In The Nest: Taylor Jensen Soars High For Bowling Green Gymnastics
Medical Mutual
6/16/2022
Gymnastics rising senior Taylor Jensen (North Prairie, Wis.) has participated in the all-around in every BGSU meet over the last two seasons. She twice matched her career-high in the all-around (39.350) in 2022 which is tied for the eighth-best mark in program history.
Q: As we are in the midst of summer. Do you have any fun summer plans or trips you are taking?
Jensen: Actually, I am currently on vacation with my family and cousins in St. Thomas. In July, I plan on going to Chicago to visit some of the famous architecture and celebrate my 21st birthday.
Q: You just completed your third year at BGSU, second where you have competed in the all-around at every Bowling Green meet. What is your favorite of the four events and why?
Jensen: This answer is always changing for me. I used to always say floor without hesitation because I have always enjoyed the performance of the event and powerful tumbling. I love putting my all into my choreography and music, pulling in the crowd and judge’s attention. I also used to say my favorite event to practice was vault, but now in college that might be beam. If you knew me before college you probably wouldn’t believe this answer because in JO me and beam were arch-nemesis. I hated everything about beam. That only leaves bars, which I have nothing against and have always liked, I guess it just never made it to favorite.
Q: What is the preparation like to compete in the all-around as you are mastering four events each and every week?
Jensen: When training for all-around you are always the last one done at practice. There is a lot to get done and focus on, but I love it and the challenge. Sometimes it can be overwhelming having to perfect skills and routines for each event, especially when one or more are not going my way that day. On the other hand, competing every event can help me from overanalyzing one while I'm on another. There isn’t enough time to. Overall, I love being able to represent BG in all-around. I even like the pressure of the line-up spots, because it means I am good enough to be there and that my coach has faith in me to do the job.
Q: When you create a floor routine, what goes into that artistic process from picking a song to the techniques you want to showcase?
Jensen: For my floor music I like to pick dark pieces that are dramatic, creepy, and unique. To match, I want my choreography to also be dark and creepy, but also powerful and intricate. I want people to hear the music to turn and watch, then see the choreography and not be able to look away. I have had other types of music and routines, but dark has always been my favorite to perform.
Q: You are studying architecture. What is your career goal after college in that field and how did you find that niche?
Jensen: After college, I plan to go back to school to get a master’s in architecture. From there I will need to gain many experience hours and pass several tests to achieve licensure. I first looked into architecture around middle school when I started looking at colleges for gymnastics. I needed to begin thinking about a major and I knew I liked both art and math. I took a few drafting and tech classes in high school and the more I looked into it, I realized it was what I wanted to do with my life.
Q: Is there something not many people know about you?
Jensen: Most people don’t know that I have synesthesia, more specifically Number-form synesthesia. Synthesia itself is having cross-wired senses. For me, it means seeing times and dates in three-dimension but also each in their own pattern. It's actually really hard to explain.
Q: Growing up, how did you gravitate towards gymnastics?
Jensen: When I was a kid I was always climbing on everything and never seemed to run out of energy. At two, I climbed over my baby gate in the middle of the night and broke my arm. My parents then decided to put me in gymnastics to help calm their “wild child.” The coaches saw that I had the talent for more than playing in the pits and swinging on the ropes and I was invited to join team. From there I fell in love.
Q: You hail from North Prairie, Wis., which is just outside Milwaukee. If someone is coming to your hometown, or passing through, where is a place they should visit or grab a meal (what should they order)?
Jensen: I think that if you are going to try something in Wisconsin it has to be dairy because that’s what we are known for. Near my hometown, there is an old homemade frozen custard dessert restaurant, LeDuc’s. They also have milkshakes, malts and burgers. You really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, but I typically order a classic scoop of chocolate or vanilla custard.
Q: Describe Coach Turner in one word?
Jensen: Passionate
Q: Who is the funniest girl on the team?
Jensen: A lot of my teammates are funny but Kathryn [Weilbacher] may be the most. There isn’t ever a day that she hasn’t made someone laugh. This past season, she had me for secret falcon and the “MAC gift” she gave me was inside joke after inside joke, each with their own story, some I had even forgotten about.
Q: Who inspired or encouraged you the most athletically growing up?
Jensen: I never had a singular gymnast I looked up to or worshiped. What inspired me the most was when I saw the older girls from my home gym achieve their college dreams. In my eyes, they were absolutely spectacular, and I remember watching them train in amazement. I wanted to be just like them. My goal was never the Olympics, it was always D1 college. My parents and home coaches were the ones that encouraged me to achieve this dream. I am lucky to have parents that never pressured me or forced me in gymnastics. They supported me in any and every way possible and only ever wanted to watch me do what I love.
Q: Where is your favorite spot on campus and why?
Jensen: My favorite spot on campus might be the new business building. I love the new construction with the old brick exposed on the interior and the use of glass creating a more open modern space. I will either go with my teammates or classmates to study and get homework done.
Q: To close, what is your go-to meal?
Jensen: I am really not picky and I like almost all types of food, but for a go-to, I probably eat eggs the most. My favorite is a sunny-side-up egg on avocado toast with sundried tomatoes on top.
