Kent State of Mind: Heidi Schultz - Always Connected
1/11/2023 6:00:00 PM | Gymnastics
Heidi Schultz as told to FanWord
I always had tons of energy when I was a kid.
And unfortunately for my parents, there were two of me.
My twin sister Jordan and I were more than a little rambunctious as children, so getting us both involved in all kinds of sports and activities was key to wearing us out.
We played quite a bit of soccer when we were younger, but we moved to gymnastics as we got older. We both shared an equal passion for the sport, as it was something we excelled at and had the best time doing.
Competing at the Division I level was both of our goals, but we also knew we each had to go our separate ways once it was time to go to college.
Being joined at the hip for our entire lives, we agreed that branching out and making our own way in the world as individuals would be the best thing for us.
We’d never been apart, so we knew we’d be missing each other like crazy at times. But we were willing to put that old saying to the test, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”
And believe me, based on the colleges we selected, there would be plenty of physical absence in each other’s lives.
Feeling right at home
I’m from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and as I said before, going to a Division I school was always a goal of mine.
The trick was just finding that school and opportunity.
As I continued to improve and reached Level 10 in gymnastics in eighth grade, quite a few doors opened up for me. Division I went from being fairly realistic to extremely realistic.
I’d be lying if I said I enjoyed the recruiting process, though. Don’t get me wrong, it was exciting and an honor to be recruited by all these different schools, but it was a little intimidating trying to find my new home for the next four years.
Fortunately, all that pressure went away when I started talking to Kent State. They were the first school that I could actually envision myself going to.
When I spoke with Coach Ballard, we didn’t just talk about gymnastics, which was a breath of fresh air for me. We got to know each other on a personal basis, so when he told me I’d be a great fit for the program, I believed him.
I could tell he wasn’t just making a sales pitch.
After I made my campus visit, I fell in love immediately and knew I had found my home away from home.
It was official — Kent State, here I come.
Gaining new sisters
As a freshman, and especially being in a new environment at Kent State, one of the biggest things I worried about was meeting people.
Jordan’s always been by my side, so we both had the luxury of meeting people together, but I was on my own now.
It was a little bit of a transition at first, but I’m so thankful I was able to be surrounded by an amazing group of girls in my teammates – specifically my freshman class.
It didn’t take long for us to click and mesh well together, and especially being apart from Jordan for the first time, I’m not sure how I would have survived my first semester of college without them.
Jordan and I started in gymnastics together, and we’ve always been there to support each other, so having my new teammates fill that void of support has been incredible.
I couldn’t be more grateful to them.
I will say, though, Jordan is my biggest supporter and also my harshest critic. There’s a “tough love” component that she’s able to bring as my twin sister, and my teammates are a little more endearing – even when I deserve some strong words to get back in gear.
I’d be lying if I said I don’t miss seeing my sister every day, but I’m beyond blessed to have gained so many new sisters in my freshman class.
Gaining new sisters
As a freshman, and especially being in a new environment at Kent State, one of the biggest things I worried about was meeting people.
Jordan’s always been by my side, so we both had the luxury of meeting people together, but I was on my own now.
It was a little bit of a transition at first, but I’m so thankful I was able to be surrounded by an amazing group of girls in my teammates – specifically my freshman class.
It didn’t take long for us to click and mesh well together, and especially being apart from Jordan for the first time, I’m not sure how I would have survived my first semester of college without them.
Jordan and I started in gymnastics together, and we’ve always been there to support each other, so having my new teammates fill that void of support has been incredible.
I couldn’t be more grateful to them.
I will say, though, Jordan is my biggest supporter and also my harshest critic. There’s a “tough love” component that she’s able to bring as my twin sister, and my teammates are a little more endearing – even when I deserve some strong words to get back in gear.
I’d be lying if I said I don’t miss seeing my sister every day, but I’m beyond blessed to have gained so many new sisters in my freshman class.
Always there for each other
Jordan and I agreed to go to different colleges and find our own way, but selfishly, I wanted her to go to a school in the MAC like me at Kent State.
Not only did I desire this from a proximity perspective, but come on, who wouldn’t love the opportunity to compete and beat their twin sibling each year?
Talk about bragging rights that last a lifetime.
As it turned out, though, Jordan’s college path and gymnastics career took her to Tucson at the University of Arizona.
Truth be told, when we agreed to go on separate journeys for our college careers, being 2,000 miles away from each other wasn’t exactly the plan, but that’s how it turned out.
I went east.
She went west.
But no matter how far away we are from each other, we’ll always have a bond that transcends distance, opposite schedules, and different time zones.
We’ve seen every single side of each other. In gymnastics and out, I’ve seen her at her absolute best and worst, and vice versa.
Going into my freshman season, I’m going to rely on the support of my new teammates and sisters to help bring out the best in me. But I also know my twin sister is just a text, phone call, or FaceTime away.
Jordan’s going to play an immense role in every season I’m at Kent State – no matter how far away she is.
As strange as it sounds, I firmly believe competing in gymnastics at different colleges for the next four years is going to make us closer and strengthen our relationship.
And I hope she’s been resting her vocal cords.
We’ve got plenty of karaoke to catch up on in the car the next time we see each other.
For more Kent State of Mind narratives, click here.
