Vercruyssen ends her exceptional career, the last 10 years as a member of the US national team, as the most distinguished (successful) gymnast in Hawaii history. She was a 3-time Age Group World Champion, World Cup finalist, Pan-American Champion, Pacific Rim Champion, USA Gymnastics Athlete of the Year, USA Gymnastics Sportswoman of the Year, and a 9-time US national champion at all upper ability levels (Level 10, Junior Elite, and Senior Elite). Along the way she won national championships in many countries, including Japan, Canada, Denmark, and Sweden, as well as winning or medaling in many international competitions. In 1999 the Vercruyssen family purchased Hawaii Gymnastics Academy, previously called Gymnastics Academy of Hawaii, and renamed it Hawaii Academy. This became Nani’s training facility where she was coached by her parents and enjoyed daily gymnastics with her three sisters, also competitive gymnasts. In women’s artistic gymnastics Nani quickly progressed through USAG Levels 4-8 before completely moving from artistic to trampoline gymnastics at age nine. This was an ideal preparation for starting trampoline because she had a strength and form advantage over others who only trained rebounding. Nani competed in her first mainland trampoline competitions in 2002 and dedicated herself to full-time training in 2003 when she became a Level 10 national champion and made her first US national team competing in her first age group world championship at age 11. After that she was hooked on international competitions, world travel, being part of the US national team, and making friends everywhere spreading the aloha spirit (and a lot of Hawaii candy and coffee) around the globe. For the past decade, in addition to training six days per week 4-5 hours each day to become a world-level athlete, Nani has taught classes, headed programs, managed business operations, and administered the Academy as an assistant director. These experiences have fueled her love of teaching children and her desire to become an elementary school teacher in Hawaii.
Accomplishments
Date July 12, 2012
