This weekend, unfortunate news broke that Talladega College would have to discontinue its gymnastics program after just one season due to university financial health concerns. We were told by sources that the team received no prior notice, only finding out the day the decision was announced.
The Tornadoes’ gymnastics was not a mere can upon which to be beaten by every opponent they faced. Coached by first year coach Aja Sims-Fletcher, Talladega was competitive, recording a 6-13 record and even becoming the first HBCU to win an NCAA Team competition when they took first at the Centenary College Meet, finishing with an overall score of 192.5. Talladega’s Krystin Johnson led all participants with a score of 38.95.
Six Talladega gymnasts -Alexa Chuy, Landyn Williams, Kiara Pearl Williams, Alexandra Maldonado, Jamilia Duffus, and Krystin Johnson -qualified for the USAG Nationals. It was at the nationals that Johnson and the program once again made history when the freshman sensation became only the second HBCU gymnast to claim a national title when she placed first in the vault.
However, the program though in its infancy and blazed so many trials needs help. Although it was announced that Talladega College was cutting the program, the casket may not yet be closed on the third, with Fisk and North Carolina A&T being the other two, HBCU gymnastics programs, An online fundraiser has been started by the Isla Foundation to save the program. As of the writing of this article, the 254 donors have raised $14,377 of the $499,998 goal.
