Going for the Gold with Gia Griffith, FLVS Athlete

Friday morning, thousands of athletes stepped onto Toyko’s Olympic floor, ready to represent their country and showcase their incredible talent and hard work to the world. For many of them, the Olympic Games are the most significant moment in their lives! 

Each of these athletes has a story to tell, from the starting line of their sport’s journey to their latest victory, and every challenge overcome along the way. Florida Virtual School (FLVS) is honored to be home to amazing athletes throughout Florida, including 6^th grade FLVS Flex student Gia Griffith! 

At just 3-years-old, Gia found her passion for sports when she started gymnastics and karate. With only weeks to prepare, she entered in her first gymnastics competition and earned a spot in the top ten – an amazing feat for a young rookie! When we asked Gia who inspired her to begin sports, she explained that her mother is also an athlete and bodybuilder. “I want to be like my mom!” 

Now at just 10-years-old, she has tried more than 10 sports – everything from jiu jitsu to weightlifting. But how does she stay motivated? She says, “I do it because I love it and I want to get better.” This sentiment also applies to her schoolwork. Gia says that FLVS courses like Science and Math use activities and videos that make learning fun! 

Gia has quite a few first-place trophies under her belt and has decided to focus her talents on soccer and CrossFit. She aspires to become a soccer Olympian as well as the Fittest Woman on Earth, like her role model, Tia-Clair Toomey – a title awarded to the female winner of the CrossFit Games. And Gia is well on her way! Weighing less than 90 lbs, Gia is beating her personal best records with a 190 lbs deadlift, 150 lbs squat, and 105 lbs bench press – which comes as no surprise to her parents, who share that Gia could do 70 push-ups at 5-years-old!  

Soccer is one of the newest sports on Gia’s list. In fact, she started about four months ago and she’s already made the travel team! At her first clinic, she shared that she struggled with her power and accuracy but with hard work and patience, she says she’s proud of her progress and hopes to become a defender or goalie in the future. 

Blown away by Gia’s perseverance and dedication to sports, we had to ask – how do you have time for school along with training, conditioning, and competitions? Gia explained that her FLVS Technology courses taught her the importance time management. And with the support of FLVS teachers like Mrs. Shell, she has stayed on track with her 6^th grade courses and advance to 7^th grade math!  

So, what’s next for Gia? This August she will be on her way to Tampa, FL to compete with her team in the Florida Grid League, a team sport competition where participants complete a variety of exercises as fast as possible. We wish Gia, and her team, the best of luck! 

Do you know an outstanding FLVS student athlete? Share their story with us at socialmedia@flvs.net.