North Star

Time
management
is a talent
Since she was 11, Senior Courtney Helmick has been performing at GT Performance
Gymnastics and Cheer for seven seasons and one season at Olympia Mid Rivers.
Helmick has won over 100 medals since she started competing. In her most recent
match, Helmick came in second on beam. (Photo by Addy Bradburry)
Senior Courtney Helmick balances band, gymnastics, a
job and school, along with other activities
by Marina Williams
mwilliams807@g.fhsdschools.org
Running to her car late in the
afternoon, 18-year-old Courtney
Helmick is ready to begin her
third activity of the day. She swings
her marching band bag into the back
seat of her car, checking again for
her gymnastics bag. She sets off to
the gym, trying to make practice on
time. The only thing on her mind is
how she also has to close for her job
at Fazoli’s tonight. She rests her head
on the wheel before walking into her
gymnastics practice, she knows it’s
going to be a long night.
Gymnastics and band have always
been a huge part of Helmick’s life,
doing gymnastics since second grade,
concert band
since sixth grade
and marching
band since ninth.
Helmick can’t
think of anywhere
she would rather
be.
“It was really hard at first, but once
I learned time management and
MORE INFO
Learn tips for time
management here:
bit.ly/2Noa7yx
developed a routine, it wasn’t nearly as
bad,” Helmick said.
After seeing her older sister do
gymnastics, she started gymnastics
at just seven years old and fell in love
with the sport, not knowing at the time
that the gym would soon become her
second home.
“I was the annoying little sister who
wanted to be just like her older sister,”
Helmick said. “So, when Emily did
gymnastics, I wanted to. I didn’t know
how much I would love the sport or
how big of an impact it would have on
my life until I tried it.”
Her sister, Emily Helmick, had always
been a huge role model to her. So
when her sister took up band, it was
impossible for Helmick to pass up
another opportunity to be just like her
older sister.
“I originally started band because
of Emily,” Helmick said. “But I also
wanted to be involved in a high school
sport, and that’s really all I knew how
to do.”
Of course, such demanding activities
come with their own pros and cons.
“I really like performing, which I do
in both band and gymnastics. I really
like the little successes along the way
in gymnastics,” Helmick said. “And I
really like being a part of something
so much bigger than myself, which is
what marching band is all about, but
the physical demand in gymnastics is
really rough on my body, and the time
commitment in marching
band gets rough, but I can
manage.”
A week in Helmick’s life
can be described as tiring,
hectic, busy and long.
She sets aside 19 hours a
week for gymnastics and
15 hours a week for marching band,
not including football games and
competitions. She also goes to school,
works at Fazoli’s, is involved in many
school clubs and is very involved in her
church and family.
“It’s all about time management and
prioritizing,” Helmick said. “I haven’t
watched a Netflix series since the
beginning of August.”
Helmick has made many friends
along her journey through gymnastics
and marching band. Jenna Brown, her
friend since kindergarten, and someone
who has done both gymnastics and
band with Helmick, has nothing but
good things to say about her.
“She’s very kind and trustworthy,
and she is always ready to help you
with anything you need,” Brown said.
“She manages her time really well and
makes time for her friends and family.”
PAGE BY CHLOE HORSTMAN
FEATURES | 11.20.19 | FHNTODAY.COM
19