Feb. 28, 2002

"Walking on to the team changed my life." Not many of us can think of one defining moment or event that has forever affected who we are, but Mizzou sophomore Lauren Owca can.

When she came to Mizzou last year, Owca didn't intend on tumbling for the Tiger gymnastics squad, but her decision to do so rocketed her from ordinary student to college level athlete.

"I didn't come to Mizzou for gymnastics," she said with a smile. "I liked the people and I had so much fun here when I came to visit. Plus I didn't really know where else to go!"

Now that she has arrived and spent a year with the team Owca notices a distinct difference in their level of ability and maturity.

"This season has just been great because everybody has been so close," Owca said. "Our team is just so much tighter this year and we're doing so much better. We're a lot more consistent and our communication has improved a lot too."

The consistency of the Tiger squad took a blow when junior Alina Hamm, an All-Around competitor for the team, was sidelined with a hand injury at the beginning of the month. Owca says that the team, however, is stronger than ever and ready to rise to the challenge.

"It's hard," Owca said, "because she competed in all-around for us. But our team this year has so much depth and there are other people that can step in and take over. It hasn't hurt us too much and she's still there cheering for us all the way."

Owca, who specializes in vault and bars for the Tigers, says that it's the depth and closeness of this year's team that has been her inspiration.

"My teammates have been the best part of my experience here so far," she said. "They're my motivation. I want to do well for them and for our team and I don't want to let them down."

With Hamm out, many of the Tigers have been asked to step in and take on different roles to give the team the strength and consistency that they need.

"This year I feel like my role is more of a leadership role, even though I've only been on the team for only a year," she said. "I feel like I've helped out with all the freshmen and provided some leadership for them."

With such a young, yet talented team, Owca and the rest of the Tigers are confident that good things are in the future for their squad.

"We could do so many great things," Owca said. "We just have to stay consistent with what we're doing and we can go as far as we want to."

Owca is dedicated to helping boost the Tigers as far as they can go and has confidently demonstrated her abilities on the vault in two meets this season.

"I'd like to continue adding depth to the team and doing my part," she said. "I want to be sure that if something happens and someone gets hurt that I'm there to step up."

Owca has done her share of work for the Tigers, overcoming fears of walking on to the team and fitting in.

"I was kind of afraid of not being accepted, but everyone was so great," she said. "It didn't matter who was a walk-on and who was a scholarship, you all get the same amount of coaching and opportunities. Don't limit yourself."

Overcoming struggles is something Owca is familiar with as an athlete, but she has faced her fears and has become part of a team where her presence is respected and valued.

"I go through a lot of things mentally, but my greatest strength is my perseverance that has helped me push through them," she said. "There's always a new battle everyday."