HAWTHORNE, Calif. — When Olivia Courtney was competing on the U.S. National Gymnastics team in 2006, she remembers being one of the few gymnasts of color to hit the floor. But years later, as a coach, she's proud to see a jump in diversity.
"I've seen gymnastics in any state you name, and I've probably done it there," Courtney said. "I definitely see a lot more diversity as a coach now. I think there are a lot of girls coming up from different races, and they're doing really well."
Courtney is the head floor coach at Hawthorne's newest and only gymnastics facility, The Rise Gym.
The gym is making the sport more affordable and accessible to a mostly minority community.
After opening this fall, The Rise Gym already has 900 students enrolled —ranging in age, gender, body type and race.
"There are not many gymnastics facilities out there, and it's a very expensive sport, and so if it's not being brought to people or if people don't have easy access to it, i think it limits who can do it," Courtney said.
Sofia Sena's 8-year-old daughter Camilla is Mexican and Dominican. She's the first in their family ever to practice gymnastics.
"[Camilla] gets to go to a gym that's very diverse. That's something I think about," Sena said. "I think it's cool that she goes to a gym where there are people that look like her."
Seeing the recent success of Black, Latina and Asian American Olympic gymnasts such as Simone Biles, Laurie Hernandez and Suni Lee inspired Camilla to pursue the sport.
"There's hope that if this is her dream, she can go on and do it," Sena said.
"I think that inspires a lot of different communities when they see people from different races up on top and placing well at the Olympics," Courtney said. "They see her doing it and think I can do it as well."