When junior Evelyn Roessler got her back handspring on the high beam for the first time, she knew she would love what she was doing.
At age seven, Evelyn began to realize that she wanted to be active in her free time. Over time, she tried different options and ultimately learned that, while soccer didn’t suit her, gymnastics did.
“My teammates and the bond I have with them is the biggest part of what I love about it,” Evelyn said. “I’m always laughing when I’m there. In some sports, you get there, and it’s like, ‘I don’t want to be here.’ I tried soccer when I was younger, and that’s the feeling I’d always get from it, but with gymnastics, I’m always laughing with my teammates, and I’m always smiling when I’m there.”
One of the largest factors in participating in a sport, regardless of whether one loves it or not, is the emotional interpretation of that sport.
Evelyn understands that, with time, her love for being a gymnast has evolved into something greater than it once was.
“I think the whole reason I started was the fact that I liked to be really active as a kid,” Evelyn said. “From then on, it’s grown from a hobby to something I’m genuinely really passionate about.”
The mentality is, of course, a major factor in the overall enjoyment of the sport, but one must also consider the physicality components.
As a gymnast, there are many things that one must implement into their life in order to persist through the hardships, and Evelyn tends to focus on the events that make her the most comfortable.
“I really like the feeling of floor,” Evelyn explained. “You can completely be yourself, and it’s something that makes you really confident if you do well on it. Getting new skills on floor is super fun too; being able to put it into an actual routine and perform it for people is really fun. In terms of events, floor is definitely my favorite and beam is my least favorite. [Most of all,] I just love to gain new skills and bond with my teammates, and the meets are really fun since we’re all hyping each other up.”
With every sport comes its stressors, and gymnastics is no exception. The nature of the sport itself is one which requires effort continuously.
Evelyn can attest to the impact that these stressors can have, but she overcomes each one as best she knows how.
“I didn’t know if I was going to be able to move up to a new level,” Evelyn explained, “and I knew I didn’t want to be in the same level that I was. I was thinking of switching to another program, but then what brought me back was the bond I had with my teammates. You grow up with them, you go through all of the challenges [and successes] with them, so it’s really hard to just let that go.”
Regardless of one’s ability, there is always room to improve, and Evelyn understands that.
Evelyn also understands, though, that there are going to be downfalls no matter where she is in her journey; however, that’s what keeps her going.
“It’s cliche, but failure is what’s going to make you stronger,” Evelyn said. “If you get a skill the first time you try it, it’s not that big of a deal. You don’t feel satisfied with yourself. But, if you’ve been working on a skill for a year and finally get it, then it’s going to feel a lot more rewarding. If you keep working, you’re going to get to reach your goals. Injuries can even help you improve, too, so the hardships can be what bring you to your successes.”
Perseverance through the darkness is what pushes Evelyn to be her best self, both in and out of the gym.
Her mindset through her gymnastics career has grown into something that she now lives by: just keep pushing.
“There’ll be times when you really want to quit,” Evelyn said. “It’s such a fun sport, but there’ll be times when you can’t get a skill or think everybody’s doing better than you. If you push through, it’s worth it. You will get to that level, and you will reach your goals. You just have to keep pushing [to get there].”
