February Athlete of the Month: Ryli Zahringer
Hi everyone, Coach Katie here with our latest Athlete of the Month spotlight. Each month, we highlight a Gem City athlete whose dedication, mindset, and work ethic stand out on and off the competition floor. This month, we’re recognizing an athlete who brings intensity, discipline, and heart to every practice. Our Athlete of the Month is Ryli Zahringer.
Meet Ryli
If you’ve ever walked through the gym and noticed a teenager on the rod floor with pure determination in her eyes, there’s a good chance you’ve seen Ryli in action. I’ve known Ryli for years, but sitting down to interview her gave me the opportunity to see a side of her I hadn’t before. On the competition floor she is focused and intense, but in conversation she is thoughtful, funny, and open. It was such a pleasure getting to know her better.
A Fast and Unforgettable Start
Ryli’s competitive journey started in a way that still amazes our staff. She began taking classes at Gem City at age ten. Within just three weeks, she earned her back handspring, and by week eight she was invited to join the tumbling team. That kind of progression is almost unheard of. Ryli shared that before starting classes, she practiced at home with help from a neighborhood friend, Eden, a former Gem City team member, using an air track. Her natural talent and determination were evident from day one.
Now in her fifth competitive season, Ryli continues to impress. She currently competes in the Advanced level, which is the fifth level in our tumbling program. She has competed Sub Novice, Intermediate, Sub Advanced, and is now in her second season of Advanced after skipping a level entirely. Watching her practice each week, it’s clear that she wants to get the most out of every single session.
Discipline and Drive
Ryli has become incredibly disciplined in her daily habits. She focuses on clean eating, icing her joints after practice, and staying hydrated. She recently gave up soda, something she admits she misses a lot, and is working hard to limit junk food. The hardest part is that she does not like water. When she told me that, I laughed, but she was completely serious. I introduced her to carbonated mineral water as a compromise, and she actually liked it.
While she’s cutting back on snacks, she does still enjoy Cheez Its. Her favorite meal, though, is a well-done steak. I’m noticing a trend lately with our athletes and their taste in food.
On the Competition Floor
Ryli has qualified for and attended USTA Nationals four times since joining the tumbling team. When asked which location she enjoyed most, she said it was a tie between Rapid City, South Dakota last summer and Lakeland, Florida in 2022. Nationals serve as both a competition and a family vacation for her, giving her the chance to explore new places while doing what she loves.
When asked what she enjoys most about being on the team, her answer was immediate. She loves going to meets. She laughed and said it’s just cool to be able to flip whenever you want. If someone doubts her, she just shows them. She shared that learning her double full has been the hardest skill so far, while starting double back tucks into the pit has been the scariest.
One surprising thing I learned during our interview is that Ryli tumbles with her eyes closed and holds her breath. This is not something we teach, and her coach is not thrilled about it, but it’s something she has struggled to correct. She also shared that when she is tumbling, she does not really hear coaching or conversation. Everything feels muffled while she’s in motion.
Life Outside the Gym
Ryli attends Knox County High School and is currently a freshman. She practices at Gem City three times a week and is also involved in her school’s dance team and cheerleading squad. She’ll turn fifteen in August, and when asked about a first car, she said she has always wanted a truck, although she’s not sure her parents will agree with that choice.
At home, Ryli stays busy with her eight siblings, including a new baby brother who shares the name Zeke. Baby Zeke has become a bit of a good luck charm around the gym. Ryli often brings him onto the floor before Thursday night practice so everyone can say hello, and Coach Zeke has grown quite fond of holding him at the start of practice. The athletes love having a baby around, and he’s quickly become part of the Gem City family.
Coach’s Take
When I asked Zeke why he chose Ryli for this month’s athlete highlight, he smiled and said, “Ryli is unique to my roster in that she fills a space amongst her teammates that is very necessary to good clubhouse culture. She is hard-nosed, aggressive, competitive, resilient, a great teammate, and in her hardest moments she’s as cool as a cucumber. Ryli is intelligent enough and talented enough to work hard and be successful at whatever she wants while also being gritty enough to not let anyone stand in her way. I respect that. Honestly, I see a lot of similarities in Ryli from when I was her age a million or so years ago. I just wish I could have tumbled as clean as she does when I was competing.”
Ryli’s discipline, competitiveness, and resilience make her an incredible example for her teammates and younger athletes alike. We’re proud to recognize her this month.
Congratulations to our Athlete of the Month, Ryli Zahringer.
