With sweat beading down her forehead, sophomore Kate Stubbs, refuses to stop. Stubbs practices five-hours a day, for five days every week with Champions Westlake Gymnastics.

Becoming a competitive gymnast requires a lot of physical strength and conditioning.

“Being a gymnast definitely gets a person into shape,” Stubbs said. “We do so much training that we become very strong in order to do all the skills we need.”

Coach Rachel Scarbrough conditions Stubbs and her teammates not only physically but mentally.

“Besides the physical aspect, we work a lot on helping the girls with the mental aspect of the sport,” Scarbrough said. “Gaining confidence is important, and there are a lot of mental factors to work through when you are a high level gymnast.”

Scarbrough expects her team to walk in with an attire ready for a five hour practice.

“Our gymnasts should arrive to practice with their leotard on, and shorts or leggings of their choosing,” Scarbrough said.

On Stubbs’ team she is one of the oldest girls as well as high ranking, so many of her teammates look up to her.

“She is like a leader for all of us,” teammate Nayna Pashilkar said.

Upon entering the gym, Stubbs gets right to work.

“A normal day once I get to the gym is to stretch,” Stubbs said. “Then we do each of the four events for about 50 minutes, then we condition and do more stretching as a cool down.”

During practice Stubbs and her team prepare for upcoming competitions by working on technical skills and their own routine.

“I like competing especially on the floor exercise because it gives me a chance to show my personality through my gymnastics and dance,” Stubbs said.

Since becoming Stubbs’ coach for two years Scarbrough has noticed improvements that have been made.

“Kate has gained a whole other level of confidence just recently that has really helped her progress in many areas,” Scarbrough said. “She is a mentally tough gymnast, and loves the sport.”

Alison Stubbs, Kate Stubbs’ mother has also noticed a difference in her daughter since being in gymnastics.

“She has become very focused and organized in order to manage a year round gymnastics schedule involving 25 hours in the gym per week as well as school work, orchestra commitments and her social life,” Alison said. “I think she does a great job of balancing it all.”

Gymnastics has impacted Kate in ways she wouldn’t have expected if she hadn’t done the sport.

“My life would definitely have been different if I did not do gymnastics,” Kate said. “I would have a lot more time on my hands but I also would not have learned all the great things I learned from gymnastics.”