Level 10 at Grade 10: Level 10 gymnast, Sophomore Bella Drier, has competed in gymnastics her entire life and strives to compete on the college level

Sprinting down the runway sophomore Bella Drier generates momentum to take off from the vault, sticking the landing of her yurchenko twist. Drier has been competing since age 5 and recently has reached the highest level in gymnasts: level 10. Drier strives towards her next and most challenging goal: college gymnastics.

Her motivation to compete in college began after she switched clubs to Pinnacle Gymnastics around level 7 at age 10. New coaches and people telling her she can do it encouraged her to take it more seriously and continuing competing. Before, her parents had always told her that college gym could be her future, but she had not yet told that she would be able to.

“Whenever I started [my new club], it was always a thing that my parents were like, ‘Oh you’re gonna do it in college,” Drier said. “So I’ve always thought [about it].” 

Watching her idol Simone Biles during the Olympics and older girls in her gym, she cemented her dream of attending Louisiana State University or the University of Florida for either gymnastics or cheerleading, which she started her freshman year at East.  

She took the 14 hour trip to LSU for their gymnastics camp. Despite being overwhelmed by the excess mental and physical fatigue, she found a love for the college. 

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Driving the monotonous 25 minutes to practice every day, spending over 15 hours a week practicing and getting home every night at 9:30, gymnastics has become a nonstop factor in Drier’s life.

Struggling to get out of bed and aching to walk up the stairs, she is constantly battling the pains of conditioning and the soreness of every muscle. According to Drier, a gymnast’s strength is entirely underestimated. 

“Every single day my body hurts,” Drier said. “I never have a time in-season or out of practice where something doesn’t hurt. I constantly have injuries and I’m always sore.”

Every minute of practice she nears the dreaded end of practice: conditioning. The coaches lead a 30 minute warmup, then they spend lengthy 45 minute to an hour practicing each event. When finished, they do their conditioning. 

“Conditioning is hard some days,” Drier said. “And then whenever they see we’re super, super tired, sometimes they’ll lighten it up a bit. But we do just a sort of mix of everything.”

She never gets a break from practice, no matter the circumstances. The incredible falling of snow that would typically cancel school does not mean gymnastics practice is canceled.

Drier is grateful for the community and the positives gymnastics has put into her life. 

“I’m always tired, always honestly,” Drier said. “But it’s worth it.”

While keeping up with schoolwork is a top priority for her, it can get tricky at times, especially when she has limited time to do her assignments because of practice.

“[I feel behind] all the time,” Drier said. “I’m always behind on schoolwork, and it’s really hard constantly having to do stuff late. I’m always exhausted at school.”

Level 10 is the highest level in the USA Gymnastics Junior Olympic Program. There are many requirements to be able to compete at level 10, skills taking years to acquire. There are 10 skills required, including a leap or jump on the bar with a 180-degree split, three different Saltos in a floor routine and on the bar a flight skill valued “C” not including a dismount.

Her love for flipping and her perspective on her abilities changed completely after seeing the entirely new tricks she could do. The environment and the people that surround her also have given her another option to her college career, to cheer in college instead.