Konnor McClain is an up and coming star for USA Gymnastics. A lot has changed since those YouTube videos where she was flipping around at four years old. Now at the age of 12, she is making a strong impression while getting her feet wet on the elite scene. Last year at the 2016 Hopes Championships, Konnor took home four gold medals (vault, bars, beam, and all-around) and a silver on floor. The year prior she took home a silver on beam and finished fourth all-around. Konnor's talent was recognized and featured on the Steve Harvey show in 2016, a rare opportunity for a gymnast her age. Her talent was also recognized by the national team staff as she was invited to her first national team camp in June. As she prepares for her first competition season as a junior elite, Konnor shows a lot of potential to grow and improve. What stands out the most is her clean form on every event as well as her confidence every time she steps up to compete. Her beam routine is noteworthy as well with a 5.7 start value and some big skills like a standing tucked full. With some experience under her belt and a few upgrades, Konnor can definitely hang with the big kids in the future.
With this interview we hope that you'll get to know a little bit more about this rising star.
PC: John Cheng
How did you get started in gymnastics?
I started because of my sister. She would come back from the gym with a new skill and then 15 minutes later I would come in the room and do the same skill!
Who is your inspiration in gymnastics?
I look up to Aly Raisman the most. Ever since I was little she has always been the one I look up to.
Are you homeschooled or do you go to public school?
I'm homeschooled!
What are your goals for the upcoming season?
To qualify to P&G's and hopefully make the junior national team.
Are you working on any upgrades that you can share?
I'm working on a full out dismount on bars, an onodi on beam, and a double double on floor. That's about it.
What are some of your long term goals?
My future goals are to make the Olympic team in 2024 and to win the all-around gold medal!
What do you like to do when you're not in the gym?
I like to draw when I'm not in the gym. I also like to hangout with my siblings.
What has been the proudest moment in your career so far?
I have a couple of moments. One of them was when I won the Hopes Championships last year. Also, this year when I got invited to national team camp.
What is it like going to the camps?
It has been such a great opportunity to attend the camps and so much fun!
What is your favorite event?
My favorite event just depends on the day. My least favorite event is probably floor.
What's something that a lot of people might not know about you?
I'm really quiet in the gym but outside of the gym I'm not quiet at all!
What was it like being on the Steve Harvey show?
It was really fun being on Steve Harvey. They emailed my mom when they saw me on YouTube and then they interviewed me. I was a little nervous at first but it was okay once I got there!
(Click hereto watch Konnor on the Steve Harvey show)
With two Olympics in her back pocket as well as a college degree, Brittany Rogers continues to prove that hard work and dedication does indeed pay off. At the age of 24, she is well respected amongst the gymnastics community and very accomplished in her career. Most notably, she was a member of the 2012 Olympic team that secured Canada's highest placement ever at an Olympic Games (5th). She also qualified to the event finals on vault where she placed 7th. The following year she began her collegiate career at the University of Georgia, where she would go on to score a perfect 10 on vault, become a five-time All-American and an NCAA champion on bars. She is one of few gymnasts to successfully balance the demanding schedule of a college athlete while also training at the elite level. You know, just Brittany Rogers things. In 2016, she competed in her second Olympics; finishing 9th with the Canadian team and narrowly missing out on the vault final. An unfortunate fall on the uneven bars kept her out of that final as well.
With the passion and desire for gymnastics still looming inside her, Brittany now has her sights set on the 2017 World Championships in Canada and hopefully beyond. We recently caught up with Brittany to reflect back on her career and what's ahead.
PC: Canadian Olympic Committee
How would you compare and contrast both of your Olympic experiences?
Without stating the obvious, as London being my first games, it was all about soaking in the every little moment and enjoying the entire experience. No one on that team had ever been to an Olympic Games before, so we were all extremely happy and excited to be there. In Rio, I felt that I took on more of a leadership role, and became more aware of how to be apart of a team after my four years at Georgia, which I then applied to the Olympics. Because Ellie and I were veterans of the team, we were able to help guide the younger girls as to what to expect, and what we learned from out first games.
How challenging was it to be a college athlete while training for the Olympics? The world wants to know how you did it!
