is building for Finnegan's competitive return this season. She will likely be a key contributor in the beam and floor lineups; the two events she's known for and we can only hope she'll still compete those gorgeous wolf turns!

Lizzy Leduc- University of Illinois

Balance Beam - Lizzy Leduc ---- WoW!
Posted by Asia Gymnastics on Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Leduc, who was originally committed to LSU, is a huge pickup for Illinois. From 2009 to 2010, Lizzy competed as an elite in the United States- qualifying to the Visa Championships in both of those years and stealing the hearts of many. In 2011, she decided to drop down to level 10 after spraining both of her elbows. She sat out the next two seasons with injuries and finally returned to competition in 2013- placing 4th all-around at JO Nationals. In 2014, Lizzy became the Texas State and Regional Champion and placed 2nd all-around at JO Nationals. In 2015 she began competing internationally for the Philippines. At the Southeast Asian Games she helped the Philippines team to an historic 3rd place finish. Individually she finished 6th all-around and qualified to beam and floor event finals. Lizzy is a powerful gymnast and could contribute on all four events for the Illini. We're super excited that she decided to come to Illinois because she can really be the star of that team.

Alicia Boren- University of Florida



Alicia Boren is a tank and I fully expect her to dominate in college gymnastics. To start, she's a four time JO National qualifier and a four time JO National Champion. Yes that's right...she has consecutively won the last four JO National Championships. She's also a three time Nastia Cup qualifier. At the 2015 Nastia Cup, Boren won the vault, beam, and floor titles. A fall on the bars kept her from completely sweeping the competition, but she still managed to place 5th all-around which is very impressive. Alicia competes a yurchenko 1.5 on vault with ease and ends with a full-in on floor. She's definitely a powerhouse and is going to do so well in college!

Lexie Priessman- LSU



Lexie Priessman is another former elite standout who is ready to shine in college gymnastics. A junior National Champion in 2012 and a national team member from 2010-2013, Lexie's promising elite career came to an end after dealing with a string of injuries. She left her long time coach Mary Lee Tracy in 2014 and announced her retirement from elite in June of 2015, confirming that she would be joining the Tigers this season. The gymnastics world first fell in love with Lexie when she won the inaugural Nastia Liukin Cup back in 2010 and was touted as one to watch for on the road to Rio. Throughout her elite career, Lexie competed at various international competitions and competed difficult skills such as an amanar on vault, a full-in dismount off beam, and a double double and laid out full-in on floor. Although she hasn't competed since 2013, Lexie can do big things at LSU when she's a full strength.

 Emma McLean - University of Michigan



Emma Mclean is the second member of the Michigan freshman class and she is going to be another great one! Emma, who trained at Stars & Stripes Gymnastics in Michigan is a three time JO National qualifier and a 2015 Nastia Liukin Cup qualifier. Her best performance at JO Nationals was in 2015 when she placed 2nd on floor, 4th on vault, and 3rd all-around. Emma is a powerful gymnast and will probably make the biggest impact in the vault and floor lineup. (Check out the height on that first pass!)

McKenna Kelly- LSU

LSU brings in another big name this season and it's the daughter of 1984 Olympic Champion Mary Lou Retton.  Mckenna Kelley is a two time JO National qualifier, placing 5th all-around in 2013 and 1st on floor in 2014. Mckenna tied for first all-around at the 2014 Nastia Cup and began her quest towards qualifying elite. She attended several national team camps in 2015 and showed videos of some big upgrades done with ease on her Instagram. (She posted videos of her doing a double double and a laid out full-in on floor and a standing arabian and standing full on beam.) Unfortunately, she struggled to pass her elite compulsories and never made it to elite status, but Mckenna is super talented and will make a great college gymnast for sure.

Haylee Roe- University of Illinois



Haylee joins her Metroplex teammate Lizzy Leduc at Illinois this season. Roe is a five time JO National qualifier and is the level 10 Illinois State Champion in the all-around and on bars and floor. Roe's highest placement at JO Nationals was in 2014 when she placed 3rd all-around. We have followed Haylee's career for a long time and we're super excited to finally see her compete in college this season!

Peyton Ernst- University of Florida



Peyton Ernst is another former elite who trained at Texas Dreams under World Champion Kim Zmeskal. Ernst competed at the elite level for four years and was on the national team for two. At the 2013 Secret Classic she placed 2nd all-around and 1st on beam. She also competed at several international competitions such as the Tokyo World Cup where she placed 2nd all-around. Peyton is a beautiful gymnast to watch and will compliment the Florida team very well.

Dear Gymternet- Journals from Elena Arenas (Entry #14 July 2015)

Dear Gymternet, 

This month I had the Secret Classic in Chicago and my little sister, Ava, started level 1 team in gymnastics. :)

The Secret Classics went pretty well. I had already qualified to the P&G Championships at the American Classic, so I was using this meet to adjust to competing on podium and to prepare for P&Gs which is in 2 weeks. Leading up to the meet, training had been going great. On the meet day I started on vault and did really well. I did a yurchenko full and got a 14.00! I was really happy with that score. Bars was a little rough but not too bad. I was late on my toe full and had to do a kip cast before my pak. I hit my feet a little bit on the low bar when I did the kip after the toe full. I was disappointed because I don't usually do that. I got a 13.35 which was better than I thought it was going to be. In a weird way it excited me because I know I could've done much better and should score higher next time when I hit my routine. On beam, I wasn't really nervous. I had been nailing all my routines in practice at my gym. I was the last one up and the only one going in the whole meet because all the other events had finished that rotation. I was excited to show everyone what I was doing on beam and how much I had improved since last year. On my series, I went crooked and ended up hanging underneath the beam ... I didn't fall to the ground, instead I climbed back up, and finished my routine pretty well. When I climbed back up everyone started cheering for me. It was my favorite part and least favorite part of the meet. I was in shock and so mad at myself because I don't feel like I could've been more prepared to compete on beam. I finished the meet on floor and did okay. I landed a little short on my full in and went out of bounds on my double pike. I didn't have a perfect meet but I'm motivated to do better at P&Gs!

PC: Christy Ann Linder

I had a bunch of family that came to watch me at the meet. It is always great to have a lot of support and have my family there cheering for me. I also met the girl that does a fan page for me on Facebook. She is from Italy and she came all the way to Chicago to see the meet. It was so cool to meet her and talk to her in person. She is so sweet and she brought me a gift that she gave to me after the meet. Hopefully I will see her again someday.

My sister Ava, who is 5, started level one team! It's going to be so cool to watch her compete in January and to see her progress through gymnastics. I've been teaching her new skills like a back handspring and I just taught her a back tuck on trampoline. I'm so proud of her! I gave her all my old leos and she loved them!!! 

Training has been going great since I have been back from Chicago! I'm so excited for P&Gs and can't wait to compete again!

~ Elena Arenas

The best and worst leotards from the 2015 Secret Classic

There was lots of excitement last weekend at the Secret Classic from returning Olympians, to new skills being debuted, all the way down to the leotards. We ranked some of the leotards from the 2015 Secret Classic from worst to best on a 5 point scale (with 5 being the highest score) to determine which leos were truly the best on the competition floor! The members on our panel include gymnastics fans Lauren Stevens, Patrice Vandenbos, and Sara Neushwander. Do you agree with our opinions? Write some of your favorite/least favorite leotards below! 

