Loving a sport like gymnastics usually starts at an early age. Just take a look at the Olympian and UCLA gymnastics star, Jordan Chiles. She was just six when she found her knack for gymnastics! The same is also true for one of her Bruins teammates. The Bruin star started gymnastics, keeping it at the top of her focus from early on. At, 12 she was already very busy with her gymnastics training! But as life has some extraordinary way of changing the game, Jordan’s teammate saw everything crumbling in front of her eyes. 

Emily Lee was 12 years old when she saw her little sister suffering from a boon named leukemia. At that age, she didn’t have ample idea of the disease. But she certainly considered leukemia to be the sole reason for snatching her 3-year-old sister from her. And the worst part was, that she was helplessly witnessing the whole situation. She was certainly covered in darkness but on those gloomy days, she made up her mind! 

In an article published by DAILY BRUIN on 20th February, Emily Lee claimed that the sight of losing her younger sister to an almost incurable disease made the gymnast in making desperate. Which ultimately resulted in a future professional decision. And in case you are thinking it was gymnastics, then you are certainly wrong! Yes, you read it right! The gymnast made a different career choice. She set her goal to become a doctor! Emily narrating the entire situation said, “The biggest moment of wanting to enter the medical field was when I lost my sister to cancer really young.”  And how is she making her steps toward reaching the goal? 

At UCLA, Emily Lee has opted for physiological science as her major. And UCLA’s official website shows physical therapist as her professional goal. She wants to continue her study in physiological science and aims to complete her master’s in the subject. But, the addition of a master’s degree may not be enough for her to fulfill her aim. Thus, she will need years of dedication and immersed further studies.

And, the Los Gatos native is ready to take up the long route. After all, she is on a mission to eradicate something that once took away her sister. Also, her collegiate years have taught her something very special, how to fuel her motivation to keep her on track. How so? In the interaction with Daily Bruin, Lee said, “(One takeaway of) my collegiate career is to not put myself in a box of one thing.”

But wait what about her gymnastics career? Is she equally straightforward there as well?

UCLA Gymnastics has a master on the list to take the lead 

The UCLA gymnastics program is having the flowery phase in college gymnastics this season. Currently, the program is in second position, threatening LSU gymnastics and other top guns on the road to the much-wanted national gymnastics championship title. And Emily Lee has a dominant role in setting the tone. But how? She is the one who opens the event for the Bruins in the meets. Simply put, she is the one who leads the Bruins to the mat!

For example in the UCLA gymnastics meet against No. 25 Penn State on February 14 in Pauley Pavilion. Emily took the responsibility of leading Jordan Chiles and Co. on the balance beam in the third rotation. She ended up scoring 9.925 in reply to Ashley Maul’s 9.800. Such a solid start earned the Bruins an edge! Thus, Lee may not have a frequent perfect 10 on the scoreboard. But the senior has the responsibility to sponge off the pressure from the squad and we must say, she has been doing that successfully this season. No matter the obstacle, Emily Lee faces it directly, both on and off the mats.