Sacramento State gymnast Alycia Chan was considered a high-energy, rambunctious child, so when her parents’ friend suggested gymnastics, it seemed like a natural fit.

“I was always a really active child ? my parents put me in it to release energy,” Chan said.

While living in British Columbia, Chan spent 12 years as a member of the Abottsford Twisters Gymnastics Club and competed in the 2007 Canada Winter Games.

Although an already accomplished athlete, a college acceptance letter was one of Chan’s best moments.

“I think coming to college is almost like qualifying for the Canada Winter Games. Getting a scholarship and stuff is new and fun and you definitely have to work hard to get to it,” Chan said.

Sticking to gymnastics for over 12 years was an easy decision for Chan.

“I really like to tumble and flip. I think that’s probably what it was, and I really liked my coaches,” Chan said.

Chan wanted to stick close to home when it came to choosing the right school.

“It is close to home. It’s on the west coast and I wanted to stay pretty close,” Chan said.

Prior to coming to Sac State, Chan sent a tape of herself to various schools she was interested in attending.

Coach Kim Hughes viewed Chan’s tape and saw a lot of skill and potential.

“She had unique choreography in floor and balance beam as well as very powerful leaps and jumps and her tumbling is just very powerful. I saw in her a power element that she could really contribute as a freshman,” Hughes said.

Senior Melissa Genovese said Chan, although only a freshman, has been a good addition to the team.

“I think it’s awesome. She is doing an amazing job and whenever a freshman can come in here and impact the team like she has, it’s just an amazing thing — it proves how hard she’s worked,” she said.

Although sometimes it can be hard for a freshman to transition onto a new team, Genovese said Chan did not have a problem getting along with anyone.

“Right from the beginning everyone got along really well. The freshmen class is awesome. They are really easy to talk to,” she said.

As a captain, Genovese needs to have the ability to communicate with all the members of the team and Chan is definitely not an exception.

“She takes our advice and is really friendly with everyone. Anytime you can help her out she is more than willing to take it,” Genovese said.

Since joining the Hornet squad, Chan has also had to get used to being part of a team.

“It is definitely very different, but I like it. I like the positive energy that comes from the team,” Chan said.

Chan’s strongest event so far has been vault. In her first collegiate vault she scored a 9.700. The score of 9.700 easily put her in first place for the event.

“Vault is one of the main reasons I went after her, because of the power she has on 10.0 vault ? she has potential to do a variety of vaults, but her current vault is a 10.0 so you can’t really do any better than that,” Hughes said.

Assistant coach Randy Solorio specializes in coaching vault and has had no problems working with Chan.

“She came in with a great vault so we haven’t had to tinker with it much. She will have an off day every now and then but she is so hard on herself that you don’t have to be hard on her at all,” he said.

With vault being Chan’s strongest event, she has helped raise the bar for the rest of the Hornet squad.

“When you have a 10.0 start value the other teammates kind of go, ‘oh, I need to do what she’s doing.’ Your top athletes make everyone else rise,” Solorio said.

Hughes is looking forward to watching Chan progress in the next couple of years as a Hornet gymnast.

“I think she will be a tremendous addition as she progresses from year to year,” Hughes said.

Chan said moving to Sacramento was the right decision for her and she feels she has found a new home with the Sac State gymnastics team.

“When I came for my official visit I just knew this was the place,” she said.

Alicia de la Garza can be reached at [email protected]