In gymnastics, there's no better feeling than raising your hand, starting a routine, hearing the voices of your teammates and seeing their excitement after nailing your routine. After more than 10 years of gymnastics, the feeling of high fives from my teammates never got old. Little did I know that in a blink of an eye, I would soon be giving my last high fives as a member of the Stanford women's gymnastics team after four incredible years on The Farm.
My senior season began with the incredibly difficult decision to medically retire due to a back injury that I'd been battling since my sophomore year. Although my good bye to the sport came much earlier than I had expected, I was fortunate enough to be able to stay with my team and be a part of their season. I took on the intimidating, yet rewarding role, of being the team captain, which challenged me to tap into a different set of skills than I was used to. I was unable to rely on all the strengths I had as a gymnast and had to become a more vocal leader. I started with little to no confidence in this role, but as time went on and with the help of my teammates and coaches, I embraced this role wholeheartedly and learned so much about myself as a leader. I learned that I didn't have to try to conform to an "ideal" vision of a leader, but instead use my existing strengths and build on them while also leaning on my teammates and their individual, unique strengths. As I became more confident and comfortable in this role, I was excited and ready to take on the 2020 competition season with my team.
On March 6, 2020, I participated in my last collegiate competition. Not only did the team hit our season-high score, but we also hit the highest team score I had ever achieved in my four years at Stanford. It felt like our team was ready to take off, just in time for our championship season. However, just a short week later, our season was cut short and our opportunity to shine in the postseason was taken away. Soon after, it hit me that my collegiate career had officially come to an end. A wave of shock, sadness and confusion came over me, but as I sat together with my team one last time, I realized how lucky I was to be a part of such an inspiring program. A program that welcomed me with open arms from day one and supported me through the very end.
Being away from the busy life of campus has given me the opportunity to deeply reflect and appreciate my time at Stanford and all that it gave me. I find myself thinking about all the good memories I've made with my teammates over the years and the growth I've experienced. I have an endless amount of gratitude for everyone who was involved in my journey at Stanford.
To my coaches, Tabitha, Neal, Alex, Chris and Anthony: thank you for never giving up on me, pushing me to be my very best, and believing in me when I didn't believe in myself.
To Sarah, my athletic trainer: thank you for always putting my health first and taking care of me even when I came in with a million different problems.
To every single one of my teammates I've had over the past four years: thank you for inspiring me and building me up into the strong woman I am today. I'll never forget all the memories I've made with each and every one of you.
Finally, to my fellow seniors, Ashley and Kaylee: we made it! Thank you for being by my side, through all the highs and lows. I can't wait for our next adventure together!
I know I'll be able to call the Stanford women's gymnastics team my family forever. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such an amazing program that strives for excellence in every aspect of life. Go Card!
-Aleeza Yu
