February's Gymnast of the Month: "Gymnastics has become part of her routine, helping her grow stronger, more confident, and excited to try new things" | Leia Boiko
- Ethne Tierney
- 4 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Every month, Wings RGC celebrates a gymnast who stands out through hard work, progress, and team spirit. This February, Leia Boiko is that gymnast.
Leia joined gymnastics at three, not long after moving to Ireland. The language barrier didn’t stop her. She stayed curious, joined in happily, and proved just how adaptable and determined she can be.
Her mum, Kateryna explains:
I originally introduced Leia to gymnastics just to keep her active, but it quickly turned into something she truly loves. Gymnastics has become part of her routine, helping her grow stronger, more confident, and always excited to try new things.
Programme | Preschool |
Favourite Apparatus | Clubs |
Favourite Skill | Splits and Hoop tosses |
Age | 4 |
Benefits of Early Development
The number one thing we track in our preschool programme are the Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS). These support young children’s overall development especially their coordination and physical dexterity. Most importantly, they provide the building blocks for more advanced movements used by young children as they become involved in and enjoy a range of different physical activities.
Leia through early development can grasp all of these.
What are FMS?
Locomotor skills like crawling, walking, running, sprinting, skipping, jumping.
Balance skills like climbing, bending, rolling, turning, stretching, twisting.
Object manipulation skills like throwing, catching, kicking and bouncing
Leia has hit all the physical milestones expected by her age early, such as:
Skip and hop on one foot
Catch and throw a ball overhand
Bounce a ball and catch it with two hands most of the time
walk ‘heel to toe’ - in a straight line with one foot immediately ahead of the other
march and skip
Remember routines
Social and Language Skills
Leia's gymnastics journey has contributed to her social and language skills: "When Leia started gymnastics, she didn't speak any English at all. In a short few months, she started talking in full sentences and even using different forms of speech appropriate for her age" her coach says.
"Her consistency coming twice a week to the gym has helped her understand rules and following them. She also gets over difficult or uncomfortable moments for her quickly, which shows how resilient she is"
We have seen Leia hit significant milestones in her development. From learning how to put her shoes on, to patiently wait for her turn to get on the equipment. Her social and language skills have flourished in the gym. I think her consistency showing up has helped her in this. We are so proud of Leia, she always comes with a positive attitude and loves to participate.
-Coach Enya
Life Outside Gymnastics
Outside of gymnastics, Leia enjoys a variety of hobbies that enrich her life and keep her balanced. Her favourite colour is purple, and her favourite animal is the cat. In her free time, she like to draw and read.
Her Support System
Behind every great gymnast is a strong support system. We extend our gratitude to Leia’s parents, especially Kateryna Boiko, for their unwavering support and encouragement.
Want to be gymnast of the month?
Apply to be gymnast of the month by sharing your achievements in gymnastics (small or big), and how it helped you achieve your goals!
Be sure to include high-resolution pictures.