Nia Dennis/ Legacy Elite

Ashlee: I give Legacy Elite props for always choosing bright colored leotards in attempt to stand out on the competition floor, however- I'm not feeling the blue and purple here. It just doesn't look right. Score: 1.5

Brittany: Wasn't a fan of this leotard from the moment I saw it! Hate the design and the color combination. Score: 1

Lauren: I've liked this design for awhile and it really works well when you get the right color combos. But this color combo is just a no... The black bottom makes the turquoise and magenta clash and it just doesn't look good. Definitely not my cup of tea. Score: 1.5

Patrice: No comment. Can I give this a -5? Score: 0

Sara: It never surprises me when I show up to a meet and wind up hating Legacy Elite’s leos.  Maybe it’s just that I’m sick and tired of their typical purple?  Regardless, you all can call me "Not Impressed McKayla" on this one.  It just wasn’t a leotard that made me want to keep my eyes on her.  Gabby Perea wore the same leotard, but white instead of black, and I wish Nia would have too because I thought it looked much nicer.  Score: 2

Final Score: 1.2

Emily Gaskins/North Port

Ashlee: The design is okay, I'm just not a fan of the orange and purple together, so that kind of ruins it for me. I could handle just orange and white I think, but the purple is too much. Score: 2

Brittany: Emily is such a beautiful and elegant gymnast, this crazy leotard just doesn't match her style in my opinion. I think the color combination is tacky. Orange and purple? Really.. Score: 2

Lauren: I really like the design of this leotard... The rhinestones are great.. But the colors are... UGH! Orange and purple just don't go well together. This leotard could've been gorgeous... But I just can't stand the color combo. Score: 2.5

Patrice: I like the pattern, but not the colours. I feel like I'm looking at orange is the new black - gymnast style. Score: 2

Sara: I absolutely adore Emily Gaskins.  When I saw her in this leotard, I actually cringed a little.  This was one of my least favorite leos of the whole competition, which was disappointing.  The orange and purple clash terribly, plus I don’t think the orange goes well with Emily’s skin tone.  I always envision Emily in darker, more elegant color tones because of the grace and artistry she shows in her gymnastics.  This leo just doesn’t work for Emily’s style of gymnastics and personally, I think her floor routine would be much more beautiful in a solid color, simple leotard (Example: the black and white leotard CGA wore at 2013 Classics). Score: 1.5

Final Score: 2

Sydney Johnson Scharpf/ Brandy Johnson's

Ashlee: Three different shades of pink and then black? No no no no. I don't like the black collar or the flower design either. (You can't really see it in this picture....thank goodness.) I can't think of any gymnast who could pull this leo off. Score: 1 

Brittany: At first glance this leotard isn't horrible. But the more and more I analyze it I'm not a fan of the black collar. I think the leotard would have turned out better if there was only one shade of pink up top. Score: 2

Lauren: I love the design of this leotard. The colors are great and the whole design totally fits Sydney's personality! I would totally give this a 5 if the "collar" was either thinner and still black, or a different color and still the same thickness. Score: 4

Patrice: STOP NECKCOLLARS 2K15! PLEASE! And studded?! UGH. *considers writing a letter to the FIG asking them to ban high neck collars* Score: 1 

Sara: I love Syd, and I love this leotard.  It’s fun and a little bit spunky, while also being beautiful and classy.  I think it fit Sydney’s style and personality.  To put it simply, it fits the age.  I’m not sure I could ever envision it on a Senior gymnast, but for Sydney being so young, it works!  The colors go well together and, the more I look at it, the more I love it on her. Score: 4.5

Final Score: 2.5

Mykayla Skinner/ Dessert Lights

Ashlee: There's nothing wrong with this leotard except for the color. If you're only going to have one color on your leo WHY would you pick pepto bismo pink?! Yuck! Score: 3 

Brittany: I honestly don't know why I don't like this leo? Maybe it's because there is literally NOTHING going on with it. Like literally nothing. So very boring. It could definitely use a pattern somewhere on it to help break up some of the pink. Score: 2.5

Lauren: Ok... I really thought we were making a breakthrough with all of these red and blue leos at this year's Classics... But this pink leotard just ruined it. It's actually a gorgeous design when there's more than one color with it. But other than that this leotard is just no... Especially with the spandex, mesh, and mystique combo. Score: 2 

Patrice: You know, normally I like pink. This is almost too pink, too glossy. and entirely too overdone. There's just too much pink. It's like a pepto bismo ad. "Feel better so you can do flips!" Score: 1 

Sara: I hate myself for loving this leotard.  And I hate that I’m contradicting myself about what I said about finally moving on from #hotpinknation. I’m not afraid to say that I’m not a fan of Skinner, but I can’t deny that I didn’t adore this leotard on her all day.  It goes beautiful with her hair and her skin tone and really makes her stand out from the other gymnastics – but in a good way.  I just thought it was perfect on her.  Score: 4.5

Final Score: 2.6

Christina Desiderio/ Parkettes

Ashlee: On the live feed this leo looked pink and in pictures it looks purple?!? Either way it reminds me of Barney! The design isn't bad, once again I just really don't like that color. Score: 3

Brittany: I'm conflicted. Part of me kinda likes this and part of me doesn't. The design is pretty, I love the shade of light purple on the sleeves, but not the darker purple body. It looks so harsh in comparison. Score: 3

Lauren: I'm just really not a fan of this leotard.. The design isn't all the great and I'm not a fan of the color of the sleeves. If the sleeves would've been white or silver, I probably would've liked it more. Score: 2.5

Patrice: I love this! It's simple and elegant! I think I would have liked it more if the sleeves were white, but overall it's a good choice! Score: 4

Sara: I didn’t pay close attention to the Parkette leotards during the meet, but now that I’m looking back at them, I’ll admit that they are great.  I thought it looked fantastic on each one of the girls and I thought the amount of sparkles – especially on the sleeves  - was the perfect touch.  Has this leo been done in a royal blue?  Because I think that would look stunning, as well. Score: 4

Final Score: 3.3

Jazmyn Foberg/ MG Elite

Ashlee: I like the aqua blue color, I thought it looked beautiful on Laurie and Jazzy. I'm just not a big fan of the nude sleeve and then the mesh sleeve on the other arm that you can't really see in the picture. It's still a nice leotard, it just might have looked better with white mesh. Score: 3.5

Brittany: MG Elite usually wears some pretty out of the box leotards, I think we can all agree on that! While I think Laurie and Jazzy looked beautiful in this, I'm not really a fan of the nude sleeve on one arm. Maybe if it was white I would like it better? Score: 2.5

Lauren: This is a super simple leotard compared to what MG Elite usually wears. I love the shade of blue and the amount of rhinestones is perfect for the simplicity of this leotard. However, I do wish the nude mesh was either white mesh or white mystique. Overall, both Laurie and Jazzy both pulled off this leotard super well! Score: 3

