My Life With Olympic Dreams

When I was young, my mom worked at a cheerleading gym. I wanted to do everything the cheerleaders did. I just loved that there was this whole other world where you could defy gravity.

In addition to cheerleading, I did tae kwon do, ballet, swimming, and gymnastics. Gymnastics was my favorite. I loved the leotards, the music, and the in-between moments hanging out at the gym with my friends. All of it brought me so much joy.

The more I practiced gymnastics, the better I got. A coach told my parents that I had the potential to compete at a really high level. But it would require hard work and sacrifices. My parents have always been supportive of me, so we decided to go for it. When I was 11, we moved from our home in the Bronx in New York City to a town in New Jersey so that I could start training with a coach who worked with other serious gymnasts. I was excited about the move, but I was also sad to be leaving my hometown and my friends. At the same time, I knew I needed to commit myself 100 percent if I was going to be serious about getting better at gymnastics.

Soon after we moved to New Jersey, I started homeschooling so that I could have more time to train. Now on a typical day, I wake up at seven, eat a light breakfast, then head to the gym. About 30 other homeschooled gymnasts go to the same gym. Their ages range from 8 to 17. We train for about four hours in the morning. Our workouts include stretching, conditioning, and practicing our routines on the balance beam, bars, and mat. 

After morning practice, I eat lunch and start my online schoolwork. Most days, I’ll have a second practice in the afternoon. When I get home I spend the evening watching TV or a movie with my parents and my dog, Chachi, or FaceTiming with my friends. 

On Saturdays I often go to the gym for one-on-one training with my coach, Ashley. Ashley is very understanding when it comes to physical and mental health. She can adjust my training to help with any challenges I’m facing. She’s also great at motivating me and getting me pumped before a meet. 

For meets, my favorite events are the balance beam and the uneven bars. In gymnastics the skills, or moves, are graded accorded to how difficult they are, with A being the least difficult and E/F being the most difficult. All the skills I’m working on now are E-level skills. 

The life of an elite athlete can be hard. I can’t see my friends or family as often as I’d like. I can’t stay up late at sleepovers if I have practice in the morning. I’m homeschooled, so I’m not having a typical high school experience. And my life is going to be like this for a few more years: To get as much practice as possible, I’ll compete at state, regional, and international events. If I make it to the Olympics, I’ll be representing Barbados, because that’s where my dad’s family is from and I have dual citizenship.

Gymnastics has taught me that if you want to get better at something, you can’t just talk about it. You have to practice until you can do it almost without thinking. 

I’ve also learned not to be embarrassed to fail. Athletes can be perfectionists—but being afraid to mess up keeps you from improving. A while ago, I was competing at the Pan American Games in Brazil and I messed up one of my routines. I was so mad at myself. But at my gym we have an awesome therapist, Tracy, who taught me that failure is an opportunity to learn. My dreams aren’t over just because I messed up—there’s always another chance.

Whether or not I make it to the Olympics, I hope to graduate from high school in 2024 and go to college. After that, I know gymnastics will be a part of my life, no matter what else I wind up doing. Whether I’m on the beam or the bars or the mat, there is nothing else that makes me feel as free and happy as I did all those years ago, when I did that very first cartwheel.