AUBURN, Wash. — Isabelle Futch from Orting, Evelyn DeYoung from Puyallup, and Mackenzie Estep from Auburn have a lot in common.
For the past decade, they have been walking down the same narrow path.
Disciplined, detailed, and full of desire to be the best.
"Those three athletes have grown up together," said Sarah Korngold, coach with Ascend Gymnastics, which was named the National Program of the Year in 2022. "They've been here since they were little, every step of the way. They've been right there pushing each other, and picking each other up on bad days, enjoying the good days and I think it would be very unlikely they would have reached where they have gotten to without each other."
DeYoung is a four-time national qualifier and a 2022 national medalist on the beam. She started gymnastics when she was three.
"I love the physical and mental aspects, where you have to push boundaries, you have to push yourself farther than you think you can go," DeYoung said.
Futch was a national medalist on the bar, but her biggest moment came earlier this year when she won a national championship on the vault.
"Yeah that was very exciting," Futch said. "It was really just a whole experience. It was life-changing to say I could do that."
Like DeYoung and Estep, Futch trains 5-6 days a week and 4-5 hours each day.
"It's all worth it really," Futch said.
Estep started at Ascend Gymnastics in a mommy-and-me class when she was three. Now she's one of the top recruits in the country for the class of 2025.
"I'm so appreciative to be surrounded by so many amazing people that push me every day," Estep said.
Her coach called Estep "relentless" in her preparation, which has helped her win five national championships in the last three years. That includes titles in the beam, floor and all-around in 2022.
"It was honestly a dream come true, still so surreal, hard to put in words," Estep said. "It was just a great experience."
All three gymnasts have been recruited by schools from across the country. Futch and DeYoung are staying close to home at the University of Washington, while Estep is headed to Oklahoma.
"I was honestly at a loss for words when they started talking to me, I was so grateful for the opportunity," Estep said.
They've tucked and twisted their way to the top, holding each other accountable in a sport where there's little room for error. But these three have proven there's always room for friendships.