Patrice: There is so much good in this leo except for the mesh! I would have liked this if the blue was paired with something other than nude mesh. Score: 2.5

Sara: I LOVE the MG Elite girls but I don’t always love their leotards.  Whether it was a collar or the wrong color, there have been very few that have impressed me.  Until this one. I could not keep my eyes off of Laurie and Jazzy in these leos!  I’ve been obsessed with them from the second I saw them. They are sleek, sophisticated, and beautiful and they make both of the girls look stunning.  I’m sitting here re-watching Jazzy’s beam and I’m still drooling over it.  I wouldn’t be surprised if the color has something to do with Florida Gators blue, as both Laurie and Jazzy have committed here. Maybe that’s why I think it’s so freakin’ awesome? Score: 5

Final Score: 3.3

Anna Huber/ Rochester Gymnastics

Ashlee: I like this leotard a lot, it's classy and very pretty! This would look great on the international scene too! It actually reminds me a lot of the one Kyla wore in beam finals at Worlds in 2013. Score: 4

Brittany: Didn't the US wear this at World's last year? Looks familiar. Regardless, I like it! Nothing really negative to say about it. Score: 4

Lauren: I love red and white color combos. This leotard is simple, but it works well on Anna. It could have a few more rhinestones on the sleeves. But overall it's a simple & classy leotard! Score: 3

Patrice: I like this! It's cute. I love the red and white, but the white almost goes down too much. Score: 3

Sara: I really like the simplicity of this leo.  It isn’t overly flashy nor do I think it is plain or boring.  I think it is one of those leotards that would look good on almost any gymnast and would sophisticated for the USA at international meets. Score: 3.5

Final Score: 3.5

Ragan Smith/Texas Dreams

Ashlee: I don't hate this leo, but I also don't love it. I always appreciate Texas Dreams creativity, I think the spray paint idea is cool. There's just something not right about this leotard...maybe it's the design on the side I don't like? Score: 3.5

Brittany: At first when I saw this I was like "eww no", but it started to grow on me as the meet progressed. It's very creative and I think the splatter paint idea is pretty sweet looking actually! I think all the Texas Dreams girls looked adorable in this! Score: 4

Lauren: I'm really not sure how I feel about this leotard.. I don't love it.. But I don't hate it (although their matching warm ups are to DIE for). The spray paint print is super unique and not something I ever expected to see. All the girls really pulled off this leotard well. Overall it was a cute leotard, even with it's simplicity. Score: 3.5

Patrice: Texas dreams always shows up with the most creative but strange leos. I love Kim but this was a bad leo choice. The fact that it's mostly black helps make up for it. Kind of... Sorry. Score: 2

Sara: TEXAS DREAMSSSS!  Watching the meet in person, I couldn’t really see the paint splatter design.  So for me, the leotards looked entirely black and white.  Which I thought was fantastic.  Then when I discovered the multi-colored paint splatter, I got even more excited. TD is a classy, well respected club and I thought the black and white fit that description perfectly.  The paint splatter also reminded us of the personality of not only the girls, but the coaches.  Why not spice up a simple leotard with some fun pops of color for the girls?  Personally, I love love love loved it and wouldn’t mind seeing it again. Score: 5

Final Score: 3.6

Aly Raisman/ Brestyans

Ashlee: I think Aly looks nice in this leotard, red is her color for sure! I'm just not a big fan of the overall design; the neck tie part looks odd to me. I think Aly pulled it off though! Score: 3.5

Brittany: I feel like this leotard suits Aly so well! It's very mature and her matching red lipstick looked just fab with it. Oh my god, this girl could literally rock a paper bag and still look beautiful. Great design Aly! Score: 3.5

Lauren: Aly always pulls off red really well. The only thing I don't like about this leotard is the rhinestone placement. Someone on Twitter said that this leotard kind of looks like an "evil face" and now I can't not see it lol! But Aly rocked this leotard and you can really never go wrong with red. Score: 4

Patrice: I LOVE THAT ALY WORE HER OWN LEO TO CLASSICS. I love this. It's perfect. The minimalism with the hot red and glitter gives a mature, and elegant look - perfect for Aly. I'm not sure if I would have liked this leo on any other gymnast, so I'm giving this a 4.5 Score: 4.5

Sara: This leotard was gorgeous on Aly.  She always looks amazing in red.  But, similar to Maggie’s, it reminds me of something familiar.  But I still think it was a smart choice for Aly’s debut and worked well with her body and her style of gymnastics (and her lipstick!). Rank: 4

Final Score: 3.9

Morgan Hurd/ First State

Ashlee: I like this one the more and more I look at it. The design is elegant and the rhinestones are a nice touch. Great pick for the adorable Morgan Hurd! Score: 4

Brittany: This leotard looked purple on the feed, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE that shade of blue! This is such a beautiful leotard. The rhinestone detailing is gorgeous and I can't get over how much I love that blue! AHHH! Yes Morgan! Score: 4.5

Lauren: This had to be one of my favorite leotards of the night. We rarely see blue mesh and it looks absolutely gorgeous with the white bodice. There's a perfect amount of rhinestones and it's just an all-around elegant and gorgeous leotard. Score: 5

Patrice: After I get over how adorable Morgan is, I love this leo! I wouldn't have done a white bottom half, but if the colours were reversed this would have been my fave leo from classics! Score: 4

Sara: Is she attempting to qualify for JO Nationals or elite Nationals?  Because this leotard might as well have been plucked directly from the Region 5 Dream Team (Yes, I’m aware Delaware is not a part of Region 5…even though they probably want to be since Region 5 is the obvi greatest, IMO). Personally, I didn’t find anything remotely interesting about this leotard.  I keep looking at pictures and watching Morgan Hurd’s routines, and I’m trying REALLY hard to like it, but I just can’t. There isn’t anything about it that I find special or unique.  But hey, if you want to throw it over here to the Midwest, those girls in Region 5 would look sharp. Score: 2

Final Score: 3.9

Simone Biles/ World Champions Centre

Ashlee: I like this leotard, I think it looks great on Simone! I'm not a huge fan of the pattern in the middle, but I can tolerate it. Score: 4

Brittany: This leotard isn't horrible! Simone looks amazing in it, however I'm not that big of a fan of that neck part... Score: 3.5

Lauren: I LOVE the color combos of this leotard. I like the design too. It's only two colors, but it's still pretty. There's just something about the design which made me not want to give this leotard a 5... But I just can't figure it out! This leotard was one of my favorites and really looked good on al of the WCC girls! Score: 4

Patrice: I love blue on Simone. I'm not a fan of the neck pattern in the middle, but overall the leo isn't bad! Score: 4

Sara: If it were up to me, the USA would be wearing this leotard internationally.  The metallic blue looked bomb on each one of the World Champion girls and was simple yet sophisticated.  This was a great choice, especially for Simone.  What else would you expect from the #1 gymnast in the entire world? Score: 4.5

Final Score: 4

Maggie Nichols/ Twin City Twisters

Ashlee: I LOVE LOVE LOVE this leo. It's simple yet gorgeous. All of the TCT girls pulled it off really well. This gave me Maggie Nichols at Oklahoma feels all night long! Score: 5

