A Family & School Tradition, Mady Brinkman is the All-Star Student of the Week [VIDEO]

MELROSE - WJON’s All-Star Student of the Week comes from a family of state champions. Melrose High School sophomore Mady Brinkman watched her sisters win state championships in gymnastics, and now is following in their footsteps.

"It’s really competitive between us," says Brinkman, "but they helped me to get where I am."

Brinkman scored a 9.65 on the balance beam earning her the Class A Balance Beam State Championship.

"I felt like I had a pretty good day. I was happy with myself, and what I did," says Brinkman.

Melrose High School has a long tradition of gymnastics at its school. Head coach Katie Masog says the ongoing success keeps pushing the team to be better.

"All the younger girls want to be these older girls, and Mady got to see her older sisters do it, and that also wants to make you be like your older sister, or the other girls that are doing these great things. Having the traditions we do here pushes these girls to be better," say Masog.

It's the thrill of competing that keeps Brinkman coming back as well as the feeling of success after a good routine. Masog says Brinkman is a huge asset to the Melrose Gymnastics team.

"All the way since fifth grade when she joined our rising stars gymnastics program," says Masog, "She came onto our high school in the seventh grade, and has been doing awesome gymnastics ever since." 

Brinkman is still active in youth gymnastics in Melrose, only now she is a coach. She says it's impressive how good and dedicated the young gymnasts are.

As for Brinkman's career, she has two years left of high school gymnastics, a fact which Masog is looking forward to.

"She actually just learned a new vault a couple of weeks ago which is going to put her above and beyond, I think most competitors in the state," says Masog, "She is literally going to be the top gymnast in the state, I think for the next couple of years until she graduates. As long as she stays healthy, which I'm hoping she does, she is going to go above and beyond and be one of the best, if not the best in our program."

If you know a student like Mady, nominate them below as WJON's All-Star Student.
It can be any student, in any grade, participating in any activity.