Feb. 12, 2008

A Q&A with women's gymnast Heather McElwee, a freshman from Ponte Vedra, Fla.

What is your favorite thing about being a Penn State student?
The atmosphere of the school, how accepting and friendly the other students are.

What is your favorite thing about being a Penn State student-athlete?
Having the opportunity to compete as a part of a team.

Why Penn State?
All the opportunities it offers me.

What is/has been your favorite class at Penn State and why?
Spanish 002, because I really enjoyed my professor's teaching style and she was very involved in our learning and really wanted to help us succeed.

What is your favorite place on campus and why?
Rec Hall because that is where we compete.

When I am not at class or practice, I am ...
At East Area studying.

What have you found to be the biggest differences between Junior Olympic and college competition?
The biggest difference is you are no longer competing individually but as a team.

Since coming to Penn State, what has been the biggest thing you have learned, in the gym?
How to be more independent and get all my numbers in without having to be told exactly what to do or which event to go to by a coach.

Since coming to Penn State, what has been the biggest thing you have learned, out of the gym?
Better time management.

What has been the hardest part of practice and why?
The extra morning workouts because I had never lifted weights before.

At what age did you begin participating in gymnastics, and why/how did you get into it?
I started at age 7, I was inspired after the 1996 Olympics.

To someone who doesn't know gymnastics and is seeing a meet for the first time, how would you describe your sport?
Intense, inspiring and a lot of fun

What is your favorite event and why?
Beam because I feel most comfortable competing it.

Who would you consider the leaders on this team to be and why?
Aslynn and Lindsay Borkan, because they really have taken a leader role this year and have been really helpful since they have experience.

What advice would you give to young gymnasts?
To keep working hard and never give up.

What is the best advice you have ever gotten, and from whom did you receive it?
"Make it happen, don't let it happen." My coach from club said this to me.

What is your favorite sport (other than gymnastics) to watch at Penn State and why?
Football and wrestling are my favorite sports to watch. I have always enjoyed watching football and wrestling because I know a lot of them.

If you could go anywhere in the world on a vacation, where would you go and why?
Australia

Finish this sentence: "We Are Penn State. We Are ... "
PENN STATE!

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