Brittany: You can never go wrong with a classic white/red leo! I believe this is the same leotard Maggie wore last year at Nationals except blue (and I loved that one!) so to see a red version is great! This leotard has just the right amount of rhinestones-so beautiful and simple! Score: 5

Lauren: I LOVE this leotard. When we saw the blue version last year, I loved it, and I love this one just as much! Red and white goes so well together and I just love the rhinestones on it.Definitely one of my favorites from the whole competition. Score: 4.5

Patrice: I LOVE THIS LEO. It's like a Queen of Hearts/Classy/I'm a badass gymnast look. That doesn't even make sense, but this leo is spectacular. Score: 5

Sara: I’m all about the athletes choosing their leotard colors based on their future colleges, so I wasn’t surprised to see Maggie in Oklahoma’s red and white.  While she (and Abby Paulson!) looked stunning, and it’s making me so excited to see her compete weekly in those colors, it wasn’t anything we hadn’t seen before.  I don’t know if I’ve seen this same leotard on girls at other competitions, or if there are similar ones like it, but it wasn’t unique. Score: 4

Final Score: 4.7

Madison Kocian/ WOGA

Ashlee: WOGA killed it with this one! Absolutely stunning leotard! The black mesh and white mystique go perfect together. This was by far my favorite leotard of the whole competition! Score: 5

Brittany: Now this is a pretty leo! The black mesh sleeves and the design down the center add just the right touch to make this leotard stand out. It's super sleek and elegant! Hands down one of my favorites from the meet. Score: 5

Lauren: Another one of my favorites of the night. The white mystique and black mesh looked gorgeous. And I love the rhinestones on this leotard. It's such an elegant leotard and there's nothing I don't love about it! Score: 5

Patrice: This may be my favourite WOGA leo yet! I'm not usually a fan of white leos but the white with the black mesh, and the squiggly line patter makes this my favourite leo from classics! Score: 5

Sara: I wonder if Nastia’s heart is breaking to see the WOGA girls in anything other than hot pink?  But hey, there’s no reason for Nastia to be a thing anymore and I’m glad WOGA seems to have moved on from the #hotpinknation.  I thought this leotard was beautiful on each one of the girls and I think it would be a nice choice for Nationals, as well.  Score: 4.5

Final Score: 4.9

Six impressive routines from the 2015 Secret Classic

There was one message the gymternet should have taken away from the Secret Classic this weekend-- Team USA is awesome and the field is deeper than it's been in a long time! There was a lot of great gymnastics this weekend with plenty of storylines to follow. Here were some routines that caught our attention!

Ragan Smith | Floor | Score: 15.0

This was easily one of her best floor routines to date. With new and improved choreography/music from the last two seasons and some added difficulty (check out that double layout!), Ragan's routine is not only entertaining, but competitive in the senior division with her 16.1 D score. Ragan isn't always as clean and consistent with the landings, but when she nails them like she did here- watch out!

Lauren Hernandez | Bars | Score: 15.0

Laurie has been working hard on this event and it shows! When she last competed at the Secret Classic in 2013, her start value was only a 15.6. In 2015, her start value has been raised by 5 tenths and her routine is beautifully executed with three release moves and perfectly hit handstands. (Love love love her lines!) Laurie is hoping to stay in the mix for Rio with her work on this event in particular.

Deanne Soza | Beam | Score: 14.5

The potential for Deanne Soza is REAL. Reminder that she isn't' eligible for 2016, but could definitely be in the mix for 2020 if she stays healthy. We all remember when Soza contracted a serious eye infection nearly a year ago that could have left her blind. After not being able to train for four months, Soza's determination and fight to get back in top shape is outstanding. This routine was beautiful and is right up there with some of the best in terms of difficulty. Round of applause for Miss Soza!

Simone Biles | Floor | Score: 16.050

Is this routine real? Is Simone Biles real? For starters, I'm really feeling the new choreography; it's fun and sassy and it's by far my favorite routine from her. Then the tumbling is just insane. It's not just what she's doing that's so amazing but how she's doing it! Look at the height and ease she completes each pass with. This routine has a 16,9 start value and there's not a doubt in my mind that she's capable of more. Frankly, does she really need to do more? Simone is definitely in a league of her own. Bring on Rio!

Maggie Nichols | Vault | Score: 15.8
This is great for Maggie. I'm so impressed with this girls improvements over the last two years and her consistency is just what team USA needs. This vault was great for her amanar debut and will definitely keep her in the mix for Rio. With the added difficulty and ability to perform well every time she competes (on every event), Maggie is proving that she could potentially be the second all-arounder for the United States. Never count Maggie Nichols out!

Aly Raisman | Beam | Score: 15.1

Aly Raisman's comeback is probably my favorite comeback ever. I love her work ethic! This routine was great and scored well even with the few small balance checks. She really capped it off with the stuck dismount! Aly has been working so hard and you can tell. I'm impressed with her ability to not only get all her old skills back, but to continue upgrading and working on her flexibility because she knows it counts! I can't wait to see what's in store for Aly because I think she's going to do great things. Her difficulty, maturity, and confidence is something that would be very beneficial to the team.

What routines impressed you the most? Let us know in the comments below! 

On The Road To Rio | Thema Williams

On July 9, 2015 we visited Geddert's Twistars to film with Olympic hopeful Thema Williams. Thema (pronounced like Tee-ma) is an international elite from Trinidad & Tobago who is currently living in Michigan while training for the 2016 Olympics. Thema began competing as an elite in 2011, making history for her country by becoming the first female gymnast to compete at a World Championships and for being the first female gymnast to compete a Tkatchev in international competition. Injuries have kept her from competing much internationally the last few seasons, but she is back on track and ready to show the world what she can do this year and hopefully in Rio next summer!

To stay up to date with the latest on Thema, follow her on Twitter and Instagram.



Interview Transcription

Can you start by talking about your decision to move to Michigan to train? 
It started mostly in 2013 when I came in to do the gymnastics camp in the summer and I realized that this is the place I wanted to be to train for the Olympics.

How often do you get to go home and see your family? 
I actually went home two weeks ago, but only for like an eight day period. I don't get to go home that often just because you want to stay fit and you want to stay in shape, but when I do go home it is a lot of fun.

Who is your host family? Are you living with another gymnast? 
Yeah, I live with an ex gymnast her name is Anna Hill, she was a level 10 gymnast and her parents Bob and Michelle decided to host me.

What does it mean to you to represent Trinidad at the International level? 
I just have so much pride, I'm so patriotic. I love Trinidad and Tobago and I think it's an honor to represent my country. Just wearing the flag on an international scale; I think that's really really amazing.

You competed at the World Championships in 2011, which was a pretty big meet, how was that experience for you? 
It was a learning experience I'd say because it wasn't my best meet, but just being able to see so many gymnasts who take so much pride you know? They were absolutely perfect. I think that was the highest level of gymnastics I've ever seen and it definitely pushed me to want to improve.

What are some long and short term goals for you? 
I have Croatia World Cup in September, I want to place in that meet and hopefully come home with a medal. And World Championships then the Olympics.

