In 2014, we started following the story of Melissa Doucette, a former NCAA standout from the University of Bridgeport, who, at the age of 24, decided to continue to train and compete as a level 10 with the hope of qualifying as an elite.

Melissa is now almost 26 and finished her elite journey last year. But because this sport makes it impossible to leave it behind forever, she’s moving forward in other ways, and has decided on her next adventure: power tumbling. She opened up to us about her mental and physical journey, the ups and downs of high level gymnastics, and where she’s heading next, hoping to inspire others along the way.

The last time we talked with you, you were pursuing elite gymnastics. Could you update us on how that went?

At the end of the elite season, I was mentally and physically burnt out. I know in my heart I reached my peak in artistic gymnastics, and I took about a year and a half off. I am now in a place where I can look back and say it went well. I qualified elite, met so many great people along the journey, and got to compete at the ranch. While I would have loved to have competed at national championships, I fulfilled my childhood dreams of competing elite and going to the ranch so I am proud of that!

How did your WAG elite qualifier go, and how did you feel about the end result?

My elite qualifier went great! I qualified out of compulsories on the first try, and on my optionals, I was four tenths away from qualifying to Classics. Going into the 2015 season, my goal was level 10 nationals, so I am happy that I decided to try elite and see where it could take me.

After trying your hand at elite gymnastics, you could have retired. Why didn’t you? Why did you decided to pursue power tumbling?

After elite gymnastics, I was so done. I didn’t want to do anything with the sport of gymnastics. I even had a hard time coaching, which had never happened to me before. I needed a mental break from the sport. I thought I wanted a “normal” life. I would do what other 25-year-olds were doing. I would go out all the time, I had a boyfriend. I wanted to live a life doing things that I thought I was supposed to do.

This turned out to be a very hard time in my life. I found myself in a toxic relationship, and I was very depressed. The only way I knew how to cope with things was to be in the gym. It’s like my safe haven. Originally, I was just going to the gym to work out, but I found myself tumbling a lot. A year prior to all of this, one of my friends told me about power tumbling, but at that point I wanted to be done. Fast forward a year, I decided to contact her and my college coach about it. I felt like I needed to try this sport and set goals for myself. Throughout that hard time, I realized that I truly enjoy being in the gym and inspiring others through my work in the sport. I don’t want to be anywhere else!

Where are you training? What is a typical day/week like for you?

Unfortunately, the east coast doesn’t have a lot of power tumbling gyms. I drive three hours each way to train. I train at Roots Gymnastics in Springfield, Massachusetts. On a training day, I will wake up early, drive to the gym, train for about two or two and a half hours, then drive back and coach full time at Gymnastics at Brentwood Commons. Sometimes I help at Roots and coach their up-and-coming elites! I also go to Idaho to train at Gym Revolution once in a while! I have a host family I stay with when I go there. I love having this opportunity because Gym Revolution coaches the senior national champion, Natalie Ory, along with many other great tumblers, so I get to see and train with the best in the country.

Will you be competing in T&T in the near future?

Yes! In March, I will compete at my first T&T meet, the Kalon Ludvigson Invitational in Utah. I can’t wait to see where it takes me!

What do you hope to accomplish in T&T? Short term goals? Long term goals?

My short term goals are qualifying elite and competing at the U.S. national championships and making the national team. My long term goal would be to represent the country at worlds and other international assignments.

What skills are you working on?

I’ve only been training for three months, so I am still very new to the sport. My current passes are a roundoff to five whips to back handspring to double layout, and a roundoff to whip full to four whips to back handspring to full-twisting double pike. My goal this year is to get a double layout transition, and long term I’d like to compete a double double.

How does T&T differ from artistic gymnastics?

The sports are very different, in my opinion! Artistic gymnastics has four events, whereas with T&T, you only have to do one. The floor specifically is very different as well. In artistic, the floor is a 40 by 40 foot square, but in T&T, the floor used for power tumbling is very bouncy and is 80 feet long with a 20 foot runway! The technique is also very different, so I found myself needing to relearn some of the gymnastics so I could feel more in control when I tumble on the rod floor for power tumbling.

Many people may believe you are “too old” to continue to train the skills you are training. How do you keep your body healthy?

This is a difficult task for me because I’ve had five surgeries already. The thing I’ve found to help me the most is my nutrition plan. I am now using lsagenix for my supplements and I’ve noticed a huge difference in my training. My body feels much healthier and I noticed myself recovering faster from each workout. So far, I’ve been injury-free!

You’ve competed at the JO, NCAA, and elite levels in artistic gymnastics, and now you’re trying T&T. What’s next for you? Rhythmic? Acro?

Yes, I’ve pretty much competed in every level! I believe next would be Cirque Du Soleil. I’ve always wanted to be a part of one of their productions.

Thanks, Melissa! We wish you the best of luck in your newest endeavor. If you want to follow Melissa’s journey to become an elite power tumbler, check her out on Instagram.

Article by Sarah Chrane