Athlete Spotlight – Carolina Thompson

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This week's Athlete Spotlight features [player_tooltip player_id='4710' first='Carolina' last='Thompson'], a Junior from Xtreme Gymnastics in Missouri. Carolina shared her thoughts on her start in the sport, pre-meet routines, what she enjoys outside of the gym, and more!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>How did you get your start in gymnastics?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>I first started gymnastics because a friend of mine did it! I've been at Xtreme ever since. The funny thing is, little me chose Xtreme because I saw the pretty leotards at the front and immediately knew that was the place I wanted to go!</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>What is your favorite event or skill and why?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>My favorite event has always been beam because it's where I feel the most calm and confident. I love working on new skills over the summer and getting to add them into my routines the next season. Beam is also the event I get most excited to compete because I love showing off the skills I've been working so hard on. There's no better feeling than hitting a routine in competition and knowing I've done something I'm proud of!</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>What is the most challenging part of being a competitive gymnast?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>I think the hardest part of gymnastics is learning how to handle setbacks and not get discouraged when things don't go as planned. Sometimes skills take longer to learn than you expect, and it can be hard not to compare your progress to others. Over time, I've learned that everyone has their own journey, and it's important to focus on my own goals and trust the process.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Do you have a pre-meet routine, lucky item, or tradition?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Before every meet, I like to read my Bible. It helps calm my nerves, reminds me to trust God, and helps me get into the right mindset before competing.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Who has made the biggest impact on your gymnastics career?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>My mom has definitely had the biggest impact on my gymnastics career. Even though she might not know a lot about gymnastics, she's been my number one supporter since day one. No matter how practice or a competition goes, she always reminds me how proud she is of me and how far I've come. Having someone who supports me through the good days and the hard ones means so much to me.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>How would your teammates describe you?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>I think my teammates would describe me as hardworking, supportive, and encouraging. I try to be someone they can count on, both inside and outside of the gym. I love checking in on them, celebrating their accomplishments, and reminding them to be proud of themselves and how far they've come. I want my teammates to know that I genuinely care about them and will always be cheering them on throughout life!</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>What do you like to do when you are not in the gym?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>When I'm not in the gym, I love baking, going on walks, shopping, and spending time with my friends and family. I also enjoy reading my Bible and growing in my faith. I actually enjoy cleaning and organizing, too! I love having time to do the things I enjoy, spend time with the people I love, and recharge outside of gymnastics.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>What are you most excited for this season and beyond?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>I'm most excited to compete with my teammates and make the most of my last two years of club gymnastics. I love our team dinners after competitions because they're such a fun way to spend time together and make memories outside of the gym. I'm also excited to compete some of the new skills I've been working on and see all that hard work pay off. I really want to build consistency, keep improving, and enjoy every moment of these last two years with my team!</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>What is something our readers should know about you?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:quote --> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Something I'd want readers to know about me is that while gymnastics is a huge part of my life, the relationships I've built and the memories I've made mean just as much to me. I love supporting my teammates, celebrating their accomplishments, and being there for them beyond the gym. My faith and the people in my life are also really important to me, and I want to make the most of my time in gymnastics while continuing to grow both as a gymnast and as a person.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --></blockquote> <!-- /wp:quote --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Carolina is poised for a standout Junior season. We are excited to watch her progress this season and follow on her recruiting journey. Good luck, Carolina, from all of us at PrepGymnastics!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->