Any potential upgrades for this season? 
Yeah, on beam I'm working a switch ring, on bars I'm working a shaposh half and on vault I'm working a yurchenko double.

Have you ever thought about doing college gymnastics? 
Oh yeah, I've definitely thought about that. Actually that was a part of the decision to come here, because I was offered a scholarship to Michigan State and that's when I decided I wasn't ready for that part of my career yet. I wanted to go to the Olympics before I entered into college gymnastics.

So it's still a possibility? 
Yeah it's definitely in the cards for me.

What is your motivation to keep going everyday? 
Oh just focusing on my goals [and] knowing what I want to be. I want to go to the Olympics and that's definitely what keeps me going.

Catching up with 1976 Olympian Teodora Ungureanu

Teodora Ungureanu is best known for leading the Romanian team to a silver medal at the 1976 Olympic games alongside her teammate and friend, Nadia Comaneci. In addition to the team silver, Teodora won a silver medal on bars and a bronze on beam. After retiring from gymnastics, Teodora married Romanian gymnast Sorin Cepoi and began coaching. They moved to the United States in 1993 and now run Dynamic Gymnastics in Westchester, New York. The duo are known for coaching former national team member Sabrina Vega who was a member of the gold medal winning Worlds team in 2011. We recently caught up with Teodora to talk about competing alongside Nadia, training with the Karolyi's, and coaching Sabrina Vega.

How did you get started in gymnastics?
Like all the kids from the block; we were doing cartwheels and walking on our hands all day long. [Even at school.] At home I was jumping and flipping on my parents bed, so my parents decided to [sign me up] at the local gymnasium to spend my energy.

What was it like competing with and against Nadia Comaneci? How was your relationship? 
When I went to Onesti where Nadia was training, we became friends right away. We trained, eat, slept, and played together; that was every day. When we started to travel for international competitions it was hard to say who was better. Nadia was a great athlete with a strong mind and body. I was a very hard worker and never gave up. Nadia, with her amazing performances at the 1976 Olympics conquered the entire gymnastics world and the eyes of the whole world. I was happy to open her way to success and was very happy with what I got.

What were the Karolyi's like inside and outside of the gym? 
In the gym, the Karolyi's were very demanding. There was no mercy for any of us, including Nadia. Outside of the gym, we had good and bad times with them.

Do you have any funny stories from your time with Marta and Bela? 
That was a long time ago, I don't recall any.

What was it like being reunited with them years later with your own gymnast, Sabrina Vega? 
That was really nice! We spent 4-5 years with them at the ranch; getting together at their house every evening and telling stories. Traveling to the international competitions was a great experience.

How did your coaching career begin? 
I started to coach at the age of 21 after I finished my 3 years of college. In 1983 we moved to France and I coached at La Grenobloise gymnastics club for 10 years before we came to America.

Can you talk about your time coaching Sabrina? What was she like as a gymnast? 
Sabrina was a very talented gymnast, a good listener and progressed very fast. In 2012, before the Olympics, she started to listen to her mother who was trying to coach her and turn her against us. She wasn't happy with us anymore and moved to another gym.

How do you think your experience as a gymnast helps with being a coach now? 
There are many young and talented coaches in the United States. My husband and I give clinics every year throughout the country and almost every month at our gym in New York. Sharing our experience is important for the future of the sport.

Catalina Ponor coached at Dynamic a few years ago. Can you talk about how that come about?
Sure. In 2010 I was visiting my parents in Romania and I was invited to the 100 year anniversary of the Romanian Federation and Catalina was there too. She was out of work for a couple of months and she asked me if I could get her at my gym for an exchange. I got her a Visa and she came for six months. She was interested in coaching. I gave her our pre-team and she was working beam with our higher levels. After the practice she was working out for herself and she was really good! I suggested for her to start training for the next Olympics and she did. I saw her [last month when I visited Romania] and she is training hard for the 2016 Olympics. What a great gymnast and motivator she is.

What is your favorite memory as a gymnast? What about as a coach? 
[As a gymnast] being an Olympian and World medalist. [As a coach] having Sabrina as a World Champion in Tokyo 2011 was very rewarding, I guess.

The sport has changed quite a bit since your time, what are your thoughts on some of the changes?  
Changing the rules in gymnastics is a good thing and a bad thing. It's good because it gives the judges easier tasks to chose the best gymnasts in the competitions. It's bad because the FIG reduced the team from five and soon to be four gymnasts on each [Olympic] team. That will be harming the gymnasts who want to catch a spot on the team. It's very competitive.

Dear Gymternet- Journals from Elena Arenas (Entry #13 June 2015)

Dear Gymternet, 

I didn't have any competitions this month, but I went to a couple of college camps and have been training for the Secret Classic!  AND Nastia Liukin came to our gym for her Shine Tour!!!

The first camp I went to was at Auburn University.  It was an overnight camp, so we got to stay in one of the dorms. I got to go with a bunch of my teammates and I roomed with one of my developmental camp friends, Sunisa Lee. We all roomed right next door to each other, so we spent a lot of time together. We played a bunch of cards, I learned some new games and taught them some games. We all had so much fun together!  The camp went really well and I enjoyed working with all the coaches there.

Elena with her teammates at the Auburn camp

The other camp I went to was at LSU, but before I went to LSU camp I went to our Region 8 banquet that was held in Louisiana.  My gym won Region 8 Gym Club of the Year, so I went with my dad to accept the award along with a couple of my teammates who received awards.  Kyla Bryant made the JO National Team and Savannah Schoennher was the JO National Bar Champion ... I was so proud of them!  At LSU camp I had to train routines most of the time since I am getting ready to compete, but I had a great time with all the other gymnasts and coaches!  One of the coaches was on the Russian National Team and he reminded me so much of Valeri. :)

Elena with some of the LSU gymnastics team!

The coolest thing this month was having Nastia Liukin come to our gym!  It was so great to listen to her experiences and get her advice on a lot of things.  She shared some ways to set goals and how to stay motivated to reach your goals.  It was really inspirational and she was so nice and friendly to all of us.  We got to get a bunch of pictures with her and get autographs.  After she left our gym she started to follow me on Instagram and even liked some of my pictures and videos.  I was freaking 

out!

Elena with Nastia!

My training for the Secret Classic has been going really well.  I am doing lots of routines and feeling prepared and ready to compete in a few weeks.  I have already qualified for P& Gs, but the Secret Classic will help get me experience competing on podium.  I can't wait!!!

