York Middle School student Jeremy Munn, pictured here in two events at a recent competition, has earned the New Hampshire State Title for individual boys' gymnastics at Level 7 and went on to take the second-place spot at the New England Regional Championship.
Courtesy photos
YORK - For local gymnast Jeremy Munn, the 80 to 100 hours of practice time he devotes every month to his sport is time well spent on the way to his ultimate goal: competing in the Olympics.
And with a dedication that is far beyond that of a typical 14-year-old, he has taken significant strides in that direction.
Jeremy, who is in the eighth grade at York Middle School, recently earned the New Hampshire State Title in boys' gymnastics, Level 7, as well as attaining second place at the New England Regional Championship.
"My favorite part of competing in gymnastics is the amazing feeling you get after you have hit a good routine," Jeremy explained.
Jeremy is a member of the N.H. Academy of Artistic Gymnastics in North Hampton, N.H., where he is coached by Lou Datilio, III. The NHAAG team, of which Jeremy is a member, earned the N.H. title for Best All-Around Team, with events that included rings, highbar, parallel bars, vault, pommel and floor.
From the New Hampshire meet, Jeremy and his teammates went to the New England Regional Championship on April 12, where he earned the second-place spot.
With about seven years of competition experience under his belt, Jeremy has trained in both Maine and in Spain, where he lived with his parents, Robert Munn and Margot Simonds, for several years.
While most eighth-graders at York Middle School are getting ready for the transition to York High School in the academic year ahead, Jeremy has another plan.
"Next year I am starting high school, but will be going to the New Hampshire Academic, Sports and Arts Center (NHASA) in Portsmouth," he said. "This will allow me the flexibility to train mornings and afternoons at NHAAG while studying in between. The school is open for students that need a flexible but academic schedule while pursuing high-level training in sports or the arts. I am really looking forward to this transition in my gymnastics career."
And with Jeremy's training schedule, that flexibility is crucial.
"Right now I train around 18 to 20 hours a week. I have done that amount of training since I was seven years old," he explained. "Next year I will be training more hours - three hours in the morning and three in the afternoon."
With a weekly training schedule next year that will amount almost to a full-time job, Jeremy acknowledged that gymnastics takes a serious commitment.
"There is a huge sacrifice of time in being a competitive gymnast," he said. "I don't have lots of time to hang out with friends during the week or during the competitive season. I also have to manage my time with schoolwork carefully."
But, he said, it is worth it.
"I would like to continue gymnastics through college," he said, "and hopefully to the elite level."
Looking to the future, Jeremy has one aspiration above all others.
"Every serious gymnast's dream is to make it to the Olympics," he said. "Competing and winning at that level would be my ultimate goal."
And what is Jeremy's advice for younger children who are thinking about becoming competitive gymnasts?
"Go for it!" he said. "It takes a lot of hard work, but it is something that can help you in other sports, as well as in time management and self discipline."
