COMMUNITY JOURNALISM: A mom's tale about a gymnastic comeback

By Jen Carr, community contributor

This season has been a remarkable one.

My 14-year-old daughter, Jacey Carr, a Level 8 gymnast with the Cedar Rapids Association of Gymnastics. During her first meet last year, she suffered a sever injury to her to right knee. She had completed a perfect bar routine - something she had done several times - when, upon her dismount, she feel back and could not move.

From that moment on her season was over.

She pulled the patella tendon and had muscle damage in her knee. She was out off gymnastics for more than six months, did physical therapy and completed a 12-week session in the Mercy Acceleration.

Jacey was devoted to getting back for this season. Although she should have been competing at Level 9, she choose to start slow and work her way back.

She won several golds this season. Last weekend she won the uneven bars, beam, vault and all around at the state meet, in the 14-year-old Level 8 division.

“I love gymnastics and when I came back after my injury and won bars and all around, it was the best feeling,” she said. “I could only keep going strong. State champion is where it got me.”

Jacey started gymnastics when she was 3 at Somersaults Gymnastics. She started competing when she was 6 and quickly excelled up a level every year, moving to the Cedar Rapids Association of Gymnastics.

Jacey has 99 medals (gold, silver and bronze) as well as 11 trophies.

“My biggest goal is to get a scholarship to college and be a student athlete,” she said.

My husband, Al, and I are very proud of Jacey's dedication and perseverance to achieve her goals. She comes from a big family which sometimes can be hard.

She has four other siblings, three of which are in college. Her brother, Alex, is playing football for UNI. Her sister, Jordan, also attends UNI and brother, Albert, studies at Luther. All are big fans, along with youngest sister Jurnee.

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