Utah’s Sydney Soloski thanks fans after her floor routine as the Utah Red Rocks compete against Minnesota in a gymnastics meet at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 4, 2022. Mengshin Lin, Deseret News
Trent Wood is a sports writer for the Deseret News.
How do you go about telling a story that was a lifetime in the making?
Even if the time frame is shortened to an athlete’s four or five years in college, how do you put into words the impact and meaning of a collegiate career?
That is the challenge every year when it comes to representing the experiences of gymnasts whose time with Utah gymnastics has come to an end.
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Utah Red Rocks head coach Tom Farden hugs Sydney Soloski after her floor routine as the Utah Red Rocks compete against Minnesota in a gymnastics meet at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 4, 2022. | Mengshin Lin, Deseret News
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Utah’s Sydney Soloski competes on the floor during the gymnastics meet against with Arizona State University at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Jan. 21, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Utah’s Sydney Soloski celebrates at the end of her floor routine during the Pac-12 women’s gymnastics championship at the Maverik Center in West Valley City on Saturday, March 19, 2022. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah’s Sydney Soloski does her floor routine as the Utah Red Rocks compete against Oregon State in a gymnastics meet at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 18, 2022. Utah won. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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Utah’s Sydney Soloski competes on the floor during the gymnastics meet against with Arizona State University at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Jan. 21, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Utah’s Sydney Soloski competes on the floor during the gymnastics meet with Oklahoma at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Jan. 14, 2022. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah’s Sydney Soloski gets congratulated by teammates after her floor routine during the gymnastics meet with Oklahoma at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Jan. 14, 2022. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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The University of Utah’s Sydney Soloski does her floor routine while competing against Brigham Young University, Utah State University and Southern Utah University in the Rio Tinto Best of Utah NCAA gymnastics meet at the Maverik Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. Utah won. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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Utah Utes gymnast Sydney Soloski performs on the floor during the NCAA regional final round at the Maverik Center on Saturday, April 3, 2021. The Utes are moving on to the next round. | Annie Barker, Deseret News
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Utah Utes gymnast Sydney Soloski competes during the NCAA regional second round at the Maverik Center on Friday, April 2, 2021. | Annie Barker, Deseret News
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Utah Utes gymnast Sydney Soloski prepares to use the mat during the NCAA regional second round at the Maverik Center on Friday, April 2, 2021. | Annie Barker, Deseret News
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Utah’s Sydney Soloski competes on floor the during the Pac-12 gymnastics championships in West Valley City on Saturday, March 20, 2021. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Utah’s Sydney Soloski competes on the floor against Utah State University at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 12, 2021. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Utah’s Sydney Soloski competes on the floor against Utah State University at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 12, 2021. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Utah Red Rocks' Sydney Soloski does her floor routine during a gymnastics meet against the Cal Golden Bears at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 26, 2021. Utah won. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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Utah’s Sydney Soloski performs on the floor as Utah and Washington compete in an NCAA gymnastics match at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021. #4 Utah won 197.475 to 193.300. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Utah’s Sydney Soloski performs on the floor as Utah and Washington compete in an NCAA gymnastics match at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021. #4 Utah won 197.475 to 193.300. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Utah’s Sydney Soloski competes on the floor during a meet against Arizona at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah’s Sydney Soloski and assistant coach Robert Ladanyi cheer following Soloski's floor routine during the Utah Red Rocks' 198.150-196.350 victory over the Georgia Bulldogs at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 16, 2018. | Jacob Wiegand, Deseret News
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Sydney Soloski performs in exhibition following the Utah Red Rocks’ competition against Oregon State at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020. | Ivy Ceballo, Deseret News
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Sydney Soloski performs in exhibition following the Utah Red Rocks’ competition against Oregon State at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020. | Ivy Ceballo, Deseret News
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Utah’s Sydney Soloski performs on the floor during the Arizona State and University of Utah gymnastics meet at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Utah’s Sydney Soloski, right, hugs teammate Kim Tessen following Tessen’s vault during the Arizona State and University of Utah gymnastics meet at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Utah’s Sydney Soloski performs on the floor during the Arizona State and University of Utah gymnastics meet at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Utah’s Sydney Soloski prepares to perform on the balance beam during the Utah Red Rocks' 198.150-196.350 victory over the Georgia Bulldogs at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 16, 2018. | Jacob Wiegand, Deseret News
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Sydney Soloski, front, and Missy Reinstadtler train on the beam during University of Utah gymnastics team practice in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018. | Ravell Call, Deseret News
