Avery Young is flipping into the New Year after dedicating countless hours to gymnastics.
She has been involved in the sport since she was just three years old. Although she took a break during her tenth year, she returned to gymnastics for her senior year and has not looked back.
Young currently competes at Level Eight, one of the highest levels before collegiate competition.
There are many steps gymnasts must complete before they are able to compete. “If you start gymnastics at a young age, you begin in recreational classes. There are around seven classes you must pass before entering competition gymnastics,” Young explained. “Once you complete every class, your coach gives you a tryout invite. After receiving the invitation, you try out for the team. When you make the team, you start at Level Two and move up each year. Competition gymnastics goes to Level Ten, which is collegiate-level gymnastics.”
When asked what a typical training day looks like, Young described a demanding but structured routine. “We start with a floor warm-up that involves stretching and light tumbling. The warm-up usually takes around 15 minutes. After warming up, we move into our first event. We do about a 15-minute warm-up for that event, then practice routines and finish with conditioning. After that, we have a 10-minute snack break. When snack time is finished, we go to conditioning. Finally, we switch to our last event and follow the same process: warm-up, routines, and conditioning. To finish our day, we stretch and then go home.”
Gymnastics includes a wide variety of events, such as bars, beam, floor, rings, and uneven bars. When asked about her favorite event, Young said, “My favorite event is bars. I like it because even though it’s not my best event, I always have fun practicing it.”
One of the skills she is most proud of mastering is her straddle back. “While it’s easy for me to actually do, it’s a very mental skill, and there are so many ways it could go wrong,” she explained. The hardest skill she is currently working on is a back handspring on the beam, which she finds especially challenging. She shared that she already struggles with a back handspring on its own, and performing a double without stopping in between is extremely difficult. “If my foot isn’t in the right position, there’s no way to complete the second flip, and there’s a very high possibility of failing,” she said.
To stay focused during competitions, Young listens to music before her events and avoids thinking about her routine until she is on the mat. She credits her father as her biggest supporter, noting that despite her tight schedule, he has never missed one of her meets.
Through gymnastics, Young has learned valuable life lessons. “Gymnastics has taught me how to balance different things and get over mental blocks,” she said. Although she gets nervous before competitions, she handles stress by practicing the same way she competes, ensuring she feels prepared when it matters most.
One moment stands out as especially meaningful to her. “My first competition, I was very nervous, and I ended up getting first on every single event and becoming the overall champion of the meet,” Young recalled.
Looking ahead, Avery plans to attend college and pursue a Pre-Med path, carrying with her the discipline, focus, and resilience she has gained through gymnastics.
Avery Young’s journey through gymnastics shows just how powerful dedication, perseverance, and passion can be. From returning to the sport after a break to competing at a high level, she has proven that hard work truly pays off. The skills she has gained go far beyond the gym, helping her overcome mental challenges, manage stress, and stay focused on her goals.
As Avery continues to flip, soar, and push herself to new limits, her future looks just as bright as her accomplishments on the mat. Whether she is mastering new skills in gymnastics or pursuing her dreams in Pre-Med, one thing is certain—Avery Young is only just getting started, and her best routines are still ahead.
