Nya Reed has starred in the floor routine for the No. 1-ranked Gators, who host Missouri on Friday night at Exactech Arena/O'Connell Center. (Photo: Karla Kakouris/UAA Communications)
Carter's Corner: The Floor Is Where Gators Tell Stories
Friday, January 29, 2021 | Gymnastics, Scott Carter
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By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In the world of college gymnastics, nothing wakes up the building more than a dynamic floor routine. Fans of the No. 1-ranked Gators need no explanation.
They have witnessed some thrilling performers over the years, and this year's team is no different. Junior Nya Reed always puts on a good show. Sydney Johnson-Scharpf was born to perform. Trinity Thomas' athletic and graceful moves amaze. Sophomore Payton Richards has cranked up her routine with a nod to local legend Tom Petty. The list goes on.
If you have watched Reed in her zone, her answer to a question this week about performing in front of crowds might come as a surprise.
"I think my most scariest moment was my first time in the O'Dome ever,'' she said. "Believe it not, I was extremely shy my freshman year. It took me a while to come out of my shell."
Reed has clearly overcome her bashfulness. When she steps onto the mat for her floor routine these days, she takes Megan Thee Stallion and Nicki Minaj with her. They move to the groove and sure seem to have a lot of fun together.
Meanwhile, Johnson-Scharpf turns into a puppet that comes to life. At least that's what she imagines as she twists and turns and flashes enough sass to make Madonna jealous. (She might need to ask her mom who that is.)
"I just have a really big personality and I love to perform and show off,'' Johnson-Scharpf said. "I have a strong passion for dance and storytelling and performance."
Reed is one of her biggest fans.
"That girl is a performer,'' she said. "I know every single part of her routine. I love doing it with her. It's just so amazing. She made her own routine. That's insane to me. She is a huge performer. She is an eye pleaser. How can I be more like Sydney?" Florida's Sydney Johnson-Scharpf during her floor routine. (Photo: Susan Erdelyi/UAA Communications)
The sport's signature event went mainstream once again this week thanks to UCLA senior Nia Dennis, whose performance against Arizona State went viral on the internet. Performing to a mashup of artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Soulja Boy (a personal favorite) and Missy Elliott, Dennis wowed the small crowd and millions more on YouTube with her tumbling and crisp dance moves. I first saw it on ESPN and then watched it again on YouTube. It was definitely a performance of Black Excellence as intended. Janet Jackson, Michelle Obama and many others paid tribute to Dennis' outstanding routine on social media.
So did Reed.
"Seeing her inspires me to be better and do my best,'' she said. "She is someone who I look up to. I watched her before I even came to college. She is just an amazing gymnast."
Dennis has gone viral before. So have many others, such as former LSU star Llominicia Hall and ex-UCLA standout Katelyn Ohashi. On any given weekend, the talent is so rich in the sport that with the right confluence of factors – performing near Hollywood seems to help a lot – a relatively unknown gymnast one day could be featured on "SportsCenter" the next.
Gators coach Jenny Rowland has seen it happen before and will see it again. Maybe one day it will be Reed or Johnson-Scharpf.
"Really, just excited for our sport, excited [for] the popularity of our sport and really what our sport is trying to exude – the joy, the love of gymnastics,'' Rowland said.
If there is one thing I'm not, it's a gymnastics expert. I know the basics and enjoy sharing stories about the athletes, coaches and competitions, but if you expect me to break down the intricacies of a perfect floor routine, you will be disappointed.
For Reed, the devil is in the details.
"I've never really had to worry about my skills,'' she said. "I think it's more about perfecting the little things. I just keep that mindset when I raise my hand in front of fans and in front of judges."
Stuff like eye contact with the judges and crowd. Sticky landings. Toe points. Straight legs. Head balance.
What most of us notice is the athleticism, the power, the energy and yes, the sass.
"You get something completely different every person that goes up and performs,'' Johnson-Scharpf said. "I think that's really cool."
Dennis' turn in the spotlight did raise a question in my head that I wasn't sure of the answer. Why do these college gymnasts seem to have more fun during their floor routine than those at the Olympics?
College gymnastics, which operates under different and more accessible rules than what you see in the Olympics, is a step down from the elite circuit, but the fewer difficulty requirements leave gymnasts more time (and stamina) for choreography and showmanship. The gulf between the two classes has only become more pronounced since Simone Biles came along and raised the bar for everyone: these days every single thing an Olympic gymnast does on the floor has to add difficulty. It's almost a different sport altogether.
I'm fine with that. These college gymnasts put a lot of work into their routines. And once they get on the floor, they are clearly having fun.
"I want it to be perfect and something that people can stand up to and really enjoy and watch me do what I love to do,'' Reed said.
If you've watched her, you know Reed leaves it all on the floor.
