Representing your school on your own can be a lot of pressure for a young athlete, especially in a sport like gymnastics that requires a lot of precision and balance. Guilford senior Ella Esposito competes as a team of one who trains with the Hand gymnastics team and has made tremendous strides on the mat to represent Guilford well throughout her tenure.

Ella was drawn to the mat at a young age, and it became something she fell in love with and never looked back.

“I have been doing gymnastics for 13 years. I was really energetic as a child,” says Ella. “My mom put me in a gymnastics class, and I really liked it.”

On Feb. 4, Ella and the Hand gymnastics team competed at the Southern Connecticut Conference (SCC) Championships. She finished fourth overall for beam with a final score of 8.7, and fifth overall for the all-around with a final score of 33.9. Ella was also named SCC Gymnast of the Year for the 2022-23 season.

In her time away from representing Guilford on the mat, Ella certainly keeps herself busy. She competes for ABC Gymnastics in Niantic, which is a private club. She also dives for a private dive club and participates on the outdoor track and field team for Guilford High School, primarily in the High Jump event.

Head Coach Kelly Smith has been blown away by the progress Ella has made over her time as a gymnast for the Grizzlies and recognizes the challenges that come with being the solo athlete to represent your school.

“She was the highest all-around scoring senior, which was one of the factors for her to be chosen as the All-SCC Athlete of the Year,” says Smith. “We also took into consideration that because she is an independent athlete, that makes things a lot harder. When you have a team and program that is with your school, it takes a lot on her ownership of her gymnastics to come with Hand and compete by herself.”

Smith also notes that Ella made a commitment to the Tigers and their school, despite having been competing as an individual for the past four years. She also admires Ella for her ability to effectively balance all of her life activities.

“She has a lot on her plate; she competes for ABC Gymnastics in addition to high school,” says Smith. “She is also a diver through a private dive club. She is also a student and balances a lot on her plate all at the same time. She is pretty easygoing, always smiling, laughing, joking in the gym while also working.”

Not only did Ella earn the distinction of SCC Gymnast of the Year, but she was also named to the 2022-23 All-Conference team. She has a strong relationship with her fellow gymnasts, who have helped her to always put her best foot forward and never give up.

“It is so much fun, and I love it so much. I am really happy that we get to train with the Hand team because there are a lot of great girls, they have been my friends since I was little,” says Ella. “They are all really welcoming, and I try to keep everyone working hard during practice. We all like to cheer each other on and be positive, even on our bad days.”

On Feb. 25, Ella competed at the Class S State Championship, where she qualified for the State Open Championship for both bars and beam. Although she’s a strong all-around gymnast, Smith believes she is exceptional on the beam.

“She is a pretty solid all-around kid; she competes in all four events. I think her standout event is probably beam,” says Smith. “She jumps really well; she is sky-high off the balance beam. She has full amplitude in her positioning and is pretty steady on the four-inch balance beam. I think that is definitely one of her strengths.”

Gymnastics can really weigh on the body and put a lot of physical strain on an athlete. Ella can relate to this sentiment, as she has had to face injuries throughout her career as well as pauses in the sport she loves.

“I had a back injury a few years ago, so I had to take a few months off from gymnastics. COVID was also a struggle because my old gym shut down, so we had to go somewhere new,” says Ella. “I am really grateful that I ended up at ABC; it is a great gym.”

On March 4, Ella competed at the State Open Championships in New Milford, Connecticut, a meet that separates the elite-level talent from the rest. Prior to the meet, she was nervous and had high expectations for herself.

“I am hoping to make First Team All-State; that is my goal and maybe even New England’s,” says Ella. “I am really excited that I made it to State Opens.”

Making it to New England’s is exactly what Ella did, as she performed one of her best balance beam routines and identified herself as one of the best gymnasts in the region. Ella scored a 9.2 on beam for ninth place, and tied for 13th place on bars with a score of 8.0. After making First Team All-State, she will next be competing in the New England meet, which will take place on Saturday, March 11, in Pinkerton, New Hampshire.

“I am super exited to travel to New Hampshire and to compete with all the great gymnasts around New England that will be there,” says Ella.

Ella is currently committed to Fordham University where she will be on the diving team but knows she will miss gymnastics.