It’s Tuesday!! That means it is 20 Questions Tuesday! Today we are meeting Chris Cutler from The Flip Zone in Plainfield Indiana. Chris was recently a featured Spotlight athlete as well after catching our eye as a first year Level 10 in 2020. Chris, who is a powerful athlete, competed at the 2019 Eastern National Championships where she opened her floor routine with a double pike. You can definitely tell that this young athlete has the potential to be a power player in Region 5 
Gymnastics in the next few years, especially if she keeping adding to her skills like she has in the months following COVID. I am definitely looking forward to what the future holds for this incredibly talented young athlete. So, while Christianna is getting back into the swing of school and gym, let’s get to her her a little better as she embarks on a brand new season in this crazy new world.
How did you get into gymnastics? How old were you? I was six when I started gymnastics. I always had a lot of energy, so much that my parents tried kids crossfit and they recommended I do something else. For my 6th birthday I tried a rec class and the gym owner asked if I wanted to try team – I loved it and have never looked back!
What is your favorite event? Why? My favorite event is beam because it’s challenging and fun to try skills to what I can do!
Favorite Skill to train/compete? Why? Double pike on floor because I love the feeling of flying through the air.
Dream Skill? Yurchenko double full on vault, double lay on floor, shaposh half on bars, front aerial connected to a back handspring layout step out on beam – name a few!
What is your favorite part of gymnastics? Learning new things, flying in the air, getting new skills!
What college do you plan on attending? I am looking to Ohio State, Michigan State, University of Michigan or some place in the south (l like warmer weather).
What is your favorite meet to compete at? Why? Nationals, cause you get to meet new people and see your friends from previous meets and to celebrate the end of the season with others!
Biggest accomplishment in gymnastics so far? Making it to level 9 Nationals twice!
What is your favorite Region 5 Insider Feature or Series? I really enjoyed the Region 5 Classic this past year, I also enjoy watching the you tube videos.
What kinds of things really make you laugh? My family, my teammates and coaches, funny you tube and tik toks – fun movies
3 Things you could not live without? My family, all my gymnastics awards, my shadow box, my dog, and my special blanket from when I was adopted.If you could be any animal, what animal would you be and why? I think a turtle because they are really pretty and they get to swim in tropical places!
Talk about your 2019 Level 9 Eastern Nationals experience & being part of Region 5? It was awesome! I got to meet so many other great gymnasts, I was so excited to be apart of the Dream Team and represent Region 5 with the best cheers! Hard work really does pay off!
How did you 1st season of Level 10 go? It was a little rocky but it was still fun competing all my new skills! It got better as the season went on – I am determined to catch my release!
Thoughts on the 2019-2020 Season ending like it did? I was not expecting it to end so sudden, I am sad to have it over but happy we can keep training and move forward. I feel for the gymnasts that did not get to finish their senior season the way they expected to.
What are you doing to keep up your training during Corona Quarantine? I’ve been doing lots of workouts, stretching, visualizing my routines and flipping in my house and outside! Our team does daily workouts and zoom calls, I am participating in mental training with my coach.
What do you miss most about gymnastics during this time? Flipping, feeling accomplished, my teammates and my coaches, the chalk and upgrades.
What is the first thing you want to do once you can get back to gym & training? Be able to flip and do my skills again! Enjoy the time to keep learning and working hard.
Most embarrassing meet moment or gymnastics moment? Running through the gym and spraining my ankle on an 8” mat going to get ankle weights for an exercise at practice.
Do you have a nickname? If so what Is the story behind it? I have two: Squirt because I was a little Squirt of a person when my parents adopted me; and my parents also call me Kid – you may hear them at a meet – because we want to cheer for all kids, but I know it is for me.
Which athletes (any sport) do you respect the most and why? Simone Biles, Nastia Liukin, Maggie Nicholas, Ashleigh Gnat cause they all are so strong and out going, they trust their bodies and inspire others like me! When I have met these people for either a short or long conversation, they all were so normal and helpful, did not treat me any different because I am not in their same level of competition.
Something you learned from Gymnastics that you will take with you? To be patient, and a leader. To speak up for what I need help with and to help others by being patient and encouraging.
Most Memorable Gymnastics or Eastern Nationals Moment? When they announced my name so everyone could here who I am and the first time I got my numbers on my back the way my coach cheered and laughed with me.
What is the most valuable piece of advice or wisdom your coach has given you? To keep pushing myself cause one day it will all pay off!
Bonus Question: Tell me something interesting about yourself….
I have a Mickey, actually Minnie (with the bow) ear collection! I love Disney and try to go every year!
