About Lily Personal Facts Favorites
Lily was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan on April 15, 2004 to parents Mark and Tara Clapper. She tumbled a bit as a toddler, learning mostly from her big sister, Leah. Lily also enjoyed dancing, snow skiing and ice skating as a preschooler. At age 6 she began gymnastics at Gym America in Ann Arbor, MI so she could safely learn new skills. Lily’s first year she competed on the pre-team in fun meets, and then on to the level 4 competitive team at 7-years-old. She had a successful season with several podium finishes, and a 5th place finish at the Michigan Level 4 State Meet.
[Photos of Lily Clapper Ages 9-11]
At age 11, Lily was the Level 7 all-around champion at the “Athlete Warrior Challenge” (Warren, MI), “Gymnastics on the Grand” (Grand Rapids, MI), and “Girl Power” (Saline, MI). She finished her level 7 season as the Region 5 vault champion.
Lily competed Level 9 the next year at age 12. She had another successful season, winning the all-around at “CGA Coaches Spectacular” (Covington, KY), “Brestyan’s Las Vegas Invitational” (Las Vegas, NV), and “Wolverine Classic” (Saline, MI). Lily was the 2017 Level 9 Region 5 Vault Champion and she qualified to the 2017 Level 9 Eastern National Championships. Lily tied for 2nd on floor and 3rd on vault at Eastern Nationals.
During the 2017-18 season, Lily competed her first year as a Level 10. She finished 2nd all-around at “Gymnastics on the Grand” (Grand Rapids, MI), “Twistars Invitational” (Dimondale, MI), and “Metroplex Challenge” (Fort Worth, TX). Lily placed 6th all-around (37.000) at the Level 10 Region 5 Championships, earning her a spot on the Region 5 Dream Team and qualifying to compete at her first J.O. National Championships in Cincinnati, OH.
As a second year Level 10 during the 2018-19 season, Lily introduced new skills on each event and had podium finishes at every meet. Lily earned the 2019 Michigan State Beam Champion title, and she secured a second trip to J.O. National Championships on the Region 5 Dream Team with a 4th place all-around (37.400) at the Region 5 Championships.
[Photos of Lily Clapper at Level 9 & 10 Development Championships]
Lily’s third year as a Level 10 in the 2019-20 season included additional difficulty in her routines, and once again, she appeared on the podium at every meet. Notably, at “Circle of Stars” in Indianapolis, Lily earned a 37.800 all-around (2nd) and 9.600 Beam (2nd). Lily finished her season strong with her highest Level 10 all-around score of 38.000 at the “Tim Rand Invite” in West Palm Beach, just before an abrupt end due to COVID-19.
During the 2021 gymnastics season, Lily delivered outstanding performances across various competitions. She claimed 1st place all-around at the “Buckeye Classic”, “Wolverine Classic”, and “Cereal City” meets. A notable highlight of Lily’s season was successfully competing a Yurchenko 1.5 at the “Region 5 Insider Classic”. At the Region 5 Championships in Cincinnati, Ohio, on April 16, she earned 2nd place on bars (9.575), 3rd on vault (9.700), and 6th all-around (37.225), securing a spot on the Region 5 Dream Team. This achievement qualified her for the Level 10 Development National Championships in Daytona Beach, Florida, on May 15, where she placed 7th on vault (9.650) and 13th all-around (37.675). Her strong performance contributed significantly to her team’s victory in the Senior B age group.
[Senior Season Photos]
Lily began her senior year gymnastics season at “Gymnastics on the Grand”, winning all-around, vault (9.525), and beam in the event finals (9.600). She continued her success at the “Wolverine Classic”, sweeping 1st place in all events and earning 1st all-around. At the “Tim Rand Invite”, Lily posted a personal best (38.925) all-around score, placing 2nd overall with top three finishes on bars, beam, vault, and floor. At the Region 5 Championships, she claimed the bars title (9.700), finished 5th all-around, and qualified for the Region 5 Dream Team. Concluding her club career at the Level 10 Development National Championships, Lily placed 8th on bars (9.625), beam, and all-around (38.225), while helping her Region 5 Dream Team tie for 1st place in the Senior E division.
At her Senior Club banquet, Lily was honored with the inaugural 2022 Gym America “Award of Excellence, Work Ethic, and Determination”, a prestigious award named in her honor to recognize her outstanding dedication and perseverance.
Lily has always aspired to compete at a Division 1 school on an athletic scholarship, and she’s thrilled to have committed to the University of Michigan. Starting in the 2022-2023 school year, she will proudly join the Michigan Wolverines gymnastics team. To follow Lily’s NCAA gymnastics journey, visit the Michigan Women’s Gymnastics website.
[Gym America Banquet and University of Michigan Visit Photos]