By Tim Wester
Sports Correspondent
When Westosha Central/Union Grove combined gymnast Devan Green began her senior season, she wasn’t sure if she could even make it through an entire meet let alone qualify for the WIAA state gymnastics tournament.
Green, who has battled severe back pain throughout her high school career, was struggling to get past the pain this past November.
But like a true champion, Green’s persevered through the back pain and was rewarded with an eighth-place finish in the vault event at the WIAA Division 1 State individual gymnastics meet at Wisconsin Rapids March 8.
“There were a lot of ups and downs this year with my back problems,” Green said. “Every other meet at the beginning of the season I didn’t know how to handle the pain, but I eventually got used to it and I finally started to handle it better and just started to have fun at meets.”
Green undoubtedly had her most fun at the state tournament, where her high school gymnastics career culminated in memorable fashion.
“A lot of people all tell you that you have a shot and you don’t believe them at first,” Green said. “And then you develop new skills and continue improving. It didn’t sink in until I was on the podium where there were a couple tears of joy coming down my face.”
It certainly isn’t difficult to understand Green shedding a few tears after everything she went through to get to that winning moment.
Green began her gymnastics career as a child at the Racine YMCA where her mother was her coach. After the program dissolved, Green
moved on to the Racine gymnastics program where back pain began to take its toll.
“When I moved to Racine gymnastics, it just wasn’t the same and my back pain continued to get worse,” Green said. “So we decided that I take time off.”
Green later transferred to Union Grove High School and met gymnastics coach Bill Price, who helped convince her to give gymnastics another shot her junior year.
Green’s transition back to gymnastics was a bumpy process that took nearly her entire junior season to feel comfortable again.
“The first day back I remember feeling like I couldn’t even walk,” Green said. “So it was definitely a struggle, but I think it was at sectionals my junior year where I was actually impressed myself.”
Although Green’s junior season ended at sectionals, it showed she had the potential for greater achievements her senior season, when Price predicted she’d become a state qualifier.
“I talked to Devan back in November and told her she had a great chance to make it to state,” Price said. “Devan did exactly what she was capable of. I just wish she would have made it in the all-around because she could have had a lot more fun.”
Green looks to continue to her gymnastics career in college at a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference school.
“Right now I’m talking to UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh, and UW-Whitewater about competing in gymnastics in college,” Green said. “I’m just trying to find the right situation.”
With Green’s ability to persevere, she undoubtedly will do whatever it takes to reach her goal of competing at the college level.
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