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What Is The Big News?
Daniela is 5 ½ months pregnant!

Ms. Silivas-Harper was also willing to share with Our Little Net, that her doctors believe it is a boy.  In addition, she has invited me to photograph her, along with her husband and the newest member of the family when he arrives. So stay tuned and you will get to see the new addition to the family in part 2 of this story, when I talk about life as a new mother, with Daniela Silivas-Harper.  Despite her physical condition, she still managed a pull-over on the bars into a support for a picture!  And wait until you see what else she did…. that photo is saved especially for publication in Inside Gymnastics Magazine. 

So how did the gymnastics superstar turned mother to be, end up in the United States?  After Daniela had retired in 1990, due to a knee injury she was invited by a family she met in her hometown, headed by Justin and Zena Ivanchiu, to come to the USA and coach at a nearby gym that they ran.  It was not actually her dream to go to the United States, but she decided to take a chance on coming here and it has worked out very well for her, especially considering she was only 19 years old, had no family here and spoke hardly any English at all.  The gym she had been working for is no longer open, but this Romanian Gymnastics legend is now quite adept at English communication and I enjoyed speaking to her very much.  After the close of the gym, she began coaching at Hammond Park.  This is a small facility, which was upgraded and given some new equipment and got their first spring floor, just a ½ floor,which they obtained only a few years ago.  But it is all greatly appreciated by Ms. Silivas.  Prior to this they had to practice on mats the old-fashioned way! 
The program she manages is small and has approximately 120 recreational participants and 20 competitive gymnasts, but that is how she likes it.  It is a very intimate and relaxed environment. 

Daniela Silivas (center) with some of her gymnast from the Hammond Park Gymnasium.

Daniela has had several Georgia State Champions and one of them, Sandy Springs resident, Carolyn Applefield said of her famous coach, “The best thing about Daniela is she really gets to know you and helps you get through your fears.  It is also definitely exciting to know you have a coach who has won gold medals in the Olympics, but she is so normal you wouldn’t know it.”  14-year-old Carolyn is the daughter of Bonnie and Ed Applefield and is thinking about doing college gymnastics.   She says the sport has made her stronger and more confident and taught her to establish her priorities and increase her time management skills.  I guess it also taught her a little something about the balance beam.  She has won 3 consecutive Georgia State Beam Championship titles.  In Level 7 USA in 2001 she took the gold on beam with a 9.4, in 2002 she placed first on beam with a 9.65 in Prep Opt. 3 and in 2003 in Level 8 USA she was again Georgia State Beam Champion with a score of 9.375.  Her goals for this year are to get over her fear of a bar dismount called a “fly away”…. and one other thing…..to win the beam title again!  I’d say that coach Daniela’s favorite event is also turning out to be Carolyn’s as well.

If you would like to see my detailed interview with Daniela Silivas when published, click here to subscribe to Inside Gymnastics Magazine.

To see more articles written by Coleen Lou, including one about 4-US Olympic gymnastics greats click here.

***Stay Tuned for Part II  of my interview- Life in Georgia with Daniela Silivas as a new mother.