How Quitting Gymnastics Led Me to Photography
When I was younger, gymnastics was everything. I started out on the competitive team, spending hours in the gym learning routines, improving my flexibility, and chasing the thrill of sticking a landing. I even attended Woodward Summer Camp—the place to be if you were serious about gymnastics. At the time, it felt like a dream. But somewhere along the way, that dream started to shift.
Around third grade, I had a pretty scary fall—I split the beam while attempting a back walkover on the high beam. That moment changed everything. I developed a deep fear of that skill, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t push past it. It created a mental block that completely stalled my progress. Meanwhile, I watched all my friends move forward, mastering new tricks and competing at higher levels. I tried to keep up, even switching to the Excel team—a less competitive version of the main competition track—but my heart wasn’t in it anymore. Eventually, the spark I once felt for gymnastics just faded. I was dragging myself to practice, not improving, and honestly, I didn’t want to be there. After two summers at Woodward for gymnastics, I knew I was done.
Taken by my Mom, me on the high bar, 2016.
But something unexpected came out of all that. While I was growing up, I had always dabbled in photography on the side. My dad had this old Nikon camera, and I’d take it out on walks, snapping pictures of trees, flowers, and little details around my neighborhood that caught my eye. It wasn’t anything serious—just something I did for fun. Then one summer, my best friend from middle school mentioned she was going to Woodward too, but for digital media instead of gymnastics. That’s when it clicked: Wait... I could still go to camp, be with my gymnastics friends, but not actually do gymnastics? It felt like the perfect escape and a fresh start.
Taken By Mary Davis, Woodward 2019.
That summer at Woodward for digital media ended up being such a pivotal moment for me. It was my first introduction to Photoshop, and I remember being totally fascinated by how much creative control I had over the images I was working with. I also had access to some of the action sports areas around camp—like the skateparks and BMX ramps—and started experimenting with taking photos of the skaters mid-air or mid-trick. I had never shot fast-paced movement before, but there was something about capturing that exact moment in motion that felt so energizing. I quickly realized I had a passion for skate photography. I loved the challenge, the rhythm, and the way each photo told a story without needing words.
Taken by Mary Davis, Woodward 2019.
Looking back, quitting gymnastics felt like a failure at the time, but it ended up being a redirection. It opened the door to photography, which became one of my first creative outlets and helped shape how I see and tell stories today. Sometimes, walking away from something you once loved is the only way to make room for something new—and something even better.
