Interview With Deanna Vinski

What age did you start gymnastics?

4

How did you start in gymnastics?

At a REC center and then the offered me to come to try out team classes

How did you deal with mental blocks?

Even still I struggle sometimes with being a little nervous for skills but journaling setting goals and taking it slow

Who was your role model/someone you looked up to in the sport?:

Haleigh Bryant and suni lee

What was your hardest struggle during your time as a gymnast?

Mental blocks on back tumbling and injuring my back and not being able to compete the rest of season

How do you handle nerves when you are competing?

Close my eyes breath talk to myself in my head

What was your biggest accomplishment in gymnastics?

Making nastia and getting a 9.9 on bars first meet of the season 2026

When you were done competing in the sport? Did you stay involved in it with coaching etc?:

I’m still training currently

What would people need to know if you are starting the sport for the first time?

If you have a dream chase after it you truly never know where it’ll take you and always believe in yourself

What is your favorite meet?  

Nastia

How did you handle pressure form peers/coaches/fans?

I don’t put pressure on myself and just make sure I just do my normal gymnastics that I do everyday

How do you overcome setbacks and challenges?

Just trying to see everything with a positive mindset even when something goes a little wrong

Did college gymnastics ever cross your mind as something you wanted to do?

Yes

Least favorite event and favorite event? And Why?:

Floor I don’t have a reason I just like other events a little better

Hardest and easiest gymnastics skill to train? Hardest is my pike half on vault easiest

is side sumis on beam

How did/do you deal with getting in your head on skills?

Take a deep breath before I go and think it’s the same thing you always do

How did you stay out of your head at practice and at meet?

Listen to music and talk to friends to not think about it

 Have any of you got a skill for a few weeks on any event and then a week or to later you just can't do it? If this has happened to you how have you dealt with it or overcome it?

Yes I went back to drills and basics to build back up confidence

How did you cope when your time as a gymnast was over? Did you go into coaching or did you find something else to fill what gymnastics filled?

I’m still training

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

Go D1 and compete in college gymnastics

Advice you would give to current or people who want to start in the sport?

Keep pushing even when it gets hard cuz there will be light at the end of the tunnel