Kayla Hoffman

Kayla Marie Hoffman (born August 13, 1988) is an American
artistic gymnast born in Summit, New Jersey and later residing in Union, New Jersey. After deciding to retire from elite gymnastics in 2007, she is currently a member of the University of Alabama gymnastics team.

Personal Life

Hoffman was born August 13, 1988 to parents Richard and Helen Hoffman in Summit, New Jersey. She has one sister, Emma Lee Hoffman, who also is a competitive gymnast. She began taking gymnastics at the young age of three because her mother took gymnastics when she was younger as well. Hoffman was home schooled through her high school career. Until reaching level 10, Hoffman spent her beginning years at Sunburst Gymnastics. She won the uneven bars title at Level 8 State and in 2000, she qualified for the Level 9 Easterns and finished 4th overall. In 2001, she placed 3rd at Level 10 Regionals and qualified for the JO Nationals. At the end of the year, she decided to make a change and began training at Rebound Gymnastics for Coach Diane Farrell.

Career

In 2003, Hoffman started her season at Friendship classic as a junior and finished 3rd in the all-around. In 2004, she successfully qualified for the international elite level and qualified for the US National Championships. Unfortunately, she could not compete at the US National Championships due to an injury. In 2005, she again easily qualified for the international elite level. When Hoffman went to the National Team Training Camp in February, the coaches were impressed with her gymnastics and qualified her straight to the US National Championships. She used the US Classic as a warm up for the upcoming US National Championships. She finished 19th in the all-around. At Hoffman’s first US National Championships, she impressed many people with her power on floor exercise and vault. She placed 8th in the all-around.Her 2006 season began at the Friendship Classic in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. She placed 2nd in the all-around. Just a week after the Friendship Classic, Hoffman got selected as one of two senior gymnasts to represent the USA for the 2006 Moscow World Cup in May qualifying for two event finals on the first competition at the World Cup. She was 2nd on bars and 4th on floor exercise. Unfortunately, she fell on both of her events during the finals and placed seventh on both. By using the US Classic in Kansas City, Missouri as a warm up for the upcoming US National Championships, she placed 10th in the all-around. Hoffman made the Senior US National Team for the second time in row after tying for 11th in the all-around. She was invited to go to the World Selection Camp and was invited back to the second camp. However, she could not go to the second camp due to a hamstring injury.

Collegiate Career

In 2007, Hoffman made the decision to retire from elite gymnastics, so she could focus on her first year at the University of Alabama. Hoffman and her Alabama teammates started their season in January 2008 competing against Illinois, where she finished 2nd in the all-around. She helped the team to win nine competitions throughout the season, including the South Central Regional Championship. She won seven vault titles as well as six floor exercise titles. At the NCAA Championships, the Alabama gymnastics team advanced to the Super Six and finished 6th. Hoffman qualified to vault finals, where she placed 5th. After her regular season was over, statistics showed that she was ranked 5th on vault, 33rd on uneven bars, and 18th on floor exercise. She also earned All-American honors and was named to the inaugural SEC All-Freshman team as well as earning second team All-Sec. Her first semester at the University of Alabama, she earned a 4.0 grade point average while still maintaining her gymnastics training. More so impressive was that was her first classroom experience since third grade when she started being home schooled.

Career Highlights

Collegiate Level:
NCAA Championships, Super Six – 6th Team
NCAA Event Finals: 5th Vault 1st Team All America: Vault South Central Regional Championship: 1st Team, 2nd Vault, 4th Floor Exercise SEC Championship: 2nd Team 2nd Team All SEC: Vault Freshman All SEC Team Scholastic All America Academic All SEC

Elite Gymnastics:USA National Team Member: 2005-06 and 2006-07 2006 US Nationals: All-Around 11th 2006 US Classic: Floor Exercise: 2nd, Uneven Bars: 8th , All-Around: 10th 2006 Moscow World Cup: Uneven Bars and Floor Exercise: 7th 2006 Friendship Classic: All-Around: 2nd, Vault: 2nd, Floor Exercise: 1st 2005 USA Nationals: All-Around: 8th, Uneven Bars: 6th 2005 American Challenge: All-Around: 1st, Vault: 4th, Uneven Bars: 4th, Balance Beam: 2nd, Floor Exercise: 3rd 2005 Parkette Invitational: All-Around: 7th, Vault: 5th, Floor Exercise: 2nd 2004 Friendship Classic: All-Around: 4th 2003 Friendship Classic: All-Around: 3rd 2001 J.O. Level 10 Regionals: All-Around: 3rd

References

http://www.gym-style.com/kayla/about.htmhttp://www.gymtide.com/athletes/gymnasts/2009/kaylahoffman.shtmlhttp://www.rolltide.com/sports/w-gym/mtt/hoffman_kayla00.htmlhttps://www.usa-gymnastics.org/events/2006/championships/athletes/kHoffman-inter.htmlhttp://secsports.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=13&url_article_id=11024&change_well_id=2http://www.rolltide.com/sports/w-gym/spec-rel/081708aaa.html