For those who are most passionate about any endeavor, the lines between participant and educator are often blurred. The path less taken is often one which requires a great deal. It's a concept as applicable to the world of sports as it is to the arts. Those who make it a lifelong pursuit see it as a calling.

What begins as a focus on the self gives way to ensuring that the activity itself continues and evolves, essentially becoming an altruistic endeavor. Tigran Petrosyan epitomizes this in the venue of gymnastics. A talented and celebrated gymnast from Armenia, he has contributed to the progression of the next generation of gymnasts on a number of continents. To ensure that he is able to take part in both his love of the sport and its continuation anywhere in the world, Petrosyan took steps to establish himself as an International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) judge. Whether in Europe, America, or other parts of the world, Tigran will be a part of the lineage of gymnastics and the refinement of its competitors for years to come.

From his youth in Yerevan (capital of Armenia) Tigran loved sports. Inspired by the stories about legendary athletes Albert Azaryan, Hrant Shahinyan, and others, he began training in gymnastics. What began as in interest developed into a passion and eventually a way of life. Petrosyan asserts that the sport gave him more than direction, it has led to an overall high level of health and many lifelong friends. After many years of success in his own career, he began training the younger generation of athletes. This progressed him to a point in his life and career in which he understood the benevolent impact of Gymnastics on the world, which led him to become an International Gymnastics Judge with the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG). He explains, "The judging of competitions can vary in many factors. I realized that by having a deeper understanding of these differences and how positive scores are achieved, I could better train students and help them to increase the longevity and success of their own careers. This would in turn help the sport as a whole."

The FIG is the governing body of competitive gymnastics, headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland. With more than two hundred-thirty years in existence, the FIG is the oldest sports organization in existence and the preeminent body in gymnastics. Tigran travelled to Moscow in 2017 to undertake the course to assess his ability to be included as an FIG international judge. Artur Mitskevich (chairman of the technical committee of FIG) oversaw this assessment which included both written and practical exams. The results were then scrutinized by the FIG main office in Switzerland. The FIG's stamp of approval and appointment of Tigran as an international judge is a seal that carries respect throughout the entire world of gymnastics. Tigran confirms that it was a source of great pride that he was able to exercise his status as an FIG judge in his home country at the Azaryan Cup and the championship of adults in Armenia (Yerevan-2017).

There are many season in a life and the same can be said for a career. For Tigran Petrosyan, this most recent incarnation as a judge for the preeminent judging body of the sport he loves means that he is gaining insight while contributing it. Recalling his early days of competition, he can now see more clearly than ever. He admits to being just as excited about the progression of the sport stating, "Recently, gymnastic instruments, their quality indicators, and depreciation rates have undergone a big change. This opens up new opportunities for athletes and coaches. It's very encouraging. One thing is for certain, you can never take the human element out of the sport. When an athlete is on the highest pedestal, you can see it change their outlook on what is possible in life. Even though it's an arena of competition, it provides friendship and respect. My life is concrete proof of this."