Freshman Feature: Grace Woolfolk

AMES, Iowa – Like most of the gymnasts in the freshman class, Grace Woolfolk got involved with gymnastics at an early age. However, her path to Iowa State differs from almost everyone on the team.

Woolfolk lived in Mississippi at the start of her club gymnastics career, but her coaches encouraged her to follow them and move Memphis, Tennessee and stay with a host family.

"I actually moved in with one of my coaches for a while," she explained. "I stayed with another host family and she encouraged me to move there because the gym was better, and the new coaches where I was just weren't very good, so I stayed with the host family for a while."

Woolfolk's living arrangements changed during her time before Iowa State, yet one thing remained constant, her love for gymnastics.

"I love it, I'm really passionate about it," she exclaimed. "It's just like the entire sport in general teaches you so many life lessons, it's hard to describe. Every gymnast wants to quit at some point because it's so hard, but I'm pretty sure if you really love it, like you'll just stick with it."

Being a highly sought after recruit, Woolfolk committed to Iowa State while she was living in Memphis and fell in love with the coaches within the Iowa State program.

"It was just something about Nilson, Jay and Kristin, who was new, so I didn't know her that well," Wollfolk recalled. "They just had so much confidence in me and I had gone through a lot. I just lost the passion for a little while and of course I wanted to quit but they believed in me more than I believed in myself up to the point where I could believe in myself again. Just the fact that they have that much confidence in me shows me that I have the potential to be great. The people here are so supportive, you can't find it anywhere else."

With a fresh start in mind, Woolfolk's attention has shifted to the upcoming season and the atmosphere the surrounds college gymnastics.

"Everyone talks about Hilton Magic and how exciting it is just to be there and have so much support," she said. "Because everyone knows Cyclone Nation is amazing and supportive, so I'm just excited to feel what every other gymnast feels competing."

Iowa State's season opens on January 4 in Cancun, Mexico, but Cyclone fans can get their first look of this year's team on January 18 during the first home meet against Illinois State, starting at 6:30 p.m.

Iowa State University Athletics

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