BY MIKE FUHRMAN

Olivia Zsarmani’s dream of being a college gymnast nearly ended while she was warming up for a high-level club competition in Kansas City during her sophomore year at South Iredell High School.

While she was attempting a vault, her hand slipped on the table and she fell, breaking her fibula and tearing ligaments in her right leg. Due to the severity of Olivia’s injuries, her doctor said it was unlikely that she would be able to return to competition at the sport’s top levels.

The Statesville native admits she had doubts about her future as well.

“I was sad about that,” she said. “But my coaches and my family never stopped believing in me. That helped me believe in myself more.”

Four years later, Olivia is a valuable member of Michigan State University’s highly successful gymnastics program. Her third-place finish in the vault at this year’s Big 10 Championship helped the Spartans win that title after claiming back-to-back regular season championships.

Being a part of the MSU gymnastics family, she said, has been an incredible experience that goes way beyond competition.

“We’re all here for each other whether we’re on the apparatus or not,” said Olivia, 19. “It’s an amazing feeling to have someone by your side 24/7 who has your back.”

ROOTS AT K-PAC

When Olivia was 7 and involved in cheerleading at Celeste Henkel Elementary School, her parents, Xavier and Tonya Zsarmani, noticed she was a natural at flipping. They signed her up for her first gymnastics class at KPAC, the Statesville training facility owned by three-time national gymnastics champion and former Olympian Kristie Phillips.

“It was a mommy and me class – just flipping and basic tumbling,” Olivia remembers.

Later that year, she tried out for the competitive program and was placed with the Level 3 gymnasts.

Within two years, she was training with Phillips.

Being a competitive gymnast at the highest level means practicing five hours a day and four days a week after school. The top gymnasts, like Olivia, train on Saturday mornings too. Olivia reached level 10 during her first year of high school and started to dream about being a Division I athlete.

THE INJURY & REHAB

After suffering the severe leg injury in Kansas City, Olivia was in a cast for almost three months and then confined to a boot “for a very long time.” When she was finally cleared to begin rehab and then training, she realized that she had limited flexibility in her injured ankle.

While she could still compete at Level 10, she had to remove some elements from her routines and incorporate other elements. It was an exercise in perseverance.

“My coaches at KPAC really believed in me,” she said. “They took time to trust the process with me.”

THE OFFER & COLLEGE

In November of her senior year at South Iredell High, Olivia and her family traveled to East Lansing, Mich., for her official recruiting visit. Michigan State was her dream school, and she thought the visit went well.

But there was certainly no guarantee that she would be offered a full scholarship.

She and her family were out at Top Golf when the coach called and made the offer. It’s tough to say who was the most excited – Olivia or her parents.

“Dreams do come true,” she said.

At Michigan State, she has focused on the uneven bars and the vault, and she believes she can be a competitive all-around gymnast during her final two seasons.

But she is also enjoying the journey. She recently changed her major to advertising management.

“I love college. I love the college life,” she said. “You meet somebody everyday with a different life experience. I love that.

“Being a Division I athlete isn’t something I will ever regret doing. You will always have a family.”

While Olivia’s training regimen is intense, her coaches have stressed the importance of academics and having a life outside of gymnastics.

“They care a lot about who you are as a person, more than as an athlete,” she said. “They want to make sure you are taking care of your body.”

FAMILY SUPPORT

It’s impossible to overstate the importance of Olivia’s family in her journey to becoming a successful Division I scholarship athlete. For all sports, less than 2 percent of high school athletes end up competing at the Division I level.

Olivia credits his parents for helping her reach her athletic and academic goals. All of those out-of-town trips for regional and national competitions required sacrifices by the entire family, including her five siblings.

That support has continued throughout her college career. One or both of her parents – and often her siblings – continue to travel to her competitions. And her parents check in via Facetime almost every day to make sure she is doing well at Michigan State.

“I’m super thankful for everything my parents do for me,” she said. “They’ve spent countless hours driving me to practice, making sure I’m eating the right things and getting the right rest.”