Timpview has a range of sports from football to volleyball, but some athletes reach incredible heights outside of school too. Lillian Jennejohn has been a gymnast for 11 years and is currently one of the best young gymnasts in the country. She just committed to Ohio State University on a full-ride athletic scholarship. She’ll be starting there after she graduates and hopes to get to the final four.

An elite gymnast, Jennejohn has committed most of her time to perfecting her talents. She doesn’t have a full schedule, even as a junior, so she can devote more time to gymnastics. She takes online classes after practice. This leaves little time for fun. “I want more time to hang out with friends,” she noted, “but I also don’t have time for vacations with my family.” Jennejohn’s commitment to gymnastics has had a major impact on her high school life. Training 20 hours a week on top of classes definitely keeps her productive.

However, her routine was completely turned on its head when she went into surgery this last year. She had to get some work done on her hand and wasn’t able to train, which she says was one of her hardest trials to get through. “The busier you are the more stuff you get done.” Hanging out with friends and using free time can feel like procrastinating after so much business.

Jennejohn notes that her success was not a lone effort, crediting her coach. “Dawn has trained with me for 10 years and has become a second mom to me. I don’t see her as just a coach, but as someone to talk to. I tell her everything that’s happening in my life.” Training with the same coach for ten years means that they know each other well, tailoring Jennejohn’s routines to her perfectly. Another one of her coaches, Jimmy, has helped “[her] really reach [her] potential.” Jennejohn’s dedication helps her succeed only in conjunction with support from her family, coaches, and friends.

Jennejohn is one of the most accomplished gymnasts in the country and deserves more recognition. Since gymnastics is a club sport, not many people would know about it outside of school. We wish her luck through her senior year, her future at Ohio State, and beyond.