Great question! My incredible support system was the backbone to my success. They made everything possible and did all of the behind the scenes work, and all I had to do was show up, ready to work! My passion and love for gymnastics is still very present, so I keep telling myself that as long as I still enjoy doing gymnastics, I will keep training as long as my body and certain circumstances will allow me. The most challenging part about balancing everything was "catching up" what I missed whenever I returned back home to prepare for competitions. I went from doing maybe 20 hours a week maximum in college, to 30+ hours a week of intense training at my club gym, with twice the difficulty in my routines, which was always a bit of a shock to the system. As soon as I overcame that I just kept going with the flow and never looked back.
Do you think competing every weekend while in college benefited you?
I attribute a lot of being a more confident competitor to competing every weekend in college for four years. I think the fact that I just kept going, rested on days when I felt tired, and stayed mentally alert, it really helped me stay physically cable of taking on the workload that I did. As soon as the Olympics were over I took a few weeks off, and then proceeded to become very ill, which forced me to take almost 2 months off. I think that was my body telling me that it was in need of a major break if I wanted to continue doing elite gymnastics.
Where are you training now that you've graduated?
I'm back in Canada training at Calgary Gymnastics Centre with my coach, Janna Ball!
Are you working on any upgrades that you can share?
I am working on connecting my pak into my shaposh half directly on bars and seeing if I can add some twists on vault, however those are still in the works!
How excited are you that Canada is hosting the World Championships? Assuming you make the team, will you have a lot of friends and family in the stands?
A large part of my motivation to continue doing gymnastics was because Worlds was being held in Canada, and I wanted the opportunity to compete in front of a home crowd at an international competition. It will be my first time competing internationally in Canada so it would be a very special moment for me should I make the team. Everyone that asks me about what my plans are, what's next, etc; I always tell them "Worlds in Montreal in October, you're coming!" because how often can I say that?! My family and a lot of my friends are definitely trying to make the trip, all they need is some confirmation form this end!
What has kept you motivated after all these years?
Like I mentioned before, I have such a strong passion for gymnastics, that every time I step into the gym, all I want to do is improve from the day before, even if it's hitting one more handstand or sticking one more dismount. Gymnastics is a world of endless possibilities, and I still don't believe I have reached my full potential. I'm excited to see where my preparation for Worlds takes me, and hopefully beyond! What are some of your future goals in the sport?
Worlds has been my focus since the Olympics, so if that happens, my plan is to reassess where I'm at mentally and physically, and decide what the next steps are after that. It's definitely a "one day at a time" life for me right now, but so far it's doing the trick.
You were in a scene of the movie Final Destination 5, how did that opportunity come about? (Note: In the movie Brittany played a gymnast named Porter and also did some stunt double work.)
They sent out a casting call to the gym I was training at over that time, Phoenix Gymnastics in West Vancouver. One of my dreams has always been to be an actress. I have taken several acting classes and was always in school plays growing up, so of course I jumped at the opportunity! I auditioned for the lead role, however I think they had already casted her at that point. One of my very first coaches, Simon Burnett, who is now a very successful stunt artist in movies, was ironically involved in casting in this movie and suggested I have the role of Porter, and do some of the stunts for the lead actress. She was actually a gymnast herself, but quit the sport because of acting, so it was neat to see how much she could do! I was just there to help perform some skills that she wasn't capable of. (You can watch Brittany's scenehere. Warning: Not recommended for the faint hearted.)
What are your thoughts on the recent coaching changes at Georgia?
I have always been so proud to be apart of Georgia Gymnastics due to the prestigious history behind the program, so having Courtney and Suzanne back is very exciting and I have no doubts that they will continue to build on the legacy they both have worked very hard to establish. I was always a huge fan of Courtney's gymnastics, and in awe of the accomplishments by Suzanne as coach, so I'm sure they will do tremendous things together, along with the new assistant coaches. What are your future plans as far as your career goes?
I studied Journalism in school, so my dream job is to be a Sports Reporter/Analyst. Because I'm still doing gymnastics, my focus is very honed in to the gym and continuing my career and eventually ending strong, but once I retire I am really looking forward to where my passion for performing, writing and speaking will take me!
What has been the proudest moment of your gymnastics career so far?
I think 2016 was overall a very proud year for me. I balance, overcame, and grew a great amount, and accomplished things I never thought would be possible. I definitely surprised myself a lot during the 2016 year in both college and elite, and I continue to have a greater understanding of myself as a person, which I think is the best accomplishment one can have in life. I'm proud of where I have been, proud of where I am, and extremely excited for where I am going!
