Chatting with the MG Elites...Laurie Hernandez, Ariana Agrapides, and Jazmyn Foberg.

The Monmouth elites are ready to take the gymnastics world by storm with their powerful tumbling, expressive dance, and upbeat personalities! Laurie Hernandez is 13 years old and currently in her second year as an elite. She is the latest addition to the junior national team and recently won floor at the 2013 Secret US Classic. Jazmyn Foberg is also 13 years old and the newest elite at Monmouth. Jazmyn recently competed at the US Classic where she placed 11th on bars out of 40 competitors!  Last but not least is Ariana Agrapides who is 12 years old and the 2013 American Classic junior champion! Ariana also won a silver medal on vault at the 2013 Secret Classic. The girls were nice enough to chat with us during one of their recent sleepovers and answer all of our questions! Hopefully in this interview, you'll find out a little more about Laurie, Jazmyn, and Ariana.

Photo Credit: Triple Twist Gym Blog

Okay so first, let's talk about last weekend at Classics. How do you think you did? Were you happy with your performances?

Laurie: I thought I did an okay job. Bars was pretty good, but I missed a few handstands and on beam I fell. But overall I was happy! 

Jazmyn: I thought I did okay, not my best on beam and floor, but vault and bars were really good! I was happy on bars and vault and a little disappointed on beam and floor!

Ari: I thought I did okay! I did good on vault and floor, but I didn't do that good on bars and beam. I thought I could have done a little better but I was still happy with vault and floor though.

Photo Credit: Coach Maggie

Jazmyn and Ari, this was your first major elite meet, what was it like competing up on a podium, in front of a large crowd, and most importantly the national team staff? Were you nervous, excited...what were you feeling?

Jazmyn: I was really excited and so happy to make it there! But competing in front of the crowd and staff was a little nerve wracking!

Ari: I was a little nervous but also really excited!

Was Laurie able to give you any tips since she's been there before?

Ari: Yes! She's been really helpful and told us to just relax and calm down!

Jazmyn: Yeah, she told us to stay calm and just do our skills how we know how to do them!

Now Laurie and Ari, you guys are headed to Nationals in a few weeks. What are some of your goals or expectations? 

Laurie: My goals and expectations are to hit 8 for 8 events and place top 5 in the all around!

Ari: I want to hit 8 for 8 and be confident! And most importantly, just have fun!

So on your journey as elite gymnasts so far...who's the coolest person that you've gotten to meet? Have you meet any of your favorite gymnasts yet?

Jazmyn: Jordyn Wieber and Shawn Johnson probably!

Laurie: The coolest person I ever got to met was Kyla Ross and Mckayla Maroney. And yes, Mckayla is my favorite!

Ari: Mckayla Maroney! I've also met Kyla Ross!

Who are your role models? Is there anybody that you look up to or someone that inspires you?

Ari: Mckayla Maroney!

Jazmyn: I look up to Jordyn Wieber and Shawn Johnson!

Laurie: I look up to Shawn Johnson!

What's the coolest part about doing gymnastics at the elite level?

Jazmyn: I like competing on podium and seeing all of the crowd cheering for you! I also like how the scoring is different.

Laurie: Just being at the elite level! I love the feeling of performing in front of a crowd!

Ari: The coolest part is having the thrill of competing on a podium in front of so many people!

Are you girls home schooled or do you go to public school? 

Laurie: We are all home schooled!

Okay, now I'm sure you girls have heard this a million times, but everyone in the gymnastics world just loves your floor routines because they are really unique. Do you have any say in coming up with the choreography or is that all done by your coach?

Jazmyn: It's mostly done by our coaches but if we think something fits better, we show her and sometimes she likes our ideas better!

Laurie: She (Maggie) gives us music and if we like it, we keep it. Then she does our dance and if we do something differently and she likes it, we keep it! She changes it every week though!

So would you say dance is an important part of your gym? Do you guys focus a lot on the dance part of the sport or does it just come natural to you guys?

Ari: Yes! It's a big part of our gym. Maggie focuses a lot on our dance and presentation!

Jazmyn: It's really important and we focus on it a lot. 

Laurie: Yeah we definitely focus on dance! We don't do too much dance class,  but we work on our routines a lot. 

What about the leotards you guys wear? Do you guys get to help pick those out or does your coach do it? What's your favorite leotard that you've worn?

Laurie: Our coaches pick out our leos. My favorite was our main competition leo! It's black, tan, and white! 

Ari: I also really like our competition leo this year, the black, white, and tan one! 

Jazmyn: My favorite is the green leo! 

