12-year-old Dianna Kurowyckyj pursues her gymnastics dream

by Andrew Nynka

PARSIPPANY, N.J. - With a number of impressive victories already under her belt, a 12-year-old Ukrainian American gymnast has begun the road toward joining a corps of elite athletes who hope one day to represent their country internationally. If things go according to plan for this young girl, her dream of competing at the Olympics might soon become a reality. If that is indeed the case, readers should remember the name Dianna Kurowyckyj.

"There is one thing that separates great athletes from mediocre athletes and that's speed," gymnastics coach Wesley Jones told The Weekly recently. "She possesses that gift and it's not something we can teach," said Mr. Jones, who coaches Dianna and has previously trained Kristen Maloney, an Olympian in 2000 and a two-time U.S. national champion.

Dianna's most promising performance to date came in May at a meet in Boston where she took second place at a Level 8, Region 6 competition. The result marked her as one of the top gymnasts at her level in that region, which includes New York and all of the New England states, though a fall from the uneven bars during her routine kept her from taking first place overall at the meet.

A United States Gymnastics Association regional meet marks the end of a competitive season for a Level 8 gymnast; however, by Levels 9 and 10 a gymnast can begin taking part in national competitions. In the United States, only at the elusive Elite level do gymnasts begin officially taking part in international meets.

"We are preparing her for the highest level of competition - for elite competition," Mr. Jones said of Dianna, who gymnastics officials believe is ready to reach Levels 9 and 10 by the end of 2005 and make a push for the Elite Level soon thereafter.

"Her success at regionals is a compliment to her. She is a very determined, very hard worker," Mr. Jones told The Weekly via telephone on June 8.

Dianna began competitive gymnastics at age 5 because her mother, Ezya, believed she needed to find an activity that could help tire her vivacious and energetic daughter. Dianna's father, Slawko, said gymnastics has helped in a number of ways.

"At this point, she leaves the house at 7:45 a.m., gets home after 8 p.m. and then does homework for a few hours. So, I guess it does the job," said Mr. Kurowyckyj, who together with his father, Slawko Kurowyckyj Sr., own and operate Kurowyckyj's Meat Market located in New York City's Ukrainian East Village neighborhood.

"Up until a few years ago, even the parents of her fellow team members were amazed by her energy level," Mr. Kurowyckyj added. If a rigorous schedule and demanding practice sessions have helped the young gymnast find an outlet for her energy, they have also taught her several other valuable lessons, say her coach and her father.

"To do what these kids do, you have to have dedication and focus. Most of our gymnasts are not only wonderful athletes, but they also excel in school," Mr. Jones said via telephone from the Chelsea Piers sports complex in Manhattan, where Dianna trains daily.

Dianna, who spends 26 hours every week practicing, will see that number increase to 35 or 36 hours every week as she gets closer to the Elite Level, her coach said.

"It's a dream of mine to go to the Olympics. I know I need to work hard," Dianna, a member of Ukrainian National Association Branch 184, said.

"As long as she loves it and wants to do it, I support her," her father said.

On top of a love for gymnastics, the New York City native also has a strong love of the outdoors and spends her free time as a member of the Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization, attending a variety of scouting activities. "I would never possibly think of staying in [New York City] during the summer," she said. When asked if attending summer camps at the organization's East Chatham, N.Y., campground is a distraction from her training, she admitted as much but added, "I love it."

But Dianna appears to have a love for the sport that pushes her through long hours of training. "She has that passion, I believe, that is needed in order for her to succeed at the elite level," Mr. Jones said.

That dedication to training paid off for Dianna, who was given the opportunity to work out with the U.S. gymnastics national team in February and also took part as a flagbearer in the 2004 Visa Cup gymnastics meet at Madison Square Garden that same month.

While her competitive season this year has come to a close, Dianna says she is looking forward to next season, when she will begin training for national competitions. In the meantime, she'll spend a portion of her summer in upstate New York, where, in addition to attending a Plast camp, she will spend time water skiing with her family. Though she calls it only a hobby, she had already become an accomplished barefoot water skier at age 8.

According to Coach Jones, Dianna has already made significant strides this year toward accumulating the points she needs to become a level 9 gymnast. "She has the potential," Mr. Jones said, but her dedication over the coming years will determine if she can realize her dream to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, June 20, 2004, No. 25, Vol. LXXII

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