Click to read an extended version
If you’re ever walking through the gym and you see the teenager on the rod floor that has determination in her eyes, that’s probably Ryli Zahringer. I have known Ryli for years and in that time I’ve never gotten to know her like I did when interviewing her for the Athlete of the Month write-up. Ryli is one person on the competition floor and another when chatting about her life and her interests. What a pleasure it was to see a different side of her!
Ryli had a very interesting start to her competitive career. Most athletes train for years in the gym before acquiring the skills necessary to make the competitive tumbling team; however, Ryli started taking classes at Gem City at the age of 10. She very quickly -in only three weeks of class- gained her back handspring, and by week eight she was invited to join the tumbling team! This is almost unheard of! She had such talent before she even walked into Gem City! She said she did have some help from a friend in the neighborhood that already attended classes at the gym. Ryli said Eden (a former GCGT team member) helped her at home before she started taking classes by practicing on her air track.
Ryli is currently in her fifth competitive season on the team, and as insane as her start was, she is still impressing everyone with her ability to continue at the fast pace she started. Ryli is in the Advanced level. This is the fifth level that our gym competes in tumbling. The crazy part is that she skipped a level on team too! Ryli has competed Sub Novice, Intermediate, Sub Advanced, and this is her second season in Advanced (skipping Novice). I get to see her practice each week, and she does have a mindset at practice that displays her competitive nature. There’s no denying that she wants to get the most out of each practice.
Ryli has become very disciplined in her habits: clean eating, icing her joints after practice, and staying more hydrated. She is determined to better herself. She has most recently given up soda (something she misses terribly), and she is trying to not eat any junk food. The hardest part about doing better with her choices is that she does not like water! I actually laughed when she told me this, but she was dead serious. I was able to introduce her to carbonated mineral water. I told her it’s kind of like drinking a soda because of the carbonation. She tried it and liked it!
Even though she’s trying to cut out, or rather limit, her junk food intake, she does enjoy Cheez Its. Her favorite food, though, is a well-done steak! More than one athlete of the month has mentioned steak, so I’m beginning to gain confidence in our kids’ choices lately!
Ryli has qualified and attended USTA Nationals four times since joining the tumbling team. I asked her which location she has liked most, and it was a tie between last summer in Rapid City, South Dakota, and Lakeland, Florida in 2022. I would have to agree that in the last four summers these two locations have been the best for nationals. She is able to enjoy those trips as not only a national competition but also as a family vacation to hang out and do new things while in a new city. I asked her out of practice, meets, friends, and all things involved with being on the tumbling team, what does she enjoy the most? Her response was quick and easy; she loves going to meets! She also started smiling and said that it’s just cool to be able to flip whenever you want. “Like if someone doesn’t believe me when I say I can flip, I just show them!” When asked what has been the hardest or scariest skill to learn while on team, she said that learning her double-full has been the hardest but the scariest has been starting to learn her double-back tucks into the pit.
A very crazy thing I learned about Ryli, and I actually had to stop and clarify because it is not something her coach is thrilled about, is that she tumbles with her eyes closed and holding her breath! We definitely don’t teach tumbling this way, but this is how she tumbles and has struggled with correcting it. She also admits that she doesn’t really hear people talking or coaching while she’s actively tumbling. She said everything is muffled while doing her passes.
Ryli is one busy athlete. Aside from attending practice at Gem City three times a week, she is also on her school’s dance team and cheerleading squad. Ryli attends Knox County High School where she is a freshman. She’ll turn 15 in August, so I asked if she’s started saving for a car or if she has a car in mind. She said she has always wanted a truck but doesn’t know if a truck is the best choice for a first car. She says she’s comfortable in a truck but not sure if her parents will let her have a truck or just want her to drive a smaller car.
Aside from her many endeavors, Ryli also stays busy with her eight siblings including a new brother that is a welcome addition to the gym. Her new baby brother carries the same name as her coach, Zeke. He’s become somewhat of a good luck charm(er). She actually brings baby Zeke to the floor, everyone gets to say hi to him, and Coach Zeke has become quite fond of holding him for a few minutes at the start of Thursday night practice. He’s a cute little one, and all the athletes love when babies are around!
When I asked Zeke why he chose Ryli for this month’s athlete highlight, he smiled and said, “Ryli is unique to my roster in that she fills a space amongst her teammates that is very necessary to good clubhouse culture. She is hard-nosed, aggressive, competitive, resilient, a great teammate, and in her hardest moments she’s as cool as a cucumber. Ryli is intelligent enough and talented enough to work hard and be successful at whatever she wants while also being gritty enough to not let anyone stand in her way. I respect that. Honestly, I see a lot of similarities in Ryli from when I was her age a million or so years ago. I just wish I could have tumbled as clean as she does when I was competing.”
