Ellianna Topchishvili '25 Recruiting Profile

Positivity, perseverance, and passion. Three characteristics that are what I believe, the most important qualities to have as a gymnast, which I can proudly state I have. Positivity: having a hopeful mindset when it comes to doing new skills, or even just having an off day is so crucial during a practice. Whenever I'm starting to feel a wave of disappointment or unsatisfaction, I rarely allow myself to let that ruin my day. "Tomorrow is going to be a better day," is what I manifest to myself, rather than displaying a frown on my face. Not only will I feel upset, but I can put others at the risk of turning their positivity into the complete opposite. Even putting on a great song on the speakers that can get you to dance a little makes a day even better, and more eager to work more. A smile, a laugh, or a giggle can change the way a practice goes, and I will continue to spread that energy for the rest of my career. Perseverance: Like many hard-working gymnasts, I have been doing this sport since I was a toddler. Since then, I was going to become a level 9 gymnast at the young age of 12, until an unfortunate back injury became a roadblock in my career. As devasting as it sounded to me in the moment, this two-year break was a huge favor. Taking time off not only helped rejuvenate my body, but it also brought me to a conclusion of realizing how much I loved this sport. Volleyball was fun, but it wasn’t gymnastics. Track was exciting, but it wasn’t gymnastics. “This is the sport I belong in,” I thought every day, and I knew I had to bring my internal thoughts into a reality. I knew I had a goal, which was to compete in the fun world of the NCAA, and I had to achieve it. Fast forward to the summer of 2021, I could barely do a kip on bars and forgot how to twist when I was tumbling. And so, after many hours in the gym and many days of feeling sore, it definitely continues to pay off. In the span of two years, I have managed to improve from being a 14-year-old level 3 gymnast, to a 16-year-old level 10 gymnast, and it was all because of my perseverance. If I have a goal, I will always chase after it, and I will never stop until I do so. Passion: defined as a strong and barely controllable emotion, is one of the best words to describe how I feel about gymnastics. It’s not easy balancing an educational life with an athletic life, however with my desire, I don’t even think about the difficulty; it completely overrides it. I am so obsessed with the idea of trying new skills or perfecting my routines until my feet are pointed and my legs are straight in every move I make. I love cheering on my teammates loud and proud, just like the girls do in the NCAA. Most of all, I adore the idea of being able to do these cool skills and show it off for the rest of the world to see. The path on trying to reach perfection is never ending, but that is what makes it so addicting. That adrenaline of getting up on the beam and competing in front of everyone is a kind of dopamine that I look forward to. That thrill of showing off not only my tumbling, but my dancing with a smile on my face is the kind of dopamine I look forward to. That passion that I have for this sport will benefit myself, my teammates, and my coaches on my future college team because of how much I care about it technically and emotionally, which can allow me to accomplish any goals in my collegiate career, such as being able to compete and provide high scores for my team as much as possible. With this, I believe that if you have the three P’s, anyone is capable of becoming a NCAA gymnast. I for one, can consider truthful, that I fit under this description.