More than Five Minutes by Avery

More than Five Minutes by Avery - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

People often told me as a child that not everything needs to be perfect, but when you're dedicated to a sport where you are judged by every mistake you make, it feels as if everything should be. Enduring relentless training for 24 hours a week, constantly being compared to teammates, and having to wear a tiny, skin-tight leotard is exhausting for a twelve-year-old. Feeling like your hours of hard work are measured by a measly five total minutes of competing is immense pressure for an anxiety-ridden child. But when I share the bittersweet memories to shocked faces, I am often asked, “Would you do it again?”, and the answer is yes, I would do it a million times over.
I would not be the person I am today without the sport of gymnastics. My favorite qualities about myself all stemmed from what the sport has taught me. I have learned resilience from falling repeatedly on a skill, but then getting back up and trying the skill again. I have gained confidence from pushing through my fear and showing myself that I can do anything I put my mind to. I have gained leadership skills by cheering my teammates on through the hard moments, even when I am struggling myself. Most importantly I discovered self-acceptance. Although I may have gained many positive qualities, they meant nothing when I was forced to confront a deeper lesson; my worth could not depend on a flawless performance.

Quitting gymnastics was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made. Letting go of the sport meant confronting the fear that without it, I wouldn’t know who I was. But through that choice, my self-image has shifted. It is hard to let go of something that you have loved for so long. For years, when asked my fun fact, I would reveal that I was a competitive gymnast, and could do whatever impressive skill I had learned at the time. The fear of missing the sport I had clung to for twelve years continuously lingered in the back of my mind. Once I made the daunting decision to quit, everything changed. It took time, but I have grown to see my value outside of the sport. Quitting has allowed me to discover that I am not defined by my past, but by the person who I am continuously growing to be. Self acceptance, I learned, does not come from constant achievement, but recognizing growth even when things come to an end. Now I embrace the future with confidence that I am capable of redefining myself, no matter where life takes me. This perspective gave me the confidence to pursue cheerleading at a collegiate level, not as a replacement for gymnastics, but as a new challenge where growth matters more than perfection.