Gymnastics is a sport that takes dedication, rhythm, flexibility and passion. Gymnastics Olympians from recent years have inspired many to pursue a sport that encompasses flying through the air — and there is no shortage of avid flyers at NC State. The NC State Gymnastics Club acts as a platform for students of all skill levels and knowledge to participate in the sport.
This semester the club is taking on a more recreational style, rather than the competitive one that used in past years. The club vice president, Jordan Jerread, a second-year studying industrial design, is excited about the changes and the possibility of the team’s growth. He believes the next couple of years are going to be the time to join.
“To make it more recreational, we have some of the competitive members sit aside during practice and work with the rec members, spotting them as needed or working on certain skills,” Jerread said. “Being a coach I like it a lot. I used to coach and I missed it, and the rec members seem to enjoy it [the practices].”
On a competitive level, the team will go to meets and be separated into both beginner and intermediate categories. However, the entire team, including the purely recreational gymnasts, continues to practice together.
NC State’s Gymnastics Club practices three times a week, and their practices generally have been self-guided but now offer more collaboration and instruction. The team practices at both Carmichael Gym and an off-campus gym once a week with three main coaches, who are NC State and Gymnastics Club alumnus respectively.
Joining the club sport is not limited to lifelong gymnasts, as the club hosts a mix of students who are brand new to the sport, more formally-trained gymnasts, and all those in between. Stephanie Menten, a second-year studying geology, acts as the Gymnastics Club’s secretary, and has the job of attendance taking at practices. Recently Menten noticed a large increase of newcomers.
“We usually have a lot freshman come for a few weeks and drop, but now it’s 40 to 50 people coming consistently to practices, which is great,” Menten said. “The cool thing about the gymnastics club is you don’t have to have any skill, if you just want learn a backflip you can come and learn a backflip.”
Outside of practices, the team fundraises for nationals by hosting percentages nights at favorite restaurants. More fundraising ideas are in the works, such as a raffle night to raise money for plane tickets to nationals this year, and the possibility of a gymnastics training camp for young children in the area. After a typical Thursday night practice, the team can be found refueling at the Cook Out on Western Boulevard.
Gymnastics is one of the cheaper sports clubs to join here at NC State, as fees are only $40, not including a separate fee for nationals. This year, nationals will be held in Texas, and is an experience Jerrad highly recommends attending.
“Last year we drove up for four nights in April with only 14 of us,” Jerread said. “During the walk out at the beginning of the meet it was so surreal… there were 1,500 gymnasts there from schools all over the country.”
The club has a fairly even mix of both men and women. Jerread, who has been in gymnastics his whole life, notices the steep decline of men’s gymnastics and appreciates the amount of men that come out to practices and join the team.
Even before the transformation to a more recreational club sport, the club remains open to those interested in the sport, as well as to those seeking a positive community of which to partake in.
“Really, when I came to the club last year, I didn’t have that much knowledge of gymnastics,” Menten said. “I want people to come in and feel welcomed, and hope it inspires a love of gymnastics.”
As listed on their Get Involved at NC State interest page, and originally from taken from the National Association of Intercollegiate Gymnastics Clubs, the club’s motto reads “For the Love of the Sport.” Simply put, NC State’s Gymnastics Club loves gymnastics, and welcomes others to love it too.
