Brookfield wheel gymnast to represent U.S. on world stage

BROOKFIELD – Emily Temmer of Brookfield is a gymnast at heart.

The soon-to-be junior student at Brookfield Riverside High School has the movements, dexterity and heightened sense of balance that goes into a solid gymnastic routine.

What’s different for Temmer is that her routines take place inside, outside, over and around a giant, spinning metal wheel.

It’s her unique talent with this out-of-the-ordinary sport that earned her a spot representing the United States in the International Organization for Wheel Gymnastics World Championship on June 7 in Lignano, Italy.

“I’ve been practicing for two years and began practicing on the U.S. team about a year ago,” Temmer said. “Actually, Sokol Gym in Brookfield on Prairie Avenue has a program where they did an outreach program and demonstrated it. I thought it was very cool and decided to take a class and that got me started. I was already in gymnastics in high school.”

Her mother, Kimberly Temmer, said her daughter vaulted into the sport with tremendous energy – even going so far as to pay for her own training in Germany, the birthplace of wheel gymnastics.

“I’m very proud of her; she worked very hard,” Kimberly said. “She trained in Germany during her spring break, which she paid for. She worked in Riverside at Aunt Diana’s Candy Shop and she also worked with me at the La Belle Catering Shop in La Grange. She’s a hard worker and knows what she wants.”

At Sokol Gym, Emily Temmer also teaches younger students, including her little brother, with beginning lessons on wheel gymnastics. Her coach, John Bazata, said as a gymnast, Emily Temmer has made great strides in her abilities, which have brought her to the world stage.

“She has made more progress than any of the students that I’ve ever coached,” Bazata said. “She [was] already a gymnast, so the body awareness and flexibility and muscular strength helps.”

As one of the official judges for the world championship, Bazata said the competition will be fierce for Emily Temmer and the U.S. team.

“Probably 13 to 15 countries will be represented,” Bazata said. “Germany, Switzerland, Austria all have a strong wheel gymnastics program. Israel will also be there, along with Japan, Argentina, as well as Canada.”

For Emily Temmer though, it’s an opportunity to perform for the world, travel and have a great experience.

“I’m really super excited,” she said. “I was pretty surprised [about being chosen]. I really like the exercise and the discipline and being able to spend time with everyone and get to know them.”