In a sport where the best athletes are 15- and 16-year-old girls, gymnast Amy Bodus is approaching old age.
The Ball State senior is 22, but she continues vaulting across the floor mats, straddling the balance beam and tumbling across the bars.
Two weeks ago, she and the rest of the Ball State gymnastics teams placed seventh at the MAC Championships in Bowling Green, Ohio. Bodus was sixth in the all-around with a 38.95 and tied for 10th place on bars with a 9.85. She will compete as an all-arounder in the NCAA Regionals on Saturday in Bowling Green. Her teammate Quiana Williams, who will also compete in the NCAA Regionals, tied for fifth on the beam with a score of 9.825 and placed ninth in the all-around with a 38.30. Another teammate, Cassie Anthony, tied for eighth on the bars with a 9.875 and will compete in the event at the Regionals as well.
A native of Waukesha, Wis., Bodus made it to the NCAA Regionals two years ago as an all-arounder. During her career at Ball State, she has been selected as MAC gymnast of the week twice and scholar athlete of the week once. Though she competes in all the events, she cites the floor vault as a favorite. She trains four hours a day during the week and two hours a day during the weekends.
"In our sport, at our age, it's a big challenge to stay healthy," she said. "I had never known you could do college gymnastics, but I wanted to continue my career because I loved it so much, and I felt I still had something to prove to myself and others. That's why most of us stay in the sport. Because we like it."
"You have to be healthy and continue to be good enough that the incoming freshmen don't take your spot," head coach Mary Roth said.
Bodus is currently helping other young students hone their skills. A coach in her hometown, as well as in several training centers around Muncie, she spends her time assisting gymnasts ages one to 18.
"At (age) one, the kids do some rolls, some walking with their parents," she said. "It's mostly coordination. Nothing intense.
"I like working with kids," she said. "I like seeing how they improve over time. That's what I love about coaching. Maybe I can change them in a better way."
The gymnast hopes to continue coaching even after she graduates, but only part-time. Though she's a teaching major, she has no plans to become a physical education instructor. Rather, she wants to teach first- and second-grade classes. She plans to do her student teaching in the fall and believes that gymnastics has given her a great deal of confidence to pursue her career.
"It's made me a better leader," she said. "I know what direction I want to go in. I know how to set goals. It's taught me many lessons."
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