Ashley Wright is a senior this year who spends more hours at the gym than at her house. While most of the student body says they spend most of their time at school, Ashley Wright can say she spends her life at the Iron Cross Gym.

The Wrangler: How long have you done gymnastics?

Wright: I’ve been doing gymnastics for 16 years.

The Wrangler: What got you started on gymnastics?

Wright:  I began gymnastics when my mom put me in mommy and me classes when I was 2 years old.  

The Wrangler: How many days per week do you spend at the gym and for how long?

Wright: If it is a normal week, then I practice all seven days of the week. On Monday through Friday I practice for 4 hours a day, 5 hours on Saturday, and 3 hours on Sunday. That adds up to a grand total of 28 hours a week.

The Wrangler: How do you balance school work, gymnastics, and family time?

Wright: Balancing my life can be very difficult at times because doing gymnastics is like having a full time job on top of going to school. However, I have found time to do homework after practice on most days, although I am usually up late in the middle of the night in order to finish, and I spend time with my family on the weekends.

The Wrangler: Do you plan on doing gymnastics in college? If so, where?

Wright:  I have recently committed to Winona State University for gymnastics. I will attend the school beginning in fall of 2016 as a movement science major, and  will hopefully go on to physical therapy school. Go Warriors!

The Wrangler: What do you look forward to most at Winona State?

Wright: I am very excited to be a Winona Warrior! The things I am most looking forward to are the new experiences that living in the dorms with the gymnastics team and being on my own will be like! Also, I really love snow so I can’t wait for winters in Minnesota!

The Wrangler: As a gymnast, what is your best event/skill?

Wright: I compete all four events, but my best events are beam and floor. I actually hate practicing beam, but I love competing on it, and floor is just my favorite in general!

The Wrangler: During your years as a gymnast, have you made it into any big competitions?

Wright: I have qualified for the Western National Championships as a level 9 gymnast in both 2014 and 2015. I hope to qualify to the Junior Olympic Nationals as  a level 10 in the spring of 2015! Wish me luck!

The Wrangler: How did you do at Nationals?

Wright: At the 2015 national competition I was 3rd place going into my last event, which was bars, but I fell during my last routine. However, I did manage to place 3rd on beam, 8th on floor, and 17th all around in the nation!