While the average person wouldn’t know the difference between gymnastics and tumbling, for senior Ally Shawger and sophomore Brooke Carson, the distinction between the two couldn’t be clearer. They both have been involved in gymnastics and tumbling for large portions of their lives and now compete in tumbling at the national level.

The main difference between the two sports is that while gymnastics consists of four events, there are only three events in tumbling—rod floor, trampoline and double mini.

In rod floor, the goal is to perform a routine of acrobatic skills while earning as few deductions as possible.

“What you want to get out of [rod floor] is honestly who can have the rawest power and can be the strongest and the most powerful,” Brooke said.

Double mini is performed on a half-slanted, half-level trampoline, shaped similarly to the vault in gymnastics. It consists of a two-jump routine followed by flips and twists that judges evaluate for correct positioning.

“Double mini is usually my favorite just because it’s always been one of the [events] I just liked and was a little bit better at,” Shawger said. “It just came a little more easily.”

Trampoline is performed on a standard, white-bed trampoline, although it’s much bouncier in order for tumblers to reach heights great enough to perform their routines.

According to Shawger, who tumbles for Sunflower Gymnastics in Emporia, the long trip to and from practice can interfere with track and school work. 

“[Traveling to and from Emporia for practice] takes about 5 hours after school,” Shawger said.  “I have very late nights of homework … There’ll be study sessions at like midnight or one in the morning.”

This hard work contributes to their success at competitions. In previous years, Shawger has placed fifth at nationals twice and seventh once. For the last two years Brooke has placed second nationally in her events.

According to Brooke, who tumbles at Miss Maria’s Acrobatic and Dance, this was not expected.

“I was kind of in shock; I couldn’t really believe it, especially since last year I only got second from a tie,” Brooke said. “I was kind of living in the moment when it happened.”

Brooke’s mother Lisa Carson, was extremely proud of her daughter when she earned both second places.

“[It was] my most proud moment [of her],” Lisa said via email. “It also makes me extremely proud to know how much determination, dedication and love for the sport she has.”

Brooke would like to earn a national victory since she come so close the past two years. Shawger is currently unsure whether she will continue tumbling through college or not although she said her years of tumbling have have been a positive experience.

“There really isn’t a ‘proudest moment [for me], there’s just a bunch of different times that you’re proud of yourself,” Shawger said. “It’s all been pretty great.”