Rising to the Top

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Derrian Gobourne silently stares at her nemesis. 

The 15-year-old Lakewood Ranch Gymnastics gymnast tightens the bright orange grips around her wrists before applying a fresh layer of chalk to each of her palms. 

She calmly walks over to the uneven bars and takes a moment to reflect on the task at hand. With her teammates looking on, Gobourne hoists herself onto the lower bar and quickly begins swinging her legs back and forth in time to the steady stream of encouraging words reverberating throughout the gym. 

“Come on, ‘D’,” one gymnasts shouts. “You got this,” another one echoes. 

In a flourish, Gobourne twists, turns and flips herself around, maneuvering back and forth between the two bars with apparent ease, before swiftly dismounting the apparatus. At the time, it’s her best event. It’s also the one that comes with the most challenges. 

A similar scene will play out for the next three-and-one-half hours, as the Level 10 gymnast looks to finally nail her double-double dismount — one of the many goals she has set forth for herself this summer. 

Gobourne has written a specific goal for each apparatus, which she keeps on a piece of paper in her gymnastics locker. She looks at them every day before she heads into the gym to begin training. It’s an approach Gobourne began using as a way to channel positive energy into each and every workout. 

“The hardest part about gymnastics is the mental toughness,” Gobourne says. “I feel like if you’re not mentally tough, it’s not going to get you anywhere. I know I can physically do it, but mentally, I have to build myself up more.” 

Gobourne’s ability to dig deep within herself and focus on what she can do proved valuable during the 2015 U.S. Women’s National Junior Olympic Championships May 15 and May 16 in Des Moines, Iowa. 

Gobourne was one of seven gymnasts from southeastern region to qualify for the national competition, which showcases the country’s top Level 10 Junior Olympic gymnasts. Level 10 is the highest level a gymnast can reach in the Junior Olympic program, which is just under the elite level. 

Gobourne posted a total combined all-around score of 37.800 to finish tied for 13th out of the 57 competitors in the Level 10 Junior C division. The roughly 460 competitors at this year’s national championships were divided into eight age divisions, which are determined by birth date. 

Gobourne scored a pair of top 10 finishes on uneven bars (9.475, tied for ninth) and the vault (9.650, tied for 10th). She also scored a 9.475 on floor exercise to tie for 11th and a 9.200 on the balance beam to tie for 36th.

Unlike most of her teammates, Gobourne didn’t start taking gymnastics until she was 7 years old. 

“I was one of the late starters as they say,” Gobourne says. 

Gobourne joined a tumbling class at South Florida Gymnastics and gradually began working her way up through the system. 

“The hardest part about gymnastics is the mental toughness. I feel like if you’re not mentally tough, it’s not going to get you anywhere. I know I can physically do it, but, mentally, I have to build myself up more.” – Derrian Gobourne

By the time she reached Level 7, Gobourne realized she might have a future in the sport. 

“When I first started, I was doing easy skills and just playing around, but when Level 7 came around I actually had to start learning some stuff,” Gobourne says. 

Gobourne moved over to Lakewood Ranch Gymnastics about three years ago where she quickly rose to Level 10 where she has spent the past three seasons. 

“Ever since she walked through the doors of Lakewood Ranch Gymnastics, she’s been an absolute joy,” Lakewood Ranch Gymnastics co-owner and coach Laura Parraga says. “She’s a coach’s dream. Not only is she naturally talented but beyond that she has a great internal drive to challenge herself and learn.” 

Gobourne initially had aspirations of being an Olympian but an elbow injury in seventh grade forced her to reevaluate her decision. After talking with Parraga, Gobourne decided to return to the gym and come back even stronger in hopes of landing a college scholarship. 

Last summer, Gobourne verbally committed to Auburn University. In mid-June, Gobourne attended Auburn’s gymnastics camp where she had the opportunity to work with her future coaches and teammates.

“I feel grateful that I can continue to do what I like to do in college,” Gobourne says. “It just looks really fun and so much better than what we do. It just seems more fun out there.” 

With her competitive season behind her, Gobourne will spend the next five months training before returning to competition in December. Gobourne spends five days a week at the gym working to achieve her goals, which include a double-double dismount off bars; a Yurchenko double full on vault; landing her full more consistently on floor; and a Switch leap Popa on balance beam. 

“She always wants to learn new and harder tricks,” Parraga says. “She’s worked hard to achieve her dreams, and she’s just a fun presence in the gym. She brings a fun energy and she lightens the mood a lot. 

“She’s always smiling, and that tells me she’s happy and healthy in what she’s doing,” Parraga says. 

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].