Troy University’s gymnastics team strikes again, taking home their second regional championship win last weekend in their second year of competing.
The team traveled to University of Georgia, competing against various teams across the southeast region including Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and more.
“I could have never imagined that it would turn into this,” said Merin Settle, a junior sports management major from Atlanta, who is also the president, coach and creator of the gymnastics team.
“The positive atmosphere we’ve created is 10 out of 10 stellar, and I couldn't ask for anything better.”
Settle was overjoyed when she first heard the news her team won the regional championship.
“The girls said you couldn’t wipe the smile off my face,” Settle said.
“I'm definitely proud of how far they’ve come and what they’ve created.
“With this team, we started from the bottom and made our way up, and it’s so cool to include our Trojan nation and Troy family in on it.”
Settle has been involved with gymnastics since the age of two. Unfortunately, a career-ending injury brought her competing days to an end.
Settle suffered a total hip dislocation and a spinal twist of 270 degrees. She then began coaching in high school, developing a heartfelt passion for it.
“That ended things for me, and I had to call it quits in that realm, but I think my one true love is coaching,” Settle said. “It’s what I've enjoyed, and it definitely is where I think I was meant to be.
“Sometimes things like that can turn into something even more beautiful, so I'm very thankful this is how it turned out.”
Amy Treloar, a sophomore early childhood education major from Montgomery, Alabama, placed first in vault, bars and all-around categories and second in floor.
Treloar has been involved in gymnastics since the age of two. However, she took a six-year gap during middle and high school but got involved again after coming to Troy.
“Gymnastics is my roots, and I've always loved it,” Treloar said. “I was super excited to see I still had the skills from when I was younger even though I had such a large gap in between.
“Gymnastics has been a way for me to have fun. I go out there, I just flip and get out a lot of energy I've built up throughout the day sitting in classes.”
Treloar shares her pre-competition tradition she does before competing.
“I love to listen to a certain playlist I have,” Treloar said. “I used to listen to these songs on my way to competitions, and now I'm preparing myself for competitions at this age listening to the same songs.
“They remind me of being a child, and it’s kind of healing that inner child in myself.”
Treloar shared the main thing that is most challenging about being a gymnast.
“Gymnastics is a mental sport,” Treloar said. “The hardest aspect of gymnastics is not the physicality of it, but the mentality of it.”
Kayla Burrell, a sophomore exercise science pre-health major from Marbury, Alabama, placed third in beam and vault.
“It's very exciting to hear that you placed,” Burrell said. “Gymnastics was the first sport I ever loved, so being able to get back into it and still being able to place where I was placing when I was younger is fun.”
Burrell shared one of the most enjoyable aspects of being involved with this team of girls.
“There are so many things to enjoy,” Burrell said. “When we get everyone together for practice, it’s a lot of fun.
“We just build off each other energy-wise, and we can’t ever stop laughing.”
Follow the team’s Instagram @troytrojansgymnastics to keep an eye out for upcoming events.
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