2020 Gumbo Final - Book - Page 70
Geaux Ruby
Story: Kennedi Landry
Photo: Reveille Photographer
Design: Mariah Graham
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Ruby Harrold reflects on her time as
an LSU gymnast
uby Harrold is pretty sure she cried when she
first came to LSU on her official visit. No, she’s
positive she cried.
It was overwhelming for the senior all-arounder
all those years ago — the pomp circumstance
and atmosphere of the LSU gymnastics
program that has been led by D-D Breaux for
the past 43 years.
“The whole family integration of a team, the
interactions between the coaches and the
gymnasts where the coaches treat the girls like
adults and not just like athletes,” Harrold said.
“I knew that this whole thing was something
that I wanted to do. It wasn’t a case of me
trying to figure out what school I wanted to go
to.”
Co-head coach Jay Clark convinced the former
Great Britain Olympian to take a shot at LSU.
Harrold met Clark when she and her elite
coach went to a training camp with former
Tiger gymnast Lexie Priessman in 2014.
Harrold and Clark stayed in contact and Clark
persuaded her to visit LSU. The rest was
history.
“Jay showed enough interest in me as a
person, which was very flattering so I said ‘Let’s
do this thing,’ and I ended up here two years
later,” Harrold said.
After three years in Baton Rouge — with three
Super Six/Final Four appearances and two
national runner-up titles — Harrold has become
ingrained in Louisiana culture while helping
lead the Tigers during her senior season.
Coming to a new country was enough of a
change for Harrold, but coming to a place as
unique as Louisiana presented a different set
of difficulties, but Harrold wasn’t too phased.
“Definitely just the way of life, the culture,
the food (is different), but I’m not picky so it
doesn’t really matter,” Harrold said. “People’s
demeanor, like everybody is so friendly. Just
learning the way of life and how things roll
around here. It was challenging, but I’ve
learned a lot.
“I like crawfish a lot. Your typical jambalaya,
gumbo. I’m a fan of etouffee.”
The food in Louisiana was the easy part, but
learning about football, on the other hand, was
not.
Harrold said people in England don’t love
sports the same way as in America, especially
when it comes to collegiate athletics.
While her father is from Liverpool and supports
the city’sPremier League team, Harrold is
not big into sports. She admits to not really
understanding American football until last year.
“I was just here for the fun honestly, the songs
and all,” Harrold said. “I understand you have
to get the ball from this side to this side,
but that’s the extent. I never knew why they
stopped, why they started, why you kick the
ball, why you run with the ball. I always find
myself, instead of watching the field, I would
watch the screen because I would lose where
the ball was. I had no idea.”
For all Harrold learned outside of the gym
during her time at LSU, adjusting to the culture
and atmosphere, she has become somebody
that can lead the Tigers with a certain level of
care and attention in 2020, said coach D-D
Breaux.
Breaux said the maturity and the seriousness
with which Harrold carries herself through
everything, from her academics to her social
life, is a bonus for the Tigers because of what
she’s done and accomplished on the floor.
“I’ve seen her become very serious about
her academics and not that she wasn’t when
she got here, but I think she has a plan and
a direction and a vision and that’s critically
important when you’re in school and when
you’re pursuing your dreams,” Breaux said.
“If it’s a real dream and it’s attainable, I think
she’s created that for herself. I think she knows
where she wants to go and what she wants to
do.”
Her maturity and experience and ability to lead
is vital for a young, inexperienced LSU team.
“She’s very nurturing,” Breaux said.
“Sometimes the coaches aren’t nurturing,