Sydney Freidin is a sophomore from Westchester, California. As a freshman, Freidin competed in two meets of the regular season. She scored an 8.725 on beam against Cal and scored a new career high of 9.250 on beam at Oregon State. Freidin is looking forward to the start of the new season with the GymCats.
 
How old were you when you started gymnastics? 
I was about 3 years old when I started gymnastics.

What is your favorite event and why? 
My favorite event is beam because it is extremely challenging and the sense of accomplishment you feel after you nail a beam routine is amazing. Also, being able to flip on a four-inch wide beam that is four feet off the ground is something that not everyone can do and therefore being able to conquer it makes me feel on top of the world.

What is fun and special about collegiate gymnastics? 
College gymnastics allows you to express your love of the sport on another level with teammates that share your same passion. Club gymnastics is very individualized whereas college gymnastics feels like a giant stage where you can show off all of your hard work while still participating in a sport you love.

What made U of A stand out when you were being recruited? 
U of A stood out to me while I was getting recruited because of the culture of family as well as the priority of academic success. From the minute I stepped on to this campus, I knew that the balance of athletic and academic success was exactly what I needed for my college experience. Also, the beautiful warm weather and it being close to my home were icing on the cake to everything else the university provides for its student athletes.

What is your dream job after college? 
I want to pursue a career as a Labor and Delivery nurse after I graduate college.
 
What motivates you?
Athletically, I am motivated by my coaches, teammates, and my internal desire to represent the U of A in the best way possible at every gymnastics related event as well as throughout my life. Outside of the gym, I am motivated by a personal drive to leave a lasting mark on this world and help others so that they too can pass it forward to make this world a better place for future generations to come.

What is a hobby you have outside of gymnastics? 
Outside of the gym, I love to find cute coffee shops and go on nature hikes in Tucson.

What is your favorite GymCat memory thus far?
My favorite GymCat memory so far has definitely been the team retreat because we got to step away from the busy day to day life on campus and step into a serene space up on Mount Lemmon where we got to know each other better and come up with goals for the team for the following season. It was the perfect way to create an even stronger team chemistry that will help us achieve our long-term goals throughout the season.
 
Pick one:
Sports: Football or basketball? 
Basketball

Classes: Math or English? 
Math

Season: Summer or Winter? 
Summer

Food: Tacos or pizza? 
Tacos

Music: Pop or country? 
Both
 
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