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Maine gymnasts practicing at home amid coronavirus, COVID-19

Decal Gymnastics has 80 competitive athletes doing what they can to stay active from their own homes, but the gymnasts are ready to get back into their routines.

AUGUSTA, Maine — While many of us have transitioned and adjusted to work from home during the pandemic, the story is a little different for athletes. 

Training cannot be done the same, making it very challenging for gymnasts to stay on track.

Decal Gymnastics in Augusta has many competitive athletes doing what they can to stay active at home.

"We started a Zoom schedule so we meet three times a week with our team kids," said Sher.

The athletes have received strength exercises to do at home and inspiring messages from professional Olympians from other states, to keep them encouraged!

12-year-old Mylee is considered the highest level gymnast in Maine, but she is frustrated that it's been almost ten weeks of her doing what she can in her back yard.

"Mylee was going 25 hours a week at least...doing competitions, to have everything stop automatically," said Shannon Grant, Mylee's mother.

Gym owner Delani Sher tells us her main goal right now is to keep all of her athletes active and connected.

"It's really really hard in this sport to be locked down at home and not have the same training capacities if you have a trampoline great if you have like a chin-up bar great, doing what you can, knowing that when you come back it's going to be a whole different process," said Sher.

Mylee has a trampoline she's been using to practice her flips

"Even just doing these skills, will help remind your body that it can still flip," said Sher.

Last week, Sher was able to start private one-on-one practices inside Decal Gymnastics.

Credit: NCM

"It takes some time to get back into things, like on the first one-on-one I could barely makeover a giant..and now I can make it over fine," said Mylee Grant.

"You were at the highest level of gymnastics when the quarantine hit, you are now back probably two years from where you were at that time," said Sher.

The gym hopes to get the competitive team back to speed starting next Monday, June 1.

As with many similar facilities, it will hold smaller training groups and the staff will be constantly cleaning all gym surfaces, including the mats, bars, and all other equipment.

Shannon Grant, Mylee's mother, also owns a gymnastics club in Palmyra. The gym, X-treme Gymnastics, has been holding classes for the girls outdoors.

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