Tide fans got a sneak peek at the 2002 Crimson Tide Gymnastics Team during the "Meet the Team" Exhibition held in the practice gymnasium at the University of Alabama on Sunday, December 9, 2001. Former Tide greats, Marie Robbins, Katherine Kelleher, Dana Dobransky, Robin Hawkins, Katie Hornecker and Dara Stewart were all present to cheer the ladies on to high performances. Coach Patterson chatted with the crowd initially about what to look for, including scoring changes this year on the uneven bars and balance beam events in particular. For example, she noted that, in 2002, the judges would be requiring gymnasts to reach completely vertical or "true" handstand positions on the bars or suffer a reduction of .05 to .10. She went on to predict that uneven bars scores in general will be lower this year as the teams adjust to this tighter scoring. Coach Patterson noted that all gymnasts in the uneven bars line up for Alabama would be executing dismounts of a "D" or "E" difficulty level, the most difficult being an "E". On beam, she noted that a gym-acro series (a dance or leap skill in combination with a tumbling or flight element) is no longer required, which will allow some flexibility in designing routines that play to each gymnast's strengths. For example, if a gymnast is a strong tumbler on beam but struggles with leaps, this new rule will allow her to incorporate fewer leaps in her overall routine. A routine still must have .5 of bonus to move up from a "base" score of 9.50 (which is met only when all required elements are executed), in order to reach a 10.0 start value. On bars, beam and floor, Alabama gymnasts will have 10.0 start value routines at the beginning of the season and the coaches expect to increase the Tide's number of 10.0 vaults by mid-season as certain gymnasts return from injuries. The Yurchenko entry vault with a full twist was recently upgraded to a 10.0, which is a vault several Tide gymnasts are expected to throw this year. Now, onto some impressions from today's competition...

Vault

Coach Patterson noted that the first six up on each event were to be considered as the "competition" line-up for today, while the final two were exhibiting on the event. Therefore, in order we saw:

Raegan Tomasek (senior) [vault type: handspring front somersault pike position 9.90 start value]
Executed with good height and distance. Her legs were a little split mid-air but she had very nice extension and toe point and landed the vault with a small hop forward. She has also been practicing a handspring front somersault pike position 1/2 twist vault.

Alexis Brion (freshman) [vault type: handspring front somersault pike position 9.90 start value]
This was a very nice looking vault until the landing. She went for the height and distance and just landed it low (counted as a fall). She had very tight form and toe point in the air and opened up a little late on her landing. Overall, this was a very pleasant surprise for PBAs since Alexis had just started to work vault three weeks ago. She will be upgrading to a pike with a 1/2 twist and also has Yurchenko entry vaults in her arsenal.

Stephanie Kite (sophomore) [vault type: handspring front somersault pike position 9.90 start value]
Right away PBAs noticed much improvement in her repulsion off the horse. As a result, she obtained much better height, distance and form, with mild leg split mid-air. She will be looking to upgrade to a pike with a 1/2 twist as well.

Lauren Holdefer (sophomore) [vault type: handspring front somersault pike position 9.90 start value]
While she had a great run and repulsion off the horse, she over-rotated a bit and took three steps forward to balance her landing. The pike with a 1/2 twist is expected to be Lauren's upgrade vault as well.

Kristin Sterner (junior) [vault type: handspring front somersault pike position 1/2 twist 10.00 start value]
She obtained excellent height and fair distance but had to step one leg to the left a bit to balance her landing. Tuff vault!

Erin Holdefer (sophomore) [vault type: handspring front somersault pike position 1/2 twist 10.00 start value]
She achieved really nice height and distance but landed a little low and to the left. A little splitting of legs and hooked feet while mid-air were likely form deductions. Overall, a stupendous effort and a welcome addition to the Tide's vaulting arsenal for 2002.

Shannon Hrozek (freshman) [vault type: handspring front somersault pike position 9.90 start value]
She achieved great height, leg extension and a solid landing but she will need to strive for a little more distance to get the big score. Shannon looks much more relaxed and comfortable with her vaulting now compared to the beginning of fall practice. She will be upgrading to a pike 1/2 twist and is also practicing several Yurchenko entry vaults.

Sara Scarborough (junior) [vault type: Phelps 10.00 start value]
Sara pulled her vault around but had an awkward landing, possibly for holding her laid out position a little too long mid-air. It was great to see her throw this vault again and the crowd gave her a strong applause for her effort. Sara has also been practicing the pike 1/2 twist and the Tsukahara layout position with a full twist.

