Aside from freelancing for her mother’s Orlando-based women’s magazine, Orange Appeal, and fulfilling her role as calendar editor for INsite Magazine, a Gainesville-based entertainment publication, Kate Ashby pretty much has one concern.

“OK, I love football. I love Florida football, but I definitely love all kinds of college football,” said Ashby, 21, University of Florida journalism senior and self-proclaimed football enthusiast.

With her orange and blue purse perched perkily on the table in front of her as a testament of her Gator pride, Ashby, sporting a football jersey-inspired T-shirt, gushed about her love of watching the games with family and friends.

Although passionate, Ashby said she avoids trash talk.

“I try not to be the typical—what people assume as— ‘obnoxious Gator’ because I do respect the sport, and I respect other people,” she said.

Ashby’s reverence for competitors and their fans comes from her own experience as an athlete.

She was a competitive gymnast for eight years, until an injury forced her to stop at age 16. Before she was benched, she trained with some of the women on the current US Olympic team.

“I really credit gymnastics with making me who I am today,” Ashby said. “It made me really disciplined.”

- Kristen Huff