Sunny Kato Cherishes Time As An Illini
Sunny Kato Cherishes Time As An Illini
With her gymnastics career winding down, redshirt senior Sunny Kato said the University of Illinois “will forever be the best thing that’s ever happened to
With her gymnastics career winding down, redshirt senior Sunny Kato said the University of Illinois “will forever be the best thing that’s ever happened to [her].” But it almost wasn’t.
The California native originally committed to the University of California-Berkeley, but the school was facing budget cuts. The cuts placed the women’s gymnastics program in danger, giving Kato clearance to visit other schools.
Illinois wasn’t originally on her radar, but she considered it after deciding other schools, like Nebraska, weren’t for her.
“I kept pushing, and if something didn’t work out, then I went to another one,” Kato said. “I kept going through colleges, and finally, Illinois recruited me, and it was the perfect place for me. Everything that this culture is about ― hard work and never giving up ― that is the person that I am.”
Kato owes a lot to Illinois and credits her experience as a Fighting Illini for making her into the person she is today. She said most of her personal growth occurred at Illinois, and she is entirely different from who she was as a freshman.
“I feel like I’ve grown to be a much more selfless person, and I care a lot more,” she said. “I’m so passionate about something that I love and people that I love. And I feel like I’ve just grown to become just an overall better person and better friend ― and even a better daughter and a sister.
“I’m actually really proud of the person that I am. Illinois did that for me.”
Illinois also gave Kato a “blessing in disguise” at the start of her Illini career. She tore her ACL and was out her entire freshman season. The injury allowed her to experience college without using a year of eligibility, which gave her a fifth year with the Illinois women’s gymnastics program. That extra year is something she “wouldn’t trade for the world.”
As an Illini, Kato made a name for herself as one of the nation’s top performers on uneven bars and balance beam. Last year, she advanced to nationals as an individual competitor on uneven bars. This year, she was named an NACGC/W regular season first-team All-American on beam with a No. 4 ranking. But she didn’t always want to be an event specialist.
After recovering from her ACL tear, she hoped to compete on bars, beam and floor. Following a talk with head coach Kim Landrus, Kato realized it wasn’t her calling. It wasn’t what the Illini needed her for.
She wasn't in club gymnastics anymore. This wasn’t about her; this was about the team.
Kato finally accepted her role as a two-event specialist as an upperclassman and loves it. She excels in the two events and has career-highs of 9.950 on each. This season, her highs are 9.900 on bars and 9.950 on beam.
But those scores didn’t come easy. She had a slow start at the beginning of the season after a rough preseason, which she called “the most challenging thing (she’s) ever had to do.”
For 10 weeks during the summer of 2015, Kato went to Africa to volunteer at the Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre in South Africa. She fed and cleaned animals and sometimes looked after the ailing ones. As a communication and sociology major, Kato didn't bring any medical experience to Africa with her, but got to bring some back after observing simple surgical procedures and stitching.
Being apart from her family, team and gymnastics for an extended period of time was new to her, but she said she was so involved with her work in Africa that it wasn’t too difficult being away. Kato enjoyed being immersed in a different culture, and said it was “really eye-opening.”
After an entire summer without gymnastics, she returned to Kenney Gym in Urbana, Illinois, and struggled. On her first day back, she couldn’t even do a kip, and needed three or four months to get back in gymnastics shape.
Even after putting in the work, she said she didn’t feel like herself at the first few meets, but it didn't show on bars or beam -- Kato received scores in the 9.700 range to start.
“I learned a lot through that whole process,” Kato said. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world because I got a lot stronger mentally and just personally, I grew a lot from that whole challenge.”
Kato got through it with help from her teammates, who were always there for her to push and support her.
“They believed in me when I completely lost faith,” Kato said. “They’re the reason why I’m standing here and the reason why I’ve gotten through this far.”
One of those teammates was freshman Lizzy LeDuc.
The Illini gymnasts often borrow what is usually a sorority tradition, assigning “bigs” and “littles.” Kato has taken LeDuc under her wing and adopted the freshman as her little, making Kato LeDuc’s big.
When Kato first met and saw LeDuc, the redshirt senior saw someone familiar, a carefree spirit who has “so much fun.”
“When (Lizzy) first came, I was like, ‘Oh my God. That was me four years ago,’” Kato said. “I wanted to be her mentor and make sure that you can have fun. Like that’s totally fine, but just make sure that you realize why you’re here and what it means to be a Fighting Illini.”
LeDuc values the special relationship the pair has formed. And though they haven’t known each other for even a year, each has made an impact on the other.
“She is the one who will push me to be my best even though I feel like I’m giving 110 percent,” LeDuc said. “She knows I have a little more to give, and I’m going to miss that in the gym. I’m going to miss her leadership and just fun personality.”
In turn, LeDuc has reminded Kato to have fun, something the veteran gymnast occasionally forgets now.
“She’s brought more life into my last year,” Kato said of the freshman.
While Kato and LeDuc are close, the redshirt senior holds all of her teammates close to her heart. Kato has noticed she has grown to be more caring and selfless, and the gymnasts have noticed, too.
“She really is one of the biggest reasons why (the team is) so close,” LeDuc said. “You can tell inside and outside of the gym that she cares about each and every one of the girls individually.”
Her teammates will miss the veteran next season once Kato graduates and joins the Peace Corps to teach English to children in Africa. Kato will miss the sport she’s been doing for nearly her whole life, but the redshirt senior feels content moving on ― only from the sport, though.
“I love gymnastics, but as a fifth-year now, being 23 years old with some 18-year-olds on the team, I feel like it’s my time to start my life and start a new chapter,” Kato said. “It’s bittersweet, but at the same time, I’m sad to leave these girls.
