Emma Witmer
Greene Publishing, Inc.
On Saturday, July 2, Jenny Jackson competed in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Gymnastics National Championship at the ESPN Wide World Sports Complex in Disney World, Orlando. There, Jackson took the Gold on bars, beam, floor and All-Around; Silver on vault; and was given the All-American Award. Jackson is a resident of Jefferson County and the daughter of Lisa and Danny Jackson, formerly of Jackson's Drug store in Greenville. She is currently entering her senior year at Aucilla Christian Academy, and for 14 years, Jackson has been devoted to gymnastics.
When her mother Lisa, a former gymnast, took her to her first gymnastics lesson at the age of three, Jackson fell in love with the sport. Ever since that day, Jackson has loved gymnastics for its excitement, for the friendships she has made and for the exhilarating feelings that come from “flying through the air on bars” and hitting her routine perfectly. On top of school, Jackson spends a minimum of 20 hours per week training at Taylor Gymnastics of Perry under Coach Mike Romano. Few teenagers can be found with that kind of dedication, and one may wonder how she has remained so motivated throughout her career. Jackson says that she is motivated by her ultimate goal: to receive a scholarship to compete at the collegiate level. Additionally, Jackson is motivated by the encouragement of her coach and teammates in the gym. “Gymnastics has molded me into the person I am today,” said Jackson. “It's taught me to be brave and confident, to set goals and accomplish them, teamwork and trust, and to never give up.”
In this most recent season alone, Jackson won Gold on bars and All-Around while competing in the USAG Gasprilla Classic in Tampa, FL; qualified for USAG Regionals; and won Gold in All-Around and received the All-American Award at the AAU State Competition in Daytona, Fl., in addition to her victory at the national contest. For those unfamiliar with Gymnastics rankings, Jackson competes as a level 10 gymnast, the highest ranking below the collegiate level, and the All-American awards she has received represent the highest score compiled from each of the events in the larger contest.
In the AAU Gymnastics National Championship, Jackson competed before the judges in the vault, bars, beam and floor categories, receiving a score for each category as well as an overall score. She competed against gymnasts from all over the nation and dominated in each category she participated in. Under the pressures of fierce competition, it can be hard to stay calm and focused. “[Before an event] I just remind myself that I can do it and to make this routine my best routine yet. Then once I start my routine, I get in the zone and let my body take control,” said Jackson on her thoughts before each new event. When she took the Gold after hours upon hours of hard work and dedication, Jackson simply stated that, “it was a relief to know that all my hard work is paying off. It was exciting as well.”
In addition to her collegiate gymnastics aspirations, Jackson intends to study physical therapy while coaching gymnastics herself on the side. While there is no doubt that Jackson has worked incredibly hard, she knows that there are people behind her, helping and encouraging her to succeed. “I want to thank my teammates for always encouraging me; my coach for always having my back, believing in me, and pushing me to be the best; my family and friends for all the support they provide me with; and most importantly I want to thank God for giving me this talent to use to glorify Him.”