Sag: How has your role on the team changed now that you are one of the older members?

Maiella: Going in, I was definitely scared and reserved because I didn’t know anybody who was on the team. It was a big change for me going from club to the high school team. Now, my role as one of the older girls is to give what the seniors had given to me; give them somebody to ask questions to, and somebody to look up to and be supportive.

Sag: What have you learned from gymnastics that you can apply to your everyday life?

Maiella: I think that you always need to work your hardest, and especially in club, you just can’t give up. There’s always going to be mental blocks that will prevent you from reaching those goals that you set for yourself and your coaches set for you, and you just have to move past those blocks and be able to accomplish what you want.

Sag: How do you prepare yourself for competitions?

Maiella: In my club gymnastics, my little sister did it with me so we would talk with each other when we through what I am going to do in my head and running though all my routines. Also, just listening to soft music and your floor routine music and going through the motions.

Sag: Do you think gymnastics is more of a physical or mental sport?

Maiella: I think it’s both. It’s physical in the sense that it’s an incredibly hard work out. You’re constantly going-cardio, flexibility, everything. It’s mental in the fact that people have personal mental blocks. If you have this one thing in your head telling you you can’t do it, then you won’t be able to do it. It’s very mental in the sense that you need to push past those.

Sag: How have you improved at gymnastics since your freshman year?

Maiella: In general, I think I’ve been attempting a lot harder skills. You really want to help the team, and do your best. It really pushes you to develop your harder skills, and perform for your team.

Vanessa Chin can be contacted at [email protected].