Forbes' Fight to the Top
4/2/2002 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
April 2, 2002
"Hard work really does pay off," says Missouri gymnast Laura Forbes. In her case, hard work landed her a school and junior record on the floor exercise.
Laura's success in gymnastics began when she was three years old. "There was a gym behind my house in Illinois and my sister and I were always bouncing off the walls. My mom decided to sign us both up," she explained.
After enjoying two years of gymnastics, Laura's family moved to Columbia, Mo., where she enrolled in the Show-Me Gymnastics club.
All through elementary school Laura's parents encouraged her to try other sports. She took dance lessons and played softball until sixth grade, but neither exploits proved to be as enthralling to the youngster as tumbling. At this point, Laura decided that gymnastics was ultimately her sport and decided to dedicate her efforts to becoming the best gymnast she could be.
"I had to choose. I decided I wanted to do gymnastics because it was more fun and my friends were in it," said Laura.
Despite her love for the sport however, her career experienced a few upsets in high school, as her health took some misfortunate turns. "In August before my junior year I had knee surgery for torn cartilage. The day before my first meet back, I dislocated my elbow," Laura said.
After walking around with her arm in a sling for more than a month, Laura began the long haul to recovery. Slowly, she regained her strength and tried to recapture the skills she had lost after a year of injuries.
Even though she competed as a Level 10 gymnast her senior year, Laura's injuries set her behind other gymnasts and put her chances for collegiate participation in jeopardy. Rounding down her senior year, she was not confident of a college scholarship, despite the desperate desire to continue her career.
"I looked at Southeast Missouri, Mizzou and Illinois State," Laura said. "I knew that if a scholarship wasn't going to happen I wanted to be close to home and to my friends. Ever since I was little I went to see the MU girls and when it came down to it, I really didn't want to be anywhere else."
Having the hometown advantage, Laura was well acquainted with Missouri gymnastics coaches, Eric Geren and Jake Jacobson. She spoke with them her senior year and they allowed Laura to walk-on to the team as a freshman during the 2000 season.
After competing a full season on the floor, Jacobson announced he was retiring. A little worried to be losing such a supportive coach, Laura and her mom met with the newly appointed coach, Rob Drass.
"Rob was so excited for me to walk-on and was so willing to help me out," Laura said. " I am doing routines now that I never though I would be doing," she smiles.
Rob's confidence in Laura has led her to be one of Mizzou's top scoring athletes on the floor exercise. During her sophomore year, Laura broke the school floor exercise record with a 9.925 at the Corvette Cup. She came back to repeat the feat setting a junior record on the apparatus this year recording three 9.900 scores in 2002.
Hard work and a bit of superstitious luck helped Laura through a tremendous season and receive a well-deserved scholarship her sophomore and junior year. "I don't like to think I am superstitious but I have to do everything the same the day of the meet. I always pray during "The Star Spangled Banner" and before every event for a good meet and to keep the girls healthy," she said. "I visualize my routines before I start and I always warm-up my tumbling passes the same amount of times and in the same order," she added.
Although she flourishes on floor, Laura also enjoys braving the balance beam. "The beam really challenges me. I could be having a good or a bad meet and it doesn't matter on beam. Every day is different," Laura explained.
With Laura's hard work ethic however, she rarely has a bad day. She knows that because of the time and effort she put into gymnastics, she can solidly compete among the girls who came from the stronger gyms.
"Knowing that I didn't get a scholarship my freshman year just goes to show that hard work really does pay off. My routines are not the most difficult but I compete to the best of my ability and hopefully that will be enough," Laura said.
So far it has been enough.
"Rob and Eric believed in me enough to put me in the floor rotation. I just thank the Lord for giving me the talent to compete for a Division I school."
