Ava was a very active toddler and she needed a safe place to burn off energy. Therefore, her parents enrolled her into gymnastics for fun at Twin City Twisters Gymnastics (TCT) in Minnesota. She has been training at TCT her whole gymnastics career. Ava's daily goal is to continue improve each day in the gym. Her ultimate goal is to compete for a college gymnastics team while excelling academically.
As a level 8 gymnast in 2018, Ava placed first on vault and second in the all-around with a 37.675 at the State Championships. She qualified to the Region 4 Championships, finishing second on vault and eighth in the all-around. Ava was named to America's Top 100 on vault with a 9.725. In 2019, Ava won the all-around title with a 37.700 at the Level 8 State Championships. She also placed first on vault and second on uneven bars and balance beam. Ava qualified to the Region 4 Championships. In 2020, Ava qualified to the 2020 Level 9 State Championships but was unable to compete due to COVID-19 pandemic.
When Ava isn't busy training over 20 hours each week in the gym, she enjoys baking, running and cooking. She is the daughter of Karin and Jeff Ridlehoover. She has two brothers, Braden and Easton, a sister, Ella and a dog named Marley. Currently, Ava is an honor student at Rogers High School and she will graduate in 2022. She is ranked third in her class of 427.