TALLADEGA, Ala. — Talladega College is planning to drop its women’s gymnastics program after just one season, but the gymnasts at the historically black school aren’t giving up on saving their team.
The team turned to givelively.org to try and raise $500,000 by the end of July, bringing in more than $16,000 as of Monday night. Talladega College last year became the second HBCU to start a gymnastics program, joining Fisk University.
Interim President Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough had announced Friday the program would be shut down effective July 31, saying the private college didn’t have enough resources to keep it going.
With one hour to prepare, the Talladega team was told that the announcement would go public that their team would be no more. Less than 24 hours later, the team then decided they weren’t giving up without a fight.
“This fundraiser was created to show the world that Dega Gym is here to stay and the community is behind them 100%,” the GoFundMe page said. “We know that our goal is daunting, but without it we will be forced to put our education and athletic careers on hold. It is too late for our team to find homes. More than the aforementioned, we wouldn’t want to if we could. We set forth on a journey to make history and we are not done yet!
“We have until July 30, 2024, to show that the community wants to keep this program alive! Let’s unite to keep the dreams of these young women alive. Together, we can make a difference.”
In February, the Tornadoes became the first HBCU program to win an NCAA-sanctioned meet, defeating the University of Alaska Anchorage and host Centenary. Freshman Kyrstin Johnson of Baltimore, Maryland, won the USA Gymnastics national championship in the vault.
“While the decision to discontinue the gymnastics program was undoubtedly difficult, we remain incredibly proud of our gymnasts, coaches, and their remarkable achievements,” Kimbrough said in a statement. “Their dedication and resilience have set a high standard, and their legacy will continue to inspire.”
The Talladega Gymnastics Team is the second HBCU Gymnastics team in the country, and the first in the state of Alabama. They were the HBCU with the most National Qualifiers in a year and the 1st HBCU to win a sanctioned NCAA competition and the first HBCU with a USAG National Event Title.
To help save to the Talladega Gymnastics team, donate here.