~ Elena

Artistry Redefined

At the conclusion of the first ever European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan, much focus was on the lack of "artistry"and entertainment in floor performances from gymnasts around the world. While the artistry debate is by no means a new issue, it appears to be a seemingly never ending cycle of disappointment and arguments amongst gym fans and coaches. All the talk really got me thinking. The American gymnasts are always being ripped on for having "boring" choreography and not fitting the protocol of a true "artistic" gymnast. Meanwhile, certain European countries- mainly the Russians, have always been referred to as some of the most artistic gymnasts on the scene due to their long beautiful lines and elegance on the floor. After the European Games, the countries that have always been praised for putting on quality performances and producing technically pleasing gymnasts are now being criticized for being emotionally detached from their performance. I say it's about time! Some of my favorite routines currently are not ones where the gymnast is just beautiful to watch. They have to showcase something special besides their natural beauty! My favorite routines are the ones in which the gymnast is able to sell the choreography and keep my attention for the whole minute and thirty seconds she's on the floor. If you can't sell your routine then it will turn into a snooze fest. One US coach even admitted that the routines in Baku were putting her to sleep, but because some of these gymnasts are flexible, graceful, and from a country that historically produces beautiful gymnasts, they typically get a free pass into the exclusive club of "artistic" gymnasts in today's world of elite gymnastics. It's a small club where apparently no powerful gymnasts are allowed! Now I'm not trying to say that all of the gymnasts from these countries aren't artistic, because some certainly are, however I don't think it's fair that they all automatically get grouped together as some of "the most artistic gymnasts currently competing" (that's a direct quote I read from a gym fan) simply for their body type or because they are from a country that is known for it's artistry. 

I think that's wrong and unfair. In the dictionary artistry is defined as "having or showing the skill of an artist." When you google the word artistry it gives you related words such as creative, imaginative, and expressive. So when you watch a routine ask yourself this: Is this routine creative or unique and is the gymnast truly expressing herself in the choreography? Those are the things that truly matter. Just because you can wave your arms around like a ballerina doesn't mean you can entertain a crowd. A routine that plays to the likes of flexibility and grace is no more worthy than a routine that showcases power and athleticism. Each can be entertaining, unique to the athlete, and you guessed it- artistic! As long as it suits the athlete and she can perform it... then it's golden!  I've found that most of the routines that I truly enjoy watching are ones where the athlete connects with the crowd. They smile, they make eye contact, and they tell a story. Considering the current state of elite gymnastics, I feel you have to do more than just wave your arms around and have pretty lines in order stand out. The definition of "artistry" in this sport needs to go beyond that. Here are a few routines that I truly enjoy and I feel bring a new definition to artistry.

Catherine Lyons | Great Britain 
Most gym fans are already familiar with British junior stand out Catherine Lyons because of her unique floor choreography and mature style of dance. Catherine uses more than just her beautiful lines to draw the crowd in-- she tells a story with her eyes and her body. Some of the choreography from her most recent floor routine is actually recycled from a routine she performed at the age of nine. The routine was such a hit that Catherine's coach Rochelle Douglas wanted to recreate it. "Rochelle wanted the routine to remind me of my growth and journey through gymnastics, so the first section of dance is exactly the same as when I was 9." Catherine told International Gymnast Magazine (June 2015) "Throughout the routine we try to revisit through dance all the success and struggles I've had on the journey so far, finishing the routine knowing that my dreams are just within my reach, but that I am not quite there yet." she said. Catherine's style naturally fits the "artistic gymnast" stereotype, but she is unique in the fact that she can draw the crowd in with more than just her grace; it's her expression and performance quality that really set her apart. I also love how she utilizes every beat with dramatic movements. Few gymnasts nowadays are able to achieve that.



Marta Pihan- Kuleza | Poland 
This Pink Panther inspired routine is very fun and playful! Marta does an excellent job of entertaining the crowd with her calm and collected style. I honestly loved this routine from the moment I saw it. This is the type of floor routine that should break the mold on what we consider artistic. Marta is a powerful gymnast who isn't necessarily the best dancer and doesn't have the most graceful lines. I think we could all agree that she would awkward attempting a ballet-style routine, so she plays to her strengths by showcasing her powerful tumbling and fun-loving personality through a more jazzy routine. A routine like this will leave the judges smiling and the audience entertained. What more could you ask for? The choreography goes well with the music and everything flows together nicely!



Laurie Hernandez | USA
Laurie Hernandez is known across the globe for her spunky, sassy, and entertaining floor performances. At the 2015 Jesolo meet she debuted her newest floor routine and as expected- it's nothing short of spectacular! Laurie's coach Maggie Haney told us that the inspiration for this routine came from Mary Lee Tracy. "We were talking at camp one night and she told me that she looks at Laurie as a happy and energetic gymnast; someone who truly loves the sport of gymnastics and always has fun with it," Maggie said "So I went back home and found the most fun and sassy music I could find. I took it to the gym the next day and we just blasted it as loud as we could! We started dancing around and we got some crazy ideas!" Maggie says the routine was made 100% for the audience and that she hopes everyone is on the edge of their seat waiting for her to perform. When it's Laurie's turn to go, she hopes everyone has a smile on their face from start to finish. "I tried to make it fun, playful and of course sassy. We all know Laurie is the queen of sassy!" Maggie said. Fun faces are actually choreographed into Laurie's routine including her "Instagram face" which Maggie says is her personal favorite. Laurie is the perfect example of what exactly a floor routine is all about. You can always count on her for a crowd-pleasing performance. I think it's great that so much emphasis is put on the small little details such as hand placements and even facial expressions, because it really does bring the entire performance together. The choreography is big and the energy is so high throughout the whole routine! Love it or hate it, you can't look away and that's exactly what each gymnast should strive to accomplish!



Claire Martin | France
Another routine that recently caught my attention was Claire Martin- who connects with the crowd through her playful, but polished presentation. Claire's choreographer Adriana Pop told International Gymnast Magazine that the inspiration for this routine was Claire herself and that her character is a fairy who must escape from evil power. "Once Claire understood what I wanted, she made the expression." Pop explained. "The story is simple. You can see the slow part, and at the end when the music gets faster and faster, she escapes at last, little by little." Adriana said Claire's floor performance captures moments of struggle and triumph. The character she embodies posses many of her own traits, which made it so easy for her to connect with. It's an interesting but beautiful routine that was very well thought out. Similar to Catherine Lyons, any gymnast who can convey a story in just a minute and thirty seconds is a true artist.



Victoria Moors | Canada 
I've always been a big fan of Victoria's floor routines because she makes that connection with the audience. It's the look in her eyes and the intensity in her expression that always made her routines memorable. It's amazing that she is able to execute such powerful tumbling elements while also having such intricate dance, because that combination is rare. Victoria places focus on both which is extremely difficult nowadays, but super important. Throughout her entire career, Victoria always did a wonderful job of finding that balance. With the announcement of her retirement from gymnastics just a few weeks ago, the sport will definitely miss the beautiful Victoria Moors and her performances.



These are the types of performances that I wish to see more of. As you can see, they come from gymnasts all over the world who have different strengths and weaknesses, but in the end they all achieve the same goal-- to entertain the audience and tell a story that they each can personally connect with. Kudos to all the athletes who put the time and effort into making their floor routines a true performance- which is what artistry is all about. What are some of your favorite floor routines and why? What kind of routine leaves a lasting impression on you? Leave a comment below!

Jay Santos On Quick Success at Eastern Michigan

Jay Santos knew success was possible when he accepted the head coaching job at Eastern Michigan University, but he didn’t imagine it would come so quickly, especially since other collegiate coaches told him the first year as head coach wouldn’t be easy.

The Eastern Michigan Eagles had one of their best seasons in 2015. They placed fourth at the MAC Championships -- their highest finish since 2010 -- and scored a 195.075 to achieve the highest team score at conference championships since 2004. In addition, the Eagles broke the program record on February 20 with a 195.575 at Western Michigan.

