Feb. 1, 2013

STANFORD, Calif. - As an introduction to this year’s freshman class, gostanford.com will present an interview with a different Stanford men’s gymnastics freshman each Friday. In the first installment of Freshman Friday, gostanford.com profiles Jonathan Deaton.

Deaton has competed in each of Stanford’s first three meets, making lineups on floor exercise, vault, parallel bars and high bar.

Q: How is your first year at Stanford going so far?

A: So far my first year has been going great. Adjusting to being a student-athlete at Stanford has been a rush of new experiences. My new classes are intriguing and difficult but I have been enjoying the challenge. I’ve been having fun practicing gymnastics in the gym every day and I’m looking forward to my future at Stanford.

Q: How has your time been with the Stanford gymnastics team?

A: So far being with the Stanford gymnastics team has been amazing. It is great to have a group of teammates to spend so much time with. Together, we work hard in the gym and have fun outside of the gym. Having a team of friends has made my time at Stanford a lot of fun. My Stanford experience would be completely different without this team.

Q: What role have the other freshmen played in your transition to the college life?

A: It has been a tremendous help to have a smaller group of freshmen teammates who are making the same transition as myself. It has been a lot of fun to share the new experiences with my fellow freshmen. Although I am close friends with all of the members of the gymnastics team, I have made my closest friendships at Stanford among this group of freshmen gymnasts.

Q: You’ve competed in all three meets for Stanford, what’s that been like?

A: The three meets that I have competed in have probably been the most exciting experiences of my time at Stanford so far. It is a thrill to compete on an event while the entire team is standing next to you cheering you on. It is equally as great to cheer on my teammates and watch them succeed in competition. After every meet I have been anxious to get back in the gym and work hard to make a bigger contribution to the team in the next competition.

A: This year I expect for our team to win the national championship. With hard work, I know this is a goal within our reach and I am ready to help the team get there. In the long term, I expect for our team to make improvements in our gymnastics that will help us continue to be a successful team.

Q: What are your personal goals this year?

A: My personal goals for this year are to be a major contributor to Stanford in winning the NCAA Championships title, as well as making the Senior National Gymnastics team. An intermediary goal is to make big improvements on my pommel-horse abilities in order to accomplish these larger goals. Aside from pommel-horse, I hope to improve my all-around score to become one of the top all-around competitors in the country.

Q: Is there a special or unique moment this season with Stanford gymnastics that stands out to you?

A: One of our greatest moments so far this season has been winning the Stanford Open against Cal-Berkeley, the University of Nebraska, and the University of Oklahoma. The meet was our first home meet and we performed well. Most of all it was exciting because it showed how good we are and how much better we can be if we work hard and make improvements for the rest of the season.

Q: What do you enjoy doing in your free time outside of the gym?

A: Outside of the gym I spend my free time hanging out with the team, as well as playing guitar, reading for fun, and listening to music. I have been teaching myself to play the guitar for the past 3 years, and my favorite genre to play is alternative music on the acoustic guitar. Among other books, I recently enjoyed reading The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.