Desire, strength, flexibility, and speed are all elements that contour a gymnast. It is very clear to any spectator that the sport requires a colossal amount of dedication and passion to perform at a competitive level.

Iowa State gymnastics star Haylee Young has proven excellence in all of those qualities and even exceeded them to get to the collegiate level she is at today.

Already as a sophomore, Young’s accomplishments are at the least exceptional. The 5’2 all-arounder has managed a reputation that not even gymnast in the entirety of their career have accomplished.

Young was named in the All-Big 12 team in the all-around, which she competed in all 13 meets last season, and was the 2015 Big 12 All-Around Champion. She finished the 2015 season ranked 32nd nationally all-around and tied for 49th on the floor. She has even won the Mari-Rae Sopper award was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Week several times.

Through her well-deserved recognition and awards, Young continues to maintain her reputation regardless of the struggles that surfaced in her troubles with shin splints and previous shoulder surgery this past June.

“I’ve had injuries and surgeries before so, I know that it takes patience and hard work to get back,” Young said. “It’s worth it in the end, and I love gymnastics … it’s just seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and keeping that in the back of my mind everyday.”

Haylee also looked up to her senior teammate, Sara Townsend, who had four knee surgeries to get through her recovery.

Young’s character and passion is unique and admirable for all of those around her. Even more remarkable knowing the adversity she sustained throughout her life with her dad’s job moving her and her family from state to state. Being a gymnast in nearly four states, Young was born in Raleigh, NC., and soon after moved to to Maine where her career as a gymnast all began.

“I started when I was three,” Young said. “My mom put me in a ‘Mom and me’ gymnastics class, so we went together.”

After her early years in Maine, Young later moved to Alabama then settled in Atlanta, GA., where she came to know as home and grew up.

“I moved to Georgia by the time I was four,” Young said. “Which is where I grew up and where I was teammates with Micole [O’dell].”

From Georgia, Young finally came to West Des Moines, IA., her freshman year of high school, and later began her career with Iowa State. 

With all of that, the goals Young hopes to accomplish for herself and with her team extend way past what she has already done and experienced.

“I definitely want to be an All-American, that’s a big goal of mine and always has been. Another goals is I want to be there for my teammates everyday gymnastics or not,” Young said. “Also, everything I do I strive to give the glory to God, because that is the reason i’m able to what I do everyday. And obviously, I want to go to nationals with our team by my senior year. It would be the most amazing experience.”

With Young’s powerful faith in God that has helped her persevere, she is also is the type of athlete anyone will believe when she expresses her desire to do something like win nationals.

As an outsider, it is easy to assume that for most college athletes, balancing their role on their respective teams while being a college student can be an arduous challenge. So, how does an outstanding athlete like Young go about their everyday life at Iowa State with NCAA gymnastics, trying to build her career in Public Relations, and sustain above the required GPA for athletes.

“Mondays and Wednesday I have lifting at 8 o’clock for an hour, then class from 9-12pm, then practice from 2:15 to 5:15 everyday and Monday and Wednesday we have spinning after,” Young said. “I have tutoring at night if I need it, then go home and do homework.”

With practice, classes, and studies time management is crucial to stay level headed and rested. Grades being most important of all, as the gymnastics coaching staff stresses its importance.

“Our coaches definitely put school first, they want us to succeed academically so much, so it’s always student before athlete,” Young said.

As do-able as the lifestyle is, it is inevitable for it all to catch up to you sometimes or even often.

“It varies day-to-day, sometimes i’ll feel super charged and ready to go,” Young said. “Then there are mornings where I’m super tired and I have to motivate myself.”

Eating healthy in college is a prominent topic for universities everywhere. Specific to Iowa State, every dining center has the option to eat healthy just as much as the option to eat unhealthy.

In Young’s freshman year she often ate at Seasons dining center on campus where she balanced her meals to make sure she had the energy to perform while keeping her physique and health up to par.

“It was hard freshman year to go to the dining centers and find out what was healthy and what wasn’t since I didn’t have my mom to make me dinner every day,” Young said. “I tried to go to the salad bar, or grilled chicken and greek yogurt. And I’m a teenager, so sometimes I ate some of the unhealthy foods. You can treat yourself, but you have to stay on track especially during season.”

Now living in an apartment, Young is fully in charge of having a proper diet.

“I’ll cook grilled chicken and steamed broccoli a lot,” Young said. “And sometimes i’ll go to Tropical Smoothie, I love it there. My teammates and I actually go to [Tropical Smoothie] before every home meet.”

Young knows what it takes to be great and would encourage anyone striving to step in her shoes, that it is all worth it.

“It’s hard, it is hard your first year during preseason, but you have to know that season is so worth it because it is the most fun that I’ve ever had in my life,” Young said. “There are going to be hard days, but there are also going to be days where you do great, so you just have to look to another person and ask what they did to get through it. You’re here for a reason, so don’t doubt yourself.”