KC gymnast Kara Eaker competes in Olympic Trials this weekend

KC gymnast Kara Eaker competes in Olympic Trials this weekend

After years of work and six days a week at the gym, Kara Eaker is keeping calm and prepared headed into Olympic trials in St.

Louis.

LEANNE IS NOT THE ONLYLOCAL WOMANCOMPETING TONIGHT.HER TEAMMATE-- KARAEAKER-- IS ALSO IN ST.LOUIS HOPING TO MAKETHE OLYMPIC TEAM.I SAT DOWN WITH HERPARENTS ABOUT KARA'SJOURNEY THROUGHGYMNASTICS- AND HOWSHE GOT TO BE ON THENATIONAL LEVEL.GYM NATS - AT GAGESIX DAYS A WEEK - KARAEAKER IS HERE -it is hard work, its a lot ofsweat and tears and bloodreallynats - family together lookingatpictues - laughing?AND FOR YEARS - HERFAMILY HAS BEEN RIGHTTHERE..Yeah, it's tough, it's toughbeing a parent of an elitelevel gymnast, period,God Yes,because there's so muchpressure that they're underall the time.there's tremendoussacrifice.

When you get tothat level but you don't getto that level overnight.YEARS AGO INWARRENSBURG- THISLITTLE GIRL JUST LOVEDGYMNASTICS...KATHERINE EAKER / KARA'S MOMshe just wanted to be thereall the time.KARABut I remember like makinga new skill, and being soexcited to show mom anddad.KATHERINE EAKERreally rapidly her coach waslike, she needs to gosomewhere where she'sgonna go further.FOR A WHILE - THEY MADETHE DRIVE TO GAGECENTER - IN BLUE SPRINGSWHERE OLYMPIANS HADTRAINED.MARK EAKER / KARA'S FATHER"We were prepared for mealslike her or her supper, wewould heat it up in themicrowave and give it to herwhen she was done and shewould eat it on the wayhome.And then, straight in theshower straight to bed.trying to study in the car.SOON - THE FAMILY MOVEDTO BE CLOSER - KARAKEPT TRAINING, AND THENIN 2017 -KARA"a switch had been flipped,where it's like, I can do this Ican compete at this level,and then also making it tochampionships that year andseeing Simone on the floorlike with me.KATHERINESo, that point was the pointwhere we actually startedkind of going.You could be looking atOlympics.SHE PUTS IN THE WORK.KARA'S SCHEDULE ISTIGHT -"KARAwe go to school from my,like, seven to noon and thenwe have to be in the gym byone o'clock, and then we'rethere until about seven,BUT SHE HAS LIFEOUTSIDE THE GYM TOO -SHE WENT TO PROM ANDGRADUATED THIS YEAR.MARKhelps to be a 4.0 student.Yeah, it does help4.57 graduated withadvanced classes, the wholeway, took AP classes, we'reproud of that.

YeahSHE'S HUMBLE - ANDLEANS ON HER FAMILY,INCLUDING HER SISTERSARAH.KARA"She is my best friend I don'tknow where I would bewithout herKATH -she has exceeded any thingthat we ever expected herto,you know, we're so proud ofher and, and not justgymnastics I mean she's anamazing student amazingperson.AND IN THE FALL - SHE'SHEADED TO COLLEGE FORGYMNASTICS ANDENGINEERING- BUT FIRST -OLYMPIC TRIALS.

SHEKNOWS SHE'S CLOSE.KARA"I try not to pay attention, itsjust something that's gonnamake me more nervousKATH -just to make it to trials issuch an honorAnd then, just enjoy thatmoment, living it a little bitlook around every so oftenand just take it all in