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August 8, 2005 - Fredericksburg, VA - Diana Janda, a Level 10
gymnast at Paragon Gymnastics, has received a gymnastics scholarship
to Centenary College in Louisiana.
Diana has been with Paragon since the summer of 2002.
She came to us as a level nine gymnast with little chance of going to
college and doing gymnastics. But after making level nine national championships
in the spring of 2002, Diana began to change her goals. Along the way
the Paragon coaches did everything in their power to help Diana, including
even traveling to Hill’s gymnastics in Maryland for extra training
when Paragon was in a temporary facility. With the opening of Paragon’s
new facility in January, Diana asked to step up her training and the
coaches readily agreed. Supplementing her 23 hour a week training regimen
by coming in before the school day began at Stafford High, Diana prepared
herself for the end of the season and the competitions where the college
coaches would get a chance to see her perform.
Most athletes are recruited during their Junior year and
sign at some point during the summer of the senior year. Diana was coming
in late to the process and everyone knew it. At the College Bound Invitational
held in Denver in May of this year, Diana caught the eye of coach Bill
Hardy of Centenary College in Louisiana. Coach Hardy had held one of
his scholarships for the 2005-06 year and liked what he saw in Diana.
After many discussions with Diana and her parents, Coach Hardy offered
the scholarship to Miss Janda last Thursday, August 4. Diana readily
agreed and is leaving for Louisiana on Sunday, August 14.
“All of the coaches are very proud of Diana for the
work she did to achieve this goal” said Ken Wood from Paragon Training
Center. “The staff worked very hard to help Diana and I am very
proud of them. This is what we are all about. We want to do everything
possible to help every child to see beyond today and reach for the top.”
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Diana Janda signs her letter of intent to Centenary
College while teammates look on.
Diana Janda with Paragon coaches Terry Jackson, Craig
Tetrault, Valentina Pintchouk, and Risë Wood.
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