MONTGOMERY, Ala. — It’s one way to describe gymnast Cole Armagost, who reminisced about the time he wanted to learn how to do a backflip, so naturally he was determined to teach himself how to do it. “When I was eleven, I really wanted to learn how to do a backflip. After my mom found out that I was attempting to teach myself in the backyard, she put me in classes at a gym,” said Cole. Shortly after starting classes, he caught the eye of one of the competition coaches. “I was evaluated and put on the team when I was 12. This is a little out of the ordinary, because most kids start when they’re like 5 or 6. This just meant that I always had to make sure and push myself to catch up with the other kids and not slack off,” he said.

That was six years ago. Cole is 18 now, and the only thing that has changed is his skill level. “The job is never finished. The cool thing about gymnastics is it’s always changing. There are always new skills to learn, and new goals to reach and that’s what I love about it. What I enjoy most about gymnastics is the feeling of pride when I learn a new skill for the first time. Being able to physically see my hard work pay off right before my eyes is something that can’t be replaced,” he said. Over the years, Cole has developed quite an impressive resume. His list of accomplishments include: 2016 Level 8 All-Around State Champion, 2016 State Level 8 Floor and Vault Champion, 2017 State Level 9 Vault Champion, 2018 Region 8 Floor 4th Place, 2018 Level 10 State Floor and Vault Champion, 2019 Level 10 State Floor and Vault Champion, and 2020 Level 10 State Floor and Vault Champion.

COVID-19 has changed some aspects of competition, but for the most part, things will stay the same. “We haven’t had a competition this season yet, but from what we hear, everything is going to be pretty much normal. We just have to wear masks when we’re not competing, rotate from event to event with only our team, and just clean the equipment well when we’re done,” Cole said. Cole will compete in four more meets this season, before hopefully competing at the state, regional and national levels.

When Cole graduates from Saint James School in May, he has no plans to continue to compete. “I’m currently not planning on competing at the next level. With the decreasing number of NCAA opportunities, I’ve decided to finish out my high school career and stay a little closer to home, attending the University of Alabama,” he said. His determination to succeed in gymnastics will surely carry him through college and life.

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