Okay the next question is for Laurie. A reader of my blog wanted me to ask you this. Do you ever get tired during your floor routine between the tumbling and the dance? You obviously get very into the dance part which is great, but how do you not run out of energy?

Laurie: I love to dance; but it does get tiring sometimes. In our gym we work on our endurance a lot, so its nice to entertain the crowd while doing good tumbling. 

So I assume you guys are all pretty close right? Can you tell us about how you guys met and became friends?

Jazmyn: Well me and Ari were friends since we were really little because we used to train together, then we separated, and then now we finally train together again! Laurie... I'm not really sure how we met, but we always kept in touch with each other and then now we train together and it's really exciting!

Laurie: Yes we are very close! I actually met Jazzy at one of my old level 10 meets! And then I saw Ari when her coach Bruce brought her and another teammate to our gym.

Ari: Yeah we are all really close! Jazzy and I actually went to a gym together when we were really little! And then Laurie and I met when I came to her gym!

Photo Credit: Coach Maggie

What's it like competing against each other? Are any of you super competitive? 

Ari: Not really, we are all really supportive of each other. 

Jazmyn: I've actually never really thought about that! We help each other out, so it's more like teamwork! 

Laurie: We all push each other to work harder in the gym!

Glad to hear that! Now Laurie and Ari, you have been both been to the national team camps. What is it like at the ranch? Was there anything that surprised you? 

Laurie: The ranch is a very calming place. It surprised me to see all of my old friends from developmental camp! 

Ari: I kind of expected everything because I have been there for TOPS and developmental camp. The ranch is more like a farm, there are a lot of woods and animals! 

Do you have any funny stories from camp? 

Ari: I don't have any because I've only been there once, but I'm sure I will experience some in the next few camps! 

Laurie: Polina and I watch a lot of movies and we crack jokes on some of the lines! 

What movies do you watch? 

Laurie: Mean girls! 

Photo Credit: Triple Twist Gym Blog

Okay, now what's something that not may people know about you? Do any of you have any hidden talents? 

Laurie: I like to do my nails and write poems! 

Ari: The goldfish trick!

Oh is that the one you mentioned in the gymnastike interview? (Putting a goldfish on your forehead and sliding it into your mouth.) 

Ari: Yes! We can all do it! 

Jazmyn: I brought up that trick in Texas and showed it to them! So now we can all do it! 

Okay, now if you could have the career of any gymnast who would it be? 

Jazmyn: Hmm, maybe Jordyn or Mckayla. 

Laurie: I would love to be Shawn Johnson for a day! 

Ari: Alicia Sacramone!

What about a dream skill? If you could compete any skill what would it be?

Laurie: A tucked double double on floor! 

Ari: A yurchenko double back

Jazmyn: Full twisting geinger

What would you say has been your greatest accomplishment in gymnastics so far? 

Laurie: Making national team! 

Jazmyn: Making international elite!

Ari: Making it to the P & G Championships! 

Photo Credit: Coach Maggie

Now I know you girls are way too young to even start thinking about college, but do you think that one day you would like to compete in college gymnastics?

Laurie, Jazmyn, and Ari: Yes!!

If you could compete for any college gymnastics team who would it be? 

Jazmyn: Florida or UCLA

Ari: Yeah, UCLA! 

Laurie: Florida Gators!

Do you guys follow NCAA Gymnastics? 

Laurie: A little, but not too much! 

Okay now have you ever had an embarrassing moment in competition or training? Spill the beans! 

Laurie: Once I went to jump from a mat onto the high bar, and the mat was too far and I face planted! 

Jazmyn: I tripped on my beam mount at the beginning of my routine and fell on one knee! 

Ari: When I was warming up on bars at the Parkettes meet, I tripped on the mat and landed flat on my face! 

What is your long term goal? What is the main thing you want to accomplish? 

Laurie: To be in the 2016 Olympics! 

Ari: To be named to the national team and go on international assignments! 

Jazmyn: To get on the national team and someday get an assignment! 

Okay and lastly, what is one thing you'd like to say to all the fans out there? 

Laurie: I love all the gymnastics edits they make us! It's really thoughtful! <3

Jazmyn: I love them and thanks for all the support! 

Ari: I love all you guys! <3

Photo Credit: Coach Maggie

We would like to thank Laurie, Ari, and Jazmyn for staying up late and talking with us! We wish you girls the best of luck with everything in the future. 

Make sure you follow Laurie, Jazmyn and Ari on Twitter! (Click their names for links!) 

Brittany (left) and Ashlee (right) with Jazmyn, Ari, and Laurie