“That’s why I come here every day. That’s why I came back this year. That’s why I do gymnastics, because of the team. I think that’s what’s going to hit me the hardest. I haven’t quite accepted that I’m going to be done in about a month because I’m not ready to leave them.”
The California native originally committed to the University of California-Berkeley, but the school was facing budget cuts. The cuts placed the women’s gymnastics program in danger, giving Kato clearance to visit other schools.
Illinois wasn’t originally on her radar, but she considered it after deciding other schools, like Nebraska, weren’t for her.
“I kept pushing, and if something didn’t work out, then I went to another one,” Kato said. “I kept going through colleges, and finally, Illinois recruited me, and it was the perfect place for me. Everything that this culture is about ― hard work and never giving up ― that is the person that I am.”
Kato owes a lot to Illinois and credits her experience as a Fighting Illini for making her into the person she is today. She said most of her personal growth occurred at Illinois, and she is entirely different from who she was as a freshman.
“I feel like I’ve grown to be a much more selfless person, and I care a lot more,” she said. “I’m so passionate about something that I love and people that I love. And I feel like I’ve just grown to become just an overall better person and better friend ― and even a better daughter and a sister.
“I’m actually really proud of the person that I am. Illinois did that for me.”
Illinois also gave Kato a “blessing in disguise” at the start of her Illini career. She tore her ACL and was out her entire freshman season. The injury allowed her to experience college without using a year of eligibility, which gave her a fifth year with the Illinois women’s gymnastics program. That extra year is something she “wouldn’t trade for the world.”
As an Illini, Kato made a name for herself as one of the nation’s top performers on uneven bars and balance beam. Last year, she advanced to nationals as an individual competitor on uneven bars. This year, she was named an NACGC/W regular season first-team All-American on beam with a No. 4 ranking. But she didn’t always want to be an event specialist.
After recovering from her ACL tear, she hoped to compete on bars, beam and floor. Following a talk with head coach Kim Landrus, Kato realized it wasn’t her calling. It wasn’t what the Illini needed her for.
She wasn't in club gymnastics anymore. This wasn’t about her; this was about the team.
Kato finally accepted her role as a two-event specialist as an upperclassman and loves it. She excels in the two events and has career-highs of 9.950 on each. This season, her highs are 9.900 on bars and 9.950 on beam.
But those scores didn’t come easy. She had a slow start at the beginning of the season after a rough preseason, which she called “the most challenging thing (she’s) ever had to do.”
For 10 weeks during the summer of 2015, Kato went to Africa to volunteer at the Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre in South Africa. She fed and cleaned animals and sometimes looked after the ailing ones. As a communication and sociology major, Kato didn't bring any medical experience to Africa with her, but got to bring some back after observing simple surgical procedures and stitching.
Being apart from her family, team and gymnastics for an extended period of time was new to her, but she said she was so involved with her work in Africa that it wasn’t too difficult being away. Kato enjoyed being immersed in a different culture, and said it was “really eye-opening.”
After an entire summer without gymnastics, she returned to Kenney Gym in Urbana, Illinois, and struggled. On her first day back, she couldn’t even do a kip, and needed three or four months to get back in gymnastics shape.
Even after putting in the work, she said she didn’t feel like herself at the first few meets, but it didn't show on bars or beam -- Kato received scores in the 9.700 range to start.
“I learned a lot through that whole process,” Kato said. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world because I got a lot stronger mentally and just personally, I grew a lot from that whole challenge.”
Kato got through it with help from her teammates, who were always there for her to push and support her.
“They believed in me when I completely lost faith,” Kato said. “They’re the reason why I’m standing here and the reason why I’ve gotten through this far.”
One of those teammates was freshman Lizzy LeDuc.
The Illini gymnasts often borrow what is usually a sorority tradition, assigning “bigs” and “littles.” Kato has taken LeDuc under her wing and adopted the freshman as her little, making Kato LeDuc’s big.
When Kato first met and saw LeDuc, the redshirt senior saw someone familiar, a carefree spirit who has “so much fun.”
“When (Lizzy) first came, I was like, ‘Oh my God. That was me four years ago,’” Kato said. “I wanted to be her mentor and make sure that you can have fun. Like that’s totally fine, but just make sure that you realize why you’re here and what it means to be a Fighting Illini.”
LeDuc values the special relationship the pair has formed. And though they haven’t known each other for even a year, each has made an impact on the other.
“She is the one who will push me to be my best even though I feel like I’m giving 110 percent,” LeDuc said. “She knows I have a little more to give, and I’m going to miss that in the gym. I’m going to miss her leadership and just fun personality.”
In turn, LeDuc has reminded Kato to have fun, something the veteran gymnast occasionally forgets now.
“She’s brought more life into my last year,” Kato said of the freshman.
While Kato and LeDuc are close, the redshirt senior holds all of her teammates close to her heart. Kato has noticed she has grown to be more caring and selfless, and the gymnasts have noticed, too.
“She really is one of the biggest reasons why (the team is) so close,” LeDuc said. “You can tell inside and outside of the gym that she cares about each and every one of the girls individually.”
Her teammates will miss the veteran next season once Kato graduates and joins the Peace Corps to teach English to children in Africa. Kato will miss the sport she’s been doing for nearly her whole life, but the redshirt senior feels content moving on ― only from the sport, though.
“I love gymnastics, but as a fifth-year now, being 23 years old with some 18-year-olds on the team, I feel like it’s my time to start my life and start a new chapter,” Kato said. “It’s bittersweet, but at the same time, I’m sad to leave these girls.
“That’s why I come here every day. That’s why I came back this year. That’s why I do gymnastics, because of the team. I think that’s what’s going to hit me the hardest. I haven’t quite accepted that I’m going to be done in about a month because I’m not ready to leave them.”