Learn

With all of the training that you’ve done, have you had time to finish college? What college do/did you attend?
I haven’t quite finished yet. I have about 21 or so credits left at Ohio State University.

Do you have plans to go back to school?
Yes, I am going to try and finish my degree here at Ohio State, before I move.

When you were training and in college, how often did you have class?
We only had one practice each day when we were in college, from 2-6 PM / 6 days a week. This enabled us to work around practice to get our classes in. We could also work out at different times if we needed to.

What did you study in college and why did you choose that to study?
I studied psychology. I originally chose psychology because it didn’t require any math prerequisites, which I hate. But, once I got into the field, I found it really interesting, especially since our sport is so psychological.

Did you have a favorite subject?
Yes, Classics 222–it was one giant soap opera. I loved it, never missed a class! It was very interesting. It is Greek Mythology so you learn all the different stories of the Greek Mythological characters and it was very interesting to see how people looked at God and such.

Did you attend a regular school growing up?
Yes, I always did and had no problems doing so. I went to a Catholic school through grade 12 and I never had to really alter my schedule because of my training. In high school we did practice in the morning before school, so we got to go in a bit later than others. But other than that, my training never affected my schooling.

Did you get to participate in regular school activities such as dances, athletics, etc.?
Yes, I didn’t miss anything. I went to prom, homecoming, mother/son dance and stuff like that. I didn’t miss anything. I didn’t play any other sports once I got to high school because the seasons interfered with gymnastics. They wanted me to play soccer but I couldn’t because it interfered with gymnastics.

What type of job would you like to have after your gymnastics career?
I actually want to open a gym and coach kids. That’s basically what I’ve wanted to do, but at the same time I wouldn’t mind being a professional golfer–but I think that’s a bit out of my league.

Do you think you will ever use your psychology degree? What about an interest in sports psychology?
No, I probably won’t use my degree very much. I am not really interested in sports psychology because that would require more school.