For the past seven years Alyssa Delke has lived a double life.
By day she is an honor student at Clarkston High School, maintaining a 3.978 GPA and securing a berth in the University of Michigan’s engineering program for the fall.
After school however, Alyssa spent four days a week for five hours a night pushing herself at the Gymnastics Training Center in Rochester, honing her skills for countless weekend competitions. Those skills helped her win six state titles on the uneven bars and helped her teams win state championships.
‘Gymnastics taught me a good work ethic, leadership skills and time management,? said Delke. ‘I think I did better in school because of gymnastics.?
According to Delke, knowing she had to get her work done at school because of the premium placed on her free time by her training, assured that she was never falling behind in her studies.
This year at the 2005 Level 8 Championships, Delke was hampered by a season-long ankle injury, but still managed to take third in the uneven bars (9.35) and fourth (9.425) in her floor routine. Her efforts helped bolster the Michigan team to first place at the Level 8 Regional Championship in Midland on April 22-24, amongst teams from Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois.
‘I don’t think I had my best meet because I did not have all of my skills back,? said Delke.
In September of 2004, Delke fractured her ankle. The injury only allowed her to participate in one other competition this year and her coaches had to petition the United States of America Gymnastics Association so that she could participate in the Regional championship. If not for her injury she would have competed at level nine, and might be vying for a national title right now.
‘If you don’t compete, you lose your skills,? said Delke.
Delke started forming her skills back when she was three years old at dance classes. Those lessons led her to gymnastics; and in the fifth grade, she made what she remembers as a ‘hard decision? to become a gymnast exclusively.
Early on Delke was not the best gymnast on the mat, but she credits her early struggles for her late success.
‘I was horrible at level five, but a lot of the really good girls got pushed too hard and burned out,? said Delke.
Over the years, Delke has seen countless teammates come and go, but the team aspect of her gym and the competitive nature of her sport has forged quick and tight bonds among her fellow gymnasts.
‘You get attached to people really quickly,? said Delke.
Now as she turns to the next phase of her life, Delke is focusing on the future.
‘I know I have to get a job this summer. My resume is not where other kids who have been working since ninth grade is,? said Delke.
She also thinks about how hard the U of M engineering program is said to be, but is confident she will be able to manage the work load.
Gymnastics is a period of her life that is closed now and Delke reflects on her time spent in the sport fondly. She wishes the time she spent healing had not taken so much of this past season, but is grateful for the success her training brought her and the lessons learned from competing on such a high level.