Annika Parry: USAG L9

My name is Annika Parry, I am 16 years old, and a gymnast at Performance Elite Gymnastics in La Crosse, WI.  Last season I competed through the Midwest Amateur Gymnastics Association (MAGA) and hope to compete as a level 10 in USA Gymnastics next season. It is my goal to compete in college gymnastics while furthering my academic career. I made the decision that I wanted to pursue a higher level of gymnastics after switching gyms last summer. Following that, I suffered a knee injury that not only halted my competition season, but also took a toll on my motivation and love for the sport. Thankfully surgery was not needed, and I am now almost back to 100% mentally, and physically.

As an athlete, I have been doing gymnastics since I was 3 years old.  I competed and trained with the La Crosse Illusions YMCA gymnastics team for 12 years until my coach retired last year. I am the 2019 YMCA Level 8 All Around WI State Champion and also earned a level 8 All-American title that same year at the YMCA National Championships.  I am now a level 9 training with Performance Elite Gymnastics under Aaron Ross. Since switching to my current gym, I have found a deeper purpose in my gymnastics and am really pushing myself to be the best I can. I now train over double the amount of time I did at the YMCA, about 22 hours a week. As of last season, I was on my club’s highest team, which competed through MAGA and took second place in division 1. Next year I plan to compete through USA Gymnastics in order to participate in a more competitive atmosphere. Outside of gymnastics, I enjoy lifting at the gym and going on occasional runs with my dog. 

Academically, I am a sophomore at West Salem High School in West Salem WI.  I have a 4.0 cumulative GPA and am currently ranked 2nd in my class of 148.  My favorite subjects are Math and Science.  Last year I decided to attend school virtually due to the current situation with COVID-19, and so I could focus more on gymnastics.  I plan on continuing online schooling this year as well as taking several college classes through the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. My goal is to maintain my academic standing while also improving my gymnastics. I am not certain what area of study I want to pursue yet, but I am interested in a career in the medical field.  Collegiate gymnastics can give me the opportunity to pursue my athletic goals as well as continue my education at a higher level.  I would love the opportunity to show you my desire to excel at both!