Big Reds’ Cali Way headed to Fairmont State
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PARKERSBURG -- When it comes to the sport of gymnastics, Parkersburg High School senior Cali Way has been around the block.
Although a future in gymnastics wasn't meant to be for the Big Red senior, Way made it official on Wednesday evening at Gymniks Gymnastics in Vienna that she'll compete at Fairmont State University for head Acrobatics & Tumbling coach Danielle Cutri.
"I met coach Cutri at a camp. I went to a Fairmont camp I think a year ago and I really liked it," admitted Way, who plans to major in exercise physiology and perhaps pursue becoming a physical therapist, an athletic trainer or something in the field.
"She has showed interest in me for a really long time, since basically we started talking. She offered me a scholarship in July and then I officially committed in August. I'm really excited. I love coach Cutri and Alexis Smith, the assistant coach, is really nice."
The only current area athlete on the Acrobatics & Tumbling team is Chloe Smith.
"That's actually Alexis' sister," Way admitted. "I know she went to South and she cheered at OVA (Ohio Valley All-Star).
"Alexis actually went to my gym a long time ago when she was a gymnast. I've known her for a really long time."
Way said her original plan at one time was to continue in gymnastics.
"I tore both my ACLs and it pushed me back a lot," admitted the Big Red, who had a 4.3 GPA last year and is still an honor roll student this year with a 3.6 GPA despite having a much more challenging class schedule.
"That's kind of when I started looking at acro and tumbling because it was an easier rout. Not saying it was easy, but easier than gymnastics. I looked at multiple schools."
When it came to her final list of colleges, obviously the Fighting Falcons won out.
"Duquesne was probably really up there and West Liberty," Way said. "I really liked both of them.
"Those are the only other two I visited, but Fairmont, I definitely loved it. It's amazing. I loved Fairmont as soon as I was there."
Way, who signed along with classmate and fellow gymnast Josie Bradley, will be a base and a tumbler, while Bradley will be a top and a tumbler.
"I"m a mid as well. In a lot of the events there is mid people" Way added while explaining "in gymnastics I get scored myself. With acro I'll be scored with multiple people and myself.
"It's not all going to be on me, but there will be that pressure of thinking 'oh my gosh I have to do good for my team.'"
A member of the National Honor Society and senior women's club, the Big Red said she is planning to wrestle this winter.
Aside from the fact she'll be joining Bradley, Way also noted "I know people who went to PHS who are at Fairmont State.
"I loved the way the team bonded and how coach really did things. Honestly, a lot of it was money, but it really was the coaches and the team and how they were actually a family."
Although Way's original plans for what she wanted to do in college literally fell by the wayside due to injury, the Big Red knows she's blessed to be in her current position.
"It was always I wanted to do gymnastics in college," Way said. "I always wanted to go D1 for gymnastics, but I kind of came to the conclusion at the end of last season that acro and tumbling might be a better route for me because of the way things played out throughout my gymnastics career."
Way has battled back from a torn left ACL in July of 2021 and then a torn right ACL in December of 2022.
"I was out for two full seasons in a row. It was really rough," admitted the Big Red. "I couldn't have done it without everyone. My family and all my friends and especially the coaches at the gym.
"I couldn't have done it without them. It was really, really hard. I kind of just kept thinking I want to pursue gymnastics. I want to pursue my athletic ability in college and in the end to keep pushing. It was real hard."
Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com