The title of “student-athlete” is a difficult one, no matter the school, with the demands of academics, travel, practice, recovery and games — a responsibility even greater at an institution like William and Mary.
After four years on the men’s gymnastics team, senior Ricky Pizem has mastered his routine while managing to enjoy the college experience.
Over the course of his four years in the program, the Brecksville, Ohio native has developed into a standout athlete. This season, he holds the senior team captain title.
Reflecting on his years at William and Mary, Pizem is proud of how far he has come and how his gymnastics journey started.
“I got into gymnastics because of my mom,” Pizem said. “She would take me to ‘Mommy and Me’ classes when I was really young, and then I showed off that I liked it and have been doing it ever since.”
Starting so early, Pizem viewed gymnastics as a necessity, something that he couldn’t imagine his life without.
“I have no recollection of my life before gymnastics,” Pizem said. “To me, I have always been doing it; it has always been a part of my life.”
He turned to coaches and idols, like six-time U.S. national all-around champion Sam Mikulak, to fuel his love for the sport. Through these influences, he pushed himself to gain skills and routines that opened the doors to the collegiate level.
“I had always thought of competing at the collegiate level as a possibility, and once I hit high school, I was like, ‘Man, I might actually have a chance at this,’” Pizem said.
College recruiters began contacting Pizem during his junior year of high school.
“When they started to reach out, I realized that there actually was a possibility I could achieve this, so I pursued it hard, but it had always been a dream of mine,” Pizem said.
Throughout the process and his time at William and Mary, Pizem’s family, teammates and coaches have been his No. 1 fans.
“One of my teammates growing up came here; he was a senior in high school when I was a freshman, and I had two alumni from my home gym who I knew come here, so that’s kind of how I knew about the school as early as I did,” Pizem said.
The opportunity to excel both athletically and academically was important for Pizem. Upon touring William and Mary, Pizem said that the school was the only place that truly felt like home. From the moment he met the team and his future coaches, he knew he belonged with the Tribe.
“I felt like I would be able to perform on the team as much as I could and have the most opportunity in that sense,” Pizem said. “Out of all of the schools that offer DI men’s gymnastics, this was definitely the best opportunity academic-wise.
As an athlete, Pizem practices Mondays through Fridays, roughly from 1:30-5 p.m. While Pizem has managed to reach all his graduation requirements as a finance major, he initially found scheduling his classes around practice challenging.
“It becomes important to stay on top of academics and schoolwork,” Pizem said. “I find getting my work done at the beginning of the week, especially when we leave on Wednesdays or Thursdays for travel, works the best for me to maintain my workload while being a student-athlete.”
It is not just the practice and recovery that Pizem has to worry about, but also the extensive travel the team embarks on during the season.
“In the spring, we are traveling to about 11 or 12 meets throughout the year, and about 9 or 10 of those are typically away,” Pizem said.
This means the team only has roughly four to five weeks when they are home.
“I try my best to do schoolwork while we’re on the trip, which can be hard sometimes,” Pizem said. “But it’s mainly about getting it done so you can enjoy the travel and not have it be a burden on your mind while competing.”
In a sport like gymnastics that is often individualistic, Pizem still believes that support from teammates aids personal performance.
“I think a lot of people get caught up on individual success in this sport. While it might not seem like it, it is a very team-oriented sport,” Pizem said. “While performing for yourself might get that good score that goes towards the team, you should do it for the team, not for yourself, because you are going to get a lot more out of it that way.”
In his final season with Tribe men’s gymnastics, Pizem earned all-Eastern College Athletic Conference honors and qualified to compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Championships on vault and high bar. The Championships will take place on Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18, where Pizem will compete alongside seven of his teammates at Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill.
“Going into this year, I knew it was going to be my last, and I have been trying to take the time to process that, but I have nothing but gratitude for this team and for my experiences here,” Pizem said. “It’s sad going into this weekend knowing it’s going to be my last routine, my last meet ever, but to me, all good things come to an end eventually, and I’ll be able to look back on this time and remember it in a great way and forever be grateful for it.”
After dedicating over 20 years to the sport, Pizem understands that his body and mind are ready to move on to the next chapter. Going into the NCAA Championships, Pizem plans to give the competition everything he has.
“Looking back as my career’s about to be over soon, it’s everything I kind of ever thought it would be, and I’m glad that it worked out and that I took the opportunities and pursued it,” he said.
