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SALT LAKE CITY — It is senior Baely Rowe’s last season as a Ute and, as she looked back on the past four years, she said she is overwhelmed by the incredible journey.
“These past four years have been amazing, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” Rowe said.
Rowe said she always knew she wanted to be a Ute. Utah was one of the first letters she received and, when she visited the summer before her junior year of high school, she fell in love with the program.
“I love the team, I love the coaches, I love the area," Rowe said about her visit. "It’s so beautiful, and I knew that I could live here."
Rowe is in her last few months as a collegiate gymnast and said she didn’t feel the “being a senior thing” until the UCLA meet, when she landed her beam dismount and realized she had only one more meet in the Huntsman Center.
“It is about enjoying the moment and enjoying the rest of the year with the team and the coaches and the great community we have here” she said.
Rowe said the UCLA meet was the moment the team came together.
“Everything that we had been working really hard to do came together, and it was an amazing moment, and I will always remember that about this team,” Rowe said.
As co-captain, Rowe led a young team that doesn’t have the experience of upper-classmates. She said she wanted to show them what Utah could be but was impressed with their abilities.
“We found out that these girls really do have that leadership role inside themselves," Rowe said. "They are independent and know how to lead.”
With the season winding down, the Utes are keeping momentum by staying consistent and focusing on the little things, she said.
“The most difficult part about here and now is just staying consistent," Rowe said. "You have to listen to yourself, listen to your coaches and listen to your body, and either push through or lay down a little bit."
Rowe will compete in her last home meet Friday, when the Red Rocks host Stanford in the Huntsman Center.
