Athlete Profile: Gymnast Ashley Stanton

This is the third in a series of question & answer stories with the members of the Golden Gopher women’s gymnastics team. A different gymnast will be featured each week, so check back soon to learn more about the Gopher gymnastics team!

The basics:

Name: Ashley Stanton
Year: Will have sophomore eligibility in 2005-06, will be a junior academically
Hometown: Centennial, Colo.
Events: Competed on beam and floor during her freshman season in 2005

Q&A with Ashley:

What’s your favorite food? Spaghetti and M&M's

Favorite movie? The Notebook and Wedding Crashers

Favorite musical group/band? I like all country music, and the band Chicago

Favorite summer activity in Minnesota? Going up north to the cabin

Favorite winter activity in the Minnesota? Snowball fights, and watching movies in my warm apartment

Favorite sport other than gymnastics? Volleyball, I'm not very good because I'm just learning, but I love to play on the sand courts at the lake

Favorite event to compete in? Beam and floor

What is one word your teammates would use to describe you? Spunky

If you could be on the cover of any magazine, what would it be? People

If you could take a vacation to any place in the world, and you didn't have to pay for it, where would you want to go? Ireland, or someplace warm with a white sandy beach

If you won a million dollars, what is the first thing you would buy? A car, I don't have one. I'd like a 2005 Honda Accord. I'd also want to buy plane tickets to go to Colorado whenever I want.

When you were growing up, who were your heros? My parents

Before a competition, what do you do to prepare yourself for the meet? I eat waffles. I used to eat pancakes before meets, then I had waffles before a meet once, and I had a great meet so I switched to waffles. My mom always made sure I had waffles before my club competitions. It takes me forever to get ready for meets, but that's on purpose. I like to stay relaxed.

What is something you always pack to take with you on a road trip? Chapstick, a hair tie, and mascara

How did you choose your major (elementary education)? I love kids, and I want to teach kindergarten. My aunt is a kindergarten teacher, and I worked with her and loved it!

What has been the most challenging thing about your college experience? Organization skills and being away from home.

What is the best bit of advice that you’ve received from the coaches? During my redshirt year when I injured my knee, they kept telling me to keep my chin up, and that things will get better. They also tell us that our teammates are our best friends and our sisters and that we should always be able to count on each other, and it's true.

What advice would you give to the incoming freshmen? Use your big sisters, we're here to help when you need us. Have fun, and make everything count, in school and in the gym

What are you working on over the summer to get ready for the 2006 season? I've been training on vault, and hope to compete on vault this season.

What are your goals for the upcoming season? I want to do my part to help the team get to nationals, and be supportive of my teammates in reaching that goal.

What do you see yourself doing in 10 years? Married, and teaching. I might coach gymnastics, and maybe I'll have kids.

Click on any of the names below to read athlete profiles on other Golden Gopher gymnasts.

Andy Cornelius

Stephanie Funk

Kelly Ganchan

Laura Johnson

Amanda Miles

Ashley Mutchler

Maria Opsahl

Rehana Russell

Kelly Stout

Angela Walker

Kim Womack This is the third in a series of question & answer stories with the members of the Golden Gopher women’s gymnastics team. A different gymnast will be featured each week, so check back soon to learn more about the Gopher gymnastics team!