Kim DeGiulio takes you to a unique gymnastics practice, where three schools are working together: Groves and Seaholm high schools for Birmingham Unified Gymnastics, and Troy High School gymnastics. And they’re all coached by the same dedicated woman, Rebecca Bajorek.
Watch their story in the video player above.
“I feel like I have one team. The girls are very supportive of each other,” Bajorek said.
Practicing with their sometimes opponents doesn’t seem to bother the girls. In fact, they say it pushes them to be even better.
Ava Delgado, the captain for the Birmingham Unified team, says they learn different skills and get different ideas from each other.
Coach Bajorek, who’s been coaching gymnastics for 24 years, says it takes a certain type of person to become a gymnast.
“It takes courage ... flexibility, stamina, strength. You got to be able to take chances. You got to be able to try new things,” said Bajorek.
Captains Delgado and Aanika Nanda, Troy High School’s captain, say it’s just as much about training your mind as it is your body.
“It’s like your body knows what you’re doing but then your brain has to know that you can do it. So I think that’s probably the hardest part,” Nanda said.
“You have to have a good mindset...because if you don’t, you’ll mess up,” said Delgado.
And messing up is dangerous in a sport like gymnastics which is why these girls are in here every day for two hours perfecting their routines and teaching their bodies and minds to do new skills.
The girls high school gymnastics season is just about over for these ladies, but many of them will continue to work throughout the year on their own and learn even more skills for next season.
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