Q&A: Senior gymnast Taylor Bolender
Staff reporter Ashley Szymanski talked with senior gymnast Taylor Bolender in practice this week as the Chippewas prepared for Friday's meet at Bowling Green.
Bolender — an Akron, Ohio native — has two more regular season meets before the Mid-American Conference Tournament March 19. She competes in all four events for CMU.
The Chippewas look to recover after falling to Kent State on senior night on Sunday with their third-lowest score of the season. CMU (11-2, 3-1 MAC) and BGSU (4-9, 0-4 MAC) begin at 6 p.m. Friday.
Q: What is your favorite event in gymnastics?
A: Floor, definitely. It's just fun, you get to pick out your music, pick what dance you do, what tumbling you do. It's really the event you can just show off, smile, have fun and look at the crowd. It's really easy to enjoy and really fun.
Q: If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be?
A: I think I would go to South America. I like that culture and I think it would be fun. I would love the little shops and I just picture everyone dancing in the streets. I think it'd be really cool.
Q: What is your favorite thing about Central Michigan?
A: Not the snow. (Laughs) I'm from Ohio, so it's kind of like I'm at home still. It's not really a different environment and it's like a small town like where I'm from, so I like that. It's kind of like a home away from home.
Q: What is a fun fact about yourself?
A: I know a lot of octopus facts. It's really weird and random. For instance, they can grow a limb if they get it bit off. One year, I think my sophomore year, I saw a random fact and I thought they were so cool. So I just looked up a bunch more and just told everyone a bunch of facts about octopuses.
Q: What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?
A: I really like crafting, painting and just making things. It's kind of a hobby.
Q: What is your favorite restaurant?
A: Olive Garden.
Q: What are your plans after college?
A: I'm going back home to Ohio and going to nursing school. I'm trying to become a pediatric nurse.
