GS: Can you please tell us about your experience at the 2009 L9 Eastern Nationals? What was it like to win four gold medals, including the all-around?
CN: It was really fun and neat. I liked competing in like a team format like we were competing for our region to win. Especially because region 5 has so many good girls and is a tough region. Winning the four golds was unbelievable. So many of the girls were so good and I just tried to stay focused and do my best and I never thought I would win.

GS: Why did your family move to Texas from Illinois?
CN: Actually my dad wanted me to either stay at Southeastern or go straight to Texas since it was going to only be a temporary move but my mom did not want the family to be separated. Southeastern was not doing an elite program and it was something I have been very interested in so as much as I loved Ms. Luidmilla and Ms. Galena it was time for me to move on so then we did the Chicago thing and then moved to Texas.

GS: What is your day like daily?
CN: During the school year I get up and practice in the morning and do school and have lunch at the gym or my mom will pick me up and have lunch then go back for second practice. Then after second practice I go home and finish school or if I am done with all my work then we can go shopping!! I like to go swimming too or the movies. It is fun because me and my teammates get to have a sort of recess at the gym between practice too!!

GS: What is it like to train under coaches Gina Logan and Marnie Futch?
CN: It's really great to work with Marnie and Gina. I think they work really hard for you if you work hard for them. They are very good coaches for me physically and mentally and they work well together too. It is very different coaching for me than I have ever had but still very disciplined. I think they are really good about doing skills that fit you and I really understand their corrections which is important.

GS: Do you think you accomplished anything from the 2011 season?
CN: Yes of course. I had an ankle injury and was in a boot in October last year and then right when I got better I got a bad bone bruise on my knee and they wanted me off my leg until the middle of December. Then it was time to move so we just decided I would use the rest of the season to just train. I was pretty far behind when I got to Metroplex because I didn't have a gym to train in all of January but Marnie and Gina worked miracles and were very supportive so we got me in a meet and I qualified to state and made it to regionals but probably just didn't have enough gym time to make it to Nationals. We had a lot of girls from my team go though and it was exciting for them.

GS: What are your goals for the 2012 season?
CN: To continue to train hard and hopefully try and qualify. In school I got to take 3 high school credit courses this year so next year I am taking honors geometry and science so it will be a lot of work balancing it all.

GS: Do you think it will be a hard transition from level 10 to elite?
CN: Just different. I haven't really had a complete level 10 year where there wasn't some drama so I can't really say.

GS: Are you working on something new or interesting for the 2012 season?
CN: Putting a lot more connections in my bar routine. Trying to be more consistent next season and get back vaulting.

GS: Who or what motivates you to go to the gym to work hard everyday?
CN: My passion for the sport is my motivation. I like to do a lot of other things but I love and live for gymnastics. My mom always says I'm just like my grandmother was, very determined and hard working in everything. It is exciting to go to the gym every morning not knowing how your day will turn out. I fell on beam the other day and got a beam bite that looks like the Under Armour logo. It was cool but hurt really bad. My whole thigh is still swollen but it's okay. Falling is frustrating for me not scary. It just makes me want to get back up and attack the beam!!

GS: What are your long-term goals? Which schools do you think you might be interested in?
CN: My long term goal is to get international assignments. My gymnastics dream is to go to Japan and compete and I have family there. Maybe one day I can go to Worlds and that is a goal too. I don't really know about a school because I never really thought about doing gymnastics in college until last summer. I always just wanted to be elite but my parents said I'm spending my college money so I should be thinking scholarship. :) I got to meet the coach from Florida last year and he was really nice and I liked him a lot and he said he really liked my bars. I also met UCLA and North Carolina coaches.

Past Spotlight:
Felicia Hano
Desi Borgese