Interview With Avery Schlichting

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

I was 5 years old when I started gymnastics. My parents put me in classes because I was cartwheeling around the house and chucking random flips on the trampoline

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

My favorite meet was Nashville Nights, my favorite event is Vault and I like to say I don’t have a least favorite but if I had to choose it would be beam. The hardest skill I’ve ever trained is a triple full Yurchenko and the easiest is a rudi layout on floor

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 with gymnastics has always been comparing myself to others. Whether it’s skills, progress, or perfection I would always look at others and see how they were better than me and it would break me down a little bit. At the end of the day I remember I control my gymnastics and I can be just as good as anyone else if I put my mind to it!

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

My biggest accomplishment in gymnastics would be qualifying to the Nastia cup and placing 1st on vault! That was an amazing achievement for me and I’m so proud of myself for getting there! I always wanted to do college gymnastics especially at Alabama so being here today is genuinely a dream come true

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

I’m currently on the University of Alabama gymnastics team

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 growing up was Shawn Johnson. I would say to new gymnastics to have fun with the sport and don’t just do gymnastics but play it

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

I want to win an NCAA championship and grow as a gymnast and a person with my team