Emily Gaskins turns 16 today, May 23rd, and we are celebrating by sharing 16 fun facts you might not know about her. Make sure to watch for Gaskins in our new Beyond the Routine, episode one premieres this Wednesday, May 25. 


1. If you had a free trip anywhere in the world, where would you travel to? 
I would love to travel to Croatia so I can see where my family is from and meet my relatives who still live there.

2. Do you collect anything? 
I collect my tape and wrap it into a big ball. . . it is the size of a basketball. Steve doesn’t let me tape so much so it hasn’t grown lately.

3. Do you have any hidden talents? 
I target shoot bow and arrow, I love to paddle board, and I am a pretty good country line dancer.

4. What's your biggest pet peeve? 
Wow, that is a hard one. I am pretty easing going, there is not too much that other people do that bothers me, I can’t think of anything. . . . well, I really don’t like when people gossip or talk bad about someone, that really bothers me, mostly because I believe in karma. I believe “what goes around comes around,” so I think you should try to always have good and positive thoughts and things to say about people.

5. What was your first pet? 
My first pet was a black cat and her name was Momma Kitty. She came with our family from Tennessee and was our pet when I was born. She was a good cat and looked after us like she was our mother. Whenever my sisters and I were upset or crying she would come and see what was going on and look at my mom like “what are you going to do?”

6. What is the most unusual food you've ever eaten? 
If it’s unusual, I don’t eat it. . . haha.

7. What is the number one activity on your bucket list? 
I have two Bucket Lists. On my gymnastics Bucket List, I want to make a World/ Olympic team. On my general Bucket List, I want to go around the world and visit the sites of ancient societies like the Great Zimbabwe, Machu Picchu, and Hagia Sophia. I love history and learning about other cultures.

8. What is your favorite book? 
"Little House on the Prairie" was the first time I experienced reading a book that I could not put down. I remember telling my mom I felt trapped in the book and I was very sad when I finished it because it was over. Now I love to read Nicholas Sparks books.

9. If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to? 
If I could go back in time, I would travel to visit my family before I was born and get in all the pictures and make sure they all knew that I was coming. I really don’t like looking at pictures of my family before I was born.

10. If you could be an animal, which animal would you choose? 
I would choose to be a Lion because they are very cute yet aggressive so I wouldn’t have to worry about something killing me.

11. What other sports have you played? 
I have played soccer and studied classical ballet.

12. Can you speak another language? 
I am learning Spanish now. Living in South Florida is it almost required that you know how to speak some Spanish.

13. What is your favorite scent?
My favorite scent is bread or cookies baking in the oven.

14. What is the one gymnastics skill you've always dreamed of learning? 
The one skill I dreamed of learning was a shaposh on bars and now that I have it, the Shaposh is one of my favorite skills to do! Now my next “dream skill” is a double-double on floor.

15. What was the first concert you ever went to? 
The first concert I went to was to see Phil Vassar – 2 time ASCAP Songwriter of the Year and country music artist. Phil was friends with my parents when they were just out of college living in Nashville, TN. Phil and his bother-in- law Tommy played at my parents wedding reception and my dad use to play drums with him sometimes in pick-up bands. When I went to his concert we got to go backstage and hang out with him before and after the show.

16. Have you ever played a musical instrument?
I love to play the Piano and try to play the drums but need a lot more work on both. My family says I better stick with gymnastics lol.


And just like with birthday candles... we're adding one for good luck!
BONUS: What's your favorite holiday and why? 
Christmas is my favorite holiday because there is so much joy that time of year. I love when the stations start to play the Christmas music and the stores and streets are all decorated!! It is one day our entire family is together we all have absolutely nothing to do but spend the day together.



Watch the trailer for Gaskins' Beyond the Routine below and see a complete list of our FloGymnastics documentaries here.


Related:
Stunning Snapshots of Emily Gaskins
Complete List of FloGymnastics Documentaries