Athlete of the Week: Rachel Carr

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Guerin Catholic senior Rachel Carr is one of the state’s top gymnasts.

“Rachel is one of our hardest working athletes,” said Carr’s coach, Amy Replogle. “She comes in here every day, ready to give it her all despite any injuries or setbacks.”

And Carr has definitely had setbacks, but not ones she hasn’t been able to overcome. Earlier this year, shortly after injuring her knee, she made the elite National Invitational Tournament, one of the few gymnasts from Indiana to do so.

“I though that was kind of cool to show you could do anything through hard work,” said Carr. “You may not have the best season, but you can overcome challenges and meet your goal.”

Carr has a unique approach to training courtesy of her dad, a sports psychologist who has worked with the Pacers and a variety of Olympic athletes. She says visualization and staying calm have been his most important lessons.

“Say you’re struggling on a skill, then you want to visualize it in your head, and then the next day you’ll come in and you’ll do it. It’s amazing,” said Carr.

She adds when it comes to nerves before meets, “He says let the butterflies fly information so if I’m nervous, just let them fly and be calm instead of frustrated or something that’s going to make you do worse.”

While Carr claims she’s “too old” for the Olympics at 17, she will continue her gymnastics career into college. She’s already earned a scholarship to Central Michigan, a program that has won three straight MAC titles.