Polina Shchennikova | Ready For The Next Chapter

For Polina Shchennikova, a future in gymnastics was practically a given from the moment she was born. Her parents, former Soviet gymnasts Katia and Alex Shchennikova, moved to the United States from Moscow, Russia a year after Polina was born to accept a coaching job. The rest, as they say, is history.

Polina was always in the gym with her parents and eventually started taking classes herself at the age of four. One of her earliest memories in the sport is learning a new skill with her mother. "It was only me and my mom in the gym and she was teaching me how to do a kip," Polina recalled. "After many failed attempts and my mom's motivational words, I made it. I was so happy!" Polina's parents moved from gym to gym looking for the right fit--and with them they brought their talented daughter. They needed a gym where she could continue to progress and achieve her goal of becoming an elite gymnast.

Polina with her mother and coach Katia

After many years of hard-work and dedication, Polina's dream became a reality, qualifying to junior elite in 2010 at the age of twelve. At her first major elite competition, the Covergirl Classic, mistakes cost her the chance to qualify through to the Visa Championships. However, in 2011 she came back much stronger placing 3rd all-around at the American Classic and 15th on bars at the Visa Championships. It was at this time that many gymnastics fans first took notice of Polina and her beautiful gymnastics. The comparisons to her idol, Nastia Liukin began to roll in, but understandably so. Both gymnasts were Russian born and American raised, they trained under their parents, and showed extreme flexibility and poise in their gymnastics; so the comparison was only fitting!

While Polina's elegance comes natural, the dance component of the sport is something she holds to a high regard. "I have loved to dance my entire life! Although I've never had any formal dance training, any chance I got-- I would dance. I would have random "dance parties" in my room, in the shower, and during practice. I even tried out for the Nutcracker when I was very little." she said.

                                 


2012 was a breakout year for Polina, she placed 2nd all-around at the coveted Nastia Liukin Cup and 2nd on uneven bars at the Secret Classic. She also placed 10th all-around at the Visa Championships, improving her ranking from the previous year by nearly 10 spots! However, the year did not pass without it's share of trials and tribulations. Coming off the 2011 competition season, Polina noticed a lot of pain in her right heel but didn't want to rest it--in fear that she would miss the necessary preparation for the upcoming season. "Right before 2012 Secret Classics, I decided to go to the doctor to see what was going on," Polina explained. "I found out that I had shattered the back of my heel near the Achilles and cracked the bottom of my heel. They asked me if I still wanted to compete. I had gotten so far, I didn't want to quit, so I pushed through the pain."

The following year proved to be an even stronger year for Polina. At the Secret Classic she placed 3rd on her best event--the uneven bars and 8th all-around. She replicated those results a few weeks later at the 2013 P&G Championships and found herself among the top 8 girls--securing a spot on the junior national team. One of Polina's biggest goals in gymnastics was to make the national team and when she looks back on it now, it has provided her with some of her fondest memories in the sport. One memory that stands out the most was from a national team camp in November of 2013, when she attempted to verify a yurchenko double after always being advised to only show a yurchenko full each camp. "I really wanted to prove that I could do more. When it was my turn to verify, I showed my yurchenko double and landed a little short," Polina recalls. "I did two more after that and over rotated both of them! After practice, we all lined up and Martha began to talk about vault verification. In the middle of her speech, she looked at me and announced to the whole group that I had shown a really good double full. I was extremely proud of myself when Martha told the whole gym that I didn't give up and kept pushing through!"

Martha praises Polina on her 3rd place finish in the all around at camp

2014 was a tough year for Polina as she had to sit out of the entire competitive season to rest two compression fractures in her back. However, one of the highlights of that time was getting to watch and enjoy her younger sister, Alyona on the elite stage. "I could not be more proud of how far she has come. She was very, very wild when she was younger, but as the years went by, she has become more focused," Polina told us. "She would watch me train and tell me she wanted to be like me and then she would go and train harder than before. I believe she has the ability to go very far in her elite career."

The injury also gave Polina plenty of time to explore her collegiate options. In 2015, she announced her verbal commitment to the University of Michigan, a decision that was actually influenced by Alyona, who announced her commitment a few months later. "She actually wanted to go to the University of Michigan before I decided where I wanted to go," Polina explained.

 At Michigan, Polina and Alyona will get the opportunity to compete side by side for the first time in their career. "I will be finishing up my last year while she will be starting her first. By that time, I will know the campus, the best stores, and restaurants, and competing with her will be the ultimate prize for me. We have wanted to compete with each other since she started elite, so it will definitely be a unique experience for both of us!" she mused.

Alyona and Polina 

Polina returned for what would be her final elite season in 2015. At the Secret Classic and P&G Championships she only competed on bars, but an injury forced her to withdrawal from the second day of P&G's. After dealing with nagging injuries throughout the course of her career, Polina decided to take some time off to recover her body from all the years of intense training.

For the past two years, Polina's shoulder had constantly been dislocating, making it hard for her to train at a high level and ultimately sidelining her from competition for a full year. On May 6, 2016, Polina had surgery to repair a torn labrum. Although her elite career was now over, Polina knew her college career was just getting started.

It was time to turn the page and focus on setting new goals as a member of the Michigan Wolverines Gymnastics team. Polina is still on the road to recovery, but hopes to compete this season. "The surgeon said it would be a four to six month recovery, she told us. "I recently started physical therapy and I hope to be back on the shorter end of the estimated time." Polina will be working hard to contribute to the team on as many events as she can this season. "Competing all-around would be a privilege," she said. "I believe that I can get back my bars and beam. I had also been working a new vault before my surgery, which will help me a lot. My flexibility is still very good, so I can do more leaps and turns on floor. I am motivated to get back into the gym!"

Polina is staying positive post surgery!

One of the biggest motivations for Polina to stay positive through all the tough times was her commitment to Michigan. "I believe that everything happens for a reason. A lot has happened but because of it, I have become a more motivated person," she explains. "I am here at the University of Michigan and I have set my mind to look at all the good things this school has to offer me and my future." Polina is going into business, which is one of many reasons why she chose the University of Michigan. "Bev, Scott, and Dave have supported me through everything I have been through. I feel like the University of Michigan community is a safe, protective, and caring one. The ultimate goal for everyone here is to succeed and everyone works together for that to happen." she added.

With the support of her parents, sisters, and now her new family at the University of Michigan, Polina knows the sky is the limit. She attributes much of where she is today to her parents for guiding her throughout her career. "I have spent my entire life training under my parents. They have inspired me, motivated me, and molded me into the person I am today," she said. "They were able to help me reach my potential because they knew what work was needed to help me reach my goals."

A family effort it was indeed, and now the oldest Shchennikova child is off to start a new chapter in her gymnastics career at the University of Michigan!

Polina with her parents/coaches Katia and Alex and her younger sister Aloyna (junior elite) and Kristina (Level 8)