Wakefield High School’s women’s gymnastics team is a quiet powerhouse. Each gymnast displays agility, coordination, strength and dedication. Since the beginning of the school year, they have been practicing for and attending competitive events all across North Carolina. With a roster of multi-faceted young women, the team has already taken several top ranks during meets.
The entire team displays incredible dedication, with many Wakefield athletes spending years doing some form of gymnastics. Megan Stevens, the captain and sophomore, has been a devoted gymnast for nearly 12 years. She highlights how dedication is key to getting through challenging moments.
“Dedication to me is putting in your best [effort even] when you’re not at 100%,” Stevens said. “For gymnastics, that’s really important, because there are times where you don’t feel good, or something is hurting, but just giving as much as you can will still help the team.”
Gymnastics is recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to be one of the most high-risk sports, which is a challenge these gymnasts are willing to take. It takes years of difficult practice and careful performances to lower the odds of life-changing injuries. Desiree Leister, a Wakefield sophomore, recently experienced an injury.
“I just broke my ankle and tore a ligament in it,” Leister said. “[I prevent injuries with] a lot of joint strengthening, like wrist strengthening, ankle strengthening and [preparations] like that.”
Learning the skills and how to perform them safely is half the battle. Gymnastics can also be very time-consuming. Wakefield’s team meets twice a week for routine practices, and statistically, athletes train 16–25 hours per week. These long hours are spent performing challenging tasks. Caroline Robertson, a long-time gymnast and sophomore, has had many memories from the long hours of practice.
“My favorite memory is when I stuck my back handspring on beam for the first time ever,” Robertson said. “Everyone was so proud of me.”
Not only is gymnastics known for pushing human limits physically, but the sport also pushes athletes mentally. One of the biggest challenges is getting over that powerful mental block. While it can be possible to get through this alone, it is much easier to tackle it with a team full of support. Wakefield’s Ekta Lyman, a junior, discusses the importance of a gymnastics team, not just individual training.
“As a team, we all uplift each other,” Lyman said. “We all bring out the best in each other and cheer each other on. That really helps individually [because of] the support system.”
While it is hard work, gymnastics is a labor of love. All the energy put in, the mental fortitude built and the ability to work as a team give helpful life skills.
“I would say it’s a sport that sets you up for the future,” Stevens said. “It’s very hard, and it makes you more disciplined and [allows you to] work well with others.”
