Iowa State University Athletics
Meet the Cyclone Gymnasts: Laura Burns
11.04.2016 | Athletics, Gymnastics
AMES, Iowa - The Iowa State gymnastics team brought in an incredibly dedicated student-athlete when they signed Laura Burns. An Illinois native, Burns has dedicated more time to gymnastics than many can say, and still displays an incredible passion for the sport. Facing challenges and injuries with a smile on her face, Burns will surely be an asset for the Cyclones in their 2017 season.
A member of Legacy Elite Gymnastics in Carol Stream, Illinois, Burns lived 40 minutes away from her gym for a majority of her young life. She would drive the 40 minutes to and from practice five days a week.
"I would go to practice, and by the time I got home it was dark out," Burns explained. "I would only have time to do homework, eat dinner, and go to sleep. It was sort of a routine I got into, but I ended up loving it."
Family was a large part of Burns' success as a gymnast. She started practicing the sport because he sister was in it, and they both practiced together for years. Her mother was also a role model to the gymnast.
"My mom was at every single meet when I was growing up," Burns shared. "I always remember that no matter if I fell five times in a meet or had the best competition of my life she'd always smile and say good job. I love having her there."
The road to Iowa State wasn't always easy for Burns, injuries proved to be a challenge to the freshman, but she kept her positive attitude throughout.
"I've had a lot of little injuries, but my worst one was a stress fracture my junior year," she explained. "I missed the whole season, so that was hard. It was a long recovery. I was in a back brace for six weeks, and coming back going really slow was key because it could happen again. Watching everyone practice when you're just doing little stuff was kind of annoying. But it worked out in the end. I haven't had any problems since."
Like many Cyclone gymnasts, the team aspect of the program is what drew her to the school. She attributes her decision to the friendliness of the team and coaches on her official visits. Her love for the team continues as she practices for the upcoming season.
"Going to the gym every day can be difficult when our practices get challenging," the freshman admits. "The assignments are hard and the conditioning can be tough. Watching the older members of the team get through the challenges, and then coming and smiling at you and helping you get through it too is something really special."
Burns is excited to get started with the season and is hoping to be able to compete and be a consistent contributor for the Cyclones. Find out if she made the line-ups at the team's first meet of the season, a Beauty and the Beast with Iowa State wrestling against Arizona State on Jan. 6.
Players Mentioned
