She looked up, chin to the ceiling, and the 18-year-old gymnast flew gracefully through the air, somehow landing perfectly on the four-inch balance beam. Chalk powdered in her direction, and she didn’t even flinch – she embraced the dust.

This was everything Heidi Schultz, a sophomore Kent State gymnast, had dreamed of becoming: a young woman who was going to compete for four years at the Division One collegiate level.

“Competing as a gymnast in college was always a dream of mine, and I am so excited about the time I have at Kent State,” Schultz said.

Schultz is originally from Wisconsin, and she began her gymnastics journey when she was 5 years old. Her coach, Brice Biggin, described her as a gymnast with lots of energy and composure.

“She just goes out there and doesn’t try to do too much, she’s always staying relaxed,” Briggins said.

Schultz experienced an injury during her junior year of high school. In 2019, Schultz missed an entire year of competing due to Osteochondritis dissecans in her elbow.

“It started out as tendonitis, and eventually it got so bad that I had to get surgery,” Schultz said.

Depending on the severity of the injury, gymnasts may be unable to train at their usual intensity or work on advancing their skills. Their progression may be hindered and athletes can fall off track of reaching their D1 dreams.

Schultz said she was devastated for quite some time, but it was her coach at her old gym in Wisconsin who encouraged her to get back to her teams’ meets and work on her mental game.

She would sit on the sidelines for the rest of her six-month recovery.

Schultz can reflect back on this time in her life and wholeheartedly believes that being around her teammates and putting in work where she could help her recover better and faster. She was able to turn her projected sixth-month recovery into a four-month recovery.

In the end, Schultz was able to achieve her dream of becoming a Division 1 gymnast despite the injuries she had to overcome. The summer going into her senior year of high school, she committed to become a Kent State Golden Flash.

“It was a long road of recovery, but I am appreciative of everyone who pushed me throughout the process so I could be back out there with my team as soon as possible,” Schultz said.

Abbie Wilfing is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].