Allison Birk

How is your involvement with gymnastics valuable to your undergraduate experience?

It has given me a lot of leadership experience because I have to plan and organize a lot of the things that our team does. It has also helped me to meet a ton of awesome people and make new friendships.

How do you balance your studies and the time you spend practicing/competing?

I think it helps that I'm in gymnastics. If I know that I'm going to have practice then I don't spend time procrastinating.

Would you say that gymnastics is more athletic than artistic, or more artistic than athletic?

I feel like it is a balance between the two. If I had to pick though, I'd say more athletic because it takes a lot of strength and endurance.

If you believe there is an artistic side to gymnastics, could you explain the artistic elements you feel to be evident?

Well the floor exercises that we do are a combination of dancing and tumbling; so coming up with a routine and our own choreography is very artistic. Also, part of our scores when we are finished with the routine is based on artistic quality.

When doing gymnastics, do you consider yourself more of an athlete or more of an artist?

More of an athlete.

How long have you been doing gymnastics, and why did you decide to continue with it in college?

I started in high school, freshman year. I loved being a part of a team and I also love the rush of competing. All throughout high school I was involved in different sports teams, so when I came to college I wanted to continue with it. It's a big part to my life.

Have you ever gained recognition for any of your gymnastic performances?

I haven't yet competed here (U-M); our first meet isn't until February 12th. In high school I placed on the events at Leagues, which was a big accomplishment for me.

What are some of your other pastimes/hobbies?

Sports. I've played basketball all throughout my life, so I spend a lot of time with that. I also love track and play IM sports here at the University.

Do you have any ultimate, long-term goals in the sport/art of gymnastics?

Well I've already passed the age where I could go really far with gymnastics. I really just like to do it for fun now. I love being part of a team and meeting new people. I guess my goal is just that the entire team does well at our meetsŠI would like to learn new skills and do my personal best, also.