Interview With Ashley Gundelfinger

1. What age did you start gymnastics?

10

2. How did you start in gymnastics?

I was self taught for two years until I joined gym stars which is a rec group at my gym.

3. How did you deal with mental blocks?

I walk myself through the basics of the skills and I go through it mentally a LOT.

4. Who was your role model/someone you looked uo to in the sport?

Jordan chiles!!

5. What was your hardest struggle during your time as a gymnast?

I would say getting my back handspring on beam because I got a lot of mental blocks on it in the middle of season.

6. How do you handle nerves when you are competing?

I like to hang out with my team and they make it more chill. I remind myself this is just another competition and I'm doing this all for fun!

7. What was your biggest accomplishment in gymnastics?

Winning regionals and state in my first year as a competitive gymnast!! (Xcel gold)

8. When you were done competing in the sport? Did you stay involved in it with coaching etc?

I stayed involved!

9. What would people need to know if you are starting the sport for the first time?

If it ever gets hard, just remember why you started - for fun ☺️

10. What is your favorite meet?

Probably regionals or any travel meets!!

11. How did you handle pressure form peers/coaches/fans?

I remind myself that I'm doing this for me and only me.

12. How do you overcome setbacks and challenges?

Same thing - I tell myself this is only temporary and even if it doesn't seem like it, it will get better.

13. Did college gymnastics ever cross your mind as something you wanted to do?

Yes I would love to do gymnastics in college.

14. Least favorite event and favorite event? And Why?

Fav: BEAM!!!! such a fun event to me. My entire team loves it. I enjoy beam because I used to hate it but I've turned it into something I loveeee. Least fav: vault. I'm not a powerful gymnast and I'm usually too injured to do too much 🥲

15. Hardest and easiest gymnastics skill to train?

Easiest - routines in general because I've done them so much Hardest - cast handstands 😔

16. How did/do you deal with getting in your head on skills?

I go back to basics and start there.

17. How did you stay out of your head at practice and at meet?

Make sure to visualize my skills in my head so I know how to do it.

18. Have any of you got a skill for a few weeks on any event and then a week or to later you just can't do it? If this has happened to you how have you dealt with it or overcome it?

YES - my bhs on beam. I just had to go back to low beam and do reps after reps until I gained confidence again. It also helped to watch other girls do their bhs too.

19. How did you cope when your time as a gymnast was over? Did you go into coaching or did you find something else to fill what gymnastics filled?

I'm still a gymnast hahah!

20. Advice you would give to current or people who want to start in the sport?

Never forget why you started and don't give up! Sometimes The greatest things come when you least expect it.