In Focus: Childhood Whidbey Island Trips Shaped Northey As Student And Athlete
February 26, 2015 | General, Gymnastics
By Mason Kelley
GoHuskies.com
To understand who Allie Northey is now, it is important to take a look at some of the Washington gymnast's favorite memories.
The junior who majors in biology – she is also pursuing a minor in marine biology – discovered her love for nature as a child during family trips to a cabin on Whidbey Island.
“I grew up going there all the time,” she said. “It sparked my interest with marine life and animals in general.”
Spending time, “right on the beach,” she went crabbing with her father, Steve. She would go digging for clams. She was often treated to an up-close-and-personal view of harbor seals.
And then there were the days each spring when she could stand on the shore and see orcas in the distance.
“When I was little I would see that and think, 'they're huge,'” she said. “With the scale of these things, I just wanted to know more. It never stopped from there.”
Her introduction to wildlife during those trips to Whidbey Island set the foundation, shaping a passion that continues to drive her toward the future.
In addition to gymnastics and school, she volunteers at the greenhouse on campus once a week. She spent time teaching children about marine life in the Puget Sound at the Seattle Aquarium. And she will spend this weekend volunteering at the Pacific Science Center's Polar Science Weekend.
“I love getting involved in any way I can,” said Northey, who plans to help kids better understand the narwhal.
If all that isn't enough, she is also getting ready to start working in the university's Infant Primate Research Laboratory where she will be doing undergraduate research with the psychology department.
“I'm really excited about it,” she said. “I'm super passionate about animals, the Earth, plants, so I'm just excited for the opportunity and experience of working with primates.”
Everything Northey does is designed to help her get closer to being able to one day combine conservation and wildlife into a career.
“I'm going to do whatever I can to work with animals,” she said.
With finals on the horizon, most students are stressed this time of year, focused on finishing the quarter strong or at least surviving until spring break.
Not Northey. She is so passionate about what she does, each day and every class at Washington is an enjoyable experience.
“I'm taking the coolest classes ever,” she said with a smile. “School is just so awesome.”
She enjoys learning, and teaching so much, she never hesitates to share “weird snippets of information” with her teammates.
With finals on the horizon, most students are stressed this time of year, focused on finishing the quarter strong or at least surviving until spring break. Not Northey.
Did you know a blue whale can consume half a million calories in one gulp? That is just one of the facts Northey has shared with the Huskies.
“I love learning little snippets of information and sharing it with others,” she said. “It's my passion.”
While life in the classroom is “awesome,” things are also going well in the gym. Against Utah – a top-10 opponent – on Valentine's Day, she turned in a career-best finish in the all-around with a winning score of 39.475. She matched a personal best 9.9 in both the uneven bars and balance beam, prompting coach Joanne Bowers to say Northey was “on fire.”
“I just took it one event at a time and just kind of did my thing,” Northey said. “I wasn't stressed out or anxious. I just kind of enjoyed every moment. That's how I'm going to keep doing it, because it worked out well.”
Northey followed that performance with another strong showing during a home meet at Alaska Airlines Arena last week.
“It's been working out really well,” she said. “I've never had this great of a year thus far.”
In the past, Northey has struggled with back issues. It is something that has lingered since her sophomore year at Skyline High School in Sammamish. This year, though, “we're managing it really well.”
But, while it helps to be healthy, her success this season is a byproduct of enjoying her life as a gymnast as much as her life in the classroom.
By taking a more relaxed approach, there is “less pressure and I can focus on having fun and doing what I do every day in the gym.”
Things are going so well this season Northey believes the Huskies can make some noise in postseason competitions. More important than any individual success, she wants to make sure her team competes at the highest level.
“I just do the best I can to be better for my team,” she said. “It's all about the team. We're all in this together. I'm doing what I can to help us get there.”
