We took turns hoisting the trophy.
Standing there in our cotton championship tee shirts.
Our white leotards sparkled against the camera flashes.
Our families cheered.
My teammates screamed.
I was so dang proud of them.
I just wanted to soak it all in.
A childhood spent dreaming and training.
Four college years competing.
One year recovering.
Then a final year reaching for this.
I bawled.
In one moment, my childhood dream transformed into my favorite memory.
Most athletes will win lots of games or meets.
Few will get the chance to become a champion.
Gratitude doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel.
We won the first national championship in LSU gymnastics history.
As amazing as that moment was, it wasn’t the only thing that made my last year so special.
My final year was the most authentic “Sav Season” I could’ve asked for.
I competed with women who dared to set big goals.
My teammates were just the most amazing humans to be around.
I felt so loved by them.
And I got one more chance to compete in the sport I’ve loved more than anything.
Sometimes I let myself relish in that memory because there were many moments in my career when I thought I’d never get to compete for a title again.
I’ve faced a lot of hardships.
If my younger self could know all the adversity I’d face would pay off, I think it would have made going through all of those moments so much easier.
But since I can’t tell her that, I want to encourage you instead.
Wherever you’re at right now is exactly where you’re meant to be.
I hope my story helps you understand why.
Finding the reason
Before transferring to LSU as a sixth-year athlete, I spent five seasons at Florida.
Signing with a prestigious program like Florida was a dream come true back then.
When I was 10 years old, my mom and I moved to Maryland (from Georgia) to pursue my Olympic dream.
My parents stayed together but were willing to sacrifice living together in order for me to go after this dream.
I've always wanted to be an Olympian. Even as a little girl.
But after four years, I fractured my back which kind of ended my Olympic dream at the time and shifted my focus towards college gymnastics.
When I was little, I’d go to collegiate meets and point at every gymnast and think “I want to be just like her.”
When the Olympics were seemingly out of reach, Florida gave me a chance to be 'her.'
My fifth year at UF was supposed to be my final season.
Then I broke my foot the day before our first competition of the season.
I fell down a flight of stairs on the way to the weight room.
I was in some of the best physical and gymnastic shape going into the season, so I was kind of in denial at first.
I thought I could walk it off and still compete.
But then I went to the training room and found out it was broken.
That was super tough to hear.
I remember thinking it was the end of the world for quite some time.
But I wasn’t going to let myself wallow.
Where I am is where I am meant to be.
This happened for a reason. Even though it was really difficult for me to understand why, I trusted the journey.
Embracing My Platform
My injury gave me a chance to step back (well, not literally), and reflect on my role as an NCAA gymnast.
How could I use my platform to advocate for others?
I’ve always had a big heart, and content creation gave me a vehicle to impact the world around me.
I started to share my experiences as a student-athlete to encourage my audience to embrace their authentic selves.
From social media, I ventured into the business world.
A bunch of ideas later, I created Charms 4 Change to foster support for causes especially close to my heart.
The proceeds from the hairpins support LGBTQ+, mental health awareness, racial justice, and eating disorder awareness. C4C is just the beginning. I’m not sure where I’ll end up after I graduate this summer, but I know I'll find and use my voice in each new space.
Now that I’ve embraced my platform, I can’t wait to see where it leads me.
As strange as it is to say at times, I am grateful for the injury, as it led me to where I am now.
It allowed me to flourish into the person I am today and am continuously becoming.
If it wasn’t for my injury, I may not have taken the leap to start C4C.
I never would’ve visited LSU — the place that truly allowed me to thrive as an individual and turned me into the absolute happiest version of myself.
And lastly, I definitely wouldn’t be writing this story as a national champion.
I’ll leave you with this
It’s okay if your journey has looked totally different than mine.
You’re exactly where you’re meant to be.
Embrace the frustrations.
Embrace the unexpected opportunities.
Celebrate the trophies.
Appreciate the friends who celebrate you.
Stay true to you.
You’re doing just fine.
