New Jersey’s all-round gold medallist, Kyla Vacchio, says no to college gymnastics, aims for a Ph. D.
A fall on the uneven bars appears to have spelled the end of the 2010 All-round state champion Kyla Vacchio’s nascent career in gymnastics.
The level 10 gymnast is a student of Bishop Ahr High School. She was competing in a meet on April 1, when she slipped off the uneven bars and landed on the floor with a resounding crash.
Her shoulder got smashed against the floor during the fall, damaging the long thoracic nerve at impact.
The doctor’s advice for her was to avoid exerting any pressure on the shoulder, which automatically ruled out gymnastics for Vacchio, at least for a while.
Vacchio and gymnastics came face to face at a party at Flipover Gymnastics in East Brunswick. Vacchio was only a kid then but it was love at first sight for her.
For this budding gymnast, the thought of giving up the sport was far from pleasant but at the same time, she was capable of prioritising realistically.
She continued to go for physical therapy treatment two days every week, for the next three months, allowing herself proper rest in the duration.
Last year, she won the all-round silver at the USAG Regionals. This year, she won the NJ State Level 10 Qualifier and proceeded to finish fourth (all-round) at the NJ State Championships.
The sustained injury did not allow her to continue competing at USAG meets, and she was forced to sit out the high school season as well. However, Vacchio was able to participate in the group meets staged at the end of the year.
Vacchio has dealt with the situation maturely, given her age and circumstances. Always a team player, the “Spirit of Somerset” has directed all her positivity and hopes towards her team at Bishop Ahr.
“Most (of) everything I do in this sport has always been about my (high school) team. To me, the beauty of gymnastics is that you could surpass your own personal goals but help your team achieve its objectives,” she said.
She was ecstatic at being able to contribute to her team’s win at the North Jersey II Sectional Championships. Vacchio tied second on the uneven bars, placed third on the balance beam and won the floor exercise.
The severity of her injury prevents Vacchio from pursuing her gymnastics career in college. She has redirected her goals towards a Ph. D. in paediatric physical therapy, a passion second to gymnastics.
An undergraduate degree is not good enough for Vacchio, who wants to become a licensed physical therapist.
“I know the road ahead is going to be challenging, but I am ready for it,” Vacchio said.
Gymnastics or no gymnastics, it is obvious that the budding star likes aiming high and has a people-centric approach to life. While she cannot help her team win through participation anymore, it is probable that the future will see her helping athletes heal
better.
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