This month, Quick Hitts visited with Lane Jarred, a high school senior from Arena Gymnastics in Hamilton, New Jersey. Lane just finished out her senior season as a level 10, competed at JO Nationals in May where she debuted a new skill, the Jarred, on balance beam; the Jarred is an illusion that swings through to a scale. If you missed her competing her skill at JO Nationals, look for her next year, as she becomes the newest member of NC State’s gymnastics team.

Tell me about the origination of your skill. Who came up with it and how did it start?
It started about a year ago when I was playing around with the illusion; I had been doing it for a few years. I think it happened on accident that my leg went into a scale; my coach saw it and thought it was really cool, so I started training it. After awhile, we realized, wow we can invent a skill here. It was definitely a mix of my coach and myself.



How long did it take you to feel comfortable enough to compete it?
I had only been messing around with it in the gym, about a year ago, that was right before last year’s Regionals. I went into Regionals knowing that I wasn’t going to compete it because I wasn’t confident enough. I was planning on competing it at Nationals that year, but I actually broke my ankle on my last vault. I had to wait until my ankle got better and then started training it again. This year at Nationals was the first time I competed it. The fact that I competed it at Nationals this year is pretty lucky. During one of the practices, I was training the skill on beam and the back of my toe completely split open from doing it over and over. I got off the beam and was standing in blood, and had no idea what happened. I went to the trainer and she told me my whole toe was split open, and I freaked out. I was so worried that I wouldn’t be able to compete my skill at Nationals, but the trainer told me that the same thing happened to Nastia Liukin at one of her competitions, so I thought, “I definitely know I can do this.” I had to have my toe taped after every event, so the fact that I was even able to compete it was a blessing.  

What is the skill level of the Jarred, if you know?
I believe it’s an E.

Tell me about your road to recovery after breaking your ankle at Regionals last year.
It was definitely a long road. Last year at Regionals my competition was a little rough. I messed up on floor and had a bobble on bars. I nailed my first vault and was so excited, and then I think I got carried away on my second landing. At the time I didn’t even register that my ankle was broken; I was just excited to finish the meet. When my coach told me that I had qualified for Nationals, I was completely shocked, but I also couldn’t walk, so I was shattered. When the doctors told me it was actually broken, I cried. Nationals was always the goal and I couldn’t compete. I had months of physical therapy, and I had a cast for a month, which I couldn’t do anything in; I’d never had a cast in all my years of gymnastics. When I saw my leg after being in the cast and how skinny it was, I never thought I would get back to where I was. The help of my coaches, teammates, doctors, and parents I was able to get through it. Something I learned from breaking my ankle, is that you can’t give up. If you have a major injury, you have to push through and if there is something you really want you have to strive for it and do your best.

How did it feel to compete this year at JO Nationals -- your last club meet?
It was the best experience ever; the feeling of being a senior, and something so big. Nationals is countrywide, competing for your state, your region, being part of a team. It was a different experience than I had ever had. The training was unbelievably hard. There were some nights that I thought, “Why am I doing this?” but I kept thinking, I have to get to Nationals. After getting there I realized that all the hours were worth it, just being able to compete after breaking my ankle one year prior, is one of my biggest accomplishments.

What are you looking forward to in college gymnastics? Will you continue training this summer or take some time off?
I’m going to keep training all summer, keeping all my skills up and body conditioned I’m excited to compete for such a big school and have the entire school backing me, which isn’t something you really have in high school.

Nationals was always the goal in level 10. Did you ever think you would have a skill named after you?
I never, ever thought it would happen. We always joked about it in practice and called it “the Jarred,” but when it became a reality it was so surreal. I still don’t think it’s hit me that it’s my skill. I think it’s my way of contributing to the sport, even when I’m done.

Do you plan to continue competing the Jarred throughout college?
I’m definitely going to try; it just depends on how the coaches feel about it and if I can consistently hit it.

 To learn more about Lane check out her blog and make sure to watch for her next year at NC State!!
Action shot photo credit: Jacqui Photography, LLC