In the 1988 Seoul Olympics, gymnast Hope Spivey was at the top of her game. Spivey helped the United States gymnast team place fourth in the team tournament division, which was the highest that any U.S. team had ever achieved in gymnastics up to that point.
Thanks to Spivey and her team, awareness and interest was brought to the U.S. regarding gymnastics, and many gymnasts from the states have gone on to win titles during the Olympics following the 1988 games, including winning the Women’s World Team Titles in 2011, 2014 and again in 2015.
A game changer and ground-shaker for gymnastics in the United States, Spivey has since retired from competing and has dedicated her time to a new goal: inspiring and coaching a new generation of gymnasts.
Spivey focuses her attention of her gym, Spivey’s Gymnastics, which is located in Valdosta, and on training the children who come to her.
On Wednesday, June 8, Spivey came to the Lee Public Library to talk to children there about her experiences in gymnastics, the Olympics and her journey to both.
While most children start gymnastics at the young ages of either three or four, Spivey was a late bloomer as she found her love for the sport at the age of seven.
Spivey, a native of Suffolk, Va., discussed the various sacrifices that her family made in order to help her get the best training in the best gyms with the best coaches that they could possibly afford.
Their dedication and sacrifice for her was instrumental in putting her at the right place at the right time to be noticed by a scout for a competition group.
Spivey competed her way to the top, winning a collection of titles and awards for her talents on the gymnastics floor and on the vault.
Eventually, those competitions placed her in the 1988 Olympics, which was a feat in its own, as Spivey had suffered a back injury in 1987 and had only recently been removed from a cast when she entered the Olympics.
To the children that were gathered before her at the Lee Public Library, Spivey gave encouragement and recited Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
After coming home from the Olympics, Spivey took a break from competitions. “I decided that I had put my family through enough and I had reached the Olympics and met my goals,” said Spivey.
After taking part in the Olympics at the young age of 17, Spivey returned home to Virgina and finished high school. She took a break, only practicing in small gyms and not taking part in any teams.
Then, after graduation, the colleges and universities came knocking; they wanted her on their teams.
After a long period of thinking carefully about her options and evaluating the three colleges that wanted her to enroll, Spivey chose to attend the University of Georgia, which was the closest university to her home and family.
“Honestly, I am a southern girl,” said Spivey, jovially. “I didn’t like the idea of being so far from home and from the south again.”
Her travels with the Olympics took her all over the world, and the children who sat around her asked questions about the places she’d been, such as Sicily, Korea and other European and Asian countries.
Once in college, Spivey again entered Olympics and wowed the crowds and judges with her feats. Despite not having entered any teams or competitions for so long, Spivey still had her magic.
Spivey showed the children various videos of her college gymnastic competitions and when asked if she could still do the same stunts as she could in the videos, Spivey laughed.
“No,” said Spivey. “I’m out of practice for that sort of thing.”
She may not be able to do the same routines as before, but Spivey still wowed her audience at the Lee Public Library as she spoke on her times in Korea and the wonderful opportunities that she thanks God she was able to experience. She is also grateful to God for her ability to inspire the newest generation of gymnasts.