From his first lesson at just two years old even until today, Mark Berlaga has always loved gymnastics.“I just kept taking classes and getting better until I was offered a spot on the Stanford Club team,” he said.  Berlaga is now a highly decorated Level 10 gymnast, the highest level, and even won the rings national championship but he wasn’t always this good. Bergala started seriously competing in gymnastics when he was seven years old.  “My first competition season actually went really badly,” he said. “The summer after I worked hard with a new coach and was able to win the state championship , which was my first big accomplishment.”. Berlaga attributes his current success to his growth mindset. “This sport as taught me that through perseverance and hard work, you can and will achieve your goals.”  

Berlaga says gymnastics is a huge part of his life and takes up a lot of time. He practices 19 hours per week during the school year, which prevents him from doing some fun stuff, but he says that we wouldn’t change it for the world. According to Berlaga, he loves to do his favorite sport everyday bond with his teammates.