It's crazy to think that another Olympic cycle has come and gone, and you know what that means. A new quadrennium equals new faces on the elite scene. The year after an Olympic games is a great time to start observing the up-and-coming talent in USA Gymnastics, so we've identified a few first year elites who we think could be fan favorites in the coming years.
Sienna Robinson- Browns Gymnastics
Sienna Robinson is a little powerhouse. Formerly a teammate of Junior National Champion Mailie O'Keefe, you might also recognize Sienna's name from all the crazy skills she's been seen doing in the gym--hello quad double! (Click here to see it). Sienna is only 11 years old and therefore isn't eligible for the 2020 Olympics, however, her future looks very promising. With a plethora of skills and a gold medal from the 2016 HOPES Championship in her back pocket, all Sienna needs is some experience and to polish up her skills. Sienna is now training at Browns gymnastics; the same gym that 2008 Junior National Team Member Asi Peko trained at.
Annie Beard- Texas Dreams
Kim Zmeskal has another rising star in her hands and that is 13 year old Annie Beard. Last season as a level 10, Annie won the all-around and floor title at JO Nationals and also won International Gymnast's "Gymnast of the Year" award; the perfect stepping stone towards having a strong elite career. Annie might not have all the big skills yet, but in typical Texas Dreams fashion, she's super clean and has all the basics down pat. This little one is definitely one you'll want to keep your eyes on in the next few years.
Lillian Lippeatt- Cincinnati Gymnastics
13 year old Lillian Lippeatt caught a lot of peoples attention at the Nastia Cup earlier this year where she finished first on beam and floor. For her young age, Lilly shows a lot of confidence out on the competition floor and you can tell she loves to perform. Lilly is eligible for the 2020 Olympics, so as she gains some experience over the next few years she could become the next star from CGA!
Konnor McClain- Revolution Gymnastics
Konnor McClain has some serious star potential! At just 12 years old she's already making a strong case for herself. Last year at the HOPES Championships she took gold on vault, bars, beam and in the all-around. Her routines are packed with difficult skills and connections such as a standing full and a two foot layout series on beam. She has showed an impressive upgraded bar routine on her Instagram as well! (Click here to follow her and check it out!) Not to put too mush pressure on this young lady...but her routines already look like they could rival those on the international stage, so it will be exciting to see where she goes in the next few years. Unfortunately, Konnor misses the cut off for Tokyo by a few months so she'll have to hang on through 2024 if the Olympics are on her radar. (Fun Fact: Konnor was featured on the Steve Harvey show last year! You can watch it here.)
Anya Pilgrim- Hills
Another promising prospect for 2020 is Anya Pilgrim. In 2016, Anya competed as a level 9 and won the Eastern National Championships. In the last year she has worked hard to compose elite level routines and has come a long way. Anya shows great flexibility throughout and is particularly impressive on beam where she competes two triple series! She has also been training an arabian double front dismount in combination, which she does very well! (Clickhere to see it.) Anya needs to clean up her skills a bit, but the potential is definilty there for her to have a strong elite career!
There aren't many things that will stop Sage Thompson from chasing her dreams. Within the last few years she has had to overcome a lot of adversity, however, there appears to be a continuous theme in her career: never giving up. That's a special promise that she made to her dad, but we'll get to that later.
Sage on floor at JO Nationals.
Best known for her YouTube channel "SuperGymnastSage," Thompson has come a long way since that first YouTube video of her seven year old self doing double backs on the tumble track. She is now fourteen years old and a level 10 gymnast at All American Gymnastics in Utah. That YouTube channel has now garnered over 21,000 subscribers. Her Instagram has even more with over 24,000 followers. For this reason alone, Sage isn't your typical fourteen year old girl. "It feels good to know that a lot of people enjoy watching me and that people look up to me," she told us. Occasionally she will be approached at meets by fans who want a picture or autograph. "It makes me happy that so many people are interested [in my gymnastics]."
Transformation: Sage at the age of 8 and 14.
But it wasn't just her raw talent from a young age that caught the world's attention, it was her story. And it was her strength.
