A silence falls over the gym as Taylor Adair Heyward ‘26 steps up to the bars: her favorite event. She takes a deep breath, preparing herself to perform some of her hardest skills yet. Using her momentum, she spins and twists, moving around the bar before gracefully landing on the mat.
	
Heyward started doing gymnastics when she was just two years old. It was her uncle that first suggested she be put into gymnastics after noticing her high energy as a young child.
“My mom always tells me that I used to just run around a lot and jump on the counters” said Heyward, “So my uncle suggested that she put me in gymnastics”. 

Her dad, who was also a gymnast, became a big role model for her. Being able to look up to him and have his support through setbacks has helped her stay committed to gymnastics.

“[My dad] was a gymnast and he's always pushed me to do my best in the sport… he used to get hurt a lot in gymnastics, but he never gave up. And I feel like I also tend to get hurt a lot, and just like having him tell me about his experience, just tell me to push through [helped me],” said Heyward.

Heyward is now a level ten gymnast, a goal of hers ever since freshman year. In gymnastics, athletes advance through different levels after learning and mastering specific skills. Level ten is the highest level of gymnastics before advancing to college or “elite” levels, making it incredibly difficult to reach. 

Gymnastic’s many versatile events help Heyward to become a more well-rounded athlete in all aspects of strength, balance, and flexibility. Her preferred event is bars, where athletes need to be strong and stable in their upper bodies in order to perform tricks such as spinning and catching each of the bars at different heights.

“[It] feels like you're flying in the air, and it's very different from the other events, because it's the only event where you use mostly your upper body strength… It's a lot harder when you start, and it takes a long time to learn, but you kind of just have to use your upper body strength to move you around the bar,” said Heyward.

Heyward stands out as a leader within her gym, keeping everyone on track and helping the other senior teammates take charge of team bonding. 

“There's three of us that are seniors, so we kind of all lead the team… we just kind of keep everyone on task and make sure everyone does everything right, and we also try to keep the team very close,” said Sophia Cassese ‘26, a teammate of Heyward’s.

Despite the impressive situation she is in now, Heyward has encountered setbacks over the years, including her many injuries. 

“She's had a lot of injuries that she's had to come back from. She's hurt her wrist, her back, her finger, her ankle … and she always comes back from it, ending the season strong” said Cassese, recalling Heyward’s positivity and determination.
“She's very focused but still remains positive, even in stressful situations,” said Cassese.

Recently, Heyward committed to Yale University, a school she had never even considered before two years ago. For Heyward, committing to Yale was one of the most memorable moments of her career.
 
“When they offered me, I just felt like I'd been trying to do this for so long and at some points I wasn't even sure if it's gonna work out, but I realized that…I've been trying for so long, and it finally worked out, and it just made me really happy” said Heyward, “I feel like…all the hard work finally paid off”. 

Heyward will undoubtedly remain focused in the years to come, giving all she has to her team, and passing on the wisdom of moving forward to her younger teammates. 

“Focus on what progress you're making, and don’t get so caught up on what you did wrong, because most of the time, you've done more right than you have wrong,” said Heyward. “These small mistakes or these issues that they're having now aren't going to stop them from getting to where they want to be, so just keep going.”


Photo: Charley Hu

After committing to Yale, Heywood feels proud of her accomplishments and looks forward to continuing her career in college.

Taylor Adair-Heywood ’26: gymnastics

The crowd roars as he laces up his cleats and takes to the field. Aaron Thyrum ’26 jogs out on the pitch in one of the biggest games of the season, a home playoff game against Monroe. Thyrum flies around the field, ready to make the most of every offensive opportunity that comes his way, while also playing crucial defense against quick attackers. Through Thyrum's efforts, the Tigers secure the win and advance onward to the next round of the CVC tournament.

Starting at the age of four, Thyrum’s soccer journey started by following in the footsteps of his father. He first started playing soccer at the age of three, along with other sports such as baseball and football. However, eventually he chose to pursue just soccer when he was in middle school.  

“My dad is really the one that got me into soccer. I mean, he's a soccer fan as well, so it's just a matter of how any other kid gets into sports,” said Thyrum. “As middle school came along .. I really wanted to ... get better at one specific thing, that's when soccer ... pulled ahead of everything else.”

However, once he reached high school and began his freshman season, Thyrum experienced a significant setback when he injured his back. 

“I had a back injury where I was out for nine months ... you can say that was like the lowest point in my soccer career, because I had to go a full nine months without even touching the ball,” said Thyrum.

Head Coach Ryan Walsh first started coaching soccer at PHS 11 years ago. Along with introducing him to a physical trainer, Walsh helped Thyrum stay connected mentally to the game and to the team throughout his rehabilitation. 

“I remember how upset he was, and he was not able to play. I could just tell that he loved the game and wanted to play so bad,” said Walsh.

Despite the setback, quitting was never an option for Thyrum, who maintained a positive attitude.

“I don't think it was necessarily something where I wanted to quit. I think it's just you have your highs and lows, but at the end of the day, you have to understand it's a fun game that you get to play with your friends,” said Thyrum. 

However, the next season would prove to be different as Thyrum was able to get on the field as a member of the varsity team. Ultimately, the squad won the State Championship, an especially proud moment for the team.

“Going from a sophomore not playing at all to a junior last year for him, it's a really big gap, and he had to immediately become one of the most important players,” said teammate Kian Asiaie ’27. “I mean, that's always hard mid season, just kind of missing out a little bit, but he always bounced back really good.”

In 2024, Thyrum recorded three goals and seven assists as the team went on to win 18 games and a sectional victory against Monroe. 

This season, Thyrum is one of three captains on the varsity team. As a captain, Thryum takes inspiration from the leaders that came before him, such as Archie Smith ’25 and Azariah Breitman ’25, in his approach to leading the team.

“Obviously, last year, you look at the captains and the year before that, and I really considered those guys as people I look up to, and those [who] set the example,” said Thyrum. “But now, as a captain, and as a senior on the team, you really have to embrace the role model role.” 

Thyrum stands out as a vocal figure through the team's high-intensity training sessions, an essential part of their game preparations. Working with his co-captains, he pushes the team to be the best they can be through workouts and drills, to ensure a winning season. 

“The guys really are attracted to him ... they gravitate towards him because of his ability to connect with [them],” said Walsh. “He himself is training really hard ... it's very rare to have a guy who both leads by example and leads their voice. And he does both.”

His leadership style has received high praise from multiple teammates in addition to his skill in games throughout the season. 

“Soccer wise, he's an amazing player [and] technically, he's really good. His shooting technique is insane,” said Asiaie. “This year, against Hightstown, he dropped an incredible performance. And, I mean, that's just like the Aaron Thyrum we know.”	

So far this season, the Tigers are 13-2-1, including being 6-0-1 in CVC conference play and Colonial Division champs. Thyrum has recorded two goals and seven assists as the team has rallied around him in crucial moments this season.  

Although unsure about his career as a soccer player in college, Thyrum looks forward to another season as the Tigers look to finish strong before ultimately hoping to win the state championship title. 

“We feel as though we're family. I feel like everybody, no matter what position or role that you're in, everyone has a role, and you're connected to one another,” said Thyrum.


photo:Jasur Agzamov


Thyrum plays as one of the senior midfielders and helped the team win the CVC tournament and state final last year.


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