University of Georgia Athletics
Quick Chat Sydney Snead (Part I)
December 07, 2018 | Gymnastics, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Just about everyone could benefit from some Sydney Snead time. A 15-minute conversation with the senior GymDog, a super-fit 5-foot-2 bundle of joy, energy and enthusiasm for life, is like a triple shot of espresso for the spirit and soul.
Just don't ask the two-time All-American from Raleigh, N.C., who last season scored a perfect 10 on the floor against Florida, to dive into a pool. In the gym, Snead is a knows-no-fear daredevil, but poolside, she's all caution getting into the water. To find out more about that, you'll have to check out Part II of my Quick Chat with Snead, which will come out Monday.
It's not often that one of my many Quick Chats extends into overtime, or a two-parter (the only other time I can think of was once with Quick Chat Hall of Famer Jeb Blazevich), but Snead was too fun and too interesting to edit down to 1,000 or so words.
Snead and the GymDogs will conduct their annual "First Look" event at 4 p.m. Saturday at Stegeman Coliseum. As a warm-up before heading over to check out a team with a lot of new faces, enjoy Part I of this great conversation:
Frierson: What is it like being the only senior on a team with nine freshmen? Do you feel old for the first time in your life?
Snead: It's funny you said that, yes. I feel old, sometimes I feel like a little mom on the team, just because we have nine freshmen who are so young and ask your basic questions that all freshmen ask: what buses to take, where's this class at. And I'm like, oh my gosh, that was me four years ago, which is crazy.
I definitely feel old and it makes me sad (laughs).Â
Frierson: How many siblings do you have?
Snead: I have three younger siblings.
Frierson: So you already know this role a little bit; you know what it's like to lead the way and help out those coming up behind you.
Snead: I definitely do. When I grew up, like in high school, I was the oldest and (my two sisters and my brother) were in elementary school and middle school. I guess at home I kind of had the same thing.
Frierson: What is something you know now that you can pass along, that you wish you'd known when you were a freshman?
Snead: I would definitely say managing time, and just like from a school perspective it would be studying way more in advance. It seems like such a basic thing, but in high school we all were like, oh, we can cram at the last minute. I remember my freshman year, cramming was not a thing. People would study for weeks in advance and I remember I was so confused.
Now, with the freshman, I'm like, you guys should start studying way before the tests so that you're not stressed for your tests. I wish I knew that freshman year: when to study, time management, using Rankin all the time — obviously the tutoring is awesome and we had to do that freshman year.
Another thing I told them to do was to go up to their professors and talk to them and make that connection. Do the homework all the time, use Rankin as much as you need to and use all the tools that they give you. I think all of that makes a big difference.
Frierson: We've got the holidays coming up, so what's the best present you've ever received, whether it was Christmas or your birthday or whatever?
Snead: One time for my birthday, I got a puppy. She was the absolute best dog, she passed away last year, but I remember I was so excited. I was in the fifth grade and my parents put her in a little box. I remember opening it and being like, "OH MY GOSH!!!"
Her name was Sandy and she was a Goldendoodle and she was so cute. I don't think a present has ever topped that.
Frierson: Were you expecting it or was it out of the blue?
Snead: Every kid's always like, I want a puppy for Christmas or I want this for my birthday, but I had just always said it and never thought that my parents were actually going to get one. When I got it I remember I was so surprised. They literally put a bow on her and it was so cute.
Frierson: As I get older I enjoy giving more than receiving, so what's the best gift you've ever given someone? Has there been a time when you knew you absolutely nailed it?
Snead: Okay, this might not be one time, but I think it was my sophomore year of college. Obviously, I'm the oldest of four siblings and I got presents for my mom, my dad, both of my sisters and my brother, and I was so proud of myself. It was the first time I'd done real Christmas shopping, on my own. It wasn't like it was one big gift, but it was the fact that I'd, on my own, gotten each one of them a gift.
I remember feeling like, "I feel old now and mature." I remember I was so excited that year when I went home for Christmas because I had each present wrapped individually. ... It was like "adulting," like what in the world?
Frierson: If you could go anywhere in the world on somebody else's dime, where would you like to go?
Snead: Somewhere that I've always wanted to go would be Paris. I know that's like your typical thing but I've never been there before. I always see the coolest pictures and I think that's where I'd have to go.
Frierson: What's the most interesting place that gymnastics has taken you.
Snead: In club, I got to go to Costa Rica and Puerto Rico, and those are really cool. Those are the only places I've been out of the country for gymnastics, and I remember my freshman year we got to go to California, to UCLA and compete, and that as cool because we stayed out there all week.
Frierson: Does it still kind of amaze you that this sport which you obviously do very well and enjoy, has taken you to so many interesting places?
Snead: Yeah, I feel like now that I'm a senior, it's so different. This year's a lot about enjoying my senior year. I feel like a lot of times I try to stay present in the moment versus always thinking ahead, which is what we typically do.
I think when I do try to stay in the moment sometimes I'll reminisce about the past and be like, wow, that is so cool that we got to go to California or that I got to go to Puerto Rico, that we get to travel to all these places. It's been awesome.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
Players Mentioned
