Interview With Ariana Guerra

How were you when you started gymnastics, and what originally drew you to the sport?:

5 about to turn 6. I was at a gym that had both cheer on one side and gymnastics on the other and my parents asked me which one I wanted to do and I chose gymnastics because I saw one of my best friends from pre-k doing it.

What is your favorite meet, your favorite and least favorite events, and the hardest/easiest skill you ever trained?

My favorite meet was my first routine in Coleman coliseum and my last meet in Coleman!! The first because I came back from my back surgery and the last because being in Coleman with my teammates coaches and fans was a night that will forever hold close to my heart. My favorite event is floor because I get to show more of my personality. My least favorite event is beam. The hardest skill I ever trained was a back handspring back full on beam. Easiest skill was double lay off of bars.

Gymnastics is incredibly mental. What was your hardest struggle during your time as a gymnast? How did you deal with nerves, pressure, and getting in your head or temporarily "losing" a skill?:

My hardest struggle was getting the twisties a few weeks before classics. I couldn’t do doubles backs, pikes, or lays anywhere. I would start twisting. I had to go back to the basics and do backward rolls on the floor. Then tramp. Then progress to backhandsprings and try to pick up my hands in the middle. I ended up working through it and competing at classics.

What was your biggest accomplishment in the sport, and did you ever want to do college gymnastics?

I think this is hard for me to answer. I think I accomplished so much in the sport of gymnastics. For me it wasn’t always about the medals and trophies. I found God on my journey navigating injuries and that to me strengthened my resiliency as a person. Outside of that I had the opportunity to compete for the US and made it to my dream school the university of Alabama.

How did you cope when your time as a gymnast ended, and did you transition into coaching or are you currently still competing?

I coped well. I didn’t like the way our season ended because we as a team had so much left in the tank to compete. I went straight to working so much as well as finishing school and competing an internship. Covid hit and that changed my plans. I worked for Peloton for a year then began coaching club gymnastics for 4 years. I am not in education and still help with summer camps. I love the sport of gymnastics and I love being able to give and uplift the next generation.

Who was your gymnastics role model, and what advice would you give to someone starting the sport for the first time?

My gymnastics role model was Carley Patterson. If I gave advice to someone starting the sport of gymnastics I would say go after your dreams but also try other sports in the process. Then when you get to a certain age make the decision on which sport you want to pursue. I would say listen to your body but also know you will need to be pushed. Things are never handed to anyone it is always earned.

What two goals you want to achieve in the sport of gymnastics?

I want to build my business called Aligned Purpose. For me I want to create a mentorship that can be a lifetime of impact not just during that time. Most athletes or teenagers have a hard time finding their purpose in life outside of their sport or just in general. I want each individual to align themself with their purpose for me it's even greater than that. I want to glorify God in every way possible I want each person to align their hearts with him because everything will flow when you are grounded and centered on something greater than yourself.