On a typical day, junior Kaitlyn Yanish wakes up at 5:15 a.m. for her zero hour class, staying at school until 11:40 a.m. to finish her 4th hour class. Yanish then goes to a five hour long gymnastics practice for her club, Arizona Dynamics Gymnastics. After practice, she then goes back to her house to rewind after the long day, complete her homework from her day classes, and also complete work from an online class she is enrolled in on the side.

While this schedule seems overwhelming to some, for Yanish it couldn’t be more opposite. “I’ve been doing it for 14 years, since I was two. I’ve grown up with it my entire life.”

Over the years, Yanish has moved up to compete in the Junior B division, which is composed of female juniors in high schools across the state. Her hard work shows in her results; when she competed at Nationals, she placed third in the nation. Yanish considers beam her best event, when in 2012, she was titled the Western National Beam Champion. Her highest beam score throughout her career was a 9.65.

Yanish feels her inspiration to compete in her sport comes from her family: “my mom has always seen that I can be successful in it…my sister grew up doing it with me, and I take my sister as a really big role model.” Yanish added with a reminiscent smile, “I just wanted to be like her.”

Her sister is not her only role model. Yanish mentioned her other supporter here at Perry; biology teacher Jerald Irion. Irion reflected on Yanish as a student athlete stating, “I know how difficult it can be…you gotta put your time in, on the school side as well, so if she can keep that attitude and keep her dedication that she has to gymnastics in the classroom…she should be real successful.”

Even though Yanish has the talent to compete as an Olympian, her aspirations have lead her to pursue gymnastics at a college level. Yanish has fully committed to Oregon State University and plans to start in the fall of 2017.

When asked about Perry students becoming professional athletes, Principal Dan Serrano affirmed how difficult it is as well: “I’ve been a principal in education for 30 years and only one kid I know…have been in the professionals…it’s hard to make it to the pros.”

Both Irion’s and Serrano’s words highlight how far Yanish has truly come, and the bright future she has ahead of her.