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Xceptional Athlete: Manitowoc Lincoln’s Ella Zutz redefines balance
MANITOWOC, Wis. (WFRV) – In a sport defined by precision and balance, Manitowoc Lincoln senior gymnast Ella Zutz is redefining what’s possible and showing how sports can truly change a life.
Gymnastics demands total body awareness, yet Zutz competes at a high level on one foot. It’s a reality she has lived with since childhood. But what could have been a limitation became a foundation for confidence, resilience and self-belief.
“I had a foot accident when I was two years old,” Zutz said. “I was taken to the Children’s Hospital, where I had surgeries every day for two weeks.”
Long before she ever stepped onto a competition floor, Zutz was learning how to navigate daily life differently. Those early challenges shaped her mindset, but gymnastics, in particular, helped transform adversity into strength.
“After I learned to re-walk, my parents put me in gymnastics just to help me get going,” Zutz said.
Now a senior, Zutz is a key part of a small Lincoln gymnastics team where every ounce of effort and attitude matters.
“What keeps me motivated is how far I’ve come,” Zutz said. “I wouldn’t have thought I’d get to do this, but I worked hard to get here.”
Gymnastics has given Zutz confidence, especially on the floor exercise, where she says she feels the most free and powerful.
“Seeing her growth on floor from freshman to senior year is just really fun to see,” teammate Khloe Jalbert said.
With a limited roster, Zutz’s energy and determination lift the entire team. Head coach Jacque Bartow described her as someone whose attitude elevates the gym.
“For us, it’s like, ‘Oh, Ella doesn’t have a foot,’” Bartow said. “When we go to other gyms and spaces, all eyes are on her. Then you sit back and realize what she is doing is truly amazing.”
Zutz says that after everything gymnastics has given her, she hopes others facing adversity can find strength through sports as well.
“There are going to be mean people and people who tell you that you can’t do things,” Zutz said. “But just trust yourself and know that you can.”
Bartow says Zutz’s impact stretches beyond gymnastics itself and will continue to shape the program for many years to come.
“It’s that whole idea that you can do anything as long as you put your mind to it,” Bartow said. “In the future, when we hold youth clinics and kids see Ella out there doing these things, it’s incredibly inspiring.”
From the gym to everyday life, Zutz shows that limits exist only if you let them. Through determination, courage and the lessons learned on the mat, she proves that challenges don’t define you — your attitude does.
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