Julia Burford didn’t ease her way back into gymnastics.
After missing five months with a back injury, the Erie-area senior returned to the gym having to relearn skills she once performed with ease.
“I had to start basically from square one,” Burford said.
A year after sitting out the entire 2025 season, she’s now headed back to nationals.
Burford qualified for the national competition after advancing through a demanding postseason that begins at the state level and narrows to top performers across several states. To earn a nationals berth, gymnasts must hit qualifying scores and place among the highest finishers at regionals.
“It’s a lot of work, that’s for sure,” she said.
Her journey looked far different last season. The back injury kept her out of the gym and away from competition, a break that ultimately shifted her perspective.
“When I wasn’t in the gym every single day, I wanted to be,” Burford said. “I really do gymnastics because I love doing it.”
Her return wasn’t immediate or glamorous. She spent weeks rebuilding strength and relearning basics before progressing to full routines. The process, she said, paid off in both performance and mindset.
Now a senior, Burford has taken on a leadership role in her gym, mentoring younger athletes who train alongside her.
“I feel like a mentor for the younger gymnasts, and I hope they see me as one of their role models,” she said.
Their support has become one of her biggest motivators.
“Every time I get on the bars, I hear them cheering for me,” she said. “It just feels so good to have their support through all of it.”
Bars remain her strongest — and favorite — event.
“Bars is really just about swinging and flying,” she said. “I love the feeling of flying through the air.”
That sense of freedom, combined with months of rebuilding, has carried her back to the national stage for the second time in her career.
As she prepares, she’s keeping at least one routine simple: bringing her good luck charm.
“My good luck charm is my lavender soap,” she said. “I’ll be bringing it with me to nationals.”
Nationals will mark the final meet of her senior season. Burford plans to attend the University of Florida in the fall to study neuroscience. She doesn’t currently plan to compete in college due to her injury but hasn’t ruled out staying connected to the sport.
“If I’m totally missing it, I’ll probably join some sort of club gymnastics,” she said.
For now, she’s focused on one more opportunity — and making the most of it.