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04/23/2024 11:22 AMEmma Reilly craves the competition when it comes to gymnastics, but she also enjoys the free flowing and creative elements of the sport. Both of those facets of the mat blended together quite well to give her the atmosphere and fuel to fire her to a tremendous selection to an elite club.
The Valley Regional freshman grew up playing softball and soccer, as she is currently also a goalkeeper for the Warriors. Yet later on, her parents signed her up for gymnastics, and she was hooked right from the start. After being part of a Valley gymnastics team that captured a Shoreline Conference crown this past winter, Emma was also selected to be part of the Connecticut Super 7 Team to represent the Nutmeg State in regional competition for USA Gymnastics. At the states meet, she took tops in the vault (9.4 score), bars (9.525), floor (9.6), and also took home the all-around crown with a cumulative tally of 37.2.
“Going into the states meet to qualify for the team, I was nervous the whole time, but my friends just told me I could make the team,” says Emma. “Making the Super 7 Team was my goal this year, and it was an honor to be selected to the team, wear the leotard, and represent the state. I love the competitiveness of gymnastics, and I am also drawn to the floor routine and just having fun with it doing my own thing. I love flipping and tumbling and seeing what happens. I am a perfectionist with my routines, but everyone is so supportive of me.”
Stepping up to the high school scene this season, Emma realized she had to raise her game and spirit another level while balancing the entertainment and competition realms. She decided to enhance her training time to 12 months while pushing herself further.
“I realized this year that this sport is not just for fun in order to be successful; you have to want to compete to win,” says Emma. “It is such a competitive team here and at the high school level. I feel this year compared to past years I got so much stronger in my events. I also became more dedicated to it over the summer and set myself to higher standards.”
Many other gymnasts may have a certain level of fear or trepidation when it comes to running full steam ahead into the vault. Such is not the case for Emma, who races right to any challenge rather than shirking it aside. When it comes to being out in the open on the floor, she is simply drawn to the art of the dance and supplying grins to the judges.
“I feel I am a powerful vaulter, and I think it is fun to run at the vault at max speed and flip over the table,” Emma says. “I have never been scared to do the vault, but the floor is my favorite. I love the dancing aspect of it and then seeing the smiles on the judges’ faces.”
When her gymnastics training intersects with the soccer pitch during the fall, Emma wears herself thin physically with lengthy afternoons oscillating between the field and gym. Yet she is a true gamer and loves the grind to help bring about resounding results.
“During soccer season, I go from the soccer games back to the gym, and so I always had double practices,” says Emma. “Even the week before school started, we had conditioning and running drills. We had this exercise called ‘Around the World’ where we had to make it around the gym by going through certain obstacles. I like the high school season, because it made me try new skills and see the higher level of competition. It is really challenging at times, but it is so much fun.”
She adds, though, that despite playing seemingly diametrically opposing sports, one hand washes the other when it comes to putting herself in peak physical condition. Certainly satisfied with making the Super squad this season, she is not showing any signs of slowing down moving forward.
“My goal this year was to make regionals, so I was very excited to make it,” Emma says. “The high school season was an eye-opening experience, but I do not want to stop with the sport, because I love it so much. It is so challenging, but I think a lot of sports help out others when it comes to staying in shape and strengthening your skills.”
Valley Regional gymnastics Head Coach Monica Bauer was certainly not surprised but plenty pleased when learning of Emma’s selection to the Super 7 squad. She explains Emma is an individual who certainly has events that play to her strengths.
“Emma has been working hard; she is strong and powerful and she shines on the floor,” says Bauer. “She did so well at her state competition that she qualified as part of the regional gymnastics team that will go on to represent CT.”
Another thing that certainly enhances Emma’s enjoyment of the game is that she sees it as a sanctuary from outside pressures of her life. She concludes that as long as you cast no doubt in your head and truly have a passion for the gym, anything is possible.
“Gymnastics is its own place; if you are having a bad day, you do not bring it to the gym,” says Emma. “It is a place to have fun and work out. You can do anything there. You just have to never give up and clear your mind. You have to have a good attitude and open mind for gymnastics, and it is something I look forward to every day.”