Feb. 9, 2010

BERKELEY - Sophomore Michael Salipante, hailing from Wellesley, Mass., is one of the four members of the California men's gymnastics team not from California. At last year's NCAA Championships, Salipante scored his highest marks of the year on rings, his specialty event in his freshman campaign, where he earned a 14.700. CalBears.com chatted with Salipante recently to discuss life inside and outside of the gym.

CalBears.com: You're from clear across the country - from Wellesley, Mass. What is it like to attend college in California?
Michael Salipante: The Northeast and NorCal seem to be very similar places. I definitely don't miss the cold weather, except a snow day every once and while wouldn't be that bad.

CalBears.com: What are the biggest differences between the East Coast and the West Coast?
MS: The weather is incredible on the West Coast. Also, the drivers are much better on the West Coast than in Boston.

CalBears.com: What are some hobbies you have outside of your sport?
MS: Biking, cello, reading. I only play the cello recreationally nowadays, but I've been playing since the fourth grade.

CalBears.com: What are your personal goals for this season?
MS: I had my second shoulder surgery over the summer, so I'd like to get healthy again and work my way back into the line-up.

CalBears.com: What is one thing you can't live without?
MS: Coffee

CalBears.com: If you could snap your fingers and appear somewhere else, where would it be?
MS: Breckenridge, Colo., where my family vacations a lot so I could ski.

CalBears.com: If you had to listen to one artist/band for the rest of your life, who or what would it be?
MS: Portugal the Man

CalBears.com: What challenge of your sport do you not find in any other sport?
MS: I think that men's gymnasts need to be as strong as possible while being as light and agile as possible to be able to do all the very difficult skills. It's tricky to manage the right strength level without becoming too heavy.

CalBears.com: What question do you want the next men's gymnast to do a Q&A to answer?
MS: Which teammate do you think would make the best president?