“It was amazing to see the transformation of this team from when I interviewed and talked with a couple of the girls on the search committee to where we finished the season,” Santos said. “I thought many of the things that we accomplished last year would take a little longer. The team really embraced what we were trying to do from the start, and so much of our success simply came from the fact that the group accepted that we needed to change what was done in the past to be more successful as a program.”

Photo Credit: Greg Long

Despite setting a program record, Santos said there was no single highlight to the season. Instead, it was something that occurred throughout the entire season. But it wasn’t a specific meet or routine; it was the kind words he continued to receive from others.

“Every time we competed last year, we would have multiple people coming up to [my wife and assistant coach] Jess and I telling us how much better the team looks,” he said. “It came from so many different sources -- coaches, administrators, parents of athletes at other universities, etc.  It just kept happening everywhere we went last year, and it wasn't just about our gymnastics.”

It was also about “the intangible things with a team that make it successful.” It was about their positivity and increased energy, their togetherness and how they supported each other more.

“It was so amazing to hear, and it really felt great (and even a little humbling) to have so many people go out of their way to tell us things like that,” Santos said.

Santos continued to receive recognition for his efforts and quick influence on the Eastern Michigan program at the end of the year by being named Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year. To receive such an accolade as a first-year head coach gave him “an amazing feeling,” especially since it was voted on by the conference’s coaches.

“It feels great to have the respect of your peers and to know that they noticed the positive change in the program,” he said. “

Even though he may be head coach of the Eagles and the award has his name on it, he is selfless in accepting and receiving it and wants the entire Eastern Michigan gymnastics staff to be recognized. He “relied heavily” on assistant coaches Jess Santos and Shea Anderson, in addition to the trainers, strength coaches and remainder of the support staff, so he believes it should be a coaching staff award.

Photo Credit: The Eastern Echo

As a former assistant and associate head coach, he has first-hand experience and realizes the significance of the entire coaching staff. His collegiate coaching career began at Ohio State University as an assistant. After two seasons, he coached bars and was recruiting coordinator at Iowa State University. Though he feels like each of his previous coaching experiences helped him prepare to be a head coach, his time at the University of Illinois as visiting assistant and associate head coach had a big role in his preparation for his current position.

“My time at Illinois was pretty successful; qualifying for NCAA's three out of four years, it was an amazing experience,” he said. “I think one of the major things that helped me was that (Illinois head coach Kim Landrus) and I worked very well together, and there was a lot of trust between us."

"At my previous positions, my job responsibilities were pretty focused to a couple items. I feel that trust Kim and I had allowed her to give me a lot of responsibility and touch many different areas of the program.  Being able to branch out and take on new responsibilities at Illinois gave me experience and confidence in new areas and really helped prepare me for the transition from assistant to head coach.” Santos said.

He was even prepared to experience setting a new record. While Santos was still at Illinois, the Fighting Illini women’s gymnasts broke the then-program record with a 197.100 against Lindenwood. About a year later, he coached the Eagles to break their program record.

“It is great for the athletes, and you always have to feel proud in those moments when a team accomplishes something that no other team in your program's history has done before,” Santos said. “The athletes put in so much hard work during the course of the year, and it's always great to be a part of moments like that and reap the rewards for the dedication and hard work that the athletes put in.”

While breaking records is something Santos enjoys, that’s never the focus.

“We really try to talk to the girls about the ‘process’ more than the results,” he said. “Our focus needs to be simply on striving to improve every day and continue to raise our expectations for what it means to be an Eastern Eagle in and out of the gym. I firmly believe that if you are committed to working on improvement in yourself every day that you will then see the positive results such as winning meets, breaking records, etc.  But if your focus is solely on the results then you are going to be disappointed because you are looking to the end and not the journey that will get you there.”

Overall, his goal for the Eastern Michigan gymnastics program is to lead the Eagles to a conference championship and build a top 25 program. This past season has provided motivation for that ― the Eagles ended 2015 at No. 37, missing out on a trip to Regionals, despite being ranked in the top 36 all season.

 “It was the highest end of year ranking in school history, which was fantastic, but it was also a bittersweet. Eastern has never qualified a team to NCAA Regionals, so to be so close and miss out in the last week was pretty disappointing.  I want to build this program so that qualifying to Regionals is the norm so that we can continue to set our goals higher and higher.”

2015 Eastern Michigan Eagles

Santos may have big goals for the program, but he strives for more than just that.

“I really look forward to working with the athletes and helping them grow as gymnasts and people,” Santos said. “The focus gets put on the athletic side of things so often, but as coaches we can effect these young women in so many other ways and help them grow and prepare to move on to the next step in their lives.

“I'm really looking forward to building a program that is set up to have a positive impact on the lives of our athletes and help them achieve their goals in and out of the gym. I'm really excited for the future of the program and I think we have some great things in front of us.”

Written by: Amanda

Melissa Doucette | Leaving The Sport With No Regrets

This past year Melissa Doucette, the 24 year old from New Hampshire embarked on a journey that not many women her age do. After graduating from the University of Bridgeport following the 2014 season, Doucette didn't hang up her grips like one would expect. For most gymnasts, college gymnastics is the end of their career, but for Melissa Doucette it was the start of something new. She went back to the gym; coaching full-time while continuing to train for the 2015 JO season. As a level 10, Melissa placed 2nd at the Texas Prime Meet and won two smaller invitationals, then she began training for elite for the first time in her career. In February, Melissa passed her elite compulsories on vault and floor and was proving to everyone that age was nothing more than a number. She moved to New Jersey to train at ENA Paramus- also home to junior elite Olivia Dunne, and was learning lots of new skills. Unfortunately, as the 2015 elite qualifying season came to a close, Melissa fell short of passing her elite optionals, but looks back on her career with a positive outlook and no regrets. After all, she attempted something that not many people her age can say they've done. We are excited to share our interview with Melissa as she reflects back on her gymnastics career and what lies ahead. 

How did you get started in gymnastics?
I got started in gymnastics at the age of four at Kelly's Gymnastics in Rochester, New Hampshire. I started gymnastics so that my parents could channel my energy in a positive atmosphere.

Growing up who was your idol in gymnastics? What about an idol later in your career? 
This has changed quite a bit throughout my journey as a gymnast. When I was younger I always liked Nastia's style because I struggled with the artistic side of gymnastics. I always wanted to be as graceful as she is! Now that I'm older, my role models tend to be the coaches and mentors I have. Being twenty four, I aspire to be a coach that will impact an athlete's journey just like my coaches did for me. The coaches I had the opportunity to work with taught me so much over the years that I can take with me for a lifetime and they are my true role models.

