Foot Loose and Fancy Free Steppin Her Way to the ESPY

Her tiny, yellow Converse shoes bopped past the sign at the television station. Although small in size, these are big shoes to fill. Linnea Dohring, the recent Grandville High School graduate, hopes to put West Michigan on the map at this year’s ESPN ESPY awards.

She was nominated for this prestigious award by screen writer Tony Marinozzi, in the category for "Best Female Athlete with a Disability." The adorable gymnast who stands barely 5’ tall, exudes a cute, bubbly personality. It’s hard to take one’s eyes off of her dimply grin and even notice her disability.

Linnea was born with one arm shorter than the other, and an absence of the ulna. Her arm, which she adoringly named “Bernita”, has no bend that would normally be provided by an elbow. Linnea was adopted from Seoul, Korea by John and Jean Dohring at the young age of 17 months and was brought to West Michigan. She has always aspired to make certain that her disability would never stand in the way of her dreams.

Most athletes only dream of becoming nominated for a prestigious ESPY award, and they practice and perfect their craft for years. So when Linnea told me that she had only been a gymnast for two years, I was amazed.

“My junior year in high school, I decided to join the gymnastics team“, explains Linnea. “Even though one arm is significantly shorter, the Grandville gymnastics coach, Brenda McDonald, was enthusiastic about having me on the team.” Linnea began with the floor routine, and by the end of her junior year, she had mastered the vault. When her mother asked her “Why gymnastics?” she simply responded, “Why not?”

Along with gymnastics, Linnea is an accomplished soccer player, but says she enjoys gymnastics the most.

On July 14th, Linnea will share the spotlight in Los Angeles, California with several other athletic icons, including Kobe Bryant, whom she would love the opportunity to meet.

“I’m excited and don’t expect to win, and I still don’t know what I am wearing!” she exclaimed.
“If I wear a dress, I usually wear shorts underneath,” she giggled.

In her response to loving the sport of gymnastics, Linnea replied with her adorable, dimply grin…”I like to fly.”

You can help Linnea bring the ESPN ESPY award back to West Michigan by voting on line from now until July 10th. Log onto www.espn.com