Chase Davenport-Mills

Chase Davenport-Mills reaches the top tiers of gymnastics after pushing through many obstacles

Photo courtesy of Rickelle Davenport-Bratton

Nethra Pai, Staff Writer

Chase Davenport-Mills has been doing gymnastics since he was 5 years old. After winning the U.S. Championships, Davenport-Mills became a member of the USA Junior Men’s National Team, where he hopes to continue his path in gymnastics to international levels.

Davenport-Mills started gymnastics in Chicago. His cousin taught him basic flips, and Davenport-Mills picked them up very quickly. Eventually, his mother put him in classes.

“He started tumbling at the age of 4, and gymnastics at the age of 5,” Rickelle Davenport-Bratton, Davenport-Mills’ mother, said. “He progressed very easily in the sport, [and] he was able to receive the support needed to be successful.”

Since then, Davenport-Mills has participated in many competitions, eventually reaching the U.S. Championships in Tampa, Florida this year. There, he was the high bar champion for his age group and placed third overall. This victory also guaranteed him a spot on the U.S. Junior Men’s National team. Davenport-Mills does not just compete at these tournaments. Through them, he has learned important life lessons that transfer outside of the mat, like appreciating those around him.

“It's taught me a lot of things: to be honest, to be humble, [and to] be appreciative of all the money and time that goes into it,” Davenport-Mills said.

Gymnastics has also given him a purpose. Davenport-Mills has become decidedly more determined, according to those around him.

“I think it helps him to aspire—to be disciplined and want more in life,” Davenport-Bratton said.

However, his experience has not always been positive. Davenport-Mills has to miss out on many senior trips and experiences. With the way gymnastics works, though, he has been unable to take breaks.

“It's been a tough ride because, last year, my best friend on the team passed away, and that took me through a lot of mental [struggles] that affect your school, gymnastics, and everything,” Davenport-Mills said. “But, you can’t take days off,—it’s constant. You have to be in shape for this stuff mentally and physically because it's a lot on your body.”

Despite this, he has become even more determined. His friends especially notice a difference in his behavior. For the past year, Davenport-Mills has been constantly growing and doing better, in part due to his immense drive to succeed.

“I've seen pretty much all of his hardships when it comes to him doing gymnastics. [From the time] when [Davenport-Mills] first started going to his competitions [to] now, I could see his dedication to it, and how hungry he was to try to better himself. It's kind of amazing to see that change,” Paris Hale, Davenport-Mills’ best friend, said.

Davenport-Mills plans to continue gymnastics in college and is in contact with the University of Michigan, Ohio State University, and the Air Force to do so. He also hopes to compete in both the 2024 and 2028 Olympics and, if not, plans to join the Cirque du Soleil, a reputable circus known for its acrobatics.

“I think he's starting to realize the power that he has within himself to succeed,” Davenport-Bratton said. “That makes all of the difference in the world.”