Olympic gold-medal winning gymnast Shawn Johnson and the Southeast Missouri State gymnastics team hosted a clinic for local children on Monday, Feb. 6.

Johnson came to Southeast as part of the university’s 2016-2017 Speakers Series, and assisted as a part of the clinic before her presentation.

Johnson, who won a gold medal and three silver medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, worked with the kids on a floor routine, while Redhawks were working with them on the other events.

Johnson retired in 2012, but is still just 25 years old, and was a role model to the current crop of Southeast gymnasts, such as senior Ashley Thomas.

“She’s like the girl that my age looked up to,” Thomas said. “Those little girls I’m sure look up to her too, but I remember sitting, watching her in the Olympics in eighth grade and it was the coolest thing ever. So to have her come and meet her and coach gymnastics is awesome because it’s what we’ve looked up to her doing our whole lives.”

Thomas, the only senior on Southeast’s gymnastics team, hopes to inspire young gymnasts, just like she was at that age.

“It’s really fun because I remember being that age and being at a college camp, I learned that dance at a college camp,” Thomas said. “So to share it with those kids is really fun and to know that those girls are like when I was a kid and I aspired to be a college gymnast.”

While the clinic was primarily focused on helping out the kids in attendance, assistant coach Brittney Emmons thinks having a change-of-pace kind of event during the team’s season is good for the Redhawks as well.

“I think it’s a good breath of fresh air for us in that competition season gets a little monotonous in going week in and week out, just competing and stuff, and just to hear from someone that has done that too but on a different level is awesome because it just shows you your love for the sport again in that she’s done the same thing that any other gymnast has tried to do and has far exceeded what a lot of gymnasts have been able to do,” Emmons said. “It’s nice just to hear her points of view just to light that fire under you a little more to go through the rest of the season.”

Southeast is 1-6 this season and will compete against Wisconsin-EAU Claire, Wisconsin-Whitewater and Winona State in the Harley Davidson Meet in Milwaukee on Friday, Feb. 10.