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Former Flyer Competes in Grid Games
August 25, 2015
Strength, agility and balance have always come naturally to Roderick Noel Holloway, who is a lifelong gymnast and began his training at age 3, in the gym at Truman Elementary School. Holloway began participating in gymnastic competitions at age 6 with Team Central Gymnastics, excelling in skills at every level. In fourth grade, he broke Truman’s school record for pull-ups with 18, a record that was posted above the gym entrance until Truman became a middle school in 2011.
Holloway joined the St. Louis Gymnastic Center team in 1995 where he competed in numerous state, regional and national gymnastic competitions until his senior year at LHS. He earned the title of state gymnastic champion every year and at 10 years of age made the "Future Stars National Team," giving him the great opportunity to train at the Olympic training center with the best coaches in the sport as a hopeful Olympic competitor. Holloway trained 20-plus hours a week during this time, and at age 13, he placed second nationally in the floor exercise event.
After graduating from LHS in 2005, Holloway attended Missouri State University in Springfield and coached gymnastics in the area while working on his degree. When he returned to St. Louis after college, St. Louis Gymnastic Center offered him a coaching position.
Holloway was introduced to CrossFit a few years ago by the parents of a gymnast he was coaching. The family invited Holloway to their gym, CrossFit Gym in Kirkwood. A natural-born athlete, Holloway raised the bar of physical intensity as a CrossFit competitor, and the gym owners asked him to become a CrossFit Trainer and compete on behalf of their gym. During his first season of competition, Holloway qualified in the regional competitions, placing 18th in an 11-state region. He went on to place 16th in his second year of competition.
Holloway is driven with a competitive spirit, relentless self-discipline and the ability to challenge himself to continually higher levels, which ultimately led to his audition for the National Grid League team competitions, allowing Holloway to use his abilities as a gymnast. The competitive nature of the grid leagues is compared to the origin of the Olympics in Athens Greece in the test of athletic strength.
In his first National Grid League competition, Holloway gave his team a significant timed lead with 15 unbroken still ring flips, pushing the Miami Surge into first place. The Miami Surge compete against eight other teams nationwide.
Strength, agility and balance have always come naturally to Roderick Noel Holloway, who is a lifelong gymnast and began his training at age 3, in the gym at Truman Elementary School. Holloway began participating in gymnastic competitions at age 6 with Team Central Gymnastics, excelling in skills at every level. In fourth grade, he broke Truman’s school record for pull-ups with 18, a record that was posted above the gym entrance until Truman became a middle school in 2011.
Holloway joined the St. Louis Gymnastic Center team in 1995 where he competed in numerous state, regional and national gymnastic competitions until his senior year at LHS. He earned the title of state gymnastic champion every year and at 10 years of age made the "Future Stars National Team," giving him the great opportunity to train at the Olympic training center with the best coaches in the sport as a hopeful Olympic competitor. Holloway trained 20-plus hours a week during this time, and at age 13, he placed second nationally in the floor exercise event.
After graduating from LHS in 2005, Holloway attended Missouri State University in Springfield and coached gymnastics in the area while working on his degree. When he returned to St. Louis after college, St. Louis Gymnastic Center offered him a coaching position.
Holloway was introduced to CrossFit a few years ago by the parents of a gymnast he was coaching. The family invited Holloway to their gym, CrossFit Gym in Kirkwood. A natural-born athlete, Holloway raised the bar of physical intensity as a CrossFit competitor, and the gym owners asked him to become a CrossFit Trainer and compete on behalf of their gym. During his first season of competition, Holloway qualified in the regional competitions, placing 18th in an 11-state region. He went on to place 16th in his second year of competition.
Holloway is driven with a competitive spirit, relentless self-discipline and the ability to challenge himself to continually higher levels, which ultimately led to his audition for the National Grid League team competitions, allowing Holloway to use his abilities as a gymnast. The competitive nature of the grid leagues is compared to the origin of the Olympics in Athens Greece in the test of athletic strength.
In his first National Grid League competition, Holloway gave his team a significant timed lead with 15 unbroken still ring flips, pushing the Miami Surge into first place. The Miami Surge compete against eight other teams nationwide.
Holloway says that he is truly living his dream.