It’s our pleasure to introduce Drew Miller, a 2016 Men’s Artistic Gymnastics athlete from Stratford, PE, Canada who trains with Shane Codrington at Island Gymnastics.
Read below to learn more about Drew and hear how he maintains his competitive edge!
Interview
Weʼd love to begin by learning about your early gymnastics career. When and where did you start your competitive program? And, what did you love most about it?
This is my second year in the Island Gymnastics Academy competitive program. Before this I did one year of recreation with Victory Gymnastics.
What was it like to compete for the first time? Did this experience shift for you as you gained experience?
I have always loved competing itʼs so much fun.
As you continued training and competing, what were some of the challenges you faced? And, how did you overcome them?
Working on new skills can be really hard but itʼs so exciting when you get them.
Who and what has been most influential in your gymnastics career? And, how have you stayed dedicated and motivated?
My sister Ella is also a competitive gymnast. She is my best friend and biggest cheerleader. She helped train me on her home equipment starting when I was only 3 years old. Having her cheer me on means a lot.
One of the aspects of gymnastics that we appreciate so much is that senior competitive athletes often participate in coaching younger competitive athletes. From what we hear, this is pretty standard in the sport and, we have to say, we think itʼs ingenious! Athletes who are new to the sport get to know their role models, which is so inspiring; Senior athletes deepen their knowledge by teaching skills in ways that resonate with boys who have myriad learning styles; and the gymnastics community benefits by having those who are participating in the sport literally shape its future. We’re curious: Does your gym also use a model like this?
Yes
What are some of your most memorable career highlights?
After working hard and finally getting by back half twist.
Could you please share what grade you’re in and what plans and aspirations you have for the future?
I am in grade 2 at Stratford Elementary. When I grow up I want to be an anesthesiologist.
Iʼd like you to imagine that youʼre in your 30s, living your best life! What do you think youʼll remember most fondly about your gymnastics career? And what has been your most fun memory, to this point?
Having so much fun, making new friends and memories.
Could you please share some of the transferable skills that youʼve developed because of gymnastics? And also about any other ways you anticipate this sport will influence your life in the future?
Hard work is worth it.
Lastly, do you have any advice for younger athletes who are interested in MAG? Both in terms of gymnastics and in general?
Always try hard and follow your dreams.
Lightning Round Questions
If you could eat one food for the rest of your life it would be:
Strawberries
If you were told the internet was going to disappear forever, what would you put on your hard drive? (Movies, shows, music, photos, etc.)
Games
If you could meet one person (dead or alive), who would it be?
Taylor Swift
Your morning drink/meal of choice is:
Chocolate Milk
On your days off, what do you LOVE doing?
Hockey, gymnastics, running and video games
Your three biggest priorities in life are:
Family, Friends, Gymnastics (Goal to get a double back flip)
Describe your go-to style in and out of the gym:
Sporty
That’s a wrap! Thank you, Drew!
We hope you found Drew’s interview fun and inspiring! Here at the Grizzly Classic, our goal is to increase participation in Men’s Artistic Gymnastics across Canada. We thought it would be fun to share stories from athletes competing at every level and every age to create a sense of connection among these extraordinary athletes and give newcomers a window into the MAG community.
We hope you found this interview interesting and helpful.
If you have feedback, we’d love to hear it! And, if you know an athlete who would like to be featured, please direct them to the Grizzly Classic Featured Athlete Profile Form.
