Erika Lethcoe is more than an average youngster. Since beginning gymnastics as a recreational sport only four months ago, she’s walked away with a stunning 10 medal awards for her hard work and dedication to the sport she’s grown to love.
Lethcoe first began taking an interest in gymnastics when she was 5 years old. Her older sister was the first person to show her what gymnastics was, and she took an immediate liking to the sport.
“I fell in love with gymnastics instantly because I thought I could really do this,” she said. “I can be good at it, and I enjoyed it”.
“Erika didn’t know at first if she wanted to compete or just play for recreation when she first joined the team,” said Lethcoe’s coach, Katey Eckenrode. “But almost immediately after she joined, she was fearless and had such a strong determination to be the best.”
Eckenrode emphasized that Lethcoe is one of the bravest girls she’s seen out there: “If Erika falls down on her head, she gets right back up and asks how she can make it better, how she can perfect her technique. She has the right motivation to want to succeed. She truly understands what teamwork is, and she has an awesome work ethic. I’ve never heard her say that something was too hard for her, and she never gives up.”
Lethcoe has been on an official team for four months and said she absolutely loves it. She enjoys working with fellow team members and loves her coach for all the hard work and dedication she’s put in to help the rising star excel as a gymnast.
“When I see the other girls compete, I tell myself, ‘I want to practice more so I can get up to that level,’” Lethcoe said.
“Erika has already moved up a level in only a few months,” Eckenrode noted. “That is just crazy for someone who is just starting.”
Though she’s only been on the team a short while, Lethcoe has the determination and will that bring joy to people around her while she makes a name for herself.
“The entire team—along with myself—absolutely adores her,” Coach Eckenrode said. “She’s hilarious.”
This article appears in Mar 5-12, 2009.
