Fisk College sophomore Morgan Value made historical past on Friday and made the media rounds on Monday as she sat down with Gayle King and Firm.
Value was an in-studio visitor on CBS Mornings on Monday after successful the nationwide “All-Round” title on Friday. Her win made her the primary athlete from an HBCU to assert a nationwide title in gymnastics.
She was requested by Gayle King why she selected to come back to Fisk College when she had a suggestion from Arkansas, she didn’t hesitate to reply.
“I’ve all the time needed to go to an HBCU as a result of I do know that again then, African-People weren’t even allowed to go to the identical colleges as white individuals,” Value stated matter-of-factly in her Fisk College sweatshirt. “So I simply really feel prefer it’s an honor and form of residing out my legacy and with the ability to present in a position to present my abilities and do it at an HBCU is so honoring to me.”
Sure, however why not go to a extra established program, Gayle King requested?
“I knew I’d even be making historical past,” she stated. “I used to be like effectively — may as effectively simply make historical past it doesn’t matter what occurs.”
Regardless of her superb current achievement, Value spent most of her time on nationwide TV speaking about others.
Value acknowledged she got here from an athletic household. Her late father, Chris, was a baseball participant with the Kansas Metropolis Royals. Her mom, Marsha, was a cheerleader at Vanderbilt.
“She is a widow and she or he needed to increase all three women by herself — and my brother,” Morgan stated, along with her mom beaming from the facet of the stage. “So simply to see her…she’s a really hard-working mother. She has taught me every thing that I do know as we speak, so I’m simply grateful for her.”
She additionally spoke about the way it felt to have a head coach in Corrine Tarver who was the primary black lady to win a nationwide title within the “all-around” occasion she gained final week.
“I assumed it was honoring additionally simply to have an African-American coach,” Value stated. “As a result of I’ve by no means had an African-American coach ever and I’ve achieved the game since I used to be two years previous.”
Not solely did Morgan Value expertise a scarcity of black coaches as a younger gymnast — she additionally lacked black teammates exterior her sisters. Now, Value says, she has a group stuffed with younger girls whom she will be able to join with on a extra intimate stage.
“Now it’s like I’ve a group stuffed with African-American and Latina women so it’s like I can all the time name on somebody to do both my hair, my toes, my lashes — actually something,” Value stated. “I do know my teammates can do it for me.”
Value revealed that her final aim isn’t to compete for the Olympics.
“My final aim is to win one other title — and to be an HBCU gymnastics coach,” Value stated.
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