Athens-Avondale Gymnast Ashley Moskal is 'A True Athlete'

When 17-year-old Ashley Moskal finished her floor exercise Saturday at the gymnastics state finals in Grand Rapids, she wasn't expecting the reaction she got from her teammates.

"At first, I didn’t know that I broke the record, and I was happy I got a good score," Moskal said. "Then they said, ‘you just broke the record,’ and it was just really exciting. ... It was one of those speechless moments."

Moskal, an Avondale High School senior and Rochester Hills resident, said her teammates rushed to her side, screaming in excitement to congratulate her on her 9.8 score, which broke the 11-year-old record of 9.745. 

"My mom was crying she was so happy, and my dad was just really excited."

Her impressive floor exercise score – combined with her second-place finish on balance beam, third-place finish on uneven parallel bars and fourth-place finish on vault – helped propel Moskal to a very close second-place finish all-around at state finals.

With a combined score of 38.375, Moskal trailed Division 1 first-place all-around winner Christine Wilson, of Grand Ledge, by a mere 0.025 point. The Athens-Avondale Gymnastics team also placed well overall at the state meet.

"We placed fourth in the state," Moskal said, "and then we had almost all of our girls place in the individuals."

Moskal gives her coaches, Deanna Fakhouri and Sue Mussat, much of the credit for her success this season.

“She (Fakhouri) was always there to help me through it, and she never gave up on anyone on the team," Moskal said, "and Coach Mussat choreographed my floor routine, which made me win the title."

Fakhouri, however, said Moskal is responsible for her own success.

"She’s a dream of the coach," Fakhouri said. "She’s one of the kids that’s on her own coming up with different things to better herself. She’s definitely a true athlete."

Fakhouri added that her 13-member team, which she describes as "very young," did quite well this year.

"I’m very proud of the girls. They worked hard and it was a great finish to the season. I think clinching the regional title was the highlight of our season."

Fakhouri added: "They left it all on the floor, and it’s kind of like a period at the end of the season. No, an exclamation point.”

Though Moskal's high school gymnastics career is over, she said she might come back to coach the Athens-Avondale Gymnastics team next year as she pursues a degree in physical therapy at nearby Oakland University, where she also plans to try out for the cheerleading team.

Ultimately, Moskal said she hopes to continue to work with other athletes.

“My dream job is to be a University of Michigan trainer for football," she said, adding that she's a big U of M fan. "I like to work with people hands-on, and it’s a hands on job. I just find it interesting."

For now, Moskal said she is concentrating on finishing up her senior year at Avondale, running on the school's varsity track team and maintaining her 3.9 GPA. She hopes to stay in touch with her gymnastics teammates, with whom she has become close, and admitted she'd miss competing with her team.

“I just like, when you’re out there in front of the judges, it’s you and yourself, and nothing else really matters.”