Pooh Bear's assistants made it to their first practice and have much to report. Let's get right to it...

Dara Stewart, senior, continues to be in fantastic shape as she enters her senior year. She was practicing a full twisting double layout on the uneven bars and really looks much more confident throwing it this year; higher, faster, leaner, meaner!!

Katie Hornecker, senior, was working on her Tsukahara ½ on ½ off vault (layout position-10.0) and was adding an extra twist. Her uneven bars routine is essentially the same, with extra focus today on her pike Jaeger release and her full twisting double layout dismount. Katie is in spectacular shape and ready to grab a national crown!

Lissy Smith, senior, was practicing floor and balance beam. Double tuck and double twist remain the same on floor and her beam routine is as awesome as ever. She appears to be in pretty good shape as well.

Sara Scarborough, sophomore walk on, was throwing consistently high double twists, a double pike and a double tuck on the floor exercise. She was also practicing a Tsukahara ½ on ½ off in the laid out position vault (10.0!!).

Whitney Morgan, junior, is back in incredible shape after winning her first Iron Woman Contest a few weeks ago. She was working strong on her pike barani vault and was throwing super high Tkatchevs on the uneven bars in the pike position. That's international!!!

Alexa Martinez, junior, was working on several reverse giants in a row on the uneven bars, perhaps working towards an inverted giant, a'la Natalie?

Jeana Rice, our Freshman Elite from Florida, daughter of former USA National Champion (four years) and Olympian Joan Moore Gnat, was working on a double pike with a twist (full in) on the floor exercise. Her balance beam is jampacked with difficulty: a wolf jump into a Miller; ff, lo, lo; punch front; straddle jump to a ¾ straddle jump in combination. She is so tiny!

Andree Pickens, mega star junior, is in awesome shape once again. Her uneven bars routine now has the addition of a geinger release move.

Kristin Sterner, our steady sophomore, was practicing a full twisting Tkatchev on bars. She wins the award for the Bama gymnast returning in the best shape. Her rotations on the bars are faster and more confident as a result. She also is throwing her double pike on vault higher and with less propulsion forward upon landing.

Stephanie Kite, freshman walk on, daughter of legendary golfing great, Tom Kite, was displaying nice skills on balance beam, where she threw a ff to two-footed back handspring; punch front ; 360 degree wolf jump. Still working on her strength and conditioning but she seems to have all the Elite skills we've come to expect from a Capital Gymnastics gal.

Robin Hawkins, senior stunner, was wearing her knee brace during vaulting and was also doing bars. She is great shape as well and was showing very nice form and extension on her bars work.

Lauren Holdefer, freshman twin # 1, was throwing a really nice, high double pike on vault; awesome stride/run and she landed each one with almost no balance checks. Balance beam work was primarily fundamental moves.

Erin Holdefer, freshman twin #2, was on beam as well and working on basic moves (turns, leaps, flight series). Both young women have been working with weights over the summer and have streamlined their bodies, a'la Meredith Willard. This should provide more speed and strength overall on all four events.

Natalie Barrington, our junior Canadian, is now throwing a double tuck out of a reverse giant off the bars and really seems super confident now with this dismount. Her distance on landing from the bars was amazing to observe.

Krista Gole, junior, is back on beam with a super cool side aerial into an immediate back layout. She has no fear on the beam and may be able to reclaim her spot in the line-up after mid-season injury last year to her ankle.

Tiffany Byrd, freshman Elite, is still recovering from her ACL tear but was not wearing a brace and was walking around and doing conditioning work comfortably.

Helen Burgin, freshman walk on, is being treated for a back problem from high school and hopefully she can recover enough to participate this year. She is in a restrictive back brace and can only do cardio workouts until further clearance from the doctors.

Raegan Tomasek, junior, was out with parents for a short visit and was not involved in the work out on this date but showed up at the end for conditioning work.

Pooh Bear's assistants will check back with the team on October 15 and have a new report for tide fans. ROLL TIDE!