May Athlete of the Month: Sylvia Winking
Hi everyone, Coach Katie here with our latest Athlete of the Month spotlight. We are now on month nine of our twelve-month celebration recognizing some of the incredible athletes who help make Gem City special as we continue building toward our 20th anniversary. This month, we are proud to recognize an athlete whose commitment, positivity, and work ethic have made a lasting impact on our gym community. Our May Athlete of the Month is Sylvia Winking.
Meet Sylvia
Sylvia Claire Winking is a Level 9 gymnast on our competitive gymnastics team and also a member of our senior all-star cheer squad. Sylvia has been part of Gem City for nearly her entire life. She started in our Tiny Gems program at just one year old and has now been attending classes and practices here for thirteen years. She will turn fifteen in September.
As Coach Jake shared when nominating her, “Sylvia is the youngest of three sisters carrying on the family legacy at Gem City. Sylvia brings an unmatched level of commitment to her team. In moments when most would throw in the towel, she shows up and faces her challenges head on day in and day out. She is a shining light that people are instantly drawn to, and her dedication is something coaches dream of. Sylvia isn’t just a great athlete; she’s family.”
I could not agree more. From the moment we sat down to chat, Sylvia was all smiles and excited to talk.
Life in the Gym
Being competitive seems to run in the family. Sylvia has been on the gymnastics team for seven years and has competed as a Level 9 for the last three seasons. Between gymnastics and cheer, she spends many weekends on the road competing throughout the winter season.
When I asked what her favorite part of traveling was, her answer completely caught me off guard in the best way. She said she loves arriving early to competitions so she can watch and support her teammates before her own session begins. That answer says everything about who Sylvia is.
She also loves the everyday moments at practice. Sylvia is known for showing up early, joking around with teammates and coaches, and talking about the latest book she’s reading. She enjoys murder mystery books, recently started learning piano, and spends free time watching college gymnastics. She especially loves UCLA gymnastics and Jordan Chiles.
Big Goals for the Future
Sylvia already has big plans for the future. She hopes to continue gymnastics in college and would love to compete for LSU, UCLA, or ISU one day. Alongside athletics, she also plans to pursue dentistry.
Before all of that, though, she’ll be graduating from St. Francis School this spring and heading to Quincy Senior High as a freshman. Her favorite subject is math, thanks in part to her dad, who teaches math at Quincy High. She shared that their dining room table at home has earned the nickname “the math table” because so many hours, and even a few tears, have been spent there over the years.
Favorite Events & Tough Moments
Sylvia’s favorite events are floor and bars. She said bars feel like flying, and her mom especially loves watching how clean her lines look during routines. Sylvia also shared that her mom, one of her biggest supporters, has only missed two competitions her entire career. And when it comes to food, nothing beats her mom’s homemade chicken noodle soup.
When asked what the hardest part of gymnastics is, Sylvia gave an incredibly thoughtful answer. She said the mental side is often harder than the physical side. You can physically know how to do a skill, but if your mind is not in the right place, it will not come together the way you want.
That answer perfectly reflects Sylvia’s maturity and grit. Even during difficult practices, she keeps smiling, supports her teammates, and encourages younger athletes around the gym. She’s the kind of athlete who gives high fives to preschoolers walking through the lobby while also training five or six days a week herself.
Advice for Younger Athletes
I asked Sylvia what she would say to younger athletes who look up to her. She said, “First, always be yourself. Then I would say sometimes things can get hard in the moment, so be patient. Make mistakes. You’re going to fall because all gymnasts fall. And lastly, this doesn’t last forever. Love the sport while you’re doing it because it won’t last forever.”
That wisdom and perspective are part of what make Sylvia such a special athlete and teammate.
We are so proud to know Sylvia and even prouder to be part of her journey. Whether you see her smiling around the gym or locked into a routine during practice, it’s easy to understand why she means so much to our Gem City family.
Congratulations to our Athlete of the Month, Sylvia Winking.
Click to read an extended version
Coach Katie here! We are on month nine of our 12-month celebration to highlight some of our best athletes. We started this endeavor as part of our build up to our 20th anniversary!
