At age seven, Emma Edmonds is already an accomplished gymnast. The second grader at Bethany Christian School is passionate about the sport and competing with her Pristine Performance Academy team.

“She started when she was four years old,” says Stephanie Edmonds, Emma’s mom. “She started riding her bicycle when she was three without training wheels, so we just knew she had a great sense of balance. We decided to see what piqued her interest.”

Gymnastics definitely did, and Emma puts in the work to improve. She spends nine hours in the gym each week. The hard work pays off, and Emma’s team has won several gold medals. At a state meet earlier this year, Emma earned first place in floor and uneven bars, which is her favorite event. Her overall meet score for the competition was 39.075. 

Emma is also a top scholar at her school, finishing last year with a 4.12 GPA. She was even the AR star winner in her class for each nine weeks. 

“She has a love of reading and a competitive drive. I think the competitive drive we see in gymnastics, we also see in school,” Stephanie says. “Whenever there is any type of competition, Emma is always going to rise to the occasion.”

Emma’s dad, Zach Edmonds, is a worship pastor at Bethany Church, and Emma is involved in church activities as much as possible. She also loves being a big sister to her five-year-old brother, Graham.

Whether perfecting her dismount or kicking back with a good book, Emma is certainly one amazing kid. ■