Tumbling Into the Future

by Debbie Gaylord

​Young Gymnast Emerson Hurst Receives
​Full Ride College Scholarship

     ​It is safe to say the future is bright for Emerson Hurst, a dynamic 17 year-old gymnast from St. Johns. She recently returned from the Junior Olympic Nationals in Ohio where she was one of the top competing gymnasts; placing 2nd on Beam, 3rd on Bars, 3rd on Floor, 11th on Vault and 13th All Around. In June she graduated from Bartram Trail High School and has accepted a full-ride scholarship to Towson University in Baltimore, Maryland where she will compete on the gymnastics team this Fall.  
In this highly competitive sport that requires singular strength, fearlessness, sacrifice and determination how did Emerson reach this level as an athlete?
     The journey began at age 4 when she started classes at Starlight Gymnastics in Mandarin. She was invited to join Starlight’s developmental team program when she was about 8 years old and eventually worked her way up to the highest level team. In 10th grade she began training 25-27 hours each week at the gym taking academic classes through the Florida Virtual School.  
Emerson attributes her success to over a decade of training with coaches Vessy Danailova, Owner of Starlight Gymnastics, and Cheri Gillikin.  “Being part of the team at Starlight is like being part of a family and my coaches are more than just coaches”.  She says they taught her values like loyalty and how to work toward her goals. “I will miss them. But I’ll be back to visit,” she adds with a smile.

​     Coaches are an integral part dealing with challenges as well.  Athletes like Emerson perform double-backflips, full-twisting layouts, aerials on the beam and front flips off the bars. Fear is inevitable but overcoming that fear is a necessity.  A good coach understand this mental aspect of the sport.  When Emerson was first on the Starlight team she was terrified of back tumbling.  Coaches Cheri and husband Gill Gillikin worked with her over and over on a double backflip, first on the tumble track with spotting, then moving to belt spotting until finally she was ready to do it every time without help.  Today Emerson works a double back twisting flip with ease into her floor routine, and a triple series on the beam that includes a front-aerial, back-handspring and back layout combination!  I guess you could say she overcame the mental block.
      This past year early in the season she suffered a shoulder injury caused by the repetitive stress of a difficult move on the bars called a Tkatchev.  Rather than get surgery during the competitive season, she got the go-ahead from her doctor and waited until the season was over.  This meant ignoring the pain, which was no easy task. But she was determined to be able to compete at Nationals and will heal in time to compete at Towson University.  In order to keep up her strength she does intense conditioning exercises at Starlight 2-3 days per week.
    Emerson said she has always maintained her love of gymnastics and is grateful to her Mom who, before every meet would say, “go have fun!”. She says young gymnasts should focus on working hard to improve skills but remember to always do what you love.  When you accomplish a goal, celebrate it!
    Emerson was recently tagged in the top 10 most anticipated incoming college freshman to watch on beam.  She says she is looking forward to college level competition and helping her team.  She will be busy studying sports management with a minor in business. Who knows, Maybe someday she will own her own gymnastics gym just like Starlight!