Boundless Bounce

When Aimee Walker showed up at a Van Nuys gymnastics club, coach Fritz Reiter almost turned her away. Reiter thought she mgiht get hurt because she was blind in one eye and had been deaf since birth.

But he didn’t count on the charm factor. Four years later, Aimee, now 13, is one of the leading gymnasts at Gymnastics Olympica USA. She’s own top honors for her floor routnien on the club circuit- a league one notch below the elites.

Moreover, she’s thoroughly trimuphed over Reiter’s reservations. Reiter’s early decision that he “didn’t want to get involved” has given way to a firm resolve to each Aimee. He’s even worked up his own system of talking to her using gestures and the sign- language alphabet of his native Austria.

This conversion owes much to Aimee’s enthusiasm, not to mention her wickedly funny grin. In the end, “Aimee is the one who persuaded me,” Reiter said.

Today, the youngster has also largely conquered her blind side, which one tripped her up on the balance beam. And she excels at floor routines, even though she can’t hear the music. “I feel the rhythm inside,” she explained, speaking in American Sign Language. “I’ll never quit.”

Such determination helps. But Aimee’s success is also a tribute to the willingness of those around her to attack the communication barrier head- on.

None of Aimee’s teammates are deaf. But nearly all have learned some sign language.

Since the team spends five hours a day, six days a week together, practices have been a little like full- immersion language lesson, explained coach Jennifer Mickschl. A few girls sign so well they chat ad giggle with Aimee effortlessly.

Mickschl started studying sign language as soon as she met Aimee and now uses it constantly. “As coach, I wanted to be able to say if she did something wonderful. I wanted to be able to say, ‘Perfect!”’ she said.

Aimee’s presence on the team provides welcome perspective in the high- pressure world of competitive gymnastics, Reiter said.

“Gymnastics is just a sport,” he said. “But having Aimee here brings int his real- life experience. . .It’s what sports really teaches us: to overcome obstacles.”