By Derek Reinglass
Action photo by Diane Bidermann
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Legs together and arms spread apart, Nani Vercruyssen pirouettes graciously through the air like a bird overhead.

Vercruyssen, a 19-year-old trampoline gymnast and member of the U.S. Senior National Team, makes even the most difficult skills look simple. From a bloodline of gymnasts, Vercruyssen has been groomed for greatness.

"My whole family has been gymnasts," Vercruyssen said. "My dad was a collegiate men's artistic champion, and has coached and judged men's, women's and trampoline at the elite level. My mom was a high school and collegiate All American in women's artistic, and has become one of the top judges and coaches in Hawaii. My three sisters and I all competed in artistic gymnastics and trampoline gymnastics."

Vercuyssen's gymnastics pedigree is more than simply promising genetics, it's the coaching and motivation that helped jumpstart her career. While most kids still regularly tip over when they walk and run, she was already in the gym.

"When I was two years old, both of my parents were coaching gymnastics at my former school (Punahou School, Honolulu)," Vercruyssen said. "I would play around with my sisters and have mini lessons with my dad after his practices. My sisters were four and seven years old, and I had to learn what they did. We have some old home videos of my dad 'spotting' (i.e. carrying) me on a squat-on vault, then jumping off of a vault that is taller than me, and spotting me on pullovers and back hip circles on the bars.

"My first real gymnastics classes taken at a private club were for artistic gymnastics at five years old," said Verycrussen. Thereafter, I competed Level 5 by 6 years old, and qualified to Level 8 by 9 years old. I moved up very quickly in trampoline. I enjoyed learning new skills, so becoming an elite was a fast move up after just two years in the sport."

Vercruyssen's gymnastic career helped her grow up quickly and mold her into a productive young woman.

"Gymnastics has been my life, I grew up in my gym and this environment has taught me everything," Vercruyssen said. "Starting from when I was in kindergarten, I was the one responsible to remember to pack my leotard for practice. From fifth grade on, I had to learn to catch the bus to the gym on time and plan my day out. I was responsible for getting my homework done, so I learned to do it on the bus and before and after practice. Being required to wake up on my own and do morning runs up the hill in front of our house has taught me that training and my career are my responsibility. It has made me a lot more disciplined than I would have been without such assignments."

Throughout the years, Vercruyssen's training regimen has changed but the responsibility and self-discipline she had developed in her younger years has helped her remain focused.

"I used to train six days per week, four hours per practice plus cross training," Vercruyssen said. "But now I have college, work, and other responsibilities so I train five days a week for four hours and I do cross-training as well."

Vercruyssen is a freshman at the University of Hawaii Kapiolani Community College studying to become an elementary school teacher, which is a part of her goal for the future.

"I would like to help the U.S. qualify a ticket (berth) for the Olympic Games and compete," Vercruyssen said. "After I am finished competing, I plan to finish school and then get a teaching job, all while staying involved with the sport, either through coaching and judging, or through the administration of Hawaii Academy."

She is currently an assistant director, and her father, Dr. Max Vercruyssen, is the current director of the Hawaii Academy.

Although Vercruyssen has already achieved great success in the sport, at the age of 19, she knows bigger accomplishments lay ahead.

"I thought that my biggest accomplishment was when I won two gold medals at the World Age Group Competition," said Vercruyssen, who won the titles in trampoline and double mini-trampoline. "But as I compete more, it seems even more gratifying to be competing with the best in the world, with Olympians and world champions at World Cups and World Championships. Each competition that I go to is an experience that I will never forget."

Vercruyssen doesn't get much time to just relax and unwind, so when she does, she prefers less strenuous activities.

"I spend a lot of time in the gym because I also enjoy teaching recreational gymnastics and I am an assistant director of the school," said Vercruyssen. "But when I am free, I just like to hang out with my friends, doing absolutely nothing, or watching movies or going shopping. Because I have to be really 'up' when I train/compete and work I especially savor my 'down' times.

"I don't have a favorite movie, I have many," Vercruyssen said. "I like action movies and romantic comedies. But I am also a huge fan of most Nicholas Sparks books that are turned into movies like 'The Notebook,' 'The Guardian,' and 'A Walk to Remember.'"