Seven weeks after formally asserting her retirement, Rachel Baumann is again. However there’s a catch, Rachel shouldn’t be returning to her position 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 in recent times.
The Baumann sisters grew up collectively within the health club. However not simply any health club, they reduce their tooth 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 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 important time ensured they have been beneath 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 all the time there to help and empower one another. However usually instances it creates conditions the place the 2 siblings always 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 definitely 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 change into 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 repute of her sister to stay 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 resolution, moderately than be part of her sister at Florida the youthful Baumann sister determined she “wished to make a reputation for myself and go my very own method.”
It was one of the vital admirable storylines of NCAA gymnastics in latest reminiscence. Rachel had the braveness to say that she wished one thing extra for herself apart from always being related together 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 gave the impression 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 id, and she or he bought it at Georgia. Rachel Baumann went on to change into 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 identify, not a reputation she shared together with her sister. Rachel was a Georgia Bulldog as a result of she wished to stay 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 resolution, she succeeded in that aim.
However that is Alyssa’s story as nicely. 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 instantly in opposition to her. However like every good sister, Alyssa was all the time going to be there to help Rachel.
The fascinating side of the faculty 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 linked. 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 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 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 now not an NCAA athlete, Rachel now had the chance to compete at Florida with out overlapping together 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 method that she began it. Taking her school alternative into her personal fingers 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 all the time appeared that Florida was the proper place for Rachel. Florida allowed Rachel to comply with the legacy of her sister, whereas having Alyssa’s expertise with this system as a device that might give her steering. There are additionally the implications of an athlete doing what’s finest for her profession. Florida typically will get extra consideration amongst gymnastics followers, has been extra profitable at chasing NCAA titles in recent times, and has extra Nationwide Group members on its roster.
Each Baumann sisters have been finest 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 could. And Rachel didn’t hesitate to benefit from the chance when it offered itself. The careers of Rachel Baumann and Alyssa Baumann have all the time been intertwined. Now they’re intertwined slightly bit extra.
After years of constructing her personal impartial id, Rachel feels the time is correct to deliver herself nearer to Alyssa’s legacy with out feeling prefer it casts a shadow over her.
