Her fingers make contact, and with their force she launches her body into air. She twists, turns, flips, and before the audience can take a breath, her feet make a precise indent in the familiar mat. She flings her arms up, and the crowd erupts.
Freshman Claire Dean has been competing with the Head Over Heels gymnastics team since she was 6-years-old. This past summer she qualified for the Elite Nationals Gymnastics Competition in Boston, MA. She competes in all four gymnastics events; vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise.
“Floor is probably my favorite to do,” Claire Dean said. “You get your own music and you get to show your own personality, so that’s really fun.”
When she was two-years-old, Claire Dean took her first gymnastics class at Kids in Motion on Piedmont Ave., but outgrew it after one year, Claire Dean said. She then turned to the circus, but because she was too young, her coach at the time, David Seiler, recommended that she join Head Over Heels.
“He’s had a very big impact,” Claire Dean said. “He was that person in the gym who was very friendly and fun and made you smile when you had a bad day.”
Although she played t-ball and soccer during this time, it was clear very early on that gymnastics was Claire Dean’s passion, Dean’s mother Karen Dean said.
“She never complained about going, hated being late and was always eager to do more,” Karen Dean said. “She enjoyed working hard to grow stronger, more flexible and learn new skills.”
Claire Dean is very hard working and has a lot of talent, said Executive Director of Head Over Heels Athletic Arts Katreece Stone, Dean’s current coach.
“[Claire Dean] can set realistic goals and does the necessary steps to achieve that goal,” Stone said.
Claire Dean said that the Elite Nationals in Boston is where gymnasts usually begin to head towards the Olympics. However, she plans to stop after competing on a team in college.
“I definitely want to stop because it takes a toll on your body,” Claire Dean said. “Already, you can tell that your back is tighter. You have to work insanely hard to stay strong and flexible to maintain not only your skills, but also to stay safe.”
Claire Dean said that gymnastics makes her feel great mentally and physically, because while doing it, there are a lot of fears she is forced to face, like getting hurt.
“I’d say it’s a lot of learning how to calm my nerves,” Claire Dean said. “Even in relation to school, I’ve learned different breathing techniques and different ways to calm down my heart, just to relax. It definitely brings in a lot of stress.”
Karen Dean said that the physical and emotional toll of gymnastics has had a huge effect on the person she is today.
“[Claire Dean has] learned to handle disappointment, to take criticism, to calm her nerves enough to perform her best, and most importantly, to accept what she cannot control,” Karen Dean said.
Claire Dean said that another reason she does not want to strive for the Olympics is that if she did, like most who choose that path, she would have to be homeschooled.
“I really like going to school,” Claire Dean said. “I enjoy learning and having friends outside of the gym.”
In order for her to have more time to train, Claire Dean said she has had to cut back on classes. She cut from 2 to 4 courses each year in middle school, but is now trying to balance a full high school schedule this year. Last year, she trained for 35 hours a week, but this year she cut it down to 28 hours so she could have more time to focus on school.
“It’s a lot, especially starting high school, which has more homework and time outside of the classroom,” Claire Dean said. “I like being a part of the school.”
It can be frustrating if certain tricks or moves are not working out, but she does not let that stop her, Claire Dean said.
“Whenever I think of quitting or stopping, I just couldn’t imagine my life without [gymnastics],” Claire Dean said.
Claire Dean said that another amazing part of gymnastics is that even though it is a very isolated sport in performance, during practice she has made friends that understand what she is going through.
“[Claire] seems to have this bright light around her that tends to bring out the best in others,” Stone said.
Because of gymnastics, Claire Dean said that she has learned to focus on the way she carries herself. Since she joined the team, she has been on the younger side and has learned how to interact with people older than her. Now, as she gets older, she is starting to learn how to interact with and give advice to people who are younger than her.
“It’s really cool to see other people take your corrections and have them actually succeed,” Claire Dean said.
Despite picking up a new leadership role in the gym, Claire Dean said that she wished that she had had time to pick up dance as a part of her life outside of school.
“I think it’d be really cool to improve my skills there,” Claire Dean said. “It’s more of your personality and it’s less restricting than gymnastics. It seems fun, something different.”
Karen Dean said that as the demands of Claire Dean’s training increased over the past few years, she has seen a lot of evidence of Claire Dean’s determination, focus, and incredible work ethic.
“She’s a bubbly, social kid who is also serious about working hard at gym and at school,” Karen Dean said.
