PRice anticipating coming season for USU gymnastics squad in Jan.
Gymnast Brittany Price is excited for a new season of competition here at Utah State University.
Price, a sophomore majoring in exercise science, hopes to graduate from USU and then pursue a career as an athletic trainer.
Being a native of San Antonio, Texas, Price says she certainly misses the warm weather, but enjoys being in Logan.
Her decision to attend USU came after a friend from Dallas, Texas, urged her to apply for an open scholarship. The choice was last minute and got her an initial full-ride scholarship.
While in her freshman year, Price was one of three freshman gymnasts competing in all-around competition for USU. Within the season, she went on to participate in all but one competition. Her gymnastic career began at a young age. After attending dance lessons for many years as a child, her mother asked if she would like to try something new. Price agreed and the rest is history.
“I took one class, and after that I was hooked,” she said.
As an all-around competitor, Price takes part in every event, including the balance beam, which happens to be her favorite event. Much of her practice time is spent working on her beam skills, since her teammates depend on her in competition to do well in this event and it is what she is best at, Price said.
Her talent in this area was shown last season when she tied for 18th in the WAC Championships with a 9.650 on the balance beam. Later on in competition last season, Price posted a 9.600 on the vault against BYU and a 9.675 on her floor exercise against Sacramento State.
Scoring in gymnastics begins with a rate of difficulty, explained Price. A gymnast can get a possible 10 points, but they may have a routine that has a starting value of 9.5. The gymnast then attempts to acquire bonus points by adding difficulties, which will allow for a higher score.
When returning to USU for a new year, Price always looks forward to reuniting with her teammates.
“It’s exciting to have a set group of friends,” Price said. “I love my teammates.”
Hitting the road with those teammates is one of the best experiences Price has on the team, noting she feels that she can get to know the team better when they travel together.
Her favorite stop on the schedule last season was Minnesota, which included shopping – one of her favorite pastimes – at the famous Mall of America.
With continuous practices, Price has little time to herself. When the rarity of free time comes along, she usually spends it catching up on sleep. She also enjoys eating; her favorite junk foods are pizza and any kind of candy.
Price loves everything about gymnastics, especially the constant evolution process that it can put an athlete through.
“You can always reach for something higher,” she said. “It’s fun.”
A new season for USU gymnastics begins on Jan. 7. The Aggies will face of at Cal State Sacramento with Wisconsin LaCrosse in Sacramento, Calif.
-eawads@cc.usu.edu