When Sage was eleven years old, her father died after an 8 month battle with leukemia. Throughout that journey, gymnastics is what kept her going. "It was something to help me have fun, be distracted and [gave me] friends to talk to," she recalled. "But it could also be really hard."
Sage visiting her dad in the hospital.
While she knows that her dad is proud of her and always watching over her, there are of course days when she wishes he was here. "It makes me really sad that he can't actually be here watching my meets and helping me with everything in my life," she said. "Like when I decided to do level 10, I wish he was there to help me or I guess approve of [my decision]." Despite the heartbreak, Sage and her three brothers kept pushing forward, using their dad as motivation to not give up. "He didn't want us to give up on our dreams," she told us. "He had my mom promise to not let us give up."
And that she hasn't.
Sage's first meet as a level 10 was dedicated to her dad. All the gymnasts wore orange ribbons in their hair, the color associated with leukemia awareness. The judges and coaches wore a leukemia ribbon pinned to their shirt in his honor.
Sage continued to train hard in pursuit of her goals. For the longest time, she had her sights set on going elite. In 2015 she qualified to HOPES pre-elite after a strong performance at a developmental camp and later passed the compulsory testing for junior elite. Trying to qualify elite while working through injuries was challenging, but Sage was determined not to let anything set her back. "I trained through it all and did whatever I could." she said. Doing whatever she could even meant tumbling with one arm when she broke her wrist. That not only takes talent, but extreme dedication as well. (Check out some clips of Sage training with one arm down below. It's pretty impressive!)
Eventually Sage began to have on-going hip problems that forced her to reconsider her elite aspirations. "Training elite kept making it worse and causing overcompensation injuries in other areas," she explained. "That's why I had to cut my repetitions way back and water down my routines in order to start to heal and still be able to compete level 10."
Earlier this year, Sage decided to forgo attempting to pass her elite optionals, despite having already passed compulsories. She officially decided to shift her focus towards having a successful JO career and earning a college scholarship. So far, it's a decision that she's content with. "I'm a lot happier with JO than I was training for elite. With constantly fighting injuries it was always stressful."
Sage on bars at JO Nationals.
The 2017 season was short but sweet for Sage. She only competed once before the State Championships, where she took first on vault and in the all-around. A few weeks later she became the Regional all-around and floor champion. Her performances qualified her to her first JO National Championships where she finished 17th in the nation, a result she wasn't exactly thrilled about. "I was a little bit upset about Nationals because I got my lowest score of the season," she explained. "I hit everything but I made a few little mistakes that kept me from placing in the top five." (Click here to watch Sage's routines from Nationals.)
Not being 100% satisfied with her performance only leaves Sage with more ambition to achieve her goals in the future. She now has her sights set on winning the all-around title at Nationals, scoring a perfect 10, and hitting a score of 39 (Her career high right now is a 38.350). She is also looking into several colleges and plans to hopefully do some visits this summer. Right now she's interested in Utah, Oklahoma, UCLA. Michigan, LSU, Alabama, Florida and Georgia.
Sage with her friend and former teammate MaKenna Merrell, who is now a gymnast at Utah.
Sage continues to be an inspiration to many because of her perseverance and strength. Despite losing her dad and dealing with many injuries in her young career, she keeps an optimistic outlook on life."It's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you're going through something hard," she admitted. "I've been thrown a lot of curve balls. My life and gymnastics career hasn't been what I thought or dreamed it would be." However, at the end of the day, Sage is able to acknowledge that this journey has only made her stronger. "As I get older I can look back and find the good in all of the hard times and be okay with where I am," she said. "I am excited about my future and what I can still accomplish and work towards."
Not only is Sage mature, but she is wise beyond her years. When asked what advice she would give to younger gymnasts, she offered some insight from her own struggles. "I would say not to get stuck in one hard phase of life because it's just a phase. Push through because there's always a light at the end of the tunnel, even if it's not exactly what you thought it would be."
With another competition season in the books, Sage is back in the gym and continuing to work hard. One thing's for sure, she won't be giving up anytime soon.
There are two people who are often associated with the glory days of the Georgia Gymdogs: Courtney Kupets and Suzanne Yoculan. In case you live under a rock, Courtney is a two time World Champion, two time Olympic medalist and one of the most accomplished collegiate gymnasts the sport has seen. (13x NCAA Champion) Suzanne became the head coach at Georgia in 1983 and led the Gymdogs to 10 National titles (the most of any school), 16 SEC titles and 4 undefeated seasons. After long but successful careers, both Courtney and Suzanne retired in 2009. That was the end of an era for the University of Georgia.
As of May 9, 2017, a new era begins. Courtney and Suzanne are back with the hopes of restoring the legacy that they left behind. Courtney will take on the role of head coach while Suzanne will mentor her in the role of volunteer assistant coach. Getting back on top of the podium won't be an easy task, but the combination of Courtney and Suzanne leaves many fans hopeful.
Georgia is not the same program that it was back when Courtney and Suzanne left. The Gymdogs used to be the best team in the nation...their level of talent and performances proved it time and time again. Georgia defended their NCAA title for 5 years straight (2005-2009) until Suzanne's departure. Since then, the team hasn't placed higher than fifth at the National Championships. They haven't won the SEC title since 2008. Nowadays, just making it to the Super Six is an accomplishment for Georgia.
Take a look at their Championships history throughout the last several years:
2005- 1st
2006- 1st
2007- 1st
2008- 1st
2009- 1st
2010- Didn't qualify.
2011- 10th
2012- 11th
2013- 6th
2014- 5th
2015- 9th
2016- 6th
2017- 12th
While it's not completely disastrous (a lot of teams would be thrilled to consistently qualify to Nationals), I would be lying if I said that it's not the slightest bit disappointing to see a program go from #1 to mediocre within such a short period of time. Within the last seven years they've had two head coaches fired and lost a lot of strong recruits. I think the athletic department at Georgia is being quite clear with their expectations for this team. They want to win again.
Bringing in Courtney and Suzanne is an interesting, yet exciting choice. These two know what success looks like first hand, so the decision to bring them in is understandable. You can't blame Georgia for wanting to give them a shot. After all, Suzanne is pretty much responsible for any success the program has had and Courtney is arguably the greatest NCAA gymnast of all time. Do they have what it takes to turn this program around? I suppose time will tell, but I have faith in them.
It's no secret that Kupets doesn't have a strong coaching resume. Following her retirement in 2009, she served as a student coach for the Gymdogs for one season. She has also done some coaching at the recreational level but nothing too competitive. This is where Suzanne will come in handy. Courtney has competitive experience that she can use to her advantage. Suzanne has years of coaching experience and will show her the ropes on how to lead a team to success. (Given her track record, I think we can trust her to do that.) The combination of Kupets and Yoculan could be exactly what the program needs to get back on track.
As a former student-athlete, I expect Kupets to bring a new and refreshing approach to this team, especially from a psychological standpoint. From listening to the initial press conference, Courtney already seems to get it. "I think having an open relationship is going to be key," she said. "Building the trust with the athletes, so that when you do have tough love, you know where it's coming from and it's not just being harsh." When talking about how she plans to bring Georgia back to being National contenders, Courtney stressed the balance between good coaching and creating a mental program to build trust within the team. "The intention is to make sure the program is set in place, that we build a gymnastics program for them to help them peak at the right time, physically, and we build a mental program for them to help feel confident in themselves but also confident in their teammates. I think that's a very important factor for athletes going up to compete. If you're going up there and your teammates don't trust you, how are you going to stay on that beam when you're the only one trusting yourself?"
Relationships play a strong role in a teams dynamic and performance. Not only do the athletes need to get along and trust each other, but their needs to be a bond between the gymnasts and coaches. There needs to be a level of respect, understanding, and confidence in one another and I'm glad that Courtney understands that. This particular quote from her really stood out to me: "What I look to do as a head coach is put the athletes first and always, now and forever." In the wake of so many abuse allegations, this sport needs more coaches who have the athletes best interest in mind.
Overall, I'm excited to see what Courtney and Suzanne can do for Georgia. Courtney seems like a very genuine person and she knows a thing or two about the sport, even if she hasn't done a lot of coaching. I think she will bring the passion and dedication that Georgia needs to get back in the mix. Her experience combined with Yoculan's should benefit the team positively. I mean, if anyone can motivate and inspire this team I would trust these two to do it. Both of them have experience as leaders, but now they will be leading in different roles.
So in the words of coach Courtney, "The season starts now."
You can read a transcript of Courtney's press conference here.
