Seven weeks after formally saying her retirement, Rachel Baumann is again. However there’s a catch, Rachel shouldn’t be returning to her function on the College of Georgia, however moderately their greatest rival, the College of Florida. In school soccer the Georgia-Florida rivalry is iconic and is nicknamed “The World’s Largest Out of doors Cocktail Occasion.”
In gymnastics circles, the rivalry is unofficially nicknamed the “Battle of the Baumanns” as a result of it options Alyssa Baumann who previously competed for Florida and her sister Rachel, who used to compete for Georgia. In gymnastics the Florida-Georgia rivalry is a household rivalry, contested between one of many extra well-known sibling duos the American Olympic program has produced lately.
The Baumann sisters grew up collectively within the gymnasium. However not simply any gymnasium, they minimize their enamel at WOGA within the late 2000s and all through a lot of the 2010s. On the time WOGA was an absolute monster within the gymnastics membership system, and the Baumann sisters grew up inside WOGA when it was on the peak of its energy. The membership had lately received the All-Round at each the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. It gave the impression to be reloading with the likes of Katelyn Ohashi and Madison Kocian. For Rachel and Alyssa, their affiliation with this dynasty at such a crucial time ensured they had been below a highlight from an early age.
In excessive stage gymnastics having a sibling competing by your facet could be each a blessing and a curse. Sisters are at all times there to assist and empower one another. However typically occasions it creates conditions the place the 2 siblings consistently have their careers being in contrast to one another. Or when one sister achieves success, the burden is on the opposite sister to copy it. For Rachel Baumann and Alyssa Baumann, that actually was the case.
Alyssa was the older of the 2 siblings. She would even be the member of the Baumann household who achieved the best quantity of success. Alyssa Baumann would go on to turn out to be a gold medalist on the World Championships, however Rachel by no means acquired such assignments. Her profession on the elite stage didn’t materialize in the best way Alyssa’s did.
For Rachel, she needed to develop up and excel on the elite stage whereas having the status of her sister to dwell as much as. Each time Rachel completed a profession milestone, it was a milestone that had already been achieved by a member of her family. However when it got here time for Rachel to make her school resolution, moderately than be part of her sister at Florida the youthful Baumann sister determined she “needed to make a reputation for myself and go my very own approach.”
It was one of the crucial admirable storylines of NCAA gymnastics in current reminiscence. Rachel had the braveness to say that she needed one thing extra for herself aside from consistently being related along with her older sister. Whether or not it was Alyssa or the opposite WOGA superstars she educated with as an elite, Rachel at all times gave the impression to be within the shadow of her extra well-known coaching companions. And Rachel was going to flee it.
Rachel needed her personal title, her personal identification, and he or she acquired it at Georgia. Rachel Baumann went on to turn out to be one of many main members of the Georgia group. Rachel emerged as a real chief of the Bulldogs and did so whereas blazing her personal path. At Georgia Rachel had her personal title, not a reputation she shared along with her sister. Rachel was a Georgia Bulldog as a result of she needed to dwell as an impartial, not observe her sister.
What makes the profession path of Rachel Baumann so admirable is she had the braveness to take management of her personal picture, but in addition that after committing to this resolution, she succeeded in that purpose.
However that is Alyssa’s story as properly. There was the pure disappointment of seeing her little sister depart for a distinct faculty and the household duo wouldn’t have as a lot time to work together with one another. There was additionally the symbolism of the transfer as Alyssa’s personal sister had opted to align with Florida’s greatest program rival and compete immediately towards her. However like several good sister, Alyssa was at all times going to be there to assist Rachel.
The fascinating facet of the school portion of their careers is that each Baumann sisters traveled roughly 850 miles from residence simply to be in one another’s again yards. Having simply sufficient area for every to forge impartial identities, however being simply shut sufficient for his or her careers to stay related. If Rachel had opted to maneuver to California to flee Alyssa’s shadow, this famed sibling duo wouldn’t have been as memorable on the collegiate stage. As an alternative, the 2 would compete as SEC rivals and meet on quite a few events in competitions that might obtain protection on ESPN.
However as each sisters got here in the direction of the top of their school days, Alyssa had exhausted her NCAA eligibility whereas Rachel was slated to graduate from Georgia with eligibility remaining. Reasonably than persevering with with Georgia, for the second time in her profession Rachel Baumann was going to do what she personally needed to do. Not what folks anticipated her to do.
With Alyssa now not an NCAA athlete, Rachel now had the chance to compete at Florida with out overlapping along with her older sister. In information that ended up startling gymnastics followers, a Baumann is again within the Florida lineup. And it isn’t Alyssa. Rachel is ending her profession in the very same approach that she began it. Taking her school selection into her personal arms and never being afraid to do one thing daring.
If Rachel ending her profession at Florida is the proper ending to the Baumann period of gymnastics, it’s as a result of it at all times appeared that Florida was the proper place for Rachel. Florida allowed Rachel to observe the legacy of her sister, whereas having Alyssa’s expertise with this system as a software that might give her steerage. There are additionally the implications of an athlete doing what’s greatest for her profession. Florida typically will get extra consideration amongst gymnastics followers, has been extra profitable at chasing NCAA titles lately, and has extra Nationwide Crew members on its roster.
Each Baumann sisters had been greatest served persevering with their careers at Florida. However Florida couldn’t serve the wants of each Rachel and Alyssa on the similar time. However with Alyssa faraway from the group lineup, now it might probably. And Rachel didn’t hesitate to make the most of the chance when it offered itself. The careers of Rachel Baumann and Alyssa Baumann have at all times been intertwined. Now they’re intertwined a bit of bit extra.
After years of constructing her personal impartial identification, Rachel feels the time is true to convey herself nearer to Alyssa’s legacy with out feeling prefer it casts a shadow over her.
