Aina Kobayashi '24 Recruiting Profile

My name is Aina Kobayashi, a passionate Japanese gymnast currently a high school senior at K. International School Tokyo. Over the past years, attending an academically competitive international school with the IB curriculum (in a non-native language) and training as a Paris Olympic candidate for over 45 hours a week, balancing academics and athletics has been a challenging experience that has helped me grow me aces a well-rounded individual. My goal has always been to excel in both academics and athletics at a high level, and I a confident that in the university gymnastics team in the US, I would be able to pursue my goals in gymnastics while maintaining my academic dreams.

Additionally, I am drawn to the team spirit of university gymnastics teams. As an international student-athlete with experience not only in gymnastics but also in ballet, dance, and tumbling (which have skills that can be incorporated into gymnastics), I believe I can bring a fresh perspective and energy to the team. I am eager to contribute my unique skills and experiences to the team's success while fostering a sense of camaraderie and excellence within the gymnastics community at the university.