Chat with Avery Roy even for just a few minutes and one can almost hear the bounce in the step of the talkative 11 year old.

In that sense, the appeal of gymnastics, and even more specifically the floor routine only stands to reason for the grade six student at Valleyview Public School.

"I really like floor because I feel like every two or three years, you get a new routine and it represents your personality," Roy explained. "I really like doing the turns and the leaps, the flips and the dance."

"I'm not very flexible or elegant, so it's fun hip-hop (athletic) stuff."

Avery Roy is nothing if not incredibly candid.

It comes through, once again, even as she discusses her start in a sport that now finds her competing at Level 7, with an eye towards taking yet another step up the competitive level in time for the 2022-2023 season.

"I first started off when I was two years old because I was really clumsy," she said with a laugh. "But I kept at it. The summer before I started doing competitive (at roughly five or six years of age), I was feeling that every year I was getting better, I was getting more into it."

"And this is where I am now."

Though she would venture into figure skating, for a while, and partake in some floor hockey at school until Covid shut things down, it's clearly gymnastics that truly stirs the memories of the proud member of the Sudbury Laurels.

"I remember when I was three or four, they were trying to have us nail down our cartwheels and the front roll - and after that, it started to get harder," said Roy.

As she reached Level 6, the youngster was enjoying greater independence, now able to personalize routines, both in terms of the skills that are displayed and the music that accompanies them for the event that is the floor routine.

"Some of the other routines are sometimes a little like yours, but most of them are completely different," suggested Roy.

For one so keen, the pandemic might prove challenging.

Again, Roy turns to the person that she is.

"I kind of remind myself that we are eventually going to get back," she said. "No matter what, I'm not going to quit."

That resolve was duly noted by her parents, who looked to bridge the gap by providing some at home options.

"I had a trampoline and then I got an air track for Christmas," said Roy. "It's like a floor, but more bouncy."

Still, there is nothing like the feeling of being back in the gym. "It felt so good to be back, even if we were stuck in these little boxes for a bit, so we couldn't really do that much," said Roy.

"But every week, we got to do a little more, and then even more."

Perfecting her double giant on the high bar, showcasing a round-off handspring double twist on the fast track, a round off half twist on the beam, along with a cartwheel round-off back layout connection on the same device has only added to her degree of motivation.

"I really want to try and make Level 8," said Roy.

And when she gets there, rest assured that her personality, wonderful as it is, will be on full display.