If someone told me that I was going to get 22 perfect 10s in my college career, I probably would have laughed at them.
Before I came to OU, I shared with one of my old coaches, Mike Hunger, that I just wanted to get one. To finish with 22 of them instead, plus two NCAA national championships and two individual all-around titles, means so much to me. It just doesn’t feel real yet that it’s over.
The past couple of weeks, I’ve been feeling a lot of different emotions. It doesn’t feel possible that my gymnastics career is over, and in such a sudden way. Even so, I’m completely at ease with my whole career. I went through the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows and just overcame so many different obstacles.
Looking back on my time at OU, I accomplished so many of my goals. Knowing that I accomplished, and even exceeded, some of them is incredible, especially after the things that I went through. More importantly, I think I have grown into an amazing and strong woman.
I’ve had three knee surgeries, an elbow surgery, many breaks and many tears. I know that I grew stronger from those injuries and those obstacles and grew into the best gymnast and the best athlete that I possibly could. I never gave up, and I kept striving for those goals.
Before I came to OU, I shared with one of my old coaches, Mike Hunger, that I just wanted to get one. To finish with 22 of them instead, plus two NCAA national championships and two individual all-around titles, means so much to me. It just doesn’t feel real yet that it’s over.
The past couple of weeks, I’ve been feeling a lot of different emotions. It doesn’t feel possible that my gymnastics career is over, and in such a sudden way. Even so, I’m completely at ease with my whole career. I went through the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows and just overcame so many different obstacles.
Looking back on my time at OU, I accomplished so many of my goals. Knowing that I accomplished, and even exceeded, some of them is incredible, especially after the things that I went through. More importantly, I think I have grown into an amazing and strong woman.
I’ve had three knee surgeries, an elbow surgery, many breaks and many tears. I know that I grew stronger from those injuries and those obstacles and grew into the best gymnast and the best athlete that I possibly could. I never gave up, and I kept striving for those goals.
Our team found out about the rest of the season being canceled due to the spread of COVID-19 during the middle of practice.
KJ pulled us into the team room right after my beam rotation and told us the news. When she told all of us, I was completely devastated and heartbroken, and I didn’t even know what to think. Jade, Bre and I just broke down crying because we’re seniors. So not just our season was done, but our careers were finished. I still can’t even the process the fact that it’s over in a snap of two fingers. It’s the right thing to do because of everything going on, but it’s still completely heartbreaking.
My senior year was going amazingly well, and I was really enjoying myself. Every competition I was having so much fun and soaking in every single moment, and I felt like that was helping my gymnastics as well. Toward the end, I had back-to-back meets that I hit almost the best routines I possibly could, especially on vault. I had a few perfect 10s this year, and I think I was just really enjoying the whole process because it was my last year.
KJ pulled us into the team room right after my beam rotation and told us the news. When she told all of us, I was completely devastated and heartbroken, and I didn’t even know what to think. Jade, Bre and I just broke down crying because we’re seniors. So not just our season was done, but our careers were finished. I still can’t even the process the fact that it’s over in a snap of two fingers. It’s the right thing to do because of everything going on, but it’s still completely heartbreaking.
My senior year was going amazingly well, and I was really enjoying myself. Every competition I was having so much fun and soaking in every single moment, and I felt like that was helping my gymnastics as well. Toward the end, I had back-to-back meets that I hit almost the best routines I possibly could, especially on vault. I had a few perfect 10s this year, and I think I was just really enjoying the whole process because it was my last year.
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I also felt like the team had a great chemistry, and we kept getting better and better through every single meet. It was amazing and then it stopped. Knowing our last meet, especially as a senior class, was our senior meet is one thing I will remember forever. A lot of the other teams didn’t get their senior night, so being able to experience that is so special. Personally, I had a great meet that night, and all four of my events were close to perfect. Having that perfect 10 on vault, I don’t think I could have ended any better. Knowing that I ended on almost perfect terms and with such an amazing night celebrating all of us eases my mind a little bit, and I don’t think it could have ended any better given the circumstances.
