by Ashley Bourdier
LSU Sports Information
For four or five years, college athletes have someone planning their every move. They have strictly structured schedules involving practice, competition, travel, strength and conditioning, meals, study hall and classes. Being an athlete is part of their identity.
But for all college athletes that will end when their years in competition come to a halt.
“It’s going to be weird not having a set schedule and having so much free time on my hands,” said LSU gymnast Kristi Esposito.
As a senior, Esposito is at that milestone when she competes at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center as the Tigers take on Washington in their final regular-season home meet on Friday.
Born to compete
“It’s probably been called a clich? by now. At age six I was climbing on furniture and flipping off the sofa so I began gymnastics. I needed an outlet for excess energy,” said Esposito.
Esposito’s incredible talent was showcased growing up at the Northshore Gymnastics club in Slidell, La as she qualified as a level 10 gymnast at the tender age of 13.
Her ability that was far beyond her years gave her the opportunity to make the Nationals team and become a member of the Junior Olympic team.
In 2001, Esposito became a national champion in the uneven bars event and repeated as regional uneven bars champion in 2002.
Esposito had her pick of colleges as she quickly developed into one of the top gymnasts in the country, but before Esposito became a Tiger she originally chose Nebraska.
“I wanted to experience a new state,” said Esposito. “I think the best part about going away was that I really grew as a person. I found out who I was. That has been a huge help with gymnastics.”
Esposito had one of the most stellar freshman and sophomore campaigns at Nebraska. She earned three All-American titles and All-Big 12 honors in competition and finished third on beam at the 2004 NCAA Championship. She also racked up five titles on beam and uneven bars.
But, after her second season as a Cornhusker, Esposito wanted to come back home and wanted to join LSU head coach D-D Breaux and the Tigers.
“Nothing big or significant made me transfer,” said Esposito. “It just didn’t seem like home. I didn’t feel like it was the right place for me, so I came home.”
A new beginning
As a result of Esposito’s transfer she had to sit out the 2006 season in accordance with NCAA regulations.
“At first, I was very nervous. I didn’t know how the girls would accept me on the team,” said Esposito. “Once I met everyone and we formed a bond everything worked out great.”
But after years of experience under her belt, the rising star saw the bigger picture and improved exponentially with each passing week. She understood she had to make a place on the squad.
As she returned her junior season, Esposito was looking for much more in her following year.
Esposito closed out her first season as the Tigers’ most consistent performer on the floor averaging a 9.804. She also turned in a season best of 9.875 three times.
She earned first-team All-America honors on the beam for the third time in her career.
She also continued to excel in the classroom as well, earning Academic All-America honors for the third-straight year. She was also named to the SEC Academic Honor roll.
“I make school a huge priority,” said Esposito. “It’s really important to me. I know that gymnastics will end and elementary education is what I will do for the rest of my life.”
Closing a career
With all of the accomplishments she has accumulated Esposito entered her senior year as the most decorated athlete on the Tigers’ 2008 roster. She has racked-up four All-America honors as well as three Academic honors, the 2004 Big 12 bars championship and numerous first-team titles.
“I owe it to so many people,” said Esposito. “I’ve been so many different places that each person I’ve met along the way has either helped me with my gymnastics or has helped me personally.”
Currently, Esposito is tied for No. 11 in the nation on the beam with an average score of 9.860. This year, the beam has been Esposito’s most consistent event. She had already earned a total of 12 individual titles; four on bars, three on beam and five all-around.
So what is going through her mind during her routines?
“I remember to always stay clam and breathe,” said Esposito. “I have little cues that I say before each of my events to keep me calm and as close to practice as possible.”
This season is Esposito’s last year as an LSU gymnast, but she and her teammates don’t think of that when they compete. “We take each meet one by one,” said Esposito. “The girls have supported me through my final season and I look up to each of them.”
Being an all-around athlete has earned her a huge leadership role on the squad, which Esposito takes very seriously. The leadership role probably developed early on in Esposito’s life as she is the oldest of five children.
“I try to work very hard at competition as well as academics,” said Esposito. “I’m hoping the girls can follow that the next couple of years. “I want to leave with this team going as far as we can which is the Super Six.”
Now that Esposito’s career is almost complete, she will miss being a gymnast, but its time for her to move on to the next phase of her life.
“I will miss the girls, we are a family and we all get along very well,” said Esposito. “I’m going to finish grad school next summer and then I might teach here or move back home.”
And of course, Esposito will always be reminded of those special highlighted moments during her career. Moments, for example, when she finished as the national runner-up on the beam with a score of 9.9125 during the 2005 NCAA Championship or when she scored 9.850 on beam at the 2007 SEC Championship.