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University of Utah's Sydney Soloski scores a 9.850 on her floor routine during a gymnastics meet against BYU at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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Sydney Soloski does her beam routine during the Utah gymnastics Red Rocks Preview at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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Sydney Soloski competes during her floor routine at the 2018 NCAA Gymnastics regional between Utah, BYU, SUU, Stanford, Auburn and California at the Jon Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 7, 2018. The Utah Red Rocks won the meet with a combined score of 197.475. | Adam Fondren, Deseret News
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Macey Roberts, left, co-head coach Megan Marsden and Sydney Soloski talk at the end of University of Utah gymnastics practice in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018. | Ravell Call, Deseret News
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Utah’s Sydney Soloski performs on the balance beam during the Utah Red Rocks' 198.150-196.350 victory over the Georgia Bulldogs at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 16, 2018. | Jacob Wiegand, Deseret News
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University of Utah's Sydney Soloski, right, gets a hug after her floor routine during a gymnastics meet against BYU at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Jan. 5, 2018. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
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Sydney Soloski flashes the U at the end of her floor routine during the 2018 NCAA Gymnastics regional between Utah, BYU, SUU, Stanford, Auburn and California at the Jon Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 7, 2018. The Utah Red Rocks won the meet with a combined score of 197.475. | Adam Fondren, Deseret News
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Assistant coach Robert Ladanyi gives some last-minute pointers to Sydney Soloski before her floor routine during the 2018 NCAA Gymnastics regional between Utah, BYU, SUU, Stanford, Auburn and California at the Jon Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 7, 2018. The Utah Red Rocks won the meet with a combined score of 197.475. | Adam Fondren, Deseret News
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Sydney Soloski performs on the floor as Utah and Michigan battle it out in gymnastics at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 2, 2019. | Scott G Winterton, Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Teammates cheer as Utah's Sydney Soloski competes on the floor during a meet against UCLA at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah's Sydney Soloski competes on beam during a meet against UCLA at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah's Sydney Soloski competes on the floor against BYU at the Marriott Center in Provo on Friday, Jan. 11, 2019. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Utah's Sydney Soloski bends backwards on her floor routine the Penn State versus University of Utah gymnastics meet at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. | Steve Griffin, Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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Utah’s Sydney Soloski competes in the floor event as Utah gymnasts host Kentucky to kick off the 2020 season in the Huntsman Center at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Sydney Soloski performs on the beam as Utah and Michigan battle it out in gymnastics at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 2, 2019. | Scott G Winterton, Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Sydney Soloski performs on the floor as Utah and Michigan battle it out in gymnastics at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 2, 2019. | Scott G Winterton, Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Utah's Sydney Soloski competes on the floor during a meet against Arizona at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah's Sydney Soloski competes on the floor against BYU at the Marriott Center in Provo on Friday, Jan. 11, 2019. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Sydney Soloski performs on the beam as Utah and Michigan battle it out in gymnastics at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 2, 2019. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Utah’s Sydney Soloski performs her floor routine during the Red Rocks' victory over Georgia at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 16, 2018. | Jacob Wiegand
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Sydney Soloski trains on the bars during University of Utah gymnastics team practice in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018. | Ravell Call, Deseret News
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Sydney Soloski performs on the floor as Utah and Michigan battle it out in gymnastics at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 2, 2019. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Rather than make an ill-fated attempt at it, we’ve let the gymnasts speak for themselves ahead of the final meet of their careers.
Here is what Utah senior Sydney Soloski had to say.
“Dear Utah Gymnastics,
What a wild ride the past five years have been, and sadly it is coming down to its final days. Unfortunately, being an athlete doesn’t last forever, and I’ve realized it’s not supposed to. My time here at the University of Utah has been the most incredible experience I ever could have hoped for.
From the hard days in the gym to the 15,000 best fans in the nation screaming my name, these are memories that I hold near and dear to my heart and forever will. No words will be able to describe my gratitude and love for this program and the people in it, and for that I feel so blessed.
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The last five years have been filled with happiness, heartbreak, tears, laughs, but most importantly memories that will last a lifetime. I wouldn’t trade my time as a Utah gymnast for the world.
The tears rolling down my face as I am writing this symbolize how much I’m going miss this part of my life as well as my gratitude for everyone who was a part of my journey — no matter how big or small.
These are tears of joy as I can truly say that I have accomplished everything I could have ever dreamed of and I walk away from this sport with my head held high knowing I made all my dreams come true.
I want to thank Utah gymnastics for introducing me to some of my best friends, giving me the experience of a lifetime and letting me grow into the woman I am today. Thank you for letting me become a part of your legacy. I love you and I’ll miss you dearly.”
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