[nggallery id=82]The Missouri state gymnastics meet in Springfield had finally arrived, and it was what all level 8 to 10 gymnasts spend their year preparing for in hopes of qualifying for regionals. STA freshman, Kennedy Reller, is one of those gymnasts. She had been scoring between well on all of the events, and her best event, bars, was next to come.

‘In warm ups, I had a really bad fall of the high bar,’ Reller said. ‘I landed on my back and neck, and I didn’t know if I was going to be okay or not. Regardless, I was going to compete.’

Reller continued in the competition despite her fall, and says she ended up competing well.

‘My head was pounding, and my back was hurting, but I was going to go to regionals style no matter what.’ Reller said.

Reller is a high-level editorializing gymnast at Eagles Gymnastics in Kansas City, MO. She has been doing gymnastics there competitively since she was 7 years old. At state, she ended up winning bars with a 9.55 and fourth in the state which qualified her for regionals.

‘My coach told me that that was the best possible fall I could have taken,’ Reller said.

According to Ms. Lesley Reller, Kennedy’s mom, a gymnast at this level will typically train for 20 hours a week. Monday through Thursday training is four hours, and on Saturdays, it is four and a half.

‘On weekdays, I get home at about 8 p.m.,’ Reller said. ‘I eat as soon as I get home, take a shower, then do my work. I usually go to bed between 10:30 and 11:30 depending on the amount of work I have.’

Every school day, Kennedy leaves at 2:15 to go to practice which starts at 3, and she does not take P.E or an elective.

‘I am in complete support of Kennedy and her leaving school early,’ said Lesley. ‘It’s a parent’s job to be that way. As far as P.E, I’m not too concerned about her getting physical activity because of gymnastics, and she took the health portion of P.E last semester.’

According to the STA administration, Kennedy will have to make up the credits for the electives that she’s missing some other year during the time she’s at St. Teresa’s.

“The administration has made it easy for us,’ said Mrs. Reller. ‘They have been very flexible and helpful and have been very accommodating to our schedule.’

In 2011 already, Kennedy has attended five meets and has traveled out of state to different cities primarily across the Midwest.

‘It’s really hard to balance school and gymnastics,’ Reller said. ‘I have missed a few days this year from traveling to out of town meets like Colorado and Chicago, and I’m always so busy.’

According to friend, STA freshman Maddie Knopke, Kennedy has to be very disciplined and use her time wisely.

‘She’s always busy,’ said Knopke said. ‘During her frees she is always trying to get as much homework done as possible because gym prevents her from having any extra time. She gets stressed sometimes and feels time-crunched.’

According to teacher, Carrie Jacquin, despite her involvement in gymnastics and the time that she misses, she still has to get work done and turn in things the same time others do. When she does miss school, she has to either do the work before or make it up.

‘I have to be able to communicate with my teacher really well,’ said Reller. ‘It hasn’t been a problem yet because the teachers are all very understanding.’