Meet The Elite | Leah Clapper

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: