Coach, Jessica Odendaal, 34, is not letting the lockdown interfere with grooming her next troupe of gymnastics stars.
“We have stayed engaged with our gymnasts by sending WhatsApp videos, lesson plans and more recently, the Zoom app for online lessons.”
A top gymnast in her day, Jess competed up to level seven, then in a section called professionals for gymnasts who had finished school, but still wanted to compete and be involved. In 2013 she participated in the Gym for Life Challenge, which consisted of a group of 40 gymnasts who competed against teams from all over the world, where she received a silver medal.
She excelled at rhythmic gymnastics and enjoyed the hoop and ball best. She made the KZN team six times as a gymnast and coached the provincial squad for a number of years.
“My mom used to do gymnastics when she was younger and loved it, so she took me to our local club when I was five-years-old. I started with artistic, then went to rhythmic a few years later. I officially stopped when I was 19, but continued to compete until I was 27. My flexibility was a challenge to keep up and I travelled to the United States after school for a short time. But in my mind I don’t feel like I’ve ever really stopped, because I have my own club and have been involved for so long.”
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Jess started the Fusion Rhythmic Gymnastics Club in 2004, which operates at South Point Church (formally Life Church) on Monday to Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings. She also coaches gymnastics as an extramural activity at some local pre-schools.
She started coaching and judging when she was 16. “When I left school, I wasn’t sure what to study, so I took a gap year and started my club. A few years later I studied B.Ed Foundation Phase through UNISA while continuing to run my club.”
Jess was born in Durban and attended Amanzimtoti Primary and Kingsway High School. She met her husband Ludwig at church in 2013 and they were married two years later in the Tala Valley. They have a foster daughter, Fatima, who is 13-years-old.
“The hardest part of being a coach is knowing my gymnasts’ mistakes before they make them. I also judge them, which makes it more difficult. It’s hard to see when they are disappointed in themselves. The most satisfying is to see them improve over time, especially if they have struggled with certain skills and confidence. I love to see the joy it brings to the girls.
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“I have so many memorable memories of coaching over the years. I’ve had many girls win medals at the national and zonal competitions and to see their hard work pay off is amazing. The Gym for Life Challenge was also lots of fun.
“We always have fun travelling to competitions in Johannesburg or Cape Town – many of my girls have taken their first flights because of these trips. It’s also great to see how they grow over the years. Some have trained to be judges and coaches. It is such a wonderful sport that you want to be involved in it for as long as possible. I have fond memories of all our shows and prize-givings that we hold annually in December.”
Jess and Ludwig are nature lovers who enjoy spending time in the bush and bird watching. “I love to read and spend time with my family and friends. During the lockdown I have been keeping busy with cooking, baking, working on lessons for my gymnasts, attending some webinars and trying to stay fit.”
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