Alexa Okamura’s life revolves around gymnastics and her studies, and she’s making an impact on both fronts. You won’t find the 21-year-old sitting still for long since she’s always got something on tap.
The Redmond native and Seattle Pacific University (SPU) senior tackles her routines with mental focus and verve, and she applies the same plan while working toward her marketing degree and graduation in June.
Okamura, a 2012 Redmond High graduate, has helped lead her SPU squad to a current fifth-place national spot in the NCAA Division 2 rankings, and she recently earned scholastic all-American honors. She was recognized for her solid classwork over the last year and has notched a 3.6 grade-point average the last three quarters.
“I didn’t know it existed. I went, ‘Oh, this is cool,’” Okamura said of earning the academic accolade. She added that her coach emphasizes getting good grades, and the SPU teammates often study together or give advice about a class one of them had before that another girl is presently taking.
When it’s gymnastics time, Okamura — who has been competing in the sport since age 9 — specializes in the floor exercise and balance beam for the Falcons. Her top marks on the floor and beam are both 9.75.
Okamura discussed her keys to success this season: “I’m injury free, knock on wood. It’s my senior year and I want to finish on a good note. I remind myself how much I’ve sacrificed for sports.”
She spends 20-plus hours a week practicing and competing, and she’s usually thinking about gymnastics, as well. It’s been tough for her to build relationships outside of gymnastics, but she said it’s all worth the time in the gym when she puts her hard work into play and nails her routines.
Okamura said her confidence and trust in herself have to be at a premium to succeed on the four-inch-wide beam.
“I have to give myself self-talks to pump myself up,” she said with a laugh.
On floor, she feels relaxed, loves to tumble and thrives on the competition from her opponents.
In beginning her gymnastics career, Okamura felt she was a natural at the sport, which she chose over ballet. She started out at the Emerald City Gymnastics Academy in Redmond and then moved over to Gymnastics East in Bellevue from the ages of 13-18. During her high school years at Redmond, she competed for Gymnastics East — where she won some state titles and placed at Western Nationals — and then headed off to SPU.
SPU has risen two spots in the Division 2 national rankings over the last few weeks, and the Falcons will complete their regular season with a meet at the University of Washington (which will also feature the University of Denver) tomorrow. On March 19, SPU will compete in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championships in Sacramento, followed by the division regionals on April 2 in Salt Lake City and then the national finals April 8-10 in St. Charles, Mo.
Okamura said the team got off to a rocky start after losing five seniors from last year, but now they’re sticking together as a team and supporting each other every step of the way.
“We needed to build our confidence in order to be able to get where we are now,” said Okamura, whose team finished third in the Division 2 national rankings last year. “We’re still building our scores higher.”
