Young gymnast has the right stuff

Mitchell DeHoff, 15, of Fitch High travels five days a week to Cleveland to train at Gymnastics World.

BY JOHN KOVACH

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

AUSTINTOWN — There should be more student-athletes like gymnast Mitchell DeHoff of Austintown.

Although DeHoff is only 15 years old and a sophomore at Fitch High, he already knows what he wants out of gymnastics, academics and life, and is willing to invest the time and effort required to reach his objectives.

Of course, it also helps that DeHoff has parents like Todd and Lori DeHoff, who support their son’s Interest and budding talent and are willing to drive him to Gymnastics World in Cleveland where he trains five days a week under coach Greg Ganim.

All of their sacrifices and perseverance are beginning to pay off for DeHoff, who won all-around titles at the USA Gymnastics State and Regional Championships earlier this year in the Level 8, age 14-and-over division, and has advanced to Level 10 where he will begin competing in January.

Competing in six events — floor exercise, pommel horse, rings, vaulting, high bar and parallel bars — he won the state all-around crown at Mayor Ralph A. Infante Wellness Center in Niles in March, and the regional all-around title in Lincolnshire, Ill., in April.

His winning regional all-around score was 70.35 competing with gymnasts from five states; Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Kentucky, and Ohio.

“They were my best all-round scores that I ever had,” said DeHoff of his state and regional performances, noting that he didn’t advance to the national meet because, “There is no national for that level. National competition starts at Level 9.”

DeHoff was able to jump from Level 8 to Level 10 after the competing season in April because, “Level 9 is only for 12-13 [ages],” and because, “[My] coach recommends it,” DeHoff pointed out.

DeHoff’s two main focuses are gymnastics and academics, and his commitment to both is unswerving and admirable.

He said that he travels to Gymnastics World five days a week during the school year and summer vacation.

“I usually leave after school at 2:15 and get back at eight. I keep the same hours during summer. My parents take me or I have a friend [Nick Hunter] to car pool with,” DeHoff explained.

He said that Hunter, 16, a junior at Canfield High, also is a Level 10 gymnast at Gymnastics World, but “didn’t compete in the state or regional meets due to an injury.”

DeHoff also is an outstanding student, with a 4.0 grade-point average. Strong in the sciences, he would like to study pre-medicine in college and go to medical school,

“[Gymnastics] is basically all I do. It is something that I really like to do and my parents cooperate helping me. They spend a lot of time watching me compete,” said DeHoff, whose strongest events are pommel horse and rings. “I never really get tired of [gymnastics].”

DeHoff is hoping for a collegiate gymnastics career.

“I’d like to go to college for it, probably to Ohio State. I think I can get a scholarship there. I can always decide after college if I want to get into elite training,” said DeHoff, who really likes Ohio State.

“It’s a place that I’d like to go, and my coach [Ganim] knows the coach [Miles Avery] at Ohio State very well.”

Meanwhile, there will be more trips to Cleveland and more practice sessions and meets for DeHoff — investments the family is making so that Mitchell can chase his gymnastic and career dreams.

kovach@vindy.com