Q&A: Emma Grace Redmond-Mattucci flips for the gold

Emma Grace Redmond-Mattucci, 20, has had a spectacular gymnastics career. She spent 14 years doing the sport and five years coaching it. She began at Excel Gymnastics Academy in Geneva, IL, and then moved to St. Charles Gymnastics Academy then to Legacy Elite Gymnastics in Aurora, IL back to St. Charles Gymnastics Academy, where she now coaches. Redmond-Mattucci graduated from St. Charles North High School in 2018 and is a current Northern Illinois University student where she is in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Management program for Leadership and Management/JD College of Law.

Dreamereamer blog: What made you want to start gymnastics?

Redmond-Mattucci: I couldn't sit still during ballet class and would always try to do cartwheels. During my brother’s birthday party at Excel Gymnastics Academy, a coach saw me and said I should be signed up right away. Watching the Olympics was also super fascinating even as a little kid. I remember that 2008 definitely hyped me up, even more, to get involved in the sport.

Q: What medals, awards, or trophies did you win during your time as a gymnast?

A: I won plenty of medals, awards, and trophies in my gymnastics lifetime, but I think the ones that stand out the most to me is my State Jacket from high school gymnastics. I know many kids got annoyed with how much I wore it (it's very comfortable) but honestly, I let it roll off because not many athletes make it to State finals every year of high school.

Q: Did you ever consider doing a different sport or did gymnastics have your full attention?

A: I definitely thought of taking dance a bit more seriously. I took lessons as a supplement to gymnastics and my floor routines. But part of me wishes I stuck with it more intensely. After gymnastics concluded, I took up boxing for a bit to keep in shape, but never considered it more than a recreational activity.

Q: What is one piece of advice you would give to someone wanting to become a high-level gymnast?

A: You need to be willing to stand on the edge of your box of comfort in order to make it to the top.

Q: When you were a gymnast yourself, did you ever picture yourself coaching the sport?

A: I think in the later years I saw myself coaching it. I always took leadership roles when I was in the gym and when high school gymnastics came around, I would coach the other girls and correct them just on the fly.

Q: What is your favorite part about coaching gymnastics?

A: I love watching a kid conquer their fears in an event and tracking their progress by gaining new skills. I love watching kids bond with each other and feed off each other's accomplishments.

Q: How about your least favorite part?

A: I would say managing older kids’ attitude and respect towards me and my fellow coaches. As kids get older, it is sometimes incredibly difficult to get them motivated and working hard. They don't always like to tell you what is going on in their life even though their life events tend to impact their performance.

Q: What does a typical day look like as a coach/choreographer?

A: Get to the gym, stretch the kids and then go from event to event and present drills and various assignments for them to complete throughout the rotation. I like to keep mental logs of how many turns kids are taking and to see if they are actually working. I am a big believer in maximizing the off-season training and it frustrates me when kids in a training program do not want to work towards improvement.

Q: Do you or your team have any good luck charms?

A: For a very long time I had my lucky gymnastics socks. They were white and blue and I wore them from my very first competition until I lost them my sophomore year of high school.

Q: Do you find it harder to coach team or rec classes?

A: Personally, I believe that it is harder to coach a team especially when you have kids coming from different gyms, therefore beating different habits. Unless you have an athlete from the very beginning with consistent training it can be very hard to mold them into what they need to be to fit your coaching technique and goals.

Q: Do you wish that your future kids become a gymnast or involved in sports at all?

A: I definitely want my children to be active. If they chose to do gymnastics that would be awesome, but I don't think I will actively push them towards it. I am a firm believer that the child should choose which sport they want to do and what they want to stick with it because I see plenty of kids who are just forced to live their parent’s dream and they can't fulfill their own.

Thanks for reading and thank you, Emma Grace, for answering my questions,

Elisa Reamer

“Her adventurous spirit Was a gift from The universe.”-Full Heart, RH Fowler

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