Abby Go Lucky
1/31/2002 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
Jan. 31, 2002
A local girl with a heart for competition and a flare for floor exercise, Abby Steenbergen joins the Missouri women's gymnastics squad this season as a walk on freshman with high, but realistic hopes.
A native of Russelville, Mo., a small rural town 17 miles southwest of Jefferson City, Steenbergen grew up in a family of five, including her parents and her two older brothers.
"The small town life had its ups and downs," she said. "You knew everyone at your high school and in the town, but that also meant that everyone knew your business."
The University is not quite small-town Missouri, and Abby has grown accustomed to her new role on a college gymnastics team. She knew as a young gymnast at the Jefferson City YMCA that she wanted to tumble for Mizzou.
"I've always loved gymnastics. I came to MU meets when I was younger and wanted to be on a college team. That's really what made me want to walk on." Coming from a smaller town and less prestigious club gym, Abby joined the team as a walk-on, but is determined to one day compete for the Tigers.
"I think my best memories of gymnastics were in club when I was traveling with my team. I loved the YMCA because it had a more laid back atmosphere and I could have fun instead of putting so much emphasis on competing and doing well," Steenbergen said.
Abby has brought that love of her sport and her laid back, yet competitive, attitude with her to Mizzou. She was certain that she wanted to come to Mizzou regardless of her future in gymnastics, and looked at Michigan State the only other alternative for school.
"If I wasn't doing gymnastics here at Mizzou, I still would have come," Steenbergen said. "Maybe I would have tried to play on the softball team. I played for nine years all the way through high school."
She discovered, however, that gymnastics was what her strength was and has set high hopes both for her and her team in the upcoming season.
"Since I walked on, I'm really looking to get better this year," Steenbergen said. "My motivation right now is to improve on the things I am able to do already. I'd love to make it in the lineup somewhere at some point."
Steenbergen along with coaches Rob Drass, Paul Scardina and Kira Atkinson will be focusing on improving her skills on the vault and floor exercise this season. Like fellow freshman Ashley Asraf, Abby says that the floor is her favorite of the four events. "It lets you show off!" she said. "It shows your personality the most."
Steenbergen hopes that she is able to not only improve as an individual but also help her team along the way.
"I would love for us to make it to regionals," she said. "Even looking a little beyond that, maybe even to nationals. I'd love to even have one of us on the squad make it to nationals...just break school records all over the place."
Abby says that she was not afraid of college level competition coming to school, but more scared of her classes and academic workload. She was happy to find, however, that things were not nearly as bad as she thought and that her teammates helped her adjust to her new home.
"The team was so supportive," she said. "It's different here than club because everything is so team oriented. There, things are focused on how well you place and the emphasis is on the individual. Here at this level you do things not only for yourself, but also for the team. If you do something well, it's not just for you, but for them."
After 14 years of gymnastics, Steenbergen has finally achieved that dream she had as a girl. Though she still goes home to visit her family, whom she misses a great deal, and also to work, Abby has dedicated herself to working with her coaches to improve as an athlete.
"My coaches have definitely pushed me further than I thought I could be pushed," she said. "They definitely motivate you to do well. You might be mad at them at first, but all they really want is for you to get better."
With a year to grow and get better including many challenging meets to help her learn the ropes, Steenbergen will no doubt blossom into one of the Tigers' hometown starlets.
