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Meet Aly Raisman, 2012 Womens’ Gymnastic Team Captain and Two-time Gold Medalist

Meet Aly Raisman, 2012 Womens’ Gymnastic Team Captain and Two-time Gold Medalist!

Gymnastics has brought so much to my life.  I have learned to stay dedicated to my sport and that dedication really proves that hard work pays off!

My parents and I are partnering with Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don’t Mix to spread this message  I really hope others will join me in pledging to say YES to a healthy lifestyle and NO to underage drinking.

Aly_Raisman_In_Jamestown
 

Q&A with Aly:

When did you fall in love with Gymnastics?

I was just over 2 when I started gymnastics!  I have been hooked ever since.

Who made you believe that gymnastics could be your career?

It’s all my Mom.  She was a high school gymnast and has always been a huge fan of the sport.  It was something we liked to watch together and she encouraged me to .  I loved it from the very beginning!

How did you manage to graduate High School on time and become such an amazing athlete?

It was tough.  I trained from 8:30-11:30a.m. and then again from 5-9p.m.  In between I did my schoolwork.  There were many times it was very hard to balance it all. Learning to manage my time was very important.

It’s clear you have to eat a balanced diet to stay at peak performance, but do you have a favorite treat you like to indulge in?

Special K cereal bars are my guilty pleasure! Great snacks before or after a workout

What is the best advice you can give a kid that wants to dedicate their time to school and becoming an elite athlete like yourself?

Truly, you have to keep your head on straight.  Stay focused in school and dedicated to your sport.  Focus and dedication are so important.  Things like underage drinking will both distract your focus, and make it harder to dedicate your energy to what you want to do.  You can’t become who you want to be if you drink underage or make other poor choices.

Be sure to catch more from Aly and her parents Sunday, January 20th, between 4-6pm on NBC.  Aly will be performing in the Progressive Skating and Gymnastics Spectacular.  Together, her parents and her will be featured in a PSA covering the Ask, Listen, Learn program during the telecast between 4:55-5:05pm EST!