UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Not only is the Penn State men's gymnastics team accomplished in their sport, they achieve high standings in academics, with every team member boasting an above-average GPA. Being a student-athlete is a massive time commitment, and part of that responsibility is successfully managing their athletic and academic careers.
The gymnasts' academic success begins with their families, so they understand the importance of getting a great degree before even starting at Penn State. Each gymnast has ambition beyond gymnastics. Eleven team members were awarded Academic All-Big Ten honors last season, and head coach Randy Jepson has fun coaching a team with such incredible intellectual capacity.
"We've got 19 guys out there, and I fall 20th in terms of intellectual capacity," Jepson joked.
The team's successes are due in part to Jepson's organization. Senior Chris Sands said he keeps tabs on each individual's schedule, thus scheduling practices that don't interfere with their time designated for studying.
There is a chalkboard in the White Building with numerous times jotted down, helping Jepson understand his team's schedule and adapting to their needs. This is not to say that he is easy on them as a coach. He makes sure his gymnasts are challenged so they are able to improve. He understands that some days might be really tough on the guys, but they are then able to appreciate the lighter days of training. Balance is maintained in all fields of training.
This season's roster is not the first set of gymnasts who were able to balance responsibilities, as graduates have have gone on to become doctors and surgeons, among other esteemed professions. These alums have helped the newest gymnasts adjust to the high-caliber expectations at Penn State.
"They got it done in a lot of different ways," Jepson said. "That has sustained itself over the years, that's our expectation."
Freshman Eric Lung understood what was expected of him when he joined the team. He tries not to think about how busy he is, focusing rather on doing well in the gym and in the classroom. He keeps these two entities of his life separate, focusing on gymnastics strictly at practice and being fully invested to his studies when he is not in practice.
"However much time you put into it, that's what you get out of it," Lung said.
For other student-athletes trying to balance academic, athletic and social responsibilities, Lung advises using the strategy that works best for each individual person. This task is easier said than done, and Lung admits he sometimes has to cram or pull an all-nighter to get it all done.
Lung also admires his more experienced teammates, and plans to follow in their footsteps. There are a plethora of majors represented on the team when Lung needs academic advice, and gymnastics-wise, the whole team is there for him.
"I came in and saw Noah (Roberson), who is a specialist, with a 4.0," Lung said. "You can take from that and learn, because clearly he's doing something right."
Jepson noted the freshmen are likely to experience a touch of culture shock when starting their training at Penn State. They work tremendously hard in high school, but to keep up with the team they need to do much more. Junior Sam Zakutney came to Penn State mainly for academics, and for him, gymnastics comes second to his education.
"I came here because I knew Penn State was good academically," Zakutney said. "I wanted a degree that I could hopefully use in the future."
Zakutney said balancing his academic and athletic careers can be a lot to keep track of. He competes January through October every year, transitioning from Penn State to compete for Team Canada internationally. Many other team members are also familiar with international competition, like redshirt sophomore Favian Valdez, who competes for Puerto Rico.
To be able to keep his team strong through the season, Jepson understands the importance of rest. He strategically rests his team through the season to ensure that fatigue doesn't get the best of them.
Sands, who is a captain, tries to make sure the new members of the team are well-adjusted to the rigorous lifestyle they are stepping into and understand their two priorities are gymnastics and school. Many freshmen aren't aware of just how focused their time will be, but Sands admits the focus and determination helps in the long run.
"As a general idea for what the freshmen come in expecting, 95-percent of their time isn't going to be dedicated to socializing," Sands said. "It's going to be academics and gymnastics."
Coming in as a walk-on, Sands was able to find guidance from upperclassmen. He came to Penn State prepared to be an engineering major, and switched to kinesiology. This transition was difficult for him, but he loved the work ethic of the older gymnasts and tries to translate that into his life.
Jepson and his team do a remarkable job of succeeding in the gymnastics world, but they are equally if not more impressive academically. Highly-ranked gymnasts successfully studying subjects like biomedical engineering and entrepreneurship is what sets Penn State gymnastics apart from the rest.
"They come here and they're ambitious," Jepson said. "They want to succeed, and they want to do well. They work very hard."
