Amy McDonald, of McKinney, is a full-time student at Collin College. However, she's got a lot more on her plate. She's also a world-class tumbler having competed around the world. She graciously took time to talk to Cougar News about her sport, her experiences, attitude and goals.

Amy McDonald

When did you get into tumbling? When did you start competing?

I got into tumbling when I was three years old. My mom couldn’t handle me jumping on her furniture so she said time for gymnastics. I competed for the first time when I was five years old in Illinois. Since then I haven’t stopped competing. I love competing not necessarily being in front of all those people, but I love the sense of accomplishment it gives you when you complete a pass.

How would you describe tumbling?

It’s really hard to describe tumbling, it’s easier to show people what it is versus describing it. But if I had to describe it I would say that we tumble on a floor that is 120 feet long and is made of foam and fiber glass rods. The rods give it spring so that we can go higher. We start at the beginning of the floor and run and doing eight continuous flips down the floor and land on our feet in the landing zone. The flips are generally fast and long, sometimes you do two flips in the air before you land on your feet. You can also add twisting to any flip as well to make it more difficult.

What do you like about tumbling?

Tumbling is a blast. I think it’s the closest thing to flying, I hardly touch my hands on the floor during my tumbling passes. The feeling you get when you fly down the floor is amazing. I also like that it is a unique sport, not many people can do what we do on a regular basis. It is gaining popularity, which is great. I know that one day the world will know what power tumbling is, and I wait for that day to happen so I can say I did that. The other part of tumbling I like is the fact that I get to travel throughout the United States and the world for competitions. Seeing the world and meeting amazing people that have turned into lifelong friends is amazing.

What are you educational goals? What are your career goals?

I would like to get my degree in teaching. I would like to teach high school or middle school. I haven’t determined what subject. My career goal is to be a head coach of a tumbling and trampoline program in a local gym. I love my sport and I want to stay active in it and help kids love it as much as I do.

You recently competed in Russia. What was the competition and describe your experience.

The competition was the World Championships for Trampoline and Tumbling. My experience was unforgettable. I competed with three other very talented American athletes. Together we formed the USA Women’s Tumbling team.  We all competed in the preliminary competition and after we were done the team was in fourth heading into finals the next day. For the finals only three of the four girls compete, so one girl has to sit and cheer her teammates on. It was a very difficult decision but in the end I decided that in order for our team to be contenders for a medal, I would need to let the other three girls compete and I would need to cheer them on. Ultimately that is the decision I made, I stepped down and allowed the girls to shine but I was there with them every step of the way cheering them on. In the end the girls hit their passes and we won the silver medal. Words cannot describe how it feels to be on the awards stand and see your flag raised and know that your team in the second best team in the country. It’s an unbelievable feeling that I will always remember. I was proud to be a part of it.  

In addition to competing, you coach kids at a local gym. What lessons do you pass along to those kids?

I love coaching kids. The way their face lights up when they learn a new skill and get to show their parents is amazing. I have learned discipline, hard work, confidence, and to simply have fun and smile all the time. I would love to pass any and all of those things onto the kids I teach. I have never been the super competitive person, most of the time I have a huge smile on my face just simply enjoying the moment. I try to teach my athletes that winning isn’t everything and that they can do anything they want if they just believe. I am a very driven person, so I try to sit down with my athletes and have them set goals and then we evaluate what needs to be done to help them achieve their goals.

What attributes do you think competition and gymnastics have instilled in you?

I know I have become a more confident, driven and a hard-working individual because of gymnastics. This sport has given me an opportunity to really find myself and become confident with who I am. It also has taught me that there is more to life than just competing and that one person can make a difference. I am extremely grateful for my parents for putting me in the sport and for the many coaches in my life that pushed me to believe in my talents and abilities. I never dreamed of doing the things I have done. Three world medals were not in the plan, but after I saw what I could do I made a goal, and everyone pushed me to achieve it. My motto has always been “Believe to Achieve,” and that motto will always stay with me no matter what I am doing.

As a gymnast, what is your foremost memory?

I have lots of memories as a gymnast, right now my foremost memory is Russia because I just got back. However if I need to pick a memory I would say when I won my first Senior Elite competition. The competition was called Pan American Championships in Florida. I have never been the most competitive person. For me if I go to a competition and land all of my passes on my feet I am completely happy. So that is exactly what I did this meet, when I finished my final pass and walked back to my coach, he just picked me up and spun me around. We cried and smiled, then I got my medal and listened to the national anthem while I was holding my medal. I remember looking into the audience and seeing my coach and knowing that I did it. I will never forget that moment, it was at this meet that I really gained confidence in my abilities as a senior elite athlete on the USA National Team.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Oh wow, I don’t tend to think that far down the road, but I hope to have my bachelor’s degree in teaching, and I hope to be the head coach of tumbling and trampoline program here in Texas. I also hope to be a member of some of the USA Gymnastics committees so I can help further this great sport. The ultimate thing that I would like to see happen in my lifetime is to see tumbling be added as an Olympic sport. It deserves to be put in and I know one day it will happen and I hope that I can go and be a part of that moment.

Who did you look up to growing up and competing?

My parents have always been my inspiration, but growing up I remember one person that never let me give up and ultimately was a key player in my success. His name is Jared Olsen. He has been my teammate since I moved to Utah when I was seven years old. I saw him every day at the gym, we tumbled together, we traveled to meets together, etc. Basically he turned into my older brother/best friend. As with any sport things can get hard and sometimes you just want to give up, Jared never let me do that. He always saw my potential and would always tell me tomorrow is a new day. I watched Jared compete at a World Championships, and I remember going up to him and saying I wanted to do that. He told me to do it. So that is what I did. I will be forever grateful for Jared and how he inspired me to dream big and to never give up until I achieved my goals.