Gymnast

Gymnastics has been one of the dominant influences in my life. It began when I was 4 or 5, with way too much energy to contain. My godfather recommended gymnastics classes, and I never looked back. I was competing provincially from the age of 8, won my first Provincial title in Argo B, and eventually moved on to competing at the National level. I moved from the Brampton Gymnastics club, to Gym City, and eventually spent the majority of my time at Gymnastics Mississauga, which quickly became a second home to me.

Gymnastics was much more than simply a sport for me, as most competitive gymnasts will tell you, it quickly becomes the center of your life. I worked my way up to eventually training 25 hours a week, even missing half days of school to accommodate my training schedule. While my peers were exploring their social lives, going out, having relationships, I was constantly covered in chalk, spending almost every night in the gym, with no social life to speak of. I don't regret any of this, but it left an incredible mark on me. It taught me the importance of real dedication and perseverance, showing me that results and growth were only possible through sweat, pain and blood. I was also forced to juggle my school work all throughout middle school and high school. I'm proud to say I maintained my grades, usually earning A's, even while coming home from training as late as 10 pm, and working on my homework and assignments late into the night. At the time it was grueling, it wore me down, and I often wondered what life would be like free from gymnastics, but I never wanted to give up, and it taught me to be resilient and self reliant. 

Eventually though, the years of training and physical toll caught up with me. At the age of 16, I started to develop a stress injury in my right elbow, a result of over training and repeated strain. Soon I wasn't able to straighten or bend my arm without severe pain, and surgery was the only option. I spent a year doing rehabilitation, but that year off, seeing my peers compete and improve, and also seeing my high school friends having the time of their lives, finally drove me to quitting the sport which had defined me for so long. To be honest, this meant leaving behind one of the most defining elements of my identity and it left me with a giant hole. To this day, I still look at myself with the lens of a gymnast, and even I'm not physically active, it drives me crazy. The drive, dedication and hardwork that propelled me in gymnastics has carried through to all aspects of my life, and sometimes people can be surprised by how competitive and driven I can be.

Gymnastics will always be one of my passions, and it continues to influence me everyday, sometimes in subtle ways, an urge to push myself harder, or to prove what I'm capable of; and sometimes in direct ways, an edge in sports, the aerial and kinesthetic sense to still do things most people find extreme or amazing. I'm grateful for the 12 years I spent dedicated to this sport, and even more grateful for the lasting impression it has given me ever since.