“It’s all based on you.”
That was the word’s of head coach and founder of Troy University's new gymnastics club, Maren Settle. A sophomore sports management major from Acworth, Georgia, she started the club in August of 2023 with the help of the university parks and recs, and they have already seen success.
One thing Settle wanted to make clear early on in the interview was that anyone who had an interest in the club could join.
“That was my big goal when starting this program, I wanted it to be based on the specific gymnasts' goals and how far they want to go and take their gymnastics career,” Settle said.
“Usually it's a pretty hardcore, tough community, so with this it gives a little bit more freedom to gymnasts. So even if you’ve never even done gymnastics before, we’re there to help you out.”
The team started under Settle in August of 2023, but she’s had the vision since she enrolled at Troy. The team competes on the National Association of Intercollegiate Gymnastics Clubs (NAIGC) level, competing against schools from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The team, while being an on-campus club, has already won a regional championship, beating out teams from the University of Florida, the University of Georgia and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. The regional win also earned them a bid to the national championship out in New Mexico.
The win already was a dream start for the program, and now they’re looking to get the team to the next level. The first step in doing that is making Troy University students and people in the region aware of the gymnastics program.
Settle’s first step is holding a showcase of the recent championship winning team and having a ring ceremony for the team at home. The showcase is already set, taking place on April 14 at 4 p.m. at the Voltage Academy of Dance on 231 just down the street.
One of the gymnasts, senior Sydney Burlingame of Prattville, Alabama, juggles her time with the team while also being in her last semester of her graphic design degree. When she's not competing or practicing with the team, she is finishing her senior thesis and preparing for graduation.
“It is stressful,” said Burlingame about balancing her work with her sport. “Luckily, we are able to manage our practice schedule when needed. This past week I had to take the week off just to focus on studying and everything.”
Burlingame also echoed the sentiment of Settle, urging anyone interested in the program to just give it a try.
“Try it. Honestly, it might be a bit scary but once you start learning and figuring it out, it is so much fun,” Burlingame said.
Although it’s still in the very early stages, the team has already proved to be successful and shown there is a demand for gymnastics in the Wiregrass area. With a roster of eight gymnasts, they ended their inaugural meet season with a regional championship in Jacksonville, Florida with a score of 107.
Anyone looking to join the team and program can reach out to Settle or venture over to @troytrojansgymnastics on Instagram to find out more information.
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