Farragut gymnast earns national recognition
But few have been as mind-blowing as what 13-year-old Elle, a Farragut resident, accomplished earlier this spring
On May 1, she took part in the USA Gymnastics Level 9 Eastern National Championships, competing as an individual and as a part of the Region 9 Jr. 4 team.
“Gymnastics is a very elite sport, so even for the best of the best it’s hard to be at the top,” Whitney Skaalerud said. “You can be so close to the top, and there’s such a fine line in the rankings. It’s almost like winning a lottery because all the cards have to fall into place for it to work out.”
Competing out of GymTek Academy for head coach Boo Ellis, Elle Skaalerud competed at the state level in Clarksville on March 21. Her all-around score, which is a combined score for vault, bars, beam and floor events, advanced her on to
the Region 8 championships on April 12 in Bradenton, Florida.
There, Elle Skaalerud competed against gymnasts hailing from states across the Southeast, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and, of course, Tennessee.
Once again, she advanced by way of her all-around score, this time propelling her on to the USA Gymnastics Level 9 Eastern National Championships. As noted, she competed as an individual but also as part of the team on the first day of May.
“Any one of the girls on her team could have succeeded,” Whitney Skaalerud said. “All these girls work so hard, no change in their practice schedule, practicing four days a week for three-and-a-half hours. It’s really hard to make it to the next round, and it’s so small of a chance.
“For me to watch her grow through the years, to see that kind of discipline and
self-control to continue something that’s that hard and takes up your whole calendar, it’s amazing to watch the self-discipline and perseverance she has.”
At the final event, Elle
Skaalerud was one of just 15 total girls from different age groups to represent the Volunteer State. Moreover, she was
the only athlete to represent the state on the Region 8 Level 9 Junior 4 team, which claimed first place with gymnasts’ combined
all-around scores for the Junior 4 age group.
“I was kind of expecting her to make regionals, but when she made nationals, I was just like, ‘Wow,’” Whitney Skaalerud said. “I don’t
know if I could do something for a whole year the way she does. To me, the life lessons are more than just winning the competition. You have to keep doing it even when you’re having a mental block, and for me, that’s the coolest part to watch.”
