She flew through the air, dismounted and waited. Could this Fort Mill gymnast repeat?
Fort Mill High sophomore Jordan Halcom, 16, recently placed first in the level 8 senior division at the regional gymnastics meet in Athens, Ga.
It's familiar territory for Halcom, who won at level 7 last year.
Halcom said she put her best effort forward at the competition and felt pleased with her performance, but it wasn’t until after the meet that she learned that she repeated as a region champion.
“One of my friends came over to tell me that I won,” she said. “Hearing that I won was great news, but I was so happy and thankful that I had the opportunity to be there and compete.”
Although she trains for 21 hours every week, she doesn’t mind dedicating her time and energy to something she loves. Her parents, Tommy and Cheryl Halcom, think Jordan’s love for the sport is why she excels in it.
“Even though gymnastics can be a demanding sport, Tommy and I believe Jordan doesn't look at it that way because of the passion she has exhibited to us over the years for the sport,” Cheryl said. “It's as if we just drop her off at the gym for play time.”
Jordan won't compete again until January 2019, so until then she’ll condition and learn new skills to prepare her for the next level. She thinks participating in gymnastics since she was 8-years-old has helped teach her life skills such as time management, respect and self-discipline.
Her parents believe that the drive and motivation Jordan has developed through her time in the gym will definitely assist her with anything she undertakes in the future.
“We strongly believe that it is important to foster and support your child's passion and natural ability no matter what they do in life,” Cheryl said. “We could play no better role as her parents, because when they are happy, they soar! She also knows that nothing is handed to you, it’s earned.”
Jordan trains at Southeastern Gymnastics located in Weddington, N.C., therefore she represents North Carolina during competitions.
Stephanie Jadrnicek: stephaniej123@gmail.com
This story was originally published May 20, 2018 at 6:34 PM with the headline "She flew through the air, dismounted and waited. Could this Fort Mill gymnast repeat?."