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Vaulting, riding passions drive St. Francis gymnast

By CALVIN SWANSON, Star Tribune, 02/07/12, 4:29PM CST

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Autumn Lefever

St. Francis gymnast Autumn Lefever shares a passion for two sports. When she is not doing acrobatic jumps off a springboard or somersaults on a balance beam, she enjoys saddling one of her three horses and competing in Western Saddle Clubs Association and 4-H events.

Lefever, a junior, went to state last year individually for vault. In the offseason, she spent 20 hours per week on workouts and conditioning, she said.

As a St. Francis captain, she hopes to get back to state again in 2012 as an all-around gymnast and with her team.

Q What sports do you play?

A Track and gymnastics.

Q What is your most memorable moment in gymnastics?

A Going to state last year, it was the biggest thing that ever happened to me.

Q What was the state experience like?

A It was a lot bigger than all the meets we do as a team. There was a lot more people and pressure. I was more excited [for state].

Q How did you do at state?

A I got my season high [for vault] because I got a 9.25. But it wasn't anything compared to the person who won vault. I was really excited about it because I figured I was only a sophomore last year, and most people that were doing really good were all seniors. It was more of an experience and learning kind of thing.

What is your favorite event in gymnastics?

A The floor is my favorite because I feel like you can express yourself most on it.

What event is the most challenging?

A The bars are most challenging. It's so different than other events. You're moving around, holding on with just your hands, so it's a lot different because you don't have your feet.

Three words your teammates would use to describe you?

A Confident, supportive and hard-working.

How old were you when you first started gymnastics?

Two years old. Technically, I was in a gym a week after I was born. So I got started early.

How did you get started in riding horses?

A I got started riding when I was really young because of my mom. My mom has a horse business. She boards horses and she gives riding lessons. Gymnastics and horses are pretty much my life.

Who is your favorite athlete, and why?

A Nastia Liukin, an Olympic gymnast in the 2008 Olympics. My style is most like hers.

Do you plan on continuing gymnastics past high school?

A As of right now, I'm hoping to go to [the University of Wisconsin] La Crosse to do gymnastics and to study medicine.

Do you have any secret talents?

A I play the piano, that's about it. I've been playing since I was 6 [years old].

Calvin Swanson is a University of Minnesota journalism student on assignment for the Star Tribune.

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