Jonathan Zirna: a March scholar athlete

CLARENCE, N.Y. (WIVB) - As an athlete, Jonathan Zirna flies through the air. As a student, the Clarence High School senior is well-grounded.

"I love gymnastics because all of the exciting tricks. The people that I'm around. What gymnastics allow me to to, and what it will allow me to do in life," he said.

His coach, Dan Molnar, said, "If I can describe Jon as a gymnast, I'd say he's very motivated. He's very athletic. You have to be very athletic to do this sport. He's very motivated."

"I spend about three hours a day, six days a week doing gymnastics. I've been doing the sport since I was three years old," grinned Jonathan.

Molnar noted, "The skills that these guys are doing are so intricate that they have to perform them over and over again. As the years go by, the skills get a little bit easier. It does take up to six months, a year, two years to learn these skills. It's a lot of dedication."

Jonathan explained, "I don't think anybody really realizes how fun gymnastics can be. At this level of competition, some of the skills we're doing, in order to be as good as the best, are just insane to watch. They're insane to watch, and even crazier to do."

"It has taught me to be motivated. It's taught me time management. It's actually taught me to be more motivated towards school. I have to get my work done before I go to the gym," he added.

Next year, Jonathan will attend Springfield College in Massachusetts. He'll compete on their nationally-recognized gymnastics team, while beginning the road to becoming a physician's assistant.