Claire Boyce: Supporting Gator Team Goals from Student Coach Role
Monday, March 6, 2017 | Gymnastics
In the summer of 2015, Claire Boyce had a choice to make.
The pain in her hip during her sophomore season of gymnastics had led her to a career-defining choice. Boyce could either push through the pain in her two remaining seasons of gymnastics and ultimately be faced with needing a hip replacement, or have hip dysplasia surgery and sit out her junior year.
Boyce chose the surgery, and found herself flourishing as a leader from the sidelines her junior year. She was an integral part of the leadership dynamic of the 2016 season.
And just a little more than year after her surgery, Boyce did what was rarely done by athletes who've gone through the invasive, nine-hour hip dysplasia surgery. She returned to gymnastics.
"I don't know of any athletes who have been able to recover from the surgery and get back into their sport." Head Coach Jenny Rowland told GatorVision. "That in itself shows the grit of this athlete, the dedication, the determination, and what she's willing to do for her team."
Boyce saw action in five different floor lineups this season, providing support to her team at both home and away meets.
" I thought, if no one's ever done it, well I can do it." Boyce said. "It's my senior year, so of course I wanted to be able to compete my senior season, that was my biggest motivation."
But these five meets continued to remind Claire she was still healing. The pain wasn't completely gone, and Boyce soon faced another choice she never thought she'd have to make.
Mid-February Boyce announced she would step down from competing, and serve as a student coach the remainder of the 2017 season.
What was an emotional day in the gym was met with an enormous outpouring of love for Boyce felt all across the gymnastics community.
"To hear all of the nice things I did from people that I used to train with, the girls on the team, and people that love Gator nation, it's incredible to know that I impacted the Gators and the gymnastics program that much."
And while these decisions were drastic in nature, these choices don't define Claire Boyce; the choice that defines her is deciding to be a Florida Gator.
The lone senior from the Lone Star state has a certainly memorable career. The two-time All American was a part of the 2014 and 2015 NCAA National Champion teams, she's been on the SEC Academic Honor Roll every year, and she holds six individual event titles. She emerged as an upperclassmen leader during the arrival of Coach Jenny Rowland, and is one of the gymnasts on the team that can say she's competed in the new and old O'Connell Center. Florida Gymnastics, just like Boyce, has transitioned greatly in the past four years.
As for the remainder of the 2017 season, Boyce is looking forward to devoting her energy toward bettering her teammates.
"I'm looking forward to be able to be supportive of these girls on a different level." Boyce said. "When I was competing I was wanting everyone to do well but sometimes you have to be a little selfish and think about yourself, your own events, and what you have to do. But now having that part be over I can completely be there for these girls and really be a good mentor and leader to them."
And Boyce's unique experiences can be inspirational beyond the gym and her peers.
"I want people to remember that I pushed through and worked as hard as I could every time that I came into the gym." Boyce said. "I apply that work ethic to all areas of my life and I think that's important, even to show younger generations you can really do anything you put your mind to."
Looking ahead to life after graduation, Boyce is going through the application process for nursing schools. Boyce said the path to nursing school has something she didn't experience during her gymnastics career, a clear path.
Wherever Boyce ends up in the future, she'll undoubtedly succeed. Her four years in orange and blue proved her to be not only an incredible athlete, but a valuable leader. She's proved there's no challenge she can't handle, she handles hardships with grace, and she makes those around her better by simply just being herself.
And whatever choices she makes in the future, they will surely be great.
Players Mentioned
