11-year old gymnast shines nationally
During state competition in April, Quinn Peavley qualified for the USA Gymnastics Nationals to be held in Minnesota in June. She is shown with first-place medals she won in double mini, trampoline and synchronized trampoline, the latter won alongside her teammate Claudia Pulger.
Known affectionately as “The Flippin Pixie” and “The Mighty Quinn,” Clinton resident Peavley does not sit still, wherever she may be — at home with her mom Nikki, sister Kadence and grandparents John and Mea Myers, or practicing at Tennessee Elite Gymnastics in Lenoir City.
“She lives and breathes gymnastics,” said Mea Myers, who takes turns with Nikki and John to get Quinn to daily practices and ongoing competitions, which run from October through June.
“If she’s not practicing herself, she is watching gymnastics,” Myers said.
Quinn is also in her second year of home-schooling to allow for as much flexibility in her schedule as possible.
Her talents were evident very early on, as Myers recalls “all she ever did was flip. She flipped all the time, from the time she was 3 or 4 years old and had seen someone else do it — and she’s been flipping ever since.”
Quinn specializes in single- and double-mini trampoline routines, and, paired for the last three years with Claudia Pulger, is one half of a synchronized trampoline duo. Videos of competitions fill The Flippin Pixie’s Facebook, Instagram and You Tube channels, showcasing just how high she can jump, and how many different routines she has mastered.
Singly and with Claudia, Quinn has won numerous gold and silver medals this year alone, and as of April 6, the diminutive athlete qualified for the USA Gymnastics Nationals to be held in Minnesota in June.
Additionally, she is the only gymnast from Tennessee Elite to be chosen as a member of the USA Gymnastics Jump Start Team — an achievement she actually earned while training at Tataru. This prestigious honor is considered a precursor and preparation for Quinn’s ultimate goal of competing in the world-wide Olympic Games.
“It’s my goal,” said Quinn recently from the Lenoir City studio. “It’s what I’m working for.”
Helping her reach that milestone is her current coach, Kacy Wheeler.
“I have been working with Quinn for several years now,” Wheeler said. “She went from training two days a week as a very young child to training 14-plus hours a week currently, four days a week.
“It was clear early on that Quinn was a very talented trampolinist,” added Wheeler, who is Quinn’s second coach. “She rose through the levels quickly and learned new skills with ease. She currently competes at the highest possible level for the 11/12 age group on trampoline, youth elite. She is disciplined in learning new drills and progressions to keep up with the difficult requirements of new tricks at the highest level.
“Some goals we have together include making national teams and competing internationally for team USA,” the coach said. “I look forward to seeing where this journey takes her, as her past has been full of successes.”
Quinn’s family keeps her fans updated on social media and on her website, theflippinpixie.com. They have also have a number of sponsors who have helped finance Quinn’s gymnastic journey, including Tom Morgan, JE Machining, John’s Tire and Service, GARZA Law, SET Guns & Range, Julie Zitnan-Realtor, Myers Family Dentistry and many family members and friends who are thrilled with Quinn’s trajectory so far.
“I’m just so proud of her,” said her grandfather. “I love her competitive sprit and drive to excel, and am looking forward to seeing what she can accomplish.”