Smith’s been a `tumblebug’ since age 4

Pat Glennon

It is cramped. A set of bleachers separate it from the basketball court. A white shroud blankets the mats surrounding the bars, the beam and the horse. This gymnasium is Jessy Smith’s second home at Iowa State.Smith, senior co-captain of the women’s gymnastics team, won the all-around last weekend against the Auburn Tigers at Hilton Coliseum. From Friendsville, Pa., Smith got her start as a “tumblebug” when her mother started her at the age of four. Now you will find her on what she calls her most consistent events, the beam and floor exercise. She came to Iowa State after heavy recruitment by the coaches.”I saw the recruiting tapes and saw the university,” Smith said. “It has been here and University of New Hampshire, and I loved it here.”Lauren Goldberg, another senior co-captain, said that Smith has always been the rock on the team and someone they can count on to get the work done. She is also someone who loves gymnastics and little else, except maybe sleep. As a freshman, Smith rarely woke up easily, according to Goldberg.”She used to be the biggest grump,” Goldberg said, her roommate since coming to Iowa State. Goldberg’s tales of morning grumpiness and talking in her sleep easily made the transition to competitiveness, consistency and humility.K.J. Kindler, coach of the ISU women’s gymnastics team, spoke highly of Smith’s development over the past four years, as well as her consistency.”She has developed on a lot of different levels like her technical attention to detail … but she has always been a competitor,” Kindler said.Not only has Smith been consistent and dependable, but also very humble.Kindler said that Smith doesn’t get caught up in her accomplishments.”She does not get wrapped up in her success,” Kindler said. “Each meet is a new challenge for her. She is not cocky, but aggressive.”As Smith begins leading the team in warm-up exercises, Goldberg finishes with that to which many can relate.”Through college, she has been my best friend,” Goldberg said. “I couldn’t have had a better teammate to go through the college experience with.”