The University of Iowa has had great success in the women’s gymnastics realm with athletes and amazing coaches, and they continue to shine every season they have. Let’s take a deeper look inside the lively hoods of women gymnasts at the University of Iowa.
Who are the “Gymhawks”?
They are known as a consistent top 25 program and perennial power in the Big Ten conference. The team was founded in 1977 by head coach Larissa Libby for the past 19 years. She will be starting her 20th year as head coach and her 24th year overall in 2024. She has led them to many victories and titles, including the Big Ten regular season title in 2021, Big Ten three times, NCAA Regional Coach of the Year twice and led the team to 22 straight NCAA Regional appearances. She has also coached 11 WGCA All-Americans and six All-Americans at the NCAA Championship. 51 student-athletes have been named All-Americans during her time as their coach.
“Watch them fly”
Alexa Ebeling is a junior and gymnast at the University of Iowa. She graduated from ADM High School in 2021. She has been on the gymnastics team for 3 years now and is studying communications and business management. Alexa participates in beam/floor routines during competitions. I interviewed Alexa on being a student-athlete at the University of Iowa and got a deeper look into the life of a gymnast.
What is a normal practice day for you guys?
We practice Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. On weekdays we practice from 12:30 to around 3:30, but on Saturdays, we are usually in practice around 9 am. One exception for practices is when it is game days and we start practices earlier so we can go to the football game. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we have weights at 6:30 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. We start our practices with strength and conditioning or rehab exercises, then do a warm-up which usually takes around 20 minutes. After our warm-up, it is pretty personalized to what event you want to start on. When we get to our preferred event our coaches tell us what is assigned for the day and the goals we want to work towards. After we finish those up for all of our events, we do a cool down/stretch circuit and any extra rehab or physical therapy we need.
What is a travel day like?
For travel days, we receive an itinerary a few days prior that tells us what to pack, when we are leaving, etc. If we are taking a bus it tells us the meetup location and times. On the bus, we usually play a lot of games, sleep, and watch movies. Food is very conveniently catered to us most of the time on the bus. If we are flying, everything is mostly the same. We arrive at the airport, go through security, and get on the plane. On some occasions, we get a private plane, which is super nice in terms of efficiency. Once we arrive at our location we will usually stop for dinner as a team, and then get settled into our hotels for the night. If we ever need any pre-meet physical therapy, we will meet up with our athletic trainer that night.
What are some of the benefits you receive from Iowa Gymnastics?
There are a lot of benefits that we receive as being a part of Iowa Gymnastics. Our staff is amazing at ensuring we are comfortable and have everything we need to succeed, like having an academic advisor and study pods. We also can request tutors whenever we feel it is needed to be able to keep our grades up and remain an athlete. We receive $20 each week which we can spend at local restaurants to keep us fueled throughout the day. There are many benefits that we get; those are just a few.
What have been your favorite moments while being on the team?
My favorite moments being on this team come from spending time with my teammates. Whether we are on the road, or just hanging out at someone’s apartment, my best memories will come from being with my team and the friendships that I have developed. It is always fun to experience milestones together, and those are the things I will remember the most.
Do you guys have any specific diet restrictions you have to follow?
Being a student-athlete, it is important to fuel your body in the right ways. We do not have any restrictions on diets, as everyone has different interpretations of what healthy eating means to them. As long as we are getting enough to eat and able to recover, that is the most important thing for our team.
Coming from a small town, how does it feel to be a college athlete at the University of Iowa?
I think coming from a small town to the University of Iowa was an adjustment in itself, but it was not necessarily a struggle. I immediately felt like I was at home on campus, and it is easier to feel comfortable when you have a whole team behind you. It is awesome to see how the community of Iowa comes together for sports, and how much impact we can have on others.
What have you learned while being on the team?
There are so many things that I have learned. Life is more than the sport you play, and the lessons I am learning in college will help me later in life. I have learned to step up as a leader, take/give constructive criticism, and problem-solve on a team with varying opinions. It is important that on a team, we are all striving towards the same goal and understand that we need to be there for each other. I have learned to be honest with my teammates and coaches and help guide others in the direction of success.
How do you keep a healthy balance of athlete, student and college life?
Being able to balance being a student-athlete was an adjustment at first. Once I got into the habit of getting assignments done before they were due, making a clear schedule, and mapping out my days/weeks, a lot of stress was taken off. It is a learning curve but is doable, especially with all of the academic and athletic help we receive. I also always make sure that at the beginning of the semester, I communicate with my professors that I could be missing class more than the normal student, due to being in season. We are always told that we are a student before we are an athlete, whether that means skipping practice to get an assignment done or leaving early to study for an exam. Our coaches want us to succeed academically which is extremely helpful.
Alexa recently got congratulated on her amazing seasons and commitment so far in her 3 years of being on the team, and was blessed with a full scholarship for the University of Iowa and Iowa Gymnastics.
