Gazette MVP: Medina's Anna Schork always dresses for success

The state gymnastics meet seems like an unusual place for a fashion show, but that's exactly how Medina's Anna Schork chose to celebrate her fourth and final appearance at the annual competition. Schork brought four leotards to Hilliard Bradley High, allowing her to change after each event in a colorful display of her personality and sense of style. "She was typical Anna, and I loved it," Bees coach Darcy Ranallo said. "She was just an absolute joy to be with. She was so happy, just came in a really good mood and she was stunning." Stunning, sparkling and superb. Wearing matching bows that she created for the leotards, Schork had the finest day of her career and became the 13th gymnast in Medina County history to earn four or more medals at a single state meet. The two-time Gazette MVP tied for second place on the balance beam, finished fourth in the all-around and was fifth in the uneven parallel bars and floor exercise. She also received her highest scores in the all-around (37.35) and floor (9.55). "I feel very satisfied," Schork said, the contentment in her voice clear. "The last two years were tough on me, injury wise, so I'm really thankful that I had the opportunity to compete and finish my career on my terms. "Medina gymnastics is like my favorite thing ever. It brought back my love for the sport." Schork wore black on the balance beam, a "really pretty" all-white leo on the floor, light purple on the vault, and a pink-and-white combination on the bars. She playfully posed for pictures in each, looking happier and happier as the meet played out. Ranallo and Bees assistant coach Jennifer Lewis giggled every time they saw Schork strutting in front of the OHSAA photo-op backdrop, proud of how much she has grown as a person and a leader since joining the program as a very quiet freshman. "Seeing her playing around with fashion was a lot of fun because Jen and I love Anna," Ranallo said. "Gymnastics is so important to her, and that was a perfect way to enjoy all that she accomplished over four years." Schork noted with a laugh that when she first proposed the concept, "Darcy thought it was obnoxious, but Jen called and convinced her that I should do it." She continued, "You probably don't know this, but I am obsessed with leotards. I love looking at them and I love trying them on. When Darcy brought a bunch for me to choose from, my first thought was, 'Can I wear all of them?'" Greater Cleveland Conference MVP and all-around champion Schork became the first member of the Bees to reach the awards podium in four events at state since Nicki Rymer in 2007. She has earned her place in the rich history of the program. Rymer and Schork are also among an exclusive group of local gymnasts to qualify for the Ohio championship meet in all four seasons since 1999, along with Brunswick's Jordyn Thomas and Medina's Samantha Borrelli and Colleen Johnson. Additionally, Schork finished with five career medals to tie for the seventh most in county history since the state meet began 53 years ago. She placed fifth on the beam as a junior. "I don't reflect in-depth about all I've done because my only goal coming into high school was making an impact," she said. "The most important thing to me is knowing that I gave my all, all the time." Now that the season is over, it can be revealed that Schork seriously considered walking away last fall. Left ankle surgery prevented her from doing any training and it was uncertain how the joint would respond to athletic activity. Physical pain was a concern, but it was overwhelmed by the heartache she, siblings Caroline and William, and their mother Sarah were suffering. Her father and biggest fan, Lenny Schork, tragically passed away on July 25 at the age of 51. "It's been really hard, especially with gymnastics because he's always been the one to text me and give me advice," she said softly. "It's definitely difficult not hearing from him, but in a lot of ways, I feel like he's still with me when I compete." Anna honored Lenny by writing the word Dad and the letters LIF (Let It Fly) on her forearm before all of her meets. On the morning of state, she posted a social media photo of herself with him, holding a little trophy with the message, "One last time for you, dad." The colorful leotards were special to Schork, but the inscription on her skin meant everything as she competed against the best prep athletes in Ohio. So did the support of fellow co-captain Hailey Hofmann and three additional teammates cheering in the stands. "Anna looked up and was so happy to see all those Bees," Ranallo said. "She truly was stunning, but I think the leos were a nice distraction for her more than anything else. The most important thing was making her dad proud. I'm sure she'll always remember that day." Contact Brian Dulik at sports@medina-gazette.com. Follow him @BrianDulik on X.