I was really moved by the story Georgia gymnast Kat Ding tells in this, one of the Know a Gymnast series of articles:
(barely)controlledchaos: A recent article on the Red and Black website says you just wanted to get away from Reno. What were you looking to get away from? What was your gymnastics experience as a child and teenager like? To be honest, I hadn’t heard of you until you landed at UGA, so I’m curious to know how such talent escaped my notice!
KAT: I was looking to get away from an environment that wasn’t suitable to a positive lifestyle. There are gangs, drugs, and just bad things that are going around there and that isn’t me. My gymnastics experience as a kid was nothing exciting or glamorous. I worked hard, cried a lot, and felt like I never got anywhere.
In the end, obviously the hard work has paid off, but there were definitely times when I was ready to quit. If it weren’t for my mom, I would have… You didn’t hear about me until I came to UGA because I wasn’t that good. I had a talented coach for a few years, but when he left to become a college coach, I coached myself practically for the last 3 years of high school. You can only do as good as you know how to be, so after I had a great year placing 2nd at nationals in the all around, I fell by the way side and just competed when I had to and practiced when I felt like it. It was amazing Jay still wanted me!! …
read the entire interview – Know a Gymnast: KAT DING
UPDATE: The link is down right now. Hopefully it will be restored soon.
That photo is from The Peripheral, a photo blog by the wonderful Kelly Lambert who covers Georgia Sports. Check it out.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 