“What effect has gymnastics had on my life?” muses eighteen-year-old senior Justin DeCavitch. “It has made all of the difference. It  has shaped the person I am. It taught me that when something is hard, you keep trying. You persevere and learn from your mistakes. Gymnastics is unlike any other sport; it is very technical. This has effected everything from how I study to who I am in my personal life.” 

Justin began taking progressional gymnastics classes at Emeth when he was eleven, and was a part of Emeth’s very first boys’ gymnastics team. “Christian, Joseph, and Corbyn were on that first team too,” remembers Justin. “Our very first season of Level 4 we won first place at the NEOBGL (Northeastern Ohio Boys’ Gymnastics League) championship. We won the next year when we were Level 5 too.”

Even in Levels 4 and 5, Justin was a very accomplished athlete. He came in first all around in every NEOBGL meet he competed in except for one. “Christian won that one,” says Justin with a smile.

Justin is finishing up his final season at Emeth, and has recently been named the state champion on vault for Level 10. After his winning vault Rustam Sharipov, the head coach of men’s gymnastics at The Ohio State University, approached Justin. “He gave me his card and asked me if I had any particular college in mind,” says Justin. “They have already given out all of their scholarship money for next school year, but we are looking into it for the following year.”

In the mean time, Justin will be completing his certification in Muscle Activation Technique (MAT) in Chicago where he is learning the attachment sites of muscles as well as how to reactivate them. He will complete his studies in December and begin an internship in Independence. “I want to use what I learn to help gymnasts. I’d like to bring it back here to Emeth as well,” says Justin. He will also continue to coach Rockets and Exploders classes, assist in coaching the boys in team levels 4 and 5, and judge for Gymnastics League and NEOGBL meets.

“I’m going to miss being on team a lot. These guys are my friends. My friend group isn’t at school; it’s here at Emeth. I’m used to always being here with them,” says Justin. “I’m going to miss all of the cool things that gymnasts get to do. Not being a part of that anymore is going to be hard.”

Congratulations to Justin on his amazing gymnastics career at Emeth!