TBA
TBA
1. Name, Age, Hometown
Anna Glenn, 16, lives in Charlotte, N.C. (Born in Nanchang, China)
2. When and why did you first become interested in gymnastics?
I started gymnastics when I was two, and before that we went to one of my friend’s Junior Olympiad, which was just a little show for the little kids in the classes at the gym. We went to hers and we were kind of bouncing off the walls (metaphor) so our parents decided to put us in gymnastics. Also, we were a little delayed with our motor skills (developmentally) and they decided to put us in gymnastics for that reason as well.
3. Do you have any good/funny memories from when you first started taking gymnastics classes?
I don’t remember anything. But, our coach always talks about how we started out with diapers and we’ve been with her ever since.
4. When did you decide you wanted to compete? And, when did you want to compete on the elite level? What about competition appeals to you?
My favorite thing about competing is getting to know the other girls who are competing and getting the travel around the U.S. It’s really fun doing that. I started competing when I was around six or something like that. But we just kept going up and up and up in the levels so we just continued on.
5. What is your training regimen?
During the school season, we go from 4:30-8:30 or 3-7 some days. At least four hours every day, Monday through Saturday. And then we kind of up our hours during the summer a little bit. So about 4-and-a-half hours Monday through Friday.
6. Was that a big change when you made the switch to competitive gymnastics?
Yeah, we definitely had a lot more hours, but our coach gradually added the hours as we went up from level to level. Starting from level 7 to level 10, she just started adding on maybe a half hour every level as we went up
7. What is your favorite event?
Currently, my favorite event is vault. I don’t really know why. I guess maybe because it’s so quick, and I kind of like flying through the air.
8. What is your favorite skill?
Well, actually my favorite skill is on bars. It’s called the Pak.
Follow up: Can you describe that to me?
It’s when you go from the high bar to the low bar, and you do this kind of flip in-between the bars.
9. What music do you use for your floor routine?
My music is dramatic and it’s called “Soul Seeker.” It sounds like it’s from a movie.
10. Who is your favorite gymnast or who is your “idol”?
My favorite gymnast is Kyla Ross because her style in gymnastics is similar to mine. She’s calm and very fluid when she moves and is very classic as well.
11. How have you grown as a gymnast during your career, both skill wise and mentally?
Well, I’ve grown mentally by learning many life skills along the way. I’ve learned discipline and perseverance and things like that mentally.
12. How has gymnastics helped you as a person?
It’s definitely helped me in school since it’s helped me learn time management because of our intense schedule. It’s helped me learn to manage my homework and work hard in anything I do.
13. If you had to select one life-lesson that gymnastics has taught you, what would it be?
I would say hard work. Gymnastics is all about hard work and you really can’t get anywhere unless you put all of your heart into it.
14. What are your biggest accomplishments or best memories in your career?
My best accomplishment I think would be making the Nastia (Liukin Cup) for the first time. That was a huge step for me because I was in the last meet of the Nastia qualifiers and it was kind of a stressful situation. My (twin) sister had made it and I knew I wanted to make it as well. Everyone was expecting me to make it too. I had done well on the first three events and then our last event was beam so it was pressure time. But, I hit my routine and made the Nastia (Liukin Cup) so that was huge for me.
NOTE: Glenn qualified for her first Nastia Liukin Cup in 2014.
15. What grade are you in school, and where do you go to school?
I am in 11th grade and I go to South Mecklenburg High School.
16. Do you want to compete in collegiate gymnastics?
Definitely. We’re committed to UCLA for a full ride gymnastics scholarship. We’ll be attending the team there in 2016.
17. What are your favorite subjects, etc.?
I’m really into math and science right now. I’m thinking about majoring in something in the medical field so I’ve been taking a lot of courses around the subject.
18. What are your goals for the future, both as an athlete and after you are finished competing?
My goals currently in gymnastics are just to stay healthy and maintain the high level that I am right now and place well at nationals in the coming years. When I finish gymnastics, my goals are to be successful and get a good job.
19. When you’re not in the gym, how do you enjoy spending your time? Do you have any hobbies or favorite activities? Charities?
I like to just hang out with my friend and relax. There’s not a whole lot I do other than school and gymnastics. They take up pretty much all my time.
20. What is your favorite food?
I like a lot of things. But, if I had to pick one, I would probably say pasta.
21. What is your favorite music group or singer?
I’m into pop music. I like Taylor Swift.
22. Are any of your family members current or former athletes? Which sports?
Just my sister, who is also a gymnast.
