We are on our way! First of all, let me congratulate Coach Mike Shula and the Crimson Tide football team on their exciting Cotton Bowl victory. I am not sure if you saw Coach Mike Shula in his post-game press conference but I gave him a perfect "10" for regaining his balance and composure after falling off the podium. I thought his "salute" afterwards shows he did have some gymnastics training in his earlier years here at the Capstone.

I hope your New Year is filled with health, happiness and success.....and I hope all of these things are in store for our Bama Gymnasts as well. As we bring in the New Year and the start of the 2006 Season we should all be reminded of the many blessings we have! I hope your holiday time with family and friends was a special one as well. Our ladies returned for the start of the New Year on December 27th.....we have been working hard for the start of the new season and while we still have a few "kinks" to work out, we have basically settled on "starting" routines and a tentative lineup as we head to the Super Six Challenge in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Competing in the Super Six will definitely be a challenge for this young team. One that I hope will help them to prepare for a great season and to experience in their first collegiate meet where we want to be on the last night of the season: in the NCAA Super Six with an opportunity to compete for our 5th National Championship!

The road ahead of us is long and winding.....but I am definitely looking forward to watching this team grow and mature each week of competition. That is the part that makes this profession so enjoyable; things are always changing and you are always trying to fit the pieces of a very large puzzle together successfully.

So join me each week here at gymtide.com for weekly updates on our team. You can catch the action "live" on the web with our radio broadcast on www.gymtide.com.

Here's to a joyous and a Roll Tide New Year!