Tumblers' Tales: Competing for Sydney

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The West Virginia University gymnastics team has drawn on many inspirations throughout its 2016 season, including pride, hunger, drive and legacy. Each motivator has helped the Mountaineers maneuver from the starting line of their “half-marathon” season toward the finish line, which draws closer in sight in April.

As of late, the team has focused on one particular inspiration to help tackle each expected and surprising obstacle – five-year old Fairmont native Sydney Nicole Hoffman.

Sydney was born with the genetic disease Cornelia DeLange Syndrome (CdLS). CdLS causes a range of physical, genitive and medical challenges, including developmental and speech delays, and occurs in about 1 in 10,000 live births.

Though she has faced her fair share of challenges in just five short years, one constant continues to bring a smile to Sydney’s face – gymnastics. A gymnast at Fairmont’s Aerial-Port Gymnastics Center, Sydney and her family frequently attend the Mountaineers’ home meets at the WVU Coliseum.

In late February, Sydney was preparing for atrial septal defect repair surgery, a necessary procedure to help fix the hole in between the two chambers of her heart. Her mother, Mandy, reached out to WVU assistant coach Kaylyn Millick with a simple request – a meeting with Sydney’s heroes, the WVU gymnastics team.

“Sydney joined us for our March 4 practice at Cary Gym, and the girls were immediately drawn to her,” Millick explained. “Sydney was so excited and didn’t show any signs of nervousness – it was as if we were all her friends already.”

After four road meets in February, the Mountaineers welcomed the fun distraction Sydney offered that Friday afternoon. The team went through its stretching and warm-up drills with their new friend before making the move to Sydney’s favorite event – the uneven bars.

“She loved the bars,” Millick enthused. “Sydney uses sign language, and she kept saying ‘more, more, more.’ She just loved her time in the gym.”

Sydney was not the only gymnast to leave that Friday practice with a smile.

“The whole day was awesome – it was a very humbling afternoon for the team and the coaches,” Millick said. “The whole day adds perspective to our own lives; my problems aren’t so big anymore. It was good timing for this team because I think it helped us put the season in perspective.”

Sydney had her surgery on Friday, March 11. The littlest Mountaineer was on the minds of each of the WVU gymnasts that night as they battled Pitt in their 2016 home season finale at the WVU Coliseum.

“I had heard from Mandy before that meet that Sydney was already breathing on her own post-surgery, and I shared that with the team,” Millick said. “I told them all that Sydney would love to be at the meet, but obviously she couldn’t. I told the girls to use Sydney’s fight as motivation for the meet against Pitt – to compete for something greater than themselves.

“The team knows they have Sydney in their corner now, and I think that adds a level of emotion and motivation each time we have a competition. It’s a new, fun way to enjoy the sport they are privileged to compete.”

Just one week removed from her surgery, Sydney put on her WVU gymnastics t-shirt and watched the Mountaineers on television as they competed at the Big 12 Gymnastics Championship on March 19. The squad knew its new “teammate” was cheering them on back at home, and they hope to compete for Sydney again at the 2016 NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional Championships on April 2.

“Sydney would love to be competing gymnastics right now. Unfortunately, some people are dealt difficult cards in life,” Millick concluded. “Competing for Sydney has been our focus the last month, and it will continue to be our inspiration as we train for the regional championships.”

Schedule

Footer

Upcoming Events

Tumblers' Tales: Competing for Sydney

Related News

Related Videos

Promotional Background Photo

Footer