Biography
Samantha Perlman got her start in gymnastics at the age of four after her mom caught her flipping around the house. Samantha started in recreational classes and immediately fell in love with the sport. Soon after starting gymnastics, Samantha was invited to join the team program at Rebound Gymnastics. Samantha competed two meets of level 1 during the spring of 2016 and then went on to compete level 2 during the 2017 season. As a level 2, Samantha won the bars and all around titles at the New Jersey State Championships. She also earned the New Jersey state record for level 2 bars and all around.
Competing level 3 during the 2017-2018 season, Samantha began her season at the NAWGJ Pumpkin Cup where she won the beam and floor titles. Samantha had her best meet of her season at the Jingle Bell Rock Meet. Here, Samantha swept all four events and the all around earning five gold medals. A few months later at state, Samantha won the bars and beam titles and took second all around.
During the summer of 2018, Samantha participated in TOPs Testing and made the TOPs National Diamond Team, the highest achievement for seven year olds participating in TOPs. Samantha competed two meets of level 4 during the fall of 2018 and then went on to compete level 6 during the spring 2019 season. At her first level 6 meet, Samantha took second on vault and beam and third on bars, floor, and in the all around. In March at the New Jersey State Championships, Samantha had a solid competition and had her highest scoring meet of her season.
Samantha participated in TOPs for a second year in 2019. From state testing, Samantha qualified to National Testing. Samantha had a fantastic national test and made the TOPs National A Team as one of the top 45 gymnasts in the country. In January 2020, Samantha kicked off her level 7 season at the Metroplex Challenge where she took second on beam and third on vault, floor, and in the all around. Samantha was able to compete one more meet of level 7 before the season was unfortunately canceled due to COVID-19.
Currently, Samantha trains 29 hours per week under coaches Slava Glazounov, Brooke Parker, and Paige Griffin at First State Gymnastics. Samantha is currently preparing for her 2021 Level 8 season and is also preparing for TOPs and Hopes. In the future, Samantha hopes to qualify elite and earn a college scholarship to UCLA for gymnastics.