At a mere 12 years of age Skyler Check has become a role model. In this young stage of her life there are many reasons other young people look up to her.
When she was three years old, Check was participating in dance classes and had taken a gymnastics class. She continued with dance classes until she was 10 years old, when she felt she wanted a new and different challenge.
Having had some experience with gymnastics and enjoying it, she decided that competitive gymnastics may be just what she was looking for, and two months later she was competing.
She has been very successful in her gymnastics career to this point, with many accolades.
Although the preparation to compete and her schedule are very demanding, she is determined to reach the goals she sets for herself.
“Every week USA Gymnastics ranks athletes on events and levels. After her first meet she was ranked 19th in the World in USA Gymnastics for her level on balance beam,” states her mom, Ashley Rinn.
Check trains at TNT Gymnastics in Waukon, Iowa, and travels to their new state-of-the-art gymnasium in Prairie du Chien, Wis., when possible.
Check trains year-round with her coach Kristen Brooks, usually one to two days per week for three hours at a time at TNT Gymnastic in Waukon, and travels to Prairie de Chien for special training in the new facility.
The hours spent training, traveling to her training facility and traveling to competitions along with her studies as a member of the seventh grade in Lanesboro, Minn., and multiple other activities such as basketball, volleyball, JO volleyball, track, FFA, 4-H, band, choir, showing horses and occasionally participating in rodeos would be overwhelming for some.
“It can be very challenging to make everything work,” says Rinn, but her daughter is resolute on making it work.
“I’m so impressed by her hard work and drive,” states Rinn. “It’s many long, grueling car rides from one sport to the next, homework in the car, giving up activities, and I’m very proud of her,” Rinn comments.
This year alone Check has competed in several gymnastics competitions with impressive results as follows:
• January 11, Chow’s Invitational, Des Moines, Iowa; 1415 gymnasts competed. 1st – Balance Beam, score 9.750; 3rd – Floor, score 9.100; 5th – Beam, score 9.150; 11th – Vault, score 7.450; 6th – All Around, score 35.450.
• February 15, Winter Wonderland Invitational, Coralville, Iowa; 720 gymnasts competed. 1st – Bars, score 9.6; 1st – Beam, score 9.6; 2nd – Floor, score 9.3; 3rd – Vault, score 9.3; 2nd – All Around, score 37.6.
• February 22, Dairy Aire Invitational, Madison, Wis.; 754 gymnasts competed. 3rd – Bars, score 9.3; 5th – Beam, score 9.550; 4th – Vault, score 9.1; 10th – Vault, score 9.150; 11th – All Around, score 37.1.
• March 8, Lambeau Leap Invitational, Green Bay, Wis.; 648 gymnasts competed. 3rd – Floor, score 9.350; 3rd – Vault, score 9.200; 8th – Bars, score 9.350; 8th – Beam, score 8.950; 3rd – All Around, score 36.850.
• March 24, State Gymnastics Championship, Madison, Wis. 3rd – Floor, score 9.250; 4th – Beam, score 9.0; 5th – Bars, score 9.350; 5th – Vault, score 8.925; 9th – All Around, score 36.25. Earned a place in Regional Championship.
• April 20, Regional Championship, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; 2137 gymnasts competed. 2nd – Beam, score 9.550; 10th – Bars, score 9.025; 12th – Vault, score 9.125; 16th – Floor, 9.050; 13th – All Around, score 36.750.
Check was very excited about competing at the Regional Championship and realizes that not all gymnasts get the opportunity. “I was very nervous, but did my best,” states Check. “I love doing my floor routine to the song by Lady Gaga, Poker Face. I love to get the crowd going,” she says.
Check will continue to work hard to reach her goals and plans to compete in gymnastics when she goes to college, but her long term goal is to compete in the Olympics. With her work ethic and determination to not let anything stand in the way of her dreams, Check is not only a role model for children, she is a role model for all of us.
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