Page 54 - South Mississippi Living - January, 2020

SPORTS & OUTDOORS STICKING THE LANDING
Athletic Talent Leads to Success in the Gym & on the Track for Julie Segroves
story by A.J. Giardina photos courtesy of Jim Segroves
54 | January 2020
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
JULIE SEGROVES has three qualities that sports champions display: talent, work ethic and genetics.
Julie and her father, Jim Segroves.
The straight-A student at D’Iberville Middle School has dominated the competition in winning the 2018 Level 8 gymnastics state championship. How dominant was the 13-year-old champion? Julie captured first in all four events: Floor Exercise, Vault, Uneven Bars and Balance Beam.
She wasn’t done, placing third overall at the Level 8 regionals.
Julie says, “My dad has encouraged me to work harder to improve my skills and I’m hoping to receive a gymnastics scholarship.”
It’s good genes says her father, Jim. “Her mother, Yanping, is Chinese. I knew that Asiatic people tend to excel in acrobatics, and I pole vaulted at East Texas State University. If Julie stayed the course, she would be successful.”
Lanier’s Gymnastics Coach Cindy Wallace says, “Julie is a hard worker, strong, flexible and has a good work ethic.” Due to an elbow injury Julie couldn’t train last season, but now she’s back.
Julie says, “I practice three days a week so I don’t put too much pressure on my arm. I’ve thought
about the Olympics, but I would have to practice way harder.”
Dad agrees. “That would be icing on the cake to be on the Olympic team. However, a college degree is something she can use for the rest of her life.”
Like father, like daughter. When Julie was in the second grade, Jim had her pole vaulting five feet. That was amazing. This summer after training for a month, Julie placed sixth at the U.S. Junior Olympics clearing eight and a half feet. She’s now up to 10 feet, which would rank second in the nation for a 7th grader.
At 65, Jim decided to come out of retirement and placed first at a meet in Meridian, pole vaulting 10 feet. He’s presently training for the Masters Nationals set for Baton Rouge in March.