Photo credit: Courtney Ryder | The Breeze
Gymnastics is a sport full of grit, strength and determination. Although JMU doesn’t have an official program, club gymnastics offers students the option to continue participating in the sport they love.
Ciara Hunt, a junior who joined club gymnastics her freshman year and currently serves as secretary of the club, said a notable characteristic of most competitive gymnastics clubs is a strict coaching staff.
According to a study originally published in the Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, this can harbor feelings of anxiety and create self-esteem issues amoung gymnasts. However, there are no designated coaches in JMU club gymnastics — just students coaching each other.
“When I was in high school and younger, [I] had coaches for [basically every] event, and the whole time they’re just staring at you, correcting you or yelling at you,” Hunt said. “[With] club gymnastics, if you want to learn a new skill, you can basically just ask any one of the older members or more experienced members, and they’ll be there to help you.”
Hunt has participated in gymnastics since she was two years old. When she came to JMU, Hunt said, she originally didn’t want to join club gymnastics because the sport had become less enjoyable. However, after arriving on campus her freshman year, Hunt said she changed her mind and decided to join the club — she said she instantly fell in love with the atmosphere and people.
“Club gymnastics … is a big part of my life,” Hunt said. “Everyone’s just so friendly with each other, and we all are just here to have a good time.”
Because there aren’t any coaches, members are free to practice whatever they want. Senior member Madeleine McCarthy, the club’s treasurer, said she originally struggled with the lack of structure compared to structured regimens implemented by her past coaches.
“I struggled a lot with mental blocks … my coach would always force me to go and that didn’t always help,” McCarthy said. “I do miss a little bit of being pushed [by coaches] to achieve my best, but I enjoy the freedom here.”
Club gymnastics holds practices five days a week but only requires members to attend two hours of practice per week. Many members are self-dedicated from years of experience with the sport and create their own structure for practices, shifting goals based on skill development and competition schedule.
“Towards the beginning of the year, [I] focus more on the individual skills, and then once we get closer to competitions, I try to build routines and get routine endurance up,” McCarthy said. “I kind of take from what my coaches used to make me do back in high school.”
Members aren’t required to compete. For those who do and want to go to Nationals, there’s a rule stating that teams must attend two competitions to qualify.
When COVID-19 started rearing its head, the infrastructure of club gymnastics changed drastically. Restrictions were put on practices, including how long they lasted and how many gymnasts could attend. Hunt said she missed seeing everybody and “actually having practice.”
Hunt and McCarthy both credit the club for introducing them to lifelong friends and improving their college experiences. McCarthy said she can count on the club and her teammates to brighten her mood when she’s having a rough day.
“Everyone wants the best for you and wants you to be happy,” McCarthy said. “Being able to come here for two hours a night is … a break from my day, and I really look forward to seeing [everyone].”
For senior Abby Lachance, club gymnastics has been in her life since long before she became a JMU student. Lachance, a Harrisonburg native, said she crossed paths with the club often while doing gymnastics growing up.
“I’ve grown a lot with the program — I attended club gymnastics meets when I was in high school, and the gymnasts here would help at my high school meets when I was competing,” Lachance said. “Being part of it has been really cool because I can reflect on what I was looking up to.”
Like Hunt and McCarthy, Lachance said the friendships within the club are what makes it so special. Even when attempting the most mundane tasks, Lachance said she can count on her teammates to provide as much enthusiasm and support as they would for intricate skills. She said that’s why she initially wanted to join the team.
“The energy and the amount of support that we give each other, I saw that when I was in high school coming to meets,” Lachance said.
After almost two years off from competitions due to COVID-19, club gymnastics members said they look forward to being able to compete again.
“Club gymnastics is a very fun group of athletes that get to do what they love together and get to support each other in the best way possible,” Lachance said. “Everyone’s very supportive and just loves helping [each other] out.”
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