Finding My Place On The Other Side Of The Gymnastics Floor

My First Practice Judging Gymnastics Meet Photo

Finding My Place on the Other Side of the Gymnastics Floor

For eleven  years, gymnastics was my world. I trained as an Xcel competitive gymnast, but my journey started long before the medals and competitions. It began at IK Gymnastics, where I was going through physical therapy. Somewhere between rehab exercises and watching the team girls fly on bars, I fell in love with the sport without even realizing it.

If you had told a seven-year-old me that I would go from physical therapy to classes… to two competitive teams… to a four-time bars champion… to a regional and state qualifier—I never would have believed you. But that’s exactly what happened. Looking back, I didn’t realize just how much I had accomplished.

I joined my first team in 5th grade at Dreams and moved to Wilmette Gymnastics the following year. With the support of coaches who believed in me and teammates who lifted me up, I became a 4-time state qualifier, a regional qualifier, and a 4-time bars champion. Gymnastics didn’t just teach me skills; it shaped who I am today.

When I retired in the summer of 2024, I expected to feel relieved. Instead, I missed it. My passion for the sport hadn’t gone away. I knew I couldn’t simply walk out of the gym and close that chapter.

So I started thinking: If I can’t be an athlete anymore… How can I still be part of this sport I love?

Stepping Into Coaching

My parents suggested coaching, but I’ll be honest—I was nervous. Moving from athlete to coach felt like stepping into a completely new identity. But coaching at my own club, Wilmette Gymnastics, made everything less scary. I already knew the staff, the routines, the gym culture. I didn’t feel like a stranger.

Coaching wasn’t easy at first. I knew the sport, but teaching it was different. Still, I refused to give up. I worked closely with my boss, learned how to break down skills, how to communicate clearly, how to support kids who were just as nervous—and excited—as I once was.

Now I coach ages 3–6, 1st–8th graders, and advanced classes. Eventually, I even started subbing for the JO and Xcel team programs. Many of those team gymnasts were kids I had competed with or grown up around, so they were always excited to see me on the coaching side.

And somewhere along the way, I realized something huge:I loved coaching.

Discovering Judging

But my journey didn’t stop there. With encouragement from my family and coaches, I decided to take on something completely new—judging.

It didn’t take much convincing. I wanted to stay connected to the competition floor, just in a different role. So I bought the books, joined the memberships, and prepared to learn an entirely new side of gymnastics.

My first time shadowing a judge was eye-opening. I got to see the sport through a completely different lens—details, execution, artistry, deductions… all the things that make gymnastics both beautiful and challenging. And I loved it. Judging lets me stay involved, support gymnasts from all over, and continue growing in this sport.

What started out as something scary has become one of my favorite things I’ve ever done.

A New Chapter, Same Passion

It’s been about a year and a half since I stopped competing, but my love for gymnastics hasn’t faded—not even a little. I miss the feeling of flipping, the chalk on my hands, the adrenaline of sticking a routine. But I’m happier than ever to still be part of the sport as a coach and a judge.

I don’t see myself ever stepping away from gymnastics completely.Not when it’s such a huge part of who I am.Not when I still feel that same excitement every time I walk into a gym.

This is only the beginning. I can’t wait to keep learning, keep growing, and keep giving back to the sport that shaped my life.