Catching up with Shayla Worley

Shayla Worley is best known as being a member of the 2007 World Championship team that took gold in Stuttgart, Germany. She was an established gymnast at the elite level for seven years, earning a spot on the US National team during six of those years. Some of her career highlights include placing second in her first competition as a senior- the 2006 American Cup, as well as placing second at the 2007 US National Championships. After injuries kept her home from the 2008 Olympics, Worley made the transition into collegiate gymnastics and began competing as a Georgia Gymdog in 2010. In this interview, Shayla talks about the ups and downs of her career at the elite level and life after gymnastics.

Photo belongs to Lloyd Smith

Can you start by talking a little bit about how you got started in gymnastics? Who were your idols growing up?
I got started in gymnastics when I was three. My older sister, Jolene, had started taking classes and I wanted to be just like her, so naturally I started taking classes too. I always loved Nadia growing up. I named all my teddy bears after her.

When did you realize that you had potential to make it far in gymnastics and at what age did the Olympics become a realistic goal for you?
The gym I started at was closing down so we switched to Orlando Metro when I was eight. Like most gymnasts, I can remember being convinced I could go to the Olympics. It wasn't long after moving to Metro that Jeff sat me down and told me if I wanted to be serious about the Olympics, I would have to quit spending time on acting and modeling and commit everything to gymnastics. I was a level 8 at the time.

What are some of your earliest memories of going to the national team camps?
I can remember going to the ranch for the first time in 2002 for the TOPS National Team camp, where Sam Peszek and I were roommates and instantly became best friends. We are still best friends to this day. I was invited back to the ranch again early the next year and hit it off with Alicia [Sacramone] and Nastia [Liukin]. That was back when I used the pay phone to call my mom and let her know I was still alive, long before I owned a cell phone or laptop and before the ranch had internet. And before those nice new rooms were built!

You were apart of the 2007 World Championships team that won gold in Germany. Can you talk about that experience and what it did for you in terms of confidence going into the Olympic year?
Being apart of that team was special in so many ways. We were the true definition of a team.We knew each other so well and cared for one another more than any other team I had been on previously. I know that was the key to our success. I remember there being very few mistakes in the weeks of practice leading up to the meet, meaning we were peaking at exactly the right time. But we didn't have a perfect day on team finals, we had some mistakes on beam and going into our last rotation, floor, we huddled up and decided we were still gonna win that thing. And that's exactly what we did! We came roaring back on floor and sealed the deal. Words can't describe what we felt after Alicia finished her floor routine and we realized we had won. It's a memory I will always treasure.

Photo belongs to USA Gymnastics

During your elite career, what were some of the ups and downs you faced? Is there a point in your career looking back now that you can pinpoint as the highest or the lowest moment for you?
The daily ups and downs of practice were endless. By far the most difficult thing for me in gymnastics was staying healthy. I was not built very durable. I herniated my first disk in my back at 14 and had too many other injuries to name.I had a lot of highs in my career with Worlds probably being the highest. Breaking my leg the day the 2008 Olympic team was selected was by far the hardest time in my elite career. When you've had one goal you're entire life and it's the only thing you've ever dreamed of and when you've spent 15 years working toward it day in and day out and you missed it because an injury the day of, it's pretty devastating.  I had never even thought past the year 2008.  At that point in my life, my entire self worth revolved around a single gymnastics competition. Since then, I have learned that as a person, you are not defined by the things you accomplish and you're happiness with yourself should not be dependent upon your daily performance in the gym. Of course I encourage all athletes to dream big and work harder but some of the most important things are the relationships you build, the impact you make on others, and the life lessons/attributes you gain along the way.

You dealt with injuries leading up to the Olympic Games but still managed to be back in time for trials. How did you feel going into that competition? Did you feel like your spot on the team was out of reach?
I had some issues with my back prior to Trials but by the time the National Team Training Squad camp rolled around, I was ready to go. I had done the training needed to peak at the right time. I felt very confident. Unfortunately my body just couldn't hold up.

There was a brief point in time where you wanted to continue on in elite but eventually decided to move on to college gymnastics. How hard (or easy) of a decision was that for you? 
Yes, after the 2008 games I did think I wanted to defer a semester of college to try for worlds. But after a few months I realized that the main reason I wanted to continue towards the 2009 world championships was because I was hoping to fill a void and realistically, no world championship could really fulfill the loss of an Olympic dream.  My heart wasn't really into it although I tried to convince myself other wise and once I finally realized this, I decided I was ready to move on to the next phase in my gymnastics career.

Talk about your experience as a gymnast at the University of Georgia. What were some of the highlights for you?
I loved every minute of my time at the University of Georgia. I feel so blessed to have been apart of such a wonderful team at a university where so many people care about you as both an athlete and an individual. I think most college gymnasts will tell you that it is absolutely the best experience imaginable. It's such a magical transformation to go from elite gymnastics where it's all about you, to college where no individual is more important than the team and where you legitimately want to perform your best for everyone but yourself. I can't say enough wonderful things about the coaches, the athletic association, the Gymdogs and what we represent, and the entire University of Georgia. I will forever be grateful for my time there.

Looking back on your career, both elite and college, what would you say you are most proud of? 
Looking back on my career there are many athletic achievements that I am proud of such as being the first World Championship team to win gold on foreign soil. But the thing I am most proud of is that my peers and teammates considered me a leader. I cherish the impact I've been able to have on the people around me and the life long relationships I've cultivated. That's something that will last a lifetime. 

And finally what have you been up to lately? Do you still stay involved with gymnastics?
Gymnastics has given me so many wonderful opportunities such as going to a wonderful University that I would have otherwise never been able to attend and opened so many other doors of opportunity. After I graduated, I decided to get my MBA at UGA and after that I was very fortunate to land a solid job at a financial brokerage firm in Atlanta doing wealth management. I really enjoy my job and the people I work with. As far as being involved with the gymnastics community, I will still be able to do two summer camps this year for two of my favorite gyms  (I have to use vacation days at work) and I am still very involved with the Gymdogs by being an Alumni Aunt (a mentoring program) and serving on the alumni board. Gymnastics has been a huge part of who I am and will continue to be.

Photo belongs to UGA Sports Communication