Gymnastics isn’t as pretty as it seems.

Like any other sport, it can be riddled with injury and requires lots of hard work.

NIU beam and bar specialist Megan Melendez is a prime example of both of those.

Having missed all of last season due to a torn ACL, the second time she has suffered that injury, she has come back from a seven month layoff to become a starting member of the bar and beam teams.

“She’s always had a great work ethic,” said NIU coach Sam Morreale. “She’s been a kid who comes to practice and works her butt off. She has that ‘it’ factor. She knows how to compete and likes to compete.”

The sophomore not only has a strong work ethic, but a strong desire to accomplish goals she has set for herself.

“My goal was to be in the lineup on beam and bars this season,” Melendez said. “I’ve been working hard on my routines in the gym and I feel like that hard work has paid off.”

Melendez has posted consistent scores on beam all season, as high as 9.775, while she has only recently been into the starting lineup on bars, scoring a high of 9.200.

While desire is a strong motivating factor, Melendez could not have done it all on her own.

“It’s a combination of everything,” Melendez said. “My parents help me a lot, my teammates, and my coaches. I just felt like I had a lot to prove this year, to get my name out there.”

While there has already been improvements and great impressions made, Morreale believes there is only one direction to go.

“She could probably break our beam and bar records if she keeps doing what she’s doing,” Morreale said. “She is just that good. She doesn’t miss her dismounts and she never gives it less than one hundred percent.”

This type of praise doesn’t let Melendez get complacent, even using the injury perspective to work even harder.

“I hated last year sitting out and watching,” Melendez said. “I wanted to get back into it so bad. I still have a long way to go but I think I’m getting there, slowly but surely.