RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — The Olympics might be over but they're still on the mind of one local 10-year-old gymnast who was inspired by Suni Lee and Team USA. This rising athlete has all the components around her to balance life and gymnastics.
"I really like doing bars and beam," says Deanna Vinski.
The young athlete puts on a production every time she hits this gym. She spends five hours a day, five days a week inside "The Gymnastics Revolution."
"We go to bars, vault, beam, and floor and we do our conditioning and then we stretch," she said.
Her path to gymnastics began years ago doing cartwheels at soccer games. The first time Mariellen Wagner saw her, she knew something was different.
"She just has this talent and drive that you don't find in every kid," says Wagner, owner of Gymnastics Revolution and Deanna's coach.
A natural talent with a contagious mix of immense strength and determination. Something you don't often see in a young child until you learn how they handle it.
"The memories that we had together were really fun and I'm happy that I at least got to have her for some of my life," says Deanna.
At the age of 6, this young athlete lost her mom, the only parent in her life at the time who had become her best friend.
"Sometimes I would just have to sit her in my lap and hug her cause she was crying she missed her mom," said Wagner.
Sadness grew over time. Then, something quickly changed. Her mental focus flipped.
Her grandparents took her in, her coaches suddenly became more than instructors and other gymnasts became her sisters.
"When it says it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village and she's got a pretty good village actually," says Wagner.
A family arose right by her side, watching every step until she became simply unstoppable. The excitement is just building. Deanna is in the top 100 in the country for her age group right now and that means only one thing could come next.
"The Olympics you get four girls every four years those are not great odds, but she is one of the ones she has the passion," says Wagner.
The Olympic rings on the wall and the medals in her mind have propelled her to new heights. She's a small talented star with a big global stage on the horizon motivated by her own advice.
"Never give up on what they love, never give up on their dreams and keep trying to do their best," says Deanna.
It is a lesson learned from those closest to her especially the one person always watching down on her.
"They're always there for me when I need them the most," says Deanna.
Deanna's next step is to qualify for the top 50 gymnasts in her age group in the U-S. Her goal is to compete in the summer games of 2028 in Los Angeles.
For more information on how you can practice with Deanna and meet her, click here.
