Seven weeks after formally asserting her retirement, Rachel Baumann is again. However there’s a catch, Rachel isn’t returning to her function on the College of Georgia, however somewhat 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 Get together.”
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 in recent times.
The Baumann sisters grew up collectively within the health club. However not simply any health club, they lower their tooth at WOGA within the late 2000s and all through many 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 seemed 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 have been beneath a highlight from an early age.
In excessive degree gymnastics having a sibling competing by your aspect may be each a blessing and a curse. Sisters are all the time there to help and empower one another. However typically instances it creates conditions the place the 2 siblings continually 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 obtained such assignments. Her profession on the elite degree didn’t materialize in the way in which Alyssa’s did.
For Rachel, she needed to develop up and excel on the elite degree whereas having the repute of her sister to reside as much as. Each time Rachel completed a profession milestone, it was a milestone that had already been achieved by a member of her circle of relatives. However when it got here time for Rachel to make her school choice, somewhat than be a part of her sister at Florida the youthful Baumann sister determined she “wished to make a reputation for myself and go my very own approach.”
It was one of the admirable storylines of NCAA gymnastics in latest reminiscence. Rachel had the braveness to say that she wished one thing extra for herself aside from continually being related along with her older sister. Whether or not it was Alyssa or the opposite WOGA superstars she skilled with as an elite, Rachel all the time appeared to be within the shadow of her extra well-known coaching companions. And Rachel was going to flee it.
Rachel wished her personal identify, her personal identification, and she or he received it at Georgia. Rachel Baumann went on to turn out to be one of many main members of the Georgia workforce. Rachel emerged as a real chief of the Bulldogs and did so whereas blazing her personal path. At Georgia Rachel had her personal identify, not a reputation she shared along with her sister. Rachel was a Georgia Bulldog as a result of she wished to reside as an impartial, not comply with 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 additionally that after committing to this choice, she succeeded in that objective.
However that is Alyssa’s story as effectively. There was the pure disappointment of seeing her little sister depart for a special 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 in opposition to her. However like all good sister, Alyssa was all the time going to be there to help 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 degree. As a substitute, the 2 would compete as SEC rivals and meet on quite a few events in competitions that may obtain protection on ESPN.
However as each sisters got here in the direction of the tip of their school days, Alyssa had exhausted her NCAA eligibility whereas Rachel was slated to graduate from Georgia with eligibility remaining. Slightly than persevering with with Georgia, for the second time in her profession Rachel Baumann was going to do what she personally wished to do. Not what folks anticipated her to do.
With Alyssa 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 alternative into her personal palms and never being afraid to do one thing daring.
If Rachel ending her profession at Florida is the right ending to the Baumann period of gymnastics, it’s as a result of it all the time appeared that Florida was the right place for Rachel. Florida allowed Rachel to comply with the legacy of her sister, whereas having Alyssa’s expertise with this system as a instrument that would give her steerage. There are additionally the implications of an athlete doing what’s greatest for her profession. Florida usually will get extra consideration amongst gymnastics followers, has been extra profitable at chasing NCAA titles in recent times, and has extra Nationwide Crew members on its roster.
Each Baumann sisters have been greatest served persevering with their careers at Florida. However Florida couldn’t serve the wants of each Rachel and Alyssa on the identical time. However with Alyssa faraway from the workforce lineup, now it could. And Rachel didn’t hesitate to reap the benefits of the chance when it introduced itself. The careers of Rachel Baumann and Alyssa Baumann have all the time been intertwined. Now they’re intertwined a bit bit extra.
After years of constructing her personal impartial identification, Rachel feels the time is true to carry herself nearer to Alyssa’s legacy with out feeling prefer it casts a shadow over her.