May’s Athlete of the Month is Sylvia Winking! Sylvia was nominated by her head gymnastics coach, Jacob. He said, “Sylvia is the youngest of three sisters carrying on the family legacy at Gem City. Sylvia brings an unmatched level of commitment to her team. In moments when most would throw in the towel, she shows up and faces her challenges head on day in and day out. She is a shining light that people are instantly drawn to, and her dedication is something coaches dream of. Sylvia isn’t just a great athlete; she’s family.” And with that, all I can say is that I completely agree with him! When I initially sat down with Sylvia, she was all smiles and excited to chat!
Sylvia Claire Winking is a level 9 gymnast on our competitive gymnastics team as well as a member of our senior all-star cheer squad! Sylvia has been coming to the gym for 13 years! She will be 15 in September, and she started in our Tiny Gems program when she was just a year old – jumping and rolling around with her mom by her side. As Coach Jake mentioned earlier, Sylvia is the youngest of three girls, and all three Winking sisters have been part of our program nearly all of their lives. Both her older sisters competed in our competitive program until they left for college, and Sylvia plans to continue the tradition!
Being competitive is something that is just in her blood. Sylvia has been on the gymnastics team for the last seven years. She has been a level 9 for the last three seasons. She finds herself on the road with her family many weekends during the season. Between gymnastics and cheer, she travels about ten weekends from December through March each year. Her least favorite thing about being on the road is the actual number of hours that it takes – sometimes it makes the days long! Her favorite thing about being on the road is getting to the venue early to watch her friends from gym compete before her own session. She has friends competing in level 7 that are usually scheduled to go right before her, so she plans her trip so she can show up and support them. This answer floored me! Supporting her teammates is her favorite part?!?! LOVE IT!!
Sylvia is one to crack a joke, show up early to practice, chat up the coaches, and even tell us about the last book she read! She loves reading murder mystery books, and recently she took up learning to play the piano! In her spare time, she enjoys watching college gymnastics – specifically UCLA and Jordan Chiles! She suggests everyone watch Jordan’s floor routine, because it’s so awesome.
Speaking of college gymnastics, Sylvia would love to compete for LSU, UCLA, or ISU in five years! She currently plans to continue her gymnastics career through college while preparing to go into dentistry. What grand plans for just a 14-year-old!
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Sylvia will be graduating from St. Francis School this year and heading off to Quincy Senior High as a freshman this fall. She says that math is her favorite subject, thanks to her father who teaches math at Quincy High. She says he makes everything easier when she has to ask him for help. Sylvia also mentioned that their dining room table at home has the nickname “math table”. She says many tears have been shed over that table through the years! Those tears have made great students and athletes, so we’re glad the math table exists.
Sylvia’s favorite event is floor and then bars. She said it feels like she’s flying when she’s on bars! Her mom likes how clean her lines are when she’s flying on those bars. She also mentioned her mom, Sylvia’s biggest cheerleader, has only missed two competitions in her whole career! In addition to that, her mom’s homemade chicken noodle soup is her favorite food!
When asked what the hardest part of being a competitive gymnast is, she said the mentality is the hardest. She says you have to be mentally strong because your head is more a part of your practice than anyone thinks! She knows she can physically do something, but if she’s not mentally strong then that physical part won’t execute properly. I’ve seen Sylvia work hard; she’s got grit. I’ve seen those tough moments when practice can get hard for her, but I’ve also seen how during those times she smiles and cheers on her teammates. I’ve also seen her give high fives to the preschool classes as they pass by! There truly isn’t a better personality to have in the gym day after day. Truly, Sylvia doesn’t miss a practice, so she is in the gym 5-6 times a week!
I asked Sylvia what she would say to young athletes that share the gym with her, look up to her, and want to be her one day. She said, “First, I would say always be yourself. Then I would say that sometimes things can get hard in the moment, so be patient. Make mistakes. You’re going to fall because all gymnasts fall. And lastly, this doesn’t last forever. Love the sport while you’re doing it because it won’t last forever.” How reflective for such a young athlete! She has had two older sisters live this life before her, so their wisdom is rubbing off on her.
We’re so proud to know her. Even prouder to be living this life alongside her. We cannot wait to see how Sylvia’s high school career pans out. If you ever see Sylvia in the gym, you’ll be sure to either see her bright smile or her determination during one of her routines.
