KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — What does it take to be a champion? Some local competitors know the answer.
Doree Shelton says she loves to flip and it shows.
Perfecting a difficult routine takes talent and time, a lot of time.
"I practice 22 hours a week," she said.
Her goal is to compete at the highest level of gymnastics: Level 10. She brought home fourth place on floor and sixth place on beam in the Level 9 Eastern Gymnastics Championships.
"I was honestly blessed to be able to go. I loved going. It was an amazing opportunity," she said.
The 14-year-old trains at GymTek Academy on Western Avenue. The men's team that trains there just finished 11th in the country. GymTek owner Matt Henry said that's one place better than last year.
"We had seven qualifiers this year on the guys' side and then our first female qualified for Nationals this year too. It's the most we've ever taken so we are pretty stoked about that. We also had our first US Championship qualifier. We came away with a lot of individual medals too," he said.
For example, 18-year-old Brayton Williams is the National Champion in rings.
"Rings has been one of my best events ever since I started as a Level 4 eleven years ago. And so just that hard work and dedication every day coming into the gym and getting your work done and staying focused that's really what it takes to be the best at anything," he said.
He also won awards at the Men's Junior Elite National Championships for all around and parallel bars. He placed third on the high bar.
That's a lot of winning and a lot of work.
Matt Henry with GymTek said, "Something that we teach kids here is how to fail forward. That's something that we care a lot about. And these kids learn at a really early age that the faster you fail, the faster you find success and to us, that's the route."
Doree relies on that training when she falls off the beam.
"I just get back up, I talk to myself for like three seconds, and then I just get back up on the beam," she said.
Bayton said, "It's really fun to be able to get into that mindset and that zone and the focus to be able to go to meets and compete."
Doree shared one of her goals.
"I have always wanted to be a Level 10 gymnast and go up to Level 10 and I want a college scholarship. Mainly division one or two but a college scholarship," she said.
That's a goal Brayton has accomplished.
"I actually signed to the University of Oklahoma on an athletic scholarship. I'm really excited. It's the number one program in the country. They've won four in a row of NCAA National Championships," he said.
With his own National Championship in high school, he will fit right in.
Matt Henry said, "Take a moment to celebrate and then very quickly start planning for next season because it starts now."
It starts with a mindset to win.
Competitions are over for now but for the gymnasts there is no off-season. They continue to train and learn new skills all year.