Following retirement, Ellis remains with team
Tina Ellis was one of the top gymnasts on Utah State University’s gymnastics team in the 2001 season.
She competed in every meet and was the top USU all-around competitor seven of the 11 times she participated in the event. She set the all-time Aggie individual record on the beam with her 9.950 performance at BYU. At the same meet, she earned a 9.950 on the bars which is the third-best mark ever posted by an Aggie.
In addition, Ellis won all-Big West honors for the second consecutive year with a third-place finish (38.925) in the all-around. She also won eight individual event titles during the season – four on the bar and four on the beam.
“Last year was my favorite,” Ellis said. “I had a lot of fun and got to compete more than my freshman year because I was healthy and had no big injuries.”
Ellis retired following the 2001 season, although the sophomore had two seasons of eligibility left.
Because of an old knee injury, doctors told her if she kept competing she would have complete knee-replacement surgery by the time she was 25. This season, Ellis is the undergraduate assistant coach for the team, and helps with the floor exercise and beam but she said she misses competing.
“Most days I would give anything to be able to compete one more time,” she said. “But I enjoyed the time I had, and I’m learning to help others with it now.”
The injury, which keeps Ellis from competition, started in 1997 when she hurt herself in club gymnastics. She had cartilage removed from her knee, leaving bone on bone, but was still able to compete. Unfortunately, she twisted her knee again last season and the doctors found severe bone damage which now keeps her from competing.
“I miss the thrill of competition, the drive to win and the adrenaline,” she said. “I also miss the exercise and being in shape, but I am starting to realize now that gymnastics is not life and I am finding other things to occupy my time.”
Ellis began participating gymnastics before she started elementary school. When she was just 4 years old, she went to a meet with her mom and afterwards told her she was going to go to the Olympics in gymnastics instead of going to school. Her mom soon enrolled her in gymnastics classes.
She said she came to USU because she liked the campus, the team and the coaching staff. She was also awarded a scholarship here. Now, she helps coach her former teammates.
“I enjoy coaching,” she said. “It was a bit awkward at first with me being a former teammate, but things have cooled off. I’m excited to still be here and I’m excited to still be with them.”
Coach Ray Corn said Ellis’ retirement was hard for the team.
“Losing Tina is a huge blow to our program,” he said. “We need someone to be able to step up and fill her shoes.”
He said he expects seniors Jessenia Abrego and Kristen Bloom, junior Allison Rosenthal and sophomore Brittnee Penman to step up where Ellis is no longer competing.
Ellis still gets to travel with the team, and said she is grateful for the chance to still be with her teammates.
“They’re doing well and have improved a lot,” she said. “I wish them the best of luck this year.”