The latest gymnast from the Sun Country Men’s Team to accept a college gymnastics scholarship, Harris Coleman started his gymnastics career at the age of four when the Sun Country gym bus came to his day care. He went on to take regular gym classes and began competing with the Sun Country Team in 1997.

Highlights of Harris’s career include an Academic All American Honorable Mention at the 2008 Junior Olympic (JO) Men’s Gymnastics Nationals. He also earned the Academic Excellence Award from Gainesville High School (GHS) in May 2008. Harris qualified for JO Nationals for five years in a row, competed in the Future Stars program, twice competed on the Florida state team, and was a member of the Region 8 team three times. While Harris is a strong all-around contender, he especially excels at Pommel Horse. He won first place on Pommels at several major competitions and second place at the 2008 JO finals.

It wasn’t an easy road however. During Harris’s sophomore year he began to lose weight and experienced intense abdominal pain and lack of energy. Doctors diagnosed him with Crohn’s Disease. After several episodes in the hospital, doctors decided to remove about 12 inches of his damaged small intestines. Harris quickly recovered however, and continues on daily medication and bi-monthly infusions to control the disease.

Harris joined the Diving Team at GHS as a junior so he could compete on a high school team. It was a tough year for him since he had intestinal surgery in the middle of the season, but he still finished 13th in the state, and dove for GHS in the state meet just five weeks following his surgery. His senior year he went undefeated until the State Championship, where he finished 3rd.

Harris was recruited intensively by several Universities, including the University of Michigan, Penn State, Temple University, University of Iowa, University of Minnesota and the University of Florida. He chose to visit the last three. Minnesota seemed the best fit for him; he liked all the team mates and the coaches. The Golden Gophers will need a new pommel horse man in 2010 so he will be able to help the team right away.

Congratulations Harris!

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