Tyrone sophomore and gymnast Olivia Barr is the definition of dedication and a testament to how hard work pays off.

Barr spends four hours a day, five days a week training at the Uzelac Gym in Johnstown or Altoona. She leaves for the gym straight from school, because Johnstown is over an hour drive away. She then practices for four hours. Goes home. Eats dinner. Does her schoolwork. Goes to bed.

Then she gets up the next day and does it over again.

She does all this while maintaining top grades in honors classes.

“It’s a tough sport, but at the end of the day, I love it,” said Olivia Barr.

Going into her seventh competition year, Olivia is a level ten competitor and hopes to make it to Nationals.  Level ten is just one level under elite.  Elite gymnasts compete at worlds and possibly the Olympic games.

Barr would love to go to the Olympics someday herself, but at this point that goal still feels a little out of her reach. As for now, she is hoping to at least earn a scholarship to a good university and continue her gymnastic career.

In fact, Penn State has already shown interest in her as a gymnast.

“I like the challenges that [gymnastics] brings. I just like that feeling I get when I get a new skill or a new accomplishment,”said Olivia. “It’s just a great feeling and I love it.”

She is so dedicated to her sport that she often misses opportunities to hang out with friends, go to birthday parties, attend school events, or go sporting events.  In fact, Barr attended her first Tyrone football game ever just this season.

“Olivia has [a] commitment, loyalty, and never give up attitude. If you tell her she can’t do it, she will do it,” said her dad, Mark Barr.

She got her start in gymnastics almost by accident. Her older brother was playing baseball at a practice facility in Altoona. Next door to the baseball clinic was a gymnastics center.  Barr thought it looked interesting and asked her mom if she could take lessons. Mom agreed and ever since, Olivia has dedicated a big portion of her life to gymnastics.

Her best event is floor, where the gymnast choreographs a routine using various tumbling and ballet movements such as jumps, somersaults, and handstands performed without apparatus.

“It takes a lot of dedication,” said Barr.

Her parents, Brenda and Mark Barr, are extremely proud and supportive of her gymnastics career.

“Olivia has a natural talent for gymnastics. Lord knows she didn’t get it from me,” said Olivia’s mom, Brenda Barr.

Olivia has won many prestigious awards. Two years ago, she earned the Kristal Uzelac Award, the highest award given to an athlete at her gym.  She’s also received multiple trophies for winning the All Around Award at various meets, as well as a plaque for making the Level Seven National Team.

“She is a hard worker with an incredible work ethic. She is always early for practice, ready to go, giving 110%.” said Brenda Barr.

Kristal Uzelac, who has coached Olivia since she began training, has always been impressed by her dedication and ability.

“Olivia is a special young lady. She possesses self-motivation, determination, and an unstoppable drive to be the best she can be. She is a talented gymnast and is consistently setting goals for herself and then pushes until she achieves them. Olivia is most definitely talented, but her strong work ethic and drive are what makes her the fierce competitor that she is. She balances many long hours in the gym while excelling in school,” said Edwards.

Managing school and gymnastics is challenging, but Olivia succeed in juggling gymnastics and a full schedule of advanced classes while maintaining a 100% grade average last marking period.

Her next competition is on December 4th in Johnston.  Her gym also does a Christmas performance with all of the members of the gym.

For Barr, it will be another opportunity for her to showcase her hard work and talent.

She hopes to win, but in the end, the love of the sport is all that matters.