By Kalena Reynolds | Staff Writer
At the intersection of adversity and perseverance, sophomore tumbler Payton Washington found more than just a place on Baylor acrobatics and tumbling — she found herself as a leader.
Before her first year at Baylor, Washington and three teammates stopped at a grocery store, a regular carpool pickup spot for the Woodlands Elite Cheer Company, team owner Lynee Shearer said in a Lariat article.
When one of her friends mistakenly entered the wrong vehicle and, upon realizing there was a stranger inside, she quickly returned to her friend’s car. The man approached, pulled out a gun and opened fire, striking Washington in the leg and back.
“So April, it happened, that whole month I had staples,” Washington said. “Staples got removed on May 10 [and] I wasn’t allowed to do any activity until the end of June … That’s when I was able to do abs, so I did my standing full.”
Head coach Felecia Mulkey said Washington’s recovery wasn’t the most inspiring part — it was the fact that her first skill back was a standing full.
“I think it’s worth noting that a standing full is an elite tumbling skill that a very small percentage of the country has, and that was the first skill she did when she came back,” Mulkey said.
Beyond the shooting, Washington was born with one lung. She said that despite the challenges, she had never faced a traumatic athletic-related injury before. Rather than viewing the incident as a tragedy, she saw it as a blessing that allowed her to grow in new ways.
“I feel like this was the one big thing that I needed to get through,” Washington said. “I feel like it was God, showing me something, telling me something, showing me that I could get through anything. So I was really thinking down the back of my head, like, ‘This happened for a reason. Let’s get to where we need to go.'”
Determined to compete at Baylor, Washington focused on regaining her strength and being the best teammate possible.
“I think it was just healing,” Washington said. “The time period was great in my brain that I had months to recover, that helped me a lot. I didn’t need to rush, and [Baylor] also had open arms.”
Mulkey recalled the moment the coaching staff heard about the shooting from one of Washington’s former teammates.
“We found out where she was, and the whole staff jumped in the car and went there,” Mulkey said. “I needed to see her.”
After bouncing back from her injury, Washington set bigger goals for her freshman year at Baylor. She worked on discovering her place as a college athlete and cementing the role she played on the team.
Washington achieved massive success in her first year, earning NCATA All-American honors and winning 2024 Freshman of the Year. She attributes her success to her teammates and their slogan: “It’s not about you.”
“We say this a lot, but it’s not about you,” Washington said. “I think that when you’re cheering for other people and you’re just loving on your teammates, that makes you better, almost automatically. So, yeah, just loving everyone being there for everyone that will help you individually, grow … athletically, mentally and all around.”
Mulkey said Washington’s selfless attitude and perseverance make her a unique athlete and person.
“No matter what your approach to a challenge is, you’ve got to have the work ethic and then just a selfless mindset and a team mindset, and she’s the ultimate team player,” Mulkey said.
Washington has big ambitions, including earning a perfect 10 on the kick double, winning every year and graduating. She also hopes to work in medical sales and advocate against gun violence.
Baylor acrobatics and tumbling will be back in action against Azusa Pacific at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Ferrell Center.
