Gymnastics in the North State

Raising the Bar

For the Ross family, gymnastics started almost 15 years ago as a diversion tactic, a way to occupy three-year-old Reid during his older sister’s dance lessons in Oroville, CA. It didn’t take long, however, for Steve and Lisa to see their son’s natural talent. By age six he had advanced to level 4 gymnast, performing cartwheels, handstands, and back handsprings.

Now, gymnastics has become a way of life not only for Reid but for his father. Twelve years ago, when the previous Oroville Gymnastics coach’s resignation seemed to spell the end of the boys’ gymnastics team, Steve refused to watch his son’s passion and talent die for lack of leadership. Grounded in athletic experience as the former football and wrestling coach at Oroville High School, he knew he could learn gymnastics-specific techniques. “The gymnastics community is small and supportive,” says Steve. “I’ve even been mentored by Olympians!”

Practice Breeds Great Life Skills

Gymnastics demands extreme precision honed by constant practice. Reid and Steve spend 20 hours at the Feather River Recreation and Parks District’s Activity Center gym, rehearsing routines and rhythms with Steve’s 19 other students, ages 6 to 18. “These athletes have to train hard, have great time management, learn teamwork and face their fears,” says Steve. “When you’re 12 to 16 feet in the air, that metal high bar is really scary! It’s easy for people to give up. These guys have to work through their fears and develop confidence.”

The unpredictability of gymnastics also teaches athletes to balance confidence with humility. As Steve says, gymnasts “learn that when they lose to someone who had a better day, they can do it gracefully.” From Reid’s perspective, gymnastics cycles through “progression, success, and failure. I really like that process, pushing through the tough moments and enjoying the good moments when they come.” 

For Reid, good moments come often; this year he qualified for national championships for the fifth time in his career. Last year he won the state championship for rings, but he says his performance in any given event varies week by week. He loves all six events in men’s gymnastics and constantly trains to bring his best to all of them.

Always a Work in Progress

Steve and Reid consider their double-bonded relationship a blessing, although each admits to times of tension, affording them an unusual amount of quality time together. Reid has grown up watching his father’s faithful coaching develop the program from a team of five to a team of 20, and Steve has watched his son’s skill and personality flourish. “I’m proud of the person he’s become, not just the gymnast,” says Steve, noting Reid’s involvement in Oroville High School’s Block O Club, Christian Club, and student government. “He’s highly respected in the gymnastics community all over the country and he’s such a great leader for the younger kids on the team.”

Reid, for his part, admires how his father cares for the team as if they were his own kids. “We all know our coach cares about more than just our physical wellbeing,” says Reid. “I’ve often told my dad I wouldn’t have made it as far as I have if he weren’t my coach.”

Moving Forward

In the fall, Reid will join the varsity gymnastics team at William & Mary University in Virginia and major in physics. Recounting a series of serendipitous events leading to this opportunity, Reid thanks God for “directing my path so I could continue my dream.” While he takes the future “in baby steps,” his dreams include expanding his skills and striving toward an Olympic or USA National team. Regardless of what the future holds, Reid remains confident in the support of his team, family, and especially his father.

Steve and Lisa will enter a new life stage as empty-nesters when both their children move away for college this fall. “It will be quieter,” says Steve, anticipating a little more time to rest and perhaps take a vacation or two. But coaching seems to run in Steve’s veins, and he looks forward to sharing the passion he and Reid share with the newest additions to the Oroville Gymnastics team. For more information about the team, visit their website.