It was always there, since childhood, just bumping around in the back of her mind. Maybe someday she'd go into the medical profession. It made sense - Lissy Smith has spent most of her 21 years trying to make things better for other people. But it was never more than a fleeting thought in a busy life.

Upon arriving at Alabama as a freshman, she thought more about teaching, elementary education to be precise. Helping to raise her siblings after her mother died when Smith was 12 had given her plenty of practice at working with youngsters.

After her sophomore year though, Smith changed her major to psychology, a subject that had always fascinated her and another profession in which she could help people. Still though, in the back of her mind, medicine kept calling.

"It's something that's always been kind of there," Smith said of her interest in becoming a nurse. "But I always thought that the drive to be a mother and raise a family would keep me from it. But lately . . . lately I've been thinking about it a lot."

A conversation with younger brother Michael, before she told anyone about her increased leanings toward medicine after her Crimson Tide stint is over, crystallized her thinking.

"We were just kind of talking about all sorts of things," Smith said. "And we got off on the subject of what I should do after this year, and Michael just blurted out, 'You should deliver babies,' and it just kind of hit me that it was something I really did want to do."

With her future nearly decided, Smith is focusing on her present, which includes preparing for her senior season. The Crimson Tide's queen of the balance beam will again anchor that event.

"She is the most consistent balance beam worker that I have ever worked with," head coach Sara Patterson said. "I can't remember anyone being that consistent over the course of three-plus years."

That consistency and balance is Smith's hallmark, both on and off the equipment. The balance beam All-American has also served as the Tide's captain for the past two seasons. In addition to being one of its top gymnasts, she also serves in the capacity of watchful den-mother.

"Lissy has a maturity in a lot of areas that is well beyond her years," Patterson said. "In a lot of ways, her maturity is that of an adult and has been since the day that she walked in here. It has helped with our young team. Sometimes, when you are 18 and 19 years old, small problems, like not being able to perfect a certain skill in the gym that you wanted to do, seem like monumental problems. Lissy is good about taking things and putting them into context."

Smith has also found balance in her own life. In addition to being a two-time All-American on the balance beam and the defending NCAA Central Regional Balance Beam Champion she is also a two-time Scholastic All-American and two-time Academic All-Southeastern Conference pick.