SoCal gymnastic coaches give La Jolla High graduate Julianna Love ‘Super Senior’ award

La Jolla High School (Class of 2018) grad and artistic gymnast, Julianna Love, was recently presented with the 2018 Super Senior award by the Southern California Women’s Gymnastics Coaches Association (SCWGCA) board members and head coaches. The award included a check for $5,000, and was announced at a banquet in Orange County. SCWGCA annually recognizes outstanding female artistic gymnasts on the basis of athleticism, academic excellence and commitment to the sport.

Love said she has been a competitive gymnast since she was 6 years old. She joined TRC Gymnastics in Sorrento Valley at age 9. Her coaches include Darryl Davis, head coach and owner of TRC, and assistant head coach Pam Durnin.

Though her talent and love of gymnastics runs deep and is undeniable, her journey hasn’t been an easy one. Love had to overcome injuries that caused her to miss three consecutive competitive seasons. Nonetheless, she continued to train and condition her body as she was determined to get back to competition. The setback did not slow her down, but instead fueled her to one of her best competition seasons as she became a Regional Beam Champion and qualified for Western Nationals, where she placed sixth overall that year. In addition, Love received the Most Valuable Gymnast award for TRC Gymnasts.

As with many gymnasts, Love said the sport has shaped her character and defined who she is today, which includes taking on the role of leadership, not only in the gym but in her community. She’s become a mentor and coach to the younger gymnasts at TRC, and holds herself to high standards — not just for her own benefit, but for her teammates as well.

“Gymnastics has taught me how to be a team player, a positive leader and become more involved in the communities I care about,” Love said. At La Jolla High, she was involved in student government and held various positions, including Social Concerns Commissioner (junior year) and president of her senior class. She was also treasurer in the Mariners Club, an all-female honor scholarship society focused on philanthropic and community service.

Love said that more than the scores and skills associated with gymnastics, the sport taught her the value of patience, perseverance and hard work, which she applied to her academic achievements, earning A’s from the time she began elementary school. “I’ve learned that great tenacity and sacrifice are required to achieve the most rewarding goals,” she said, noting she finished high school with a GPA of 4.65 and was accepted to the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill .

She said she plans to major in biology, with the goal of pursuing a career in the medical fields of orthopedics, pediatrics or oncology and study in a Latin American country.

Love also earned herself a spot on the Tar Heels women’s gymnastics team and will compete in winter 2019. She is one of two TRC gymnasts to receive the Super Senior award. Teammate and Canyon Crest Academy senior Joyce Yen also received the award. Additionally, coach Davis was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for exemplary coaching, also presented by the Southern California Women’s Gymnastics Coaches Association.

— TRC Gymnastics has two training locations in the San Diego area: one in Sorrento Valley and the other in Solana Beach. trcgymnastics.com