By Deanna Brown

Daily Sun



Focus. Passion. Determination.

Grueling workout schedules, injuries, and little time for anything else are a way of life for Georgiana DePugh, in her quest to be the best gymnast she can possibly be.

And Georgiana is not yet 12 years old.

Christmas was but a footnote in the schedule this young girl keeps. She just returned from Bela and Marta Karolyi’s “Karolyi Camp” in New Waverly, and will soon board a plane to travel to Covington, Kentucky for a Level 7 challenge, where she will represent Team Texas.

Georgiana will turn 12 Jan. 12, 2010, just days after the Kentucky meet. She had a bit of disappointment at Karolyi camp, as Bela and Marta were in Romania for their first visit in eight years, and didn’t make it back to the states. Karolyi is known internationally for coaching gymnast greats such as Nadia Comanci, Dominique Dawes, Mary Lou Retton, and Kerri Strug.

Paul and Leica DePugh, owners of Cici’s Pizza, were raising their three children in Houston when Georgiana was first bit by the “gymnastics bug.”

“We took her to a birthday party at Acro Fit when she was 4 years old, and then she threw a two-year fit wanting to do gymnastics,” Leica joked. “She came home from that party saying ‘I want to be a gymnast,’ and hasn’t let up since.”

The family, which includes daughter Lauren Flores, age 17, a senior at Corsicana High School, and son Michael, age 10 and in fourth grade at Collins Catholic School, moved to Corsicana when Georgiana was in kindergarten. She was enrolled at both DCI and CTA locally, taking tumbling and cheer, and at the urging of Jaime Scott Skinner from DCI, Georgiana was taken to Trevino’s Gymnastics in DeSoto, where she started lessons two days after her 6th birthday.

“Before that, she climbed everything,” Leica said. “After she started gymnastics, she did it all over the house, constantly. The ottoman was only known to her as the ‘vault horse’ in the living room.

“One of her teachers at the Catholic school got upset because Georgiana was always doing cartwheels in her uniform jumper. So we had to make sure she always had on a pair of shorts, since she was upside down so often.”

In the beginning, the gym sessions were an hour and half in length, and only twice a week. Every time Leica put her in the car following a class, Georgiana wanted to know why she couldn’t come back the next day. Still at age 6, she was bumped up to a pre-teen level, and began doing gym three days a week, at two and a half hours each time.

In third grade, Georgiana wanted a gym experience where she could train harder, and for longer periods. She moved to Texas Elite, and started training five days a week. A transfer to Texas East Gymnastics in Tyler lasted only six months because the drive was so brutal. At that point, she moved to ISS (Individual Sports Solutions), where she rejoined many of her gymnast friends from the Texas Elite days.

For the last three years, Georgiana has trained five days a week, as well as attending school at the gym. She has an instructor who uses curriculum from Texas Tech, and is excelling in her coursework. A perfectionist, Georgiana is no more satisfied with a grade lower than 100 than she is an imperfect routine.

At a recent statewide meet in Austin, Dec. 5, Georgiana placed sixth, which earned her a place on Team Texas.

“The top six gymnasts got a spot on Team Texas, and will represent the state at the national judges cup,” Leica said. “Twenty other states will send teams, all Level 7s. Texas has won this the last two years, and we’re going for a three-peat.”

After she represents Team Texas, Georgiana will resume her regular Level 7 season. The nearly 12-year-old also enjoys the Twilight books, watching movies, playing Wii, and especially reading. But she admits herself she is “pretty focused on gymnastics.”

She has personally met Nadia Comanci, Bart Conner, Shawn Johnson (her favorite), Dominque Dawes, and Carly Patterson. Fortunately, Georgiana has only suffered a stress fracture in one elbow, and “popped out” a rib. Her friend Alexis Hill hasn’t been as fortunate, breaking both feet in one routine at a meet last year.

Leica and Georgiana leave each morning around 6 a.m. to make the drive to Farmers Branch. Leica returns to Corsicana while Georgiana is at gym, in order to take care of the other children. Lauren played volleyball all four years at CHS, and will graduate in May. Michael is enjoying fourth grade in Fred Lagomarsino’s class, and hoping to play football again in the fall.

“Everyone has to sacrifice for Georgiana’s sport,” Leica said. “I would like to see her get a full-ride scholarship, one day. And if she wants to, I would like to see her achieve Elite level.”

“One thing they do at these camps is watch girls in the Elite program,” said Paul, who accompanied Georgiana to Karolyi Camp.

Girls in the Elite level must test and qualify for it, and once they do, are involved in national and international competitions.

“The intensity and amount of training to be Elite starts to mount up,” Paul said. “Plus the skills they have to master are much more difficult.”

For what the family spends on Georgiana’s gym, travel, gas, training gear, doctors, etc. they figure they could have put one child through a year at a state college. And though she is probably four to five years away from making Elite, the family is committed to seeing her succeed, as long as it is what Georgiana wants.

“Usually by age 18 or 19, they go to college, or they get burned out, or their injuries take them out of the sport,” Paul said. “You don’t have many female gymnasts as old as 20.”

“These girls work hard, they work hungry, tired and hurt, and without much complaining,” Leica said.

“I plan to go as far as I can,” Georgiana agreed.

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Deanna Brown may be contacted via e-mail at deanna@corsicanadailysun.com. Want to “Sound Off” on this story? E-mail soundoff@corsicanadailysun.com.