For 16 year old Leah Clapper, gymnastics is simply about having fun. Relatively new to the elite scene, Clapper brings an energetic and refreshing vibe to the competition floor every time she competes. Her smile just lights up the room and you can tell she's enjoying every moment. Those qualities are hard to find in the world of elite gymnastics.
Leah lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan and trains at Gym America where she is the first elite gymnast to come from her gym. Within the last year, Leah has already accomplished two of her major goals in the sport: qualifying to elite and receiving a college scholarship. (Leah has accepted a scholarship from the University of Florida and will join the team during the 2018-2019 school year.) In her second year of elite, she would like to check the P&G Championships off her bucket list. We caught up with Leah to talk about her experiences from her first year of elite, potential upgrades, and much more.
Photo Credit: USA Gymnastics
Last year was your first year competing at the elite level, what was that experience like?
It was a great experience. Competing as an elite was one of my main goals and it felt great to have accomplished it and see my hard work pay off! I also enjoyed getting to compete on podium. Elite is a lot different than level 10, so I had to get used to how the meets worked. I think I have it figured out now though!
How cool was it to be competing with some of the best gymnasts in the world?
It was really cool to have the chance to compete with such amazing gymnasts. Everyone was super nice. It was a bit funny though, because I was trying to focus on my routines but wanted to see the other events too! Ironically, I was competing on vault when Aly Raisman was on floor, and I had to fight the urge of watching her routine when I was up next! Also, at my team banquet last year I received a "most likely to compete with Simone Biles" paper plate award, and I did!
Who is your biggest inspiration in gymnastics?
I don't really have any specific idol in gymnastics. Although, I have always been inspired by Olympians and college gymnasts.
What would you consider to be the highlight of your gymnastics career so far?
It is hard to pick just one, but I would say competing at the 2016 Secret Classic was one of my favorite gymnastics moments. A few years back I watched the Secret Classic in Chicago, and I decided that I wanted to be competing in that meet one day. Last year I did and it felt great! My intention for the competition was to go out there, do my best, and enjoy the moment. It was especially cool, since there was added excitement due to the Olympic year.
Another highlight of my gymnastics career is qualifying to and competing at J.O. Nationals. Both years that I went I had a blast! I loved representing Region 5 and getting to know the other Dream Team members. Also qualifying to the Region 5 All Star team and traveling to Costa Rica last year was so fun!
You recently changed your commitment from Penn State to Florida, congratulations! Can you tell us about making that change?
First of all, thank you! It feels so surreal to commit to such an amazing program. I changed my commitment because I feel that the University of Florida is simply a better fit both athletically and academically. When I visited I absolutely loved it! I am so grateful for this opportunity.
What are some of your future goals?
My main goal this season is to qualify and compete at Championships.
Are you currently working on any upgrades?
Mainly, I am working on upgrading my vault to a yurchenko 1 1/2 and adding a front aerial to my beam routine. I am also working on a few jump/leap upgrades on beam and floor.
What is one thing that fans might not know about you?
I like to snow ski, and my family goes out west for a ski trip every year.
What is your favorite event to compete?
My favorite event changes on a day to day basis. However, I enjoy competing floor the most because I love to show off my routine and personality.
Do you have a dream skill that you'd love to compete?
There are so many! On vault, probably a yurchenko double full. On bars, a Ray. On beam, a standing full. On floor, a double double.
What is the best advice you've been given?
Thanks to my coaches, teammates, and family, I have been given tons of great advice. One thing that stands out is the importance of having fun. Everything is so much more enjoyable when you have a positive attitude and a smile on your face. To go along with this, I love the quote, "attitudes are contagious, make yours worth catching."
Thank you Leah! We wish you all the best this season.
Oh and by the way, the unofficial award for best photobomber goes to Leah.
Watch Leah's performances from the KPAC elite qualifier earlier this year:
What To Do: Send us your predictions (1-9) for the 2017 American Cup. The winner will be determined by who's prediction matches the final result the closest. If there is a tie, there will be a trivia question to determine the winner.
The Roster:
Riley McCusker
Ragan Smith
Kim Bui
Melanie De Jesus dos Santos
Asuka Termoto
Amy Tinkler
Tisha Volleman
Emily Whitehead
Xie Yufen
How To Enter: Fill out the "Contact Form" on our blog with your name, email, and prediction.
