Senior Callie Sher takes her stance on the beam, points her toes, and flips across with an elegant swish of her ponytail, and lands perfectly balanced on the other end. She does back bends on the mat in her electric pink and black leotard and keeps a serious expression on her face at all times as she stretches her body in ways that I only thought a rubber band could. Callie’s performances as a gymnast are agile and swift, yet graceful and bold as she leaps, flips, twists, spins, and lands. She dedicates her life to gymnastics and can’t see herself spending a single day without it.

“I started gymnastics when I was one and I always kept on going,” Callie said. “It came naturally and it’s something everyone wants to do but never did or can’t. It’s hard to describe [my life as a gymnast] because gymnastics is my life. I’ve never lived without it. Sometimes there are times I’d give up almost anything for it. I think about it 24 hours a day and before I go to sleep. It’s always on my mind. I’m in love with the sport. I love the thrill and I love making myself do things that sometimes I don’t think I can do.”

Last week, Callie found out she made the Illinois National Gymnastics Team, which is made up of the 12 best seniors in the state, as selected by a committee of gymnastic coaches.  She will compete in Fort Myers, FL on May 20 and 21.

“It’s prom weekend,” she said. “I’m willing to do it though. When I heard about it, prom wasn’t an issue. I’d much rather be doing gymnastics than going to prom. I still might be able to fly back to go.”

Callie spends her weekdays running after school and going to practices during the season, but other than that she enjoys watching Niptuck and is involved in student government, cross country, track & field, Spanish honors society, Hebrew club, and many other extracurricular activities. Her favorite movie is Get Him to the Greek and she also admires different celebrities and athletes.

“[I like] Mila Kunis,” Callie began. “[Because] I think she’s really pretty [and] I like Alicia Sacromone because she went to the Olympics, fell off the beam twice, and it shows that not everyone is perfect.”

Even when it comes to having fun, Callie retains her athletic interest.

“I love to run and I like being athletic,” she said. “[I like doing] anything active.”

Callie works hard to perform in competitions and tries to do her best to reach her own expectations.

“I try to give it everything I can,” Callie said. “My performance isn’t as good as I think it’s going to be, but I’m always working hard to do as many workouts as I can. I used to get really nervous [in competitions], but I’ve been doing it for 16 years now, so I embrace it and do what I can do at my fullest potential. I try to be the best I can be.”

Despite being determined to become a great gymnast, Callie still carries a fear.

“My greatest fear is not reaching my full potential in gymnastics,” Callie laughed. “[When I’m nervous] I just release any nerves or fear from my body and I close my eyes and picture myself doing it forwards and backwards.”

Callie’s effort pulled off at her last conference where she was floor champion and placed on all-around and bars.

“We all had a great time and were laughing,” Callie said. “I think it was one of my favorite meets. I’m always looking to do better. Now that the season is over, I am getting right into track and can’t wait! Now, I am going to be on the Illinois National Team. I will be going to school, straight to track, and then right to gymnastics’s practice.”

Callie gets some of her inspiration from her parents and their hard work.

“I look up to my parents because they work so hard and my mom works out every morning. I look up to that because sometimes I don’t want to do something and she does it every day,” she said

Aside from her obsession with gymnastics, Callie dreams of becoming an engineer and getting away from Skokie.

“[I want to go into] Engineering,” Callie shared. “But I’m not exactly sure what kind. [I also want to go to] University of Denver or Syracuse because it’s always been my dream to get away from here and because it’s the experience I’ve always wanted.”

As a great gymnast, Callie also holds some great confidence in herself.

“I get my confidence from the team, when everyone cheers [for us], my family, the coaches, my babysitter, and my grandparents,” Callie explained. “I think [I also] get some from myself because I push myself all the time.”

Still curious about Callie? Here’s more Fun Facts:

NWN: What’s your favorite food?

Sher: “I like rice crispy treats, I love LouMalnati’s pizza, and squash,” she laughed. “I really like squash. Random, but I like it.”

NWN: Do you believe that the world will end in 2012?

Sher: “No, because I can’t picture life just ending, and I can’t see anything right now to make the world just stop.”

NWN: Do you have a favorite song or favorite genre of music?

Sher: “I really can go with all genres. My favorite song is ‘Unwritten’ by Natasha Bedingfield.”