Final Home Meet Upon Zymball, Huskers

Andrew Zymball, a senior from Omaha, expects many friends and family members to make the trip to Lincoln on Saturday for his final home gymnastics meet, as Nebraska hosts Michigan on Senior Day at 1:30 p.m. at the Devaney Sports Center. A three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and nine-time member of the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll, Zymball has been limited to one event his senior season because of a back injury. He met with Brian Rosenthal of Huskers.com to reflect on his Husker career in this question-and-answer session.

BR: As you look back on your career, what’s been your most memorable experience?

Andrew: “Freshman year was obviously the biggest experience, just because it was my first time ever competing in a college setting. Completely different from what high school gymnastics is like. That, and throughout the whole 2018 season was, as a whole, the most memorable, because that was my incoming class and I redshirted and we had that class of 10 seniors. That was really special to show them out the way we did. It was a very good year, one of the best one we’ve had.”

BR: What injuries have you had to overcome while at Nebraska, and how were you able to persevere?

Andrew: “The main injury I’m still struggling with today, I have had actually three fractures in my back. I’m on my third. I got one after my freshman year and then two more this past year. It’s been more of a mental battle than a physical battle, if you can believe it, just getting the mind right, making yourself do the rehab, eating healthy and just having that mindset of, ‘It’s not going to affect me while I do this sport.’ For the most part, I’ve had really minor injuries. My senior year of high school I broke my hand and fractured my growth plate, and that was a pretty big one. I was out for like 9 months with that.”

BR: Have any of your injuries prevented you from doing one or more events that you otherwise might be doing, or want to do?

Andrew: “I did have to drop some events. I dropped floor, rings and vault, so now I’m only doing p-bars to save my body a little bit. The event I miss most is floor. It’s the most exciting to compete because with every pass you hear the crowd cheer. You get to go all-out. It’s not something you have to hold back on. I tried to make a comeback this year on it, but I just couldn’t.”

BR: Did you have anybody help you through the injuries, somebody you leaned on during difficult times?

Andrew: “I leaned on my team a lot. We’re always pushing each other to do our best, push through those nagging injuries, especially when you know they’re not going to get better, you know? Just doing it for them, too; it’s bigger than yourself. Doing that for them is huge.”

BR: How important are academics to you, and how do you balance that with gymnastics?

Andrew: “I mean, the whole reason we’re here is for school, priority one, and then gymnastics. Academics are huge for me. I know I’m not going to have gymnastics from here on out, so I need to pursue a career and I plan on going to grad school. Obviously, academics play a big role. At first, it was a little difficult (to balance), like coming in freshman year, but then you just find your schedule. Like, for me I just fell into a routine of, ‘All right, do my homework this time, then prepare for gym this time,’ and so on. Just setting those times aside where I could watch Netflix, but I’m going to go read. It’s just something you’ve got to do. ”

BR: Finish this sentence. If men’s gymnasts were ever to do balance beam …

Andrew: “They would fall a lot. (Laughs). And probably get hurt.”

BR: Have you ever tried it?

Andrew: “I mean, I’ve walked around on it, tried a cartwheel or two, but never going to do a flip or anything. No way can I land with my feet together like that. It’s incredible what they do.”

BR: If you had to be trapped on an island with one teammate, who would you choose and why?

Andrew: “I would probably choose Alex Magsam. He was a senior last year, and he’s all into hunting and stuff, so I’m leaning on him for survival.”

BR: What’s your favorite sport outside of gymnastics?

Andrew: “I love watching and playing basketball. I grew up always playing driveway basketball. I love the NBA, March Madness. Always fun to watch.”

BR: Who’s winning the NCAA basketball tournament?

Andrew: “I’ve got Duke. Zion’s going to prevail. He’s too good. I mean when you’re 6-8, 280, something like that? …”

BR: What are your career plans?

Andrew: “I plan on going to grad school. I’m taking a gap year to move home with my parents and figure everything out, and then I plan on pursuing a career in physical therapy. I know I like it and I’m going to be good at it.”

Reach Brian at brosenthal@huskers.com or follow him on Twitter @GBRosenthal.