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Nichols' impact on the gymnastics community
goes far beyond her career achievements. |
To my teammates, we’ve been through it all together, and I wouldn’t be the athlete and the gymnast that I am today if it wasn’t for every single one of you throughout my four years here. Thank you for being my sisters and supporting me through the lowest of the lows and the highest of the highs. I will never forget the memories that we have together.
To the fans, everyone who has supported me through my whole career, thank you a million times. I wouldn’t be where I am today without each and every one of you cheering me on at competitions and supporting me on social media and through my whole career here, and I’m just forever thankful for you.
To the fans, everyone who has supported me through my whole career, thank you a million times. I wouldn’t be where I am today without each and every one of you cheering me on at competitions and supporting me on social media and through my whole career here, and I’m just forever thankful for you.
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But don’t worry, this isn’t quite goodbye yet, Sooner Nation. While I finish my OU degree, you’ll still see me in the Lloyd Noble Center next season as a student coach. Through my whole college education, there have been a few different areas I’ve been interested in for my future, including sports broadcasting and writing a book sometime soon about my story.
Another of these is college coaching, so when KJ gave me the opportunity to be the student coach, I took that in two seconds. Being taught by the best of the best is probably the best experience that I’ll get, so I’m just really excited to be around this team one more time and start to learn all the ropes of college coaching. OU has set me up perfectly for success in the future, and while here I’ve learned so many incredible life lessons that I’m definitely going to take with me. I’ve learned to be independent. I’ve learned to do things on my own, especially being so far from home, and I’ve learned time management. |
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22Perfect 10s
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6Individual National Titles
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30Total All-America Honors
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I’ve also learned that I’m a very resilient person. I have been through many different obstacles within my career not just this season ending short but also the injuries and everything in between. I’ve grown into such strong athlete and someone who never gives up, no matter the circumstances.
This spring, “Athlete A,” a documentary about my story and the whole story of the USA Gymnastics and Larry Nassar case, will be released. It took a lot to say yes to doing the documentary because I knew that a lot of people are going to see it. Honestly, it was kind of hard for me to make the decision whether or not I wanted to make that documentary because my face would be everywhere, but I think it’s very important. I already watched it, and it’s very educational and very powerful, so I’m excited for it to come out. Through the whole process, it was really hard filming and doing the interviews, and I always told my mom that I didn’t want to do it or I didn’t want them to come film. After seeing it, I know it was all worth it. I’m just very excited for people to watch it and for people to see how powerful the story truly is.
This spring, “Athlete A,” a documentary about my story and the whole story of the USA Gymnastics and Larry Nassar case, will be released. It took a lot to say yes to doing the documentary because I knew that a lot of people are going to see it. Honestly, it was kind of hard for me to make the decision whether or not I wanted to make that documentary because my face would be everywhere, but I think it’s very important. I already watched it, and it’s very educational and very powerful, so I’m excited for it to come out. Through the whole process, it was really hard filming and doing the interviews, and I always told my mom that I didn’t want to do it or I didn’t want them to come film. After seeing it, I know it was all worth it. I’m just very excited for people to watch it and for people to see how powerful the story truly is.
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My hope is that some part of my journey inspires others. Knowing that people look up to me not only because of gymnastics but in other aspects as well, it’s such an honor and it’s something that I take very seriously. I’m so thankful to have little fans and people that look up to me because I just want to inspire them to continue to follow their dreams and to never give up on what they are striving to achieve.
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Nichols reflects on some of her favorite moments.
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At the end of my gymnastics career, I don’t want to just be remembered as the gymnast. I want to be remembered as someone who inspired others, someone who was kind and someone who was always friendly to others. I just hope that I leave that mark on everyone around me and people who follow me on social media, just as someone who is an inspiration and someone who never gives up.
While all my perfect 10s mean a lot to me, what I’ve done and continue to do outside of competition matters even more.
While all my perfect 10s mean a lot to me, what I’ve done and continue to do outside of competition matters even more.
