Sean Pugh: the unstoppable, always-in-motion middle child of Maurice and Alice. Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Sean was a ball of energy from the start. One sunny day in the summer of 2010, as he strolled with his mom and Auntie Donna, he cartwheeled with every step they took! Auntie Donna couldn’t help but laugh and say, “This kid belongs in gymnastics!”

His mom agreed, and before long, Sean was cartwheeling his way into his first gymnastics class at Memorial Park District with Coach Rogers. There, he tackled the basics—flips, handstands, all the good stuff. But Sean didn’t stop there! Like many kids in his neighborhood, he tried his hand at basketball, hip-hop dance, and karate. Yet his love for gymnastics kept growing, and Coach Rogers saw he was outgrowing what their park district could offer. So, Sean met Coach Kyle of TriStar Gymnastics—a true powerhouse in gymnastics—who took Sean under his wing.

With Coach Kyle’s guidance, Sean soared, eventually ranking 8th in the state by age 14! But just as his skills reached new heights, growing pains hit, and Sean had to take a break. His mom, always spotting new sports for him, had an idea: “Why not try diving?” So, in his sophomore year, Sean joined the Proviso Township H.S. Swim & Dive Team.

In no time, Sean took to the water like he’d been born for it. He honed his technique, trained hard, and soon, he was the swimmer to watch, dominating his events with the same energy he had as that cartwheeling kid.