Name: Kimberly Smith
Club: Azarian
High School Graduation Year: 2022
NCAA Team: Arizona State
Commitment Announcement: Instagram
Social Handles: Twitter | Instagram (main) | Instagram (gymnastics)
Personal Bests
| Vault | Uneven Bars | Balance Beam | Floor Exercise | All Around |
| 9.675 | 9.525 | 9.600 | 9.625 | 38.025 |
Videos
| Vault | Uneven Bars | Balance Beam | Floor Exercise |
| 2020 San Diego Classic | 2020 Long Beach Open | 2020 Long Beach Open | 2020 World Elite Classic |
Recruit Rating*
| Vault | Uneven Bars | Balance Beam | Floor Exercise | All Around | Rating |
| 13 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 58 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ |
*For more on our new Recruit Rating system, please take a look at our dedicated landing page.
About Kimberly
Smith is a two-time level 10 nationals qualifier (2018 and 2019). In 2019 she tied for sixth place in the all around in the Junior C division. Earlier that year she won silver medals in the all around at both the SoCal state meet and at Region 1 regionals. Smith scored career highs on vault, bars and beam in 2020.
What She Brings to Arizona State
Vault
- Skill: Yurchenko full
- Results: 2019 SoCal state co-champion
- Margin of Improvement: Smith’s vault is solid, though she could work on its height and amplitude—she pikes down on the landing a bit. She is training a Yurchenko 1.5.
- Impact on the Team: ASU is a team on the rise on vault: Its two best vaulters in 2020 are only freshmen. Smith’s Yurchenko full may not score in the 9.9s but could be rewarded with solid 9.8s.
Uneven Bars
- Skills: straddled Jaeger, bail to handstand, double layout dismount
- Results: third place at 2019 Region 1 regionals
- Margin of Improvement: Smith’s lines and toe point stands out here. The dismount is the element that still incurs the most deductions.
- Impact on the Team: After the next season, ASU will likely have to replace its best bar worker, Cairo Leonard-Baker. Head coach Jay Santos will look with interest at Smith’s routine. She has the potential to break into the 9.9s.
Balance Beam
- Skills: full turn, BHS + LOSO, switch leap to switch leap half, front aerial, straddle jump half on the side of the beam, 1.5 twist dismount
- Results: fourth place at 2019 Region 1 regionals
- Margin of Improvement: Smith’s form is excellent on beam. She will want to keep working on her consistency. A hit routine with such execution will score very well in college!
- Impact on the Team: This was ASU’s weakest apparatus in 2020: The Sun Devils failed to break into the 9.9s. Smith has a lot to contribute on this apparatus, hopefully the judges will reward her clean execution.
Floor Exercise
- Skills: double pike, front full twist to front pike, double tuck
- Results: second place at the 2019 SoCal state meet
- Margin of Improvement: Smith will want to continue to work on her landings and the extension of her splits. She is an overall good performer, though, and with two more years of club gymnastics under her belt she will be more than ready by the time she arrives in Tempe.
- Impact on the Team: Except for Juliette Boyer, ASU’s best floor workers will have graduated by the time Smith starts her collegiate career. She has all the elements to be considered for a spot in the lineup.
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Article by Talitha Ilacqua
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