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York native Trinity Thomas talks gymnastics, competing against Simone Biles, and what's on the horizon

Trinity Thomas started her gymnastics career at 7-years-old. Since then, she has been named Gators Gymnastics' Most Valuable Gymnast.

YORK, Pa. — A York native is coming off a week in which she earned her second SEC Specialist Gymnastics of the Week Honor.

Trinity Thomas, 20, is a student athlete at Gators Gymnastics in Florida, who throughout her athletic career has earned a Gym Slam or a perfect 10.0 on all events and has competed alongside the most decorated gymnast of all time, Simone Biles. 

Thomas grew up in West York with four of her younger siblings, three of which also share a background in gymnastics. 

She started out doing cheerleading before she was invited to the gymnastics team at Skyline Gymnastics in York at the age of seven, where she instantly fell in love with the sport.

Thomas currently attends the University of Florida where she studies Applied Physiology and Kinesiology when she’s not at the gym training with Gators Gymnastics every day but Wednesday, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., 20 hours a week.

“It’s been an absolute dream come true to be a part of Gators Gym, it’s really a family here and that’s a huge part of why I came here," Thomas said. "When I was here, I could just feel how close the team was, how supportive the coaches were.”

Thomas has been competing for Gators Gymnastics since 2019, where she was named Gator Gymnastics’ Most Valuable Gymnast and was the one and only freshman in the nation ranked among the nation’s top 20 for every event, according to the Florida Gators.

Thomas knew Gators Gymnastics was the right fit for her almost immediately, stating.

“I felt at home and I was really young and I was far from home, so really this is my home away from home and I couldn’t be more blessed to be here," she said. 

She says her double layout bars dismount as the hardest move she’s had to conquer throughout her gymnastics career.

“That was literally the hardest thing I had to get," she explained. "It took me years. I did a double pike until my first year senior league [which] was the first time I competed a double layout off bars. That was a huge milestone for me, so it was super exciting.”

Last week, Thomas earned her second SEC Specialist Gymnastics of the Week Honor for her performance against Georgia, where she competed on bars, vault, and beam. 

Thomas was most looking forward to her first beam routine of the season, as she describes “to finish up on an event that’s sometimes a little bit nerve racking, just because you’re up there and it’s four inches wide, so you’re up there by yourself and the crowd is all watching you. But I was excited, I was ready to go and I was just glad to end the meet on such a great note.” 

But Thomas says she’s the most confident when competing on the floor event, which she had a part in choreographing.

“When I get out on the floor, I just kind of turn on a switch and it’s like—it’s game time and I’m ready to go. I get to get into my routine and show it off and that’s just super fun to me.” 

During Thomas’ first senior National Team Camp, she had the opportunity to train and eventually compete alongside Olympians, Simone Biles and Aly Raisman.

She distinctly remembers their first encounter as something truly special. 

“Simone and Ally came up to me and introduced themselves, like I didn’t already know who they were,” she said. “It was so sweet and I was super nervous and they made me feel so comfortable right from the start. I’m forever grateful for that.”

While it’s not necessarily her focus now, Thomas has talked about attending the Olympics in the future, saying it’s not completely off the table.

The Gators team is currently headed to the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center for the 16th Annual Gators Link to Pink competition to show support for the fight against breast cancer, which will take place tonight at 8:15 p.m. 

Thomas says she’s looking forward to the opportunity to compete for something bigger than herself, gymnastics, and the University of Florida.

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