Editor’s Note: Arizona gymnast Sarah Tomczyk took first place in the floor exercise with a score of 9.900 at the South Central Regional in Fayetteville, Ark. The Arizona Daily Wildcat’s Tyler Kurbat caught up with Tomczyk to discuss her expectations for the NCAA National Championships, her music preferences and what professor she’d like to see try her floor routine.
Wildcat: So is this you’re first time heading to nationals?
Sarah: Yep, never been before.
W: How are feeling going into it?
S: I feel nervous, excited and prepared all in one.
W: How have you maintained your focus and motivation thus far?
S: God. He is my number one source of wanting to do gymnastics. I do it to glorify Him. Also, my husband Pete, my coaches and the team has been real supportive. I’ve also got all my family back home that is always there for me.
W: So do you have any cool warm-up habits to keep that focus under pressure?
S: It’s funny you ask that. Before every meet I always look over at (UA senior) Beamer (Bergeson) and we point up and look up to God. It’s just my way of staying focused.
W: Is there a movie out there that best relates to your life?
S: I’d have to say “”The Count of Monte Cristo.”” My fight throughout college has been a lot like that movie. There were many times that I wanted to quit but kept fighting because of the insight of the very wise people that were beside me throughout it all.
W: If you had to guess off the top of your head, what do you think is your top-played song on your iPod?
S: Hmm, probably “”You Rock My World”” by Michael Jackson. He’s a creeper, but I still like his music. It’s great to work out, too.
W: Does your music preference change before a meet?
S: I actually very rarely listen to music before a competition. Normally I just pray a lot. I find music kind of distracting, but I really like it when we are actually competing. I actually got to pick my floor music this year and I love it.
W: Now, if you could eat one meal before this upcoming meet what would you have?
S: Well, I have to start every day off with my grande iced non-fat no-whip white mocha from Starbucks, but for an actual meal I’d say some chicken and broccoli with mashed potatoes. And then I’d get another Starbucks the morning after the meet (laughs).
W: If you could get any one professor to hit the mats and try your routine, who would you call out?
S: Hmmm, Dr. Erec Toso. He always jokes around about my funny faces in the newspaper clips during competition, so it would be really funny to get some pictures of him trying it.
W: Why the heck isn’t gymnastics in the X-Games?
S: It should be. I guess it’s because we don’t use any cool machines to do our flips.
W: Okay, I hope this one doesn’t get you in any trouble. Who would win in a fight, UA head coach Bill Ryden or assistant coach John Court?
S: Oh geez. I’m gonna have to go with Bill. Bill is a gymnast so he just has that competitive nature. I see John as more of the surrender-type … but that’s not a bad thing (laughs).
W: To close out, let’s say you were banished to an island, what would you bring with?
S: That’s easy. My husband Pete, my dog Bear and my Bible.
