The United States has produced many big names in the sport of gymnastics, especially in the women’s category in events such as the Olympics. Apart from the gymnasts’ dedication towards their ambitions to make a name for themselves, there’s always a huge role of junior academies that work on these goals, igniting the spirit of the young and aspiring sportspeople. 

Aim High Academy, which is located at 3355 South County Trail, East Greenwich, Rhode Island, is one such institution that has shaped many aspirants’ junior careers. This list includes Sheridan Ramsey, who is a two-time national champion, representing the University of Oklahoma. Recently, she has shared her journey in the sport and talked about why she decided to make an emotional return to the academy as a coach after missing out on the Paris Olympics.

Finding a new purpose in gymnastics

Many athletes, when they get a chance to perform at their very first professional event, usually don’t turn back and look at their past, where they have established themselves. However, Sheridan Ramsey is somebody who will never forget the place that has given her fame and many accolades in her stellar career. 

“Aim High gave me a foundation that I was able to take with me as far as believing in myself because I did go to a school that was very good,” said the two-time national champion during an interview with Fox 23. Ramsey reminisced about the glory she had achieved in her junior career, as it wouldn’t have been possible without her training in her academy. Furthermore, she stressed that the accolades she has achieved are a dream of many, but only a few like her were able to achieve them.

When asked about her reason for returning to the Aim High Academy, Ramsey gave a candid explanation, stating, “They were looking for a coach, and so was really a God moment that I was able to come back in and coach and kind of restart this whole thing. So, I just remember the conversation of we’re crying together.” There were a ton of emotions flowing through her as she saw the place where she developed into a two-time national champion. 

So, how does she feel about her comeback? For Ramsey, it’s a wonderful decision to be the coach of the Aim High Academy, as with this new role, she is able to guide the up-and-coming gymnastics aspirants. She mentioned that she could relate to these youngsters’ dreams, as she also once chased her own set of ambitions like them. Furthermore, she has become an example for her pupils that they can also get into collegiate gymnastics and pursue their sports careers even beyond. However, the new coach had a statement towards her younger self as she missed out on a huge goal of hers.

Sheridan Ramsey’s message to her younger self, who dreamed of the Olympics

For someone who has been into the sport since she was just 6 years old, Sheridan Ramsey had a ton of ambitions. One of them was to be an Olympian. However, she has made herself a candid confession with a slight twist, stating, “Well, I would tell her we didn’t go to the Olympics, but this was way better than that I could’ve imagined.”

While she acknowledged that one of her dreams to represent her country on the most coveted stage wasn’t successful, Ramsey isn’t disappointed with her new position as a coach at the Aim High Academy. “And it was written out before I was born, and so this was my Olympics. My Olympic dream,” said the two-time national champion. She accepted whatever destiny had for her and is glad the way things have turned out for her stellar career.