23. Do you have any competition rituals? Lucky charms?
Not really. I just like eating the same thing before meets.
Follow up: And what is that?
Well, when we went to the gala, that was our first season, I went to a Little Honey Café before the meet and I won. And so, when we went again, I thought why not? And ate there again and won.
24. What’s on your IPod right now? What type of music do you enjoy listening to? How about before a meet when you’re trying to get focused and pumped up?
I listen to the same things I always listen to. I listen to pop music or I’ll listen to country to get calmed down a little bit.
25. If you had to pick 3 words to describe yourself as a gymnast, what are they?
Hard-working, dedicated, and I don’t have a third one
26. What 3 words describe you as a person, not the gymnast?
Friendly, caring, hard-working.
Q: When and why did you first become interested in gymnastics?
“My twin sister, Grace, and I were born in China and adopted when we were 15 months old. When we were 2 years old (2000), my parents signed us up for a Mommy and Me gymnastics class at Southeastern Gymnastics. My parents thought that gymnastics would help improve our gross motor skills. Both of my parents had to go to the class to keep up with the two of us.”
Q: Do you have any good/funny memories from when you first started taking gymnastics classes?
“When we were younger, it was very hard for our coach to tell the two of us apart, so Grace always wore a green hair elastic and I always wore purple.”
Q: When did you decide you wanted to compete? And, when did you want to compete on the elite level? What about competition appeals to you?
“After taking recreation classes, our coach asked us if we wanted to join the team. We took the opportunity because we thought it would be a fun, new experience. The best part about competing is meeting new people and getting to travel to so many places.”
Q: What is your training regimen? Was that a big change when you made the switch to competitive gymnastics?
“I train Monday through Saturday, four hours every day. Having more hours wasn’t a huge change when I switched to competitive gymnastics because we gradually added more training time as we moved to a higher level.”
Q: What is your favorite event?
“Vault”
Q: What is your favorite skill?
“Double front dismount off bars”
Q: What music do you use for your floor routine?
“Soul Seeker”
Q: Who is your favorite gymnast or who is your “idol”?
“Kyla Ross”
Q: How have you grown as a gymnast during your career, both skill wise and mentally?
“Throughout my gymnastics career I have learned to persevere through tough situations, I have learned how to handle situations under pressure, and how to maintain a positive mind set.”
Q: How has gymnastics helped you as a person?
“Gymnastics has helped me become a supportive friend, a hard worker, and very disciplined.”
Q: If you had to select one life-lesson that gymnastics has taught you, what would it be?
“Dedication”
Q: What are your biggest accomplishments or best memories in your career?
“Placing second place to my sister at Level 9 Eastern Nationals, going to the Karolyi Camp, and verbally committing to UCLA.”
Q: What grade are you in school, and where do you go to school?
“10th grade, South Mecklenburg High School, Charlotte, NC.”
Q: Do you want to compete in collegiate gymnastics?
“Yes. I am verbally committed to UCLA for 2016.”
Q: What are your favorite subjects, etc.?
“Science and math”
Q: If you plan to go to college, do you know what you want to study there?
“I am not sure yet, but definitely something in the science field.”
Q: What are your goals for the future, both as an athlete and after you are finished competing?
“I hope to qualify for Junior Olympic Nationals again and make the Junior Olympic National Team. I am also hoping to go on the All-Star Region 8 trip. In, college, I hope to compete all around.”
Q: When you’re not in the gym, how do you enjoy spending your time? Do you have any hobbies or favorite activities? Charities?
“I love to cook and bake. Pretty much anything in the kitchen. I volunteered at a hospital in the summer and had the opportunity to watch a knee surgery.”
Q: What is your favorite food?
“I love raspberries”
Q: What are your favorite movies?
“Soul Surfer, Parent Trap, Les Miserables”
Q: What is your favorite book?
“The Secret Order of the Gumstreet Girls”
Q: What is your favorite kind of music?
“Country”
Q: Are any of your family members current or former athletes? Which sports?
“My twin sister, Grace! Gymnastics, of course.”
Q: What’s on your IPod right now? What type of music do enjoy listening to? How about before a meet when you’re trying to get focused and pumped up?
“I listen to pop and country music. I only listen to music on the way to competitions, not right before I go on to the competition floor though.”
Q: If you had to pick 3 words to describe yourself as a gymnast, what are they?
“Hard-working, persistent & dedicated.”
Q: What 3 words describe you as a person, not the gymnast?
“Caring, hard-working, intelligent.”