On The Beam Lc’S Catherine Bradley Thrilled To Return To Gymnastics Competition After Injury

Gymnastics is something that sets Catherine Bradley apart from the rest of her friends.

It’s her thing, her stress outlet.

“It’s my own original knack,” the Lewis and Clark High senior says.

So when a back injury earlier this season threatened to keep Bradley out of gymnastics, she was depressed.

Her lower back began hurting before the Tigers’ first meet of the season Dec. 3. She competed in the meet, then went to a doctor the next week.

She was told she had a stress fracture in her lower back and was instructed not to do any physical activity.

“I was in tears,” said Bradley, noting she missed the following meet.

“No gymnastics again. It’s really upsetting to face the fact you’re not going to be able to do it again.”

In fact, Bradley thought she should resign her role as team captain since she no longer would be capable of setting an example in meets and practices.

But the next week, Bradley saw a specialist who told her she did have a stress fracture but that it had been there for more than six weeks. The doctor said it was an inflamed ligament that was bothering her.

She could compete. She would just have to deal with the pain.

No problem.

Bradley, 17, got the good news right before LC’s only home meet of the season, Dec. 17. In that meet she placed eighth on the balance beam.

It was her best finish ever in the event and the only time in her career she had placed in the top 10.

She said it had been her goal to finish in the top 10 at a Greater Spokane League meet before the end of her high school career. She had no idea, though, that the meet would go so well after she’d taken a week off.

She figured she’d be a little out of shape.

“That was the best experience, considering what I had just gone through,” Bradley said. “My senior year in our only home meet - that was really uplifting.”

LC gymnastics coach Michele Peterson said she was thrilled to see Bradley back in action. The coach knew what a tough and discouraging start to the season it had been for Bradley.

“She even had a hard time being in the gym watching the girls because she had to watch and couldn’t work out,” Peterson said.

But Bradley never lost her enthusiasm, Peterson said, and that’s what makes her such an asset.

Gymnastics has always been Bradley’s love, along with dance. She started in gymnastics in fourth grade, stopped a year later, and got back into it as an eighth-grader to prepare for high school competition.

“It’s a team sport, but it’s so individual,” she said. “I have a lot to learn about myself mentally.”

She wouldn’t trade her gymnastics experience for anything.

“It’s so special,” she said. “I wish I was good enough to pursue it in college.

“But I’m going to keep up on dance and take classes to stay physically fit.”

Bradley, a 3.5 grade-point student who hopes to study business, English or mathematics at the University of Washington, says she will return to LC to watch meets when she can next season.

Peterson definitely would like that. Bradley has helped make her first season as a head coach run smoothly.

“I don’t think it would be quite complete without her,” the coach said. “She just adds a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of support and help.”