PCA Students Turn Pages & Backflips as Successful Students & Competitive Gymnasts
PCA students are always up to something! Even outside of school, students dedicate their time and energy to activities they are passionate about, and one of those for three particular students is gymnastics. Sixth-grader Olivia Rossi, sophomore Sarah Birchmeier, and senior Alyssa Birchmeier spend hours at the gym, working hard for the spring competition season.
On weekdays, the gymnasts work out for about four hours at the Don M. Smith Prattville YMCA Branch, conditioning and practicing skills in the events vault, bars, beam, and floor. Even on Saturday mornings, when most students are sleeping in, the girls are up bright and early to continue their work. Certainly, these gymnasts are no strangers to soreness, calluses, and exhaustion. Still, through the pain, they continue to look forward to the camaraderie and encouraging atmosphere they find at the gym.
Alyssa Birchmeier, who competes in level 8, states that the best part of gymnastics is “the time that I get to spend with my teammates and coaches because, through all of the good and bad that comes with the sport, I have developed some of my closest relationships. It is through these that I look forward to showing up at practice each day.”
Aside from friendships, though, gymnastics also builds character. The girls are constantly surrounded by words of encouragement, and they tackle each challenge as it is laid before them. It truly does take a tough mental mindset to be able to do everything these girls do. When asked about the qualities that gymnasts develop, Sarah Birchmeier, who competes Xcel Diamond, stated, “Gymnasts are some of the most determined athletes. Injuries are common in gymnastics, so most gymnasts are extremely persistent; no matter how hard of a fall they take, they will always find a way to bounce back again. Due to the nonstop nature of the sport, they are also traditionally very well disciplined.”
Furthermore, it’s incredible how much commitment and attention to detail these girls possess. Every individual movement, or skill, that gymnasts learn to perform, such as a back handspring on the floor and a giant on bars, takes numerous hours to master and a lot of mental and physical strength. The girls spend most summers brushing up on and learning new skills, which could take anywhere from a few practices to several years, and then move on to practicing specific event routines in the months leading up to competition season. One of the skills that Alyssa Birchmeier is proudest of is her double back on the floor because “most days, it was a huge mental battle for me to do it. Even though I am no longer competing it, by being able to do it at a few meets this year, I was able to prove to myself that I could do something challenging – even if it terrifies me.” Certainly, the work she put into that was useful for the State last weekend. Specifically, in preparation for this meet and previous competitions, Sarah Birchmeier explained, “Since the beginning of last summer, we have been conditioning and polishing skills. We have been perfecting routines and getting stronger throughout the competition season, [and]… we have practiced diligently year-round to hopefully qualify for Regionals.”
By: Maddie Jeffery ’22
Journalism Student
