Monday, March 13, 2000

Interview by Russell E. Moore

What made you visit and then choose to attend The University of Alabama?

I decided to visit here after being recruited by Sarah, David, and especially Bryan (since I knew him before he even coached at Michigan). I then chose to come here after I met the team and really saw what everything was like down here.

How do you balance your gymnastics practice and studying for Mechanical Engineering? My father, brother and sister are all engineers and I know it's a grueling study at times. Tell us how you stay organized.

It is definitely a hard balance to maintain and it has taken some time to adjust to my courses and to practice. However, I have learned to take things one thing at a time and really think about what all my hard work now will do for me later.

What has been your favorite memory from your collegiate gymnastics career so far?

It is hard to pick a favorite memory since I have had so many. I think this year will stand out in my mind as my most favorite. I absolutely love my team and have had so much fun this year.

Congratulations on a great year so far. You seem to have really taken on a leadership role during competition this year. How does it feel to be able to step in and help the team so much this year?

It is a great accomplishment for me to step up and help the team this year. I am really honored to be a member of this team and to help in every way I can to improve everything we do.

How did it feel to beat Georgia on our home floor? Describe your feelings while preparing for such a huge meet.

I was so excited to beat Georgia at home. It is so amazing that we have been able to beat them twice this year and to do it once in front of our home crowd. This meet also helped our confidence as a team.

Alabama is know for great gymnastics crowds. How does it compare competing in front of 10,000 plus fans as opposed to going on the road and seeing less than 500 in the stands at other schools? When does the crowd really help during competition?

Competing at home in front of 10,000 people is a lot more exciting than competing in front of 500 people as you can imagine. However, even though there are only 500 people at an away meet, I think of the 10,000 people here in Tuscaloosa that I am competing for because we would never be where we are if it wasn't for our fans. The crowd always helps during a competition. The more excited the crowd is the more excited we become and vice versa.

Are you having a fun time at college? Not just gymnastics, but with classes and meeting new friends, etc.?

I absolutely love college and my life. I have made tons of new friends that I will keep with me for the rest of my life. I have also learned many things about life and myself. I would like to say classes are fun and exciting everyday, but they are a lot of hard work. I enjoy when I do well on a test or a project because I love the feeling of accomplishment.