Congratulations Emily Golden, our 2018 International Gymnastic Camp Gymnast of the Year. Emily, in a short time has had an amazing career in the sport. When she was nominated for this award she had only been in the sport for 3 years! Emily started gymnastics as a 10 year old in 2015. She has been a fan of gymnastics since she was little; infatuated with the sport, studying, watching, and practicing gymnastics in her house and backyard with the instruction of YouTube videos only!
Emily had quite a talent and skill for this sport, gymnastics, which ‘aint easy, if it were, they would have called it football! Emily was able to advance from a recreational gymnast to competitive gymnast in a single year! Her talent and knack and ability to quickly learn complex gymnastic skills not only impressed and whoaed her coaches, she was forging ahead at light speed. Despite a broken elbow in this first year of competition which set her back four months, Emily was able to test out of compulsories to move onto her next chapter - a career in optional gymnastics; where cartwheels become aerials, clear-hips become stalders, and handsprings become flips. These new optional level skills seemed to come natural to Emily as she proved to excel in this new chapter.
Emily’s short optional career spanned just 2 years where she was a Level 8 gymnast in 2017 and a Level 9 competitive athlete in 2018. As a level 8, Emily placed 4th or better in the AA in all of her competitions and as a level 9, she not only won the AA in most every meet, she swept her competition on the individual events as well. Emily’s talent and hard work was paying off.
Although Emily’s gymnastic achievements and awards are extraordinary, her merits and worthiness of this award reaches much further. Just as Emily has approached her gymnastics with form and elegance, these traits carry on with her relationships with teammates, coaches and family. Emily is not only a champion in this sport, she is a champion all around shining like a bright light for all to follow. Emily is our 2018 Gymnast of The Year. Congratulations Emily!
