University of Minnesota Athletics
Chalk Talk: Jalon Stephens
12/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Gymnastics
What is your favorite thing about being a gymnast for the University of Minnesota?
My teammates. They make it a great environment for me. It’s probably one of the main reasons I came here - this team feels like family to me. Being at the University of Minnesota feelings like being at home.
What did it feel like putting on that U of M uniform for the first time?
It felt extremely exciting when I first put on the uniform last year. Not only was competing for the first time, but I got to do so in front of my friends and being out there on the competition floor with all the guys was awesome.
What goals do you have, both for yourself and for the team this season?
For the team, I hope that we can win a Big Ten title, make it to the second day of the NCAA Championships and finish in the top three at the team finals. I thought we could have done it last year. A lot of people didn’t think Minnesota was a top-ranked team and we showed them that we really are. Individually, I would like to earn an individual title on High Bar at both the Big Tens and NCAAs. I’ve been working really hard on High Bar and perfecting some new skills. It has always been one of those things I’ve really wanted.
What got you into the sport of gymnastics?
I was always playing and running around the house as a little kid. I was hyperactive and one day, I was flipping on the shower rails and it collapsed on me. The very next day, my mom put me into gymnastics.
What is one thing you’ve been working on hard to improve on this year?
I would have to say that I have really been improving on my focus both in and out of the gym as well as perfecting skills like fixing the small things such as bent arms and taking out small steps.
What is one thing you always do, personally, one the day of a competition?
I always pray. My dad is a pastor and my mom is a first lady missionary, so I’ve always prayed before competitions. I also listen to music beforehand too. Music really helps to calm any nerves I have.
Where’s your favorite place to hang out on campus and why?
The gymnastics house. It is just a place where we can all relax, watch football on Sundays and hangout as a team outside of the gym.
The younger members of the team are all really close, especially because there was a group of ten of you that came in as freshman. What bonded you all together?
The team before us had a part it in. They really taught us about having confidence. They taught us to believe in our talent and believe that we are just as talented as all the other teams not just in our conference, but nationally too. When the ten of us signed, we had a group chat and talked about all of our goals we wanted to accomplish when we got to campus. Already coming in with that mindset bonded us together even more.
Do you have any role models?
Paul Montague is one of my biggest role models on the team. In life, it is my mom. She gave up a lot for me when it came to gymnastics. I’m originally from Mississippi and the gym I went to closed down. My mom and I moved to Louisiana so that I could continue in the sport and train at a really great gym too.
Do you have a history of gymnasts in the family?
No. Basketball is the main sport in my family.
What do you want to do once you have concluded your gymnastics career?
My dream is to become a sports doctor. I know it’s going to be a very challenging profession and there is a lot of school involved, but gymnastics helps me face challenges everyday and makes me that much stronger both mentally and physically.
Players Mentioned
