Guest Blogger

StickItMedia had the opportunity to meet Logan Melander at the recent 2009 Stanford Open.  After chatting for a few minutes, Logan handed us a binder which contained information about the Iron Cross Foundation (ICF).  We were soon amazed to find out that the founder of this fine organization was a 14-year-old Level 10 gymnast, and he was standing right next to us.

We would love to tell you all about the ICF, but who better to tell the story than the founder?  After all, he is the official spokesman for the foundation.  Logan Melander trains at Black Hills Gymnastics (Lacey, WA) under Coach Bob Young.  StickItMedia is very pleased to have Logan as our guest blogger.

Thanks for giving me this opportunity to spread the news about the Iron Cross Foundation (ICF). My main goal as the founder and spokesperson for the ICF is to get the word out about what we do and the scholarships we have to offer.

I started this foundation when I was 12 years old.  Now I am 14.  I started the ICF after I injured my wrists.  At one point in my recovery, the doctors weren’t sure if I would ever be able to do gymnastics again.  That was scary!  I always imagined that I would be able to do gymnastics through college and maybe someday I would even go to the Olympics, and then I could give back to my sport.  When they said I might not be able to do gymnastics anymore, I still wanted to give back.  My parents said I didn’t have to wait to give back, and that I could do it now.  So I started thinking about this foundation.  Honestly, I didn’t think that as a kid I could really make a big difference.  But I could.

The way I decided to give back to my sport was to make sure that other guys had the chance that I did, to get to train and go to meets.  Gymnastics is expensive and so the foundation I created, with the help of adults I knew who were committed to men’s gymnastics, raises money to give scholarships to help pay for competition fees, uniforms and training costs.  Scholarship information is on our website, and we take applications two times per year (spring and fall).

We also have a cool forum on our website. Members of ICF can chat in the forum about almost anything.  We talk about gymnastics, but we also talk about movies, girls and school.  The parents talk about what it is like to be parents of gymnasts and about the places they have traveled to with us.  We have links to all sorts of different gymnastics resources as well.  People can donate directly to ICF on the website if they choose to support our cause.

Gymnastics is an inspirational sport.  When I learn a new move, it motivates me to learn more and to keep going in the sport.  It makes me want to do more and new things to the best of my ability.  Gymnastics doesn’t just inspire me in the gym, but helps me outside of the gym… especially at school.  It boosts my confidence for other things, so I am ready for anything that comes my way.  If you stick with gymnastics, it will help you many ways in everyday life.  Maybe it will even help you start your own foundation some day!

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