As a college gymnast, you started your career at the University of Alaska-Anchorage and then switched to the University of Bridgeport after your Sophomore year. Can you talk about competing for both of those schools and what inspired you to make that switch? 
Looking back, I am so grateful to have both those opportunities. I learned so much about myself during that time in my career. Signing the letter of intent with Alaska was the highlight of my life at that point. It was a lifetime goal I had as a gymnast to earn a Division 1 scholarship. Moving so far away from home taught me a lot of life lessons that I wouldn't have learned had I not gone so far away. After I completed my Sophomore year of college, I decided it was not the fit for me. I had surgery on my shoulder and decided that it was going to be a turning point for me. I wanted a program that my gymnastics could grow in and that was more competitive. Although the University of Bridgeport is Division 2, it is competitive with Division 1 schools and I loved that. The year I transferred, we made Division 1 regionals and we competed at the University of Florida. Having Byron Knox as my college coach was a huge influence on why I decided to continue the sport after I graduated college. I had a new passion for the sport and I knew I wasn't ready to be done even though my college eligibility ended.

When did the idea of elite cross your mind? 
Elite gymnastics was always in the back of my mind as a kid growing up in the sport. As I got older I had some injuries and decided that level 10 was a great avenue for my gymnastics and my goal of getting a college scholarship. I grew up at Atlantic Gymnastics in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and the coaches were great at helping me see the bigger picture within the sport. As I went to Alaska and I learned how to be independent, then went to Bridgeport and noticed I still wanted to continue, I knew I had all the ingredients I needed to be successful in the JO program again. It wasn't until Tammy Biggs came into my gym- Gymnastics at Brentwood Commons in Brentwood, New Hampshire, that I decided to train elite. On that day I was coaching. The numbers were down for the clinic and my boss said I could train. I was trying to make a video for Cirque at the time and was going to do level 10 to stay in shape. Tammy Biggs had asked my coach if we wanted to try elite, After about a month of basics and getting into elite shape, I decided to give it a go with no expectations. I knew that everything that I was about to embark on would be icing on the cake! I believe that you can have goals for yourself and work insanely hard without having any expectations, It was so liberating to go into gymnastics everyday knowing that I'm doing it for my love of the sport and nothing more. This mindset is what led me to become so successful.

Melissa and her teammates at Brentwood Commons

Can you talk about getting the opportunity to train with Kim Zmeskal at Texas Dreams? 
Yes! I was at the Texas Prime Meet with my club team, GBC. We happened to be in the same rotation and I mentioned I was going to be at the WOGA Classic later that season. I mentioned I was twenty four and my story is a bit unique- I was doing elite gymnastics for the first time. Kim told me that if I ever wanted her help or needed input to contact her. After the WOGA Classic, I had the privilege of staying in Texas to train with her! The experience was amazing! Not many people get such opportunities like I did along the way and this was one of the best times of my life. At the Texas Prime Meet I also qualified to the Legendz Classic. I was on Betty Okino's team. I loved being on her team and by the end of the meet we got to talking and we still keep in touch today! She is an Herbalife coach and helped me out every step of the way this past year with my nutrition, motivation and anything else I needed!

Melissa with the Texas Dream team! 

To help pursue your elite dream you moved to New Jersey to train at ENA Paramus alongside junior elite Olivia Dunne. How would you say the gym switch benefited you? 
As I started elite, I trained at the gym I had a full time job at. GBC was my family and a great support system! My coach Kristin Paradis always helped keep things fun in the gym, A big part of my training was also Ed Datti from the University of New Hampshire and Alli Brisson from Atlantic Gymnastics. I had a full time job, so I needed to fit training in when I could. These coaches were so important for shaping me into the athlete and person I am today. It was very difficult to make the switch to New Jersey, but I knew that it was what I needed to do in order to have more consistent training schedule. Right away I learned so many new skills! Working out with Olivia was amazing. We trained from about 11am-4pm on most days and she always pushed me to do my best! At this gym I learned how to become resilient when things got tough. I know I can handle anything that comes my way and that is a huge life skill to have! I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to train at ENA.

What are some of the new skills you learned while on this elite journey? 
I was able to learn so many new skills! On vault I learned a yurchenko double. On bars I learned a pak, maloney, blind change full, toe handstand full, and many new combinations. On beam we played around with just about every skill but I ended up competing a front tuck, switch leap-switch half-back pike, and a double back dismount. On floor I learned a double arabian, front through to 2 1/2, full in, full twisting double layout, and a double double. I will always look back and remember the the exhilarating times in the sport when I learned a new skill for the first time. In gymnastics we always get caught up in the physical skills that a gymnast learns, but I learned so much mentally as well. Being resilient and having the courage to do something that not many people get to do is an amazing feeling and it is just as good as learning a new skill on an apparatus.

Melissa on top of the podium after placing first in elite optionals. 

You recently attended an elite qualifier at the National Team Training Center. How cool was that? 
As a little kid I always wanted to meet Martha and go to the Ranch. Now at twenty four years old I can check that off the bucket list! Being next to all the top level coaches and athletes was amazing. I couldn't believe that I was on the same competition floor as them. It was so intense and I loved that feeling! All in all I ended up getting second on floor with my new floor routine and that was a huge accomplishment for me. Leaving the ranch I felt so successful with everything that I did the past season. I starting out thinking that I would do level 10 to stay in shape and involved with the sport and I ended up qualifying out of elite compulsories and competing elite optionals at the national team training center- placing second on floor. nonetheless. Not only that, I met some amazing coaches that I learned a lot from and I can transfer that over to when I'm coaching.

Melissa at the Ranch!

Now that you've done it, how difficult would you say it is to go from college, back to level 10, and then to try elite? 
Going into this journey, I had the mindset that I everything I had the opportunity to do would be just that- an opportunity. I made sure to see everything as a privilege and it will shape the person I want to become. As I said, I didn't have any expectations because this helped me enjoy the sport and that was my ultimate goal this time around. It was very difficult, but every time the journey got hard I knew it was what I wanted.

How were things different this time around versus when you competed as a level 10 before you went to college? 
This time around it was very different. The first time around I believe I took what I had for granted. At Atlantic Gymnastics, I had the best coaches that always wanted the best for me and they still help me today. In the past it was hard for me to see this and it got in the way of becoming the best athlete I could be. Now that I'm older, I'm mentally stronger and I see the bigger picture like they helped me see when I was younger. I understand that the sport is only a part of my life, not my whole life, and being balanced is the best way to be successful.

Are you officially retired from the sport of gymnastics?
As for the JO program and elite gymnastics I am officially retired, although I never know what the future holds! I would love to get back on track with Cirque, and in the meantime be the best coach I can be for the athletes that walk into my life. I will never be completely done with the sport. I have too much love for the sport that gave me so many amazing things in my life.

Looking back what are you most proud of? 
At each point in my life gymnastics gave me something that I needed during that time. There is not one thing I'm most proud of. Every stepping stone on the journey has shaped me into the person I am at this moment and I can say that I have no regrets and I wouldn't even change the hardest of times.

What is the best piece of advice you've been given? 
"Let go of who you're suppose to be and embrace who you are one step at a time."

Somebody had mentioned this quote to me and I live by it! When I take the time to be patient and let things flow into place, things usually work out! This is also the best piece of advice I could give somebody. Work your butt off to be the best person you can be and you will never have any regrets!

What's next for you? 
Next for me is taking the time to find what I truly love, something that will take up the many hours of my life that used to be in the gym training. This can be relaxing or finding a new hobby that can fill the void that makes me the happiest each and every day!