March 3, 2011
While most 6-year-olds are busy running around their backyard and practicing their cursive handwriting, Alex Gold was in the beginning stages of developing her gymnastics career. Her parents saw potential in her and when she was in the 5th grade, Gold started getting serious about the sport, training roughly 30 hours a week.
After a brief six-month hiatus from the sport her freshman year of high school, she returned with a goal of competing at the collegiate level.
"My sophomore year was when I realized I wanted to do this in college," Gold said. "I wanted to go out of state. I'm from Texas and there weren't any schools I wanted to go to there. And then I came to visit Missouri and loved it; that just made it better."
The 5'3" gymnast started her career at Mizzou competing on vault and floor. Early on, Gold proved herself as one of the team's top vaulters, boasting a 9.850 during a meet against Bowling Green her freshman year. Her scores continue to rise each season. She snagged a career high of 9.925 her sophomore year, and has tallied a season high of 9.875 against Nebraska this year.
"As she came in, she did a couple events for us here and there, she started as more of a floor and vault girl," Head Coach Rob Drass said. "As she has progressed and learned, she's gotten better and stronger on those two events, as well as last year she picked up beam and this year she picked up bars and became an all-around gymnast."
As one of only two Tiger gymnasts serving as all-around competitors, adding bars to her repertoire wasn't easy for Gold at first.
"I used to be really nervous at the beginning of the season because I had never competed on bars in college," Gold said. "Bars is the most physically challenging for me, but I don't really get nervous anymore."
During the Beauty and the Beast meet this year, Gold set her career high in bars with a 9.725, while also getting her personal best all-around score of 38.875. With this season's team consisting of six freshmen and Gold as the lone senior, she has continued to step up with her duties as a leader.
"Everyone is pretty young and I think that's where I come in," Gold said. "I kind of help them get used to the atmosphere and everything going on because it's a lot different than club gymnastics. Even the junior class is helping me get them acclimated to this degree of the sport."
Coach Drass has seen Gold transform from an intent-listening freshman to the leader she is now.
"The first year or two she followed the direction of the upper classmen and now she's trying to help provide some direction to the younger kids and make sure they're going in the right areas," Drass said. "She's matured as an athlete. She helped our team get to the National Championships last year for the first time."
Gold received a 9.900 on vault at NCAA South Central Regional last year, boosting the Tigers to the National Championships in Gainesville, Fla. That meet stands out as her favorite moment as a Tiger.
"It was so exciting," Gold said. "We beat the number one National Champions for the past five years and at our home. We made it to Nationals for the first time so it was probably the biggest highlight of my career so far."
In February, Gold was nominated for the 2011 American Athletic Inc. award. She was named one of the top 16 finalists chosen for the award. The national award recognizes outstanding gymnasts from all collegiate levels for athletic performance, academics, and community service.
When she's not defying gravity in the gym, Gold's strong work ethic and dedication is transferred to the classroom as she works towards her nursing degree. She manages to balance a demanding major and grueling workout sessions.
"I got into my major and it's very time consuming," Gold said. "It's hard to keep up with everything and still come here and train for three hours afterwards."
Gold has one more year left of school, and although she's maxed out her four years of competition eligibility, she won't be ending her flipping days just yet.
"I'll probably stop by here every once and awhile because I'll miss it," Gold said. "It's fun, just flipping around. Some days you don't want to do it, but it is fun. I'm going to miss that and the team and just being here with them. I've really enjoyed my experience being a Tiger and on the gymnastics team."