Ohio State Gymnast Elexis Edwards flips the script on both the competition, and athletic inclusion

Elexie Edwards smiles during a meet. Credit | Ohio State Department of Athletics

By: Tatyana Woodall 

The first thing Elexis Edwards, a second-year psychology major, wants you to know, is that gymnastics isn't all fun and games. 

“Even though we’re not a contact sport, it’s just as difficult being up there by yourself,” Edwards said. “I think it’s more mentally challenging too, it’s definitely one of the toughest sports in the world for sure.”

A lifelong gymnast, Edwards’ career originally began as a way to bond with her older sister, who was also enrolled in competitive gymnastics, before realizing her own passion for it.  

“I really wanted to do it with my sister. That‘s kind of how it started, and then I really developed a love for it, so I really just kind of continued from there.” she said. 

Last year, Edwards joined Ohio State’s women's gymnastics team, and although she isn’t the only woman of color on the team, she is the only Black woman on the roster since 2016. 

Olympic champions like Gabby Douglas and Simone Biles have inspired entire generations of incredible black gymnasts, but Edwards said there still aren’t that many of them out there. 

“It can be intimidating when you enter something and you stand out, not always in a positive way, like sticking out like a sore thumb,” she  said. “I just hope I can inspire other Black female gymnasts that do go to a predominately white institution to not be afraid and to really just, all you can do is be you, really.”

Before signing with Ohio State, Edwards had always gone for gold. Throughout her high school career, she’s participated in multiple international meets, as well as a few Junior Olympic National competitions. 

In 2016, as one part of a three-way tie for second place, she said the opportunity gave her a chance to overcome mental blocks. 

“That was just a great moment for me,” Edwards said. “It was a pretty challenging year for me, so that was just a huge accomplishment and a great way to finish off that season, definitely a confidence booster as well.”

But in March 2018, after Edwards dislocated her knee in an almost career-ending injury, recovery took her off the floor for more than a year. 

She said it was one of the most difficult experiences of her life. 

“I went through a lot of changes with my body during that time, lost a lot of weight, a lot of muscle, so that kind of did affect me mentally,” she said. “But I think that it really brought me closer to gymnastics actually. When something’s taken away from you, you just want it back so bad, especially when you loved it, and my love for it actually grew stronger.” 

Although the end of the road will most likely be her senior year, Edwards plans on becoming a sports psychologist in order to support other athletes. 

“I really hope to one day get my Ph.D. in psychology so I can help other athletes that kind of went through, or are currently going through the mental struggles of athletics,” Edwards said. “Especially being a student athlete, I know how challenging that is, and I just really want to inspire and help others.”

View more stories from Black x Bold’s Black Voices project here.