Mary

What do they love most about playing their sport(s)?

ME loves the thrill of the competition. She loves the process every step of the way too: the art of perfecting, she finds joy in the everyday experience, she turns failures into motivation for the next practice, falls as knowledge to sharpen her practice because her everyday grit, grind, joy, laughter is to propel her to where SHE finds her greatest joy: the competition. Meet day: where grit, grind, practice, blood, sweat, and tears all come into fruition.

Who inspires them—on or off the field—and why?

ME is deeply inspired by Coach Mau Martinez. He helped rebuild her mental safety needs, encourage her to find her confidence, her true potential, let her be funny, &go for her biggest goals and dreams. ME committed to UCLA her dream school in pursuit of gymnastics greatness and her academic goals there for her future dream goal: to be a writer at Saturday Night Live! She credits Coach Mau with not just coaching gymnastics but saving, inspiring, and encouraging the dreams of a young gymnast!

What’s one moment in their athletic journey that makes you proudest?

ME has been knocked down literally and metaphorically and clawed/chalked herself back into gymnastics success. Her first two seasons at level 10 had bar injuries: she had to heal, train, fight her way to Nationals. Then, she took a step back to see her next step forward with GRIT was a new gym, coach, new everything. With determination, ME placed 2 and 3 All Around the next two seasons at Nationals and made DP National Team! Grit is vital but Joy is contagious!! Joy is Athlete of the Year!