Held out of vaulting on this date due to rehabbing or to allow the other athletes a chance to shine on this event: Andree, Jeana, Whitney, Michelle, Helen, Tiffany, and Alexa. All seven are expected to add depth to the line-up either at the beginning of the season or by mid-season. Good News: Andree is recovering faster than expected and is already throwing Yurchenko layouts in practice. Look for her and Jeana to throw two, possibly three Yurchenko-type vaults this season. Whitney and Michelle both throw the Phelps vault (same as Sara) and Tiffany is practicing a Yurchenko 1/1. Alexa will most likely throw a handspring front somersault, tuck position (9.80 start value) and Helen is practicing a handspring front somersault pike position (9.90 start value).

Uneven Bars

Alexa Martinez (senior): she started off the bars rotation and had a very solid routine, which included a reverse giant, a full turn on the high bar followed by a Tkatchev release, a half turn to straddle release to the low bar and a beautiful double layout dismount. She struggled with the handstand position during her straddle release to the low bar but executed her routine overall with very nice extension and toe point. This routine was extra pleasant to observe since it is the first time we have seen Alexa compete bars in her four years at UA!

Tiffany Byrd (sophomore): her routine featured some nice combinations, including a half turn on the high bar to a full turn to an immediate Tkatchev, and she ended with a double tuck dismount (she was observed throwing a double layout in practice this fall as well). Tiffany also has a Hindorff release move that she has thrown in practice successfully that hopefully will be incorporated into her routine at some point in the season. Tiffany has nice toe point and extension, especially on her giant uprises.

Raegan Tomasek (senior): she threw a half turn on the high bar to immediate Jaeger release, followed by a toe on, toe off on the high bar to a straddle back handstand on the low bar. She ended with a half turn on the high bar to a double front dismount (perfect landing!).

Kristin Sterner (junior): she threw her signature full-twisting Tkatchev (very slight clipping of her foot on the high bar) followed by a Tkatchev release. She slightly missed vertical on at least two handstands and also took a step on her double front dismount. Overall, a very nice routine with some incredible difficulty.

Natalie Barrington (senior): she threw her same routine from last year with exquisite toe point and extension and was the closest to reaching handstand perfection on every move. She dismounted with a full turn on the high bar to immediate double tuck. Natalie continues to work on a double front dismount as well.

Andree Pickens (senior): since we've been talking about the new rule regarding handstand positions on the bars, it should be noted that Andree has to make seven handstands throughout her routine (due to the five major release moves) in order to achieve the big score. Fortunately, she made most of her vertical positions and landed her full in dismount with awesome distance and height. We noticed a few leg separations at various points in the routine that would have resulted in form deductions as well. Welcome back Andree!

Shannon Hrozek (freshman): despite this being an exhibition routine, Shannon executed it like it was Super Six Challenge night! She displayed excellent toe point, extension and a huge Gienger release, ending with a full turn to immediate double tuck dismount. She rotates very fluidly and displays a lot of confidence on this event.

Michelle Reeser (freshman): her improvement on this event over the last month has been nothing short of astonishing. Michelle threw two major release moves: a Gienger (a little leg split) and a Tkatchev. She ended with a nice double layout. She had several full and half turns throughout the routine and was swinging fast and confidently.

Balance Beam

Alexa Martinez (senior): head roll to stag leap; awesome flight series (two footed back handspring to two footed layout) and a super straddle full, followed by a wolf full. She uncharacteristically struggled on her switch leap to wolf jump (left out the second element after stumbling a bit on her first leap) and then left out her two straddle leaps, choosing to dismount (gainer layout) off the side fairly quickly. This started off as a very solid routine until the ending sequence. Alexa may have struggled a bit with going up first, always a nerve-wracking position.

Stephanie Kite (sophomore): she threw a solid punch front mount and a nice flip flop to two-footed layout. Her switch leap to 3/4 wolf combination was a little tentative (slight wobble on landing the second element) but she then threw a nice front walk over followed by a wolf full and a crisp full turn. She dismounted with a rudi (a step to the left to balance) and seemed happy with her effort. A few weeks ago, PBAs noticed that Stephanie was attacking her beam routine with more confidence and this showed today with the exception of some minor balance checks throughout her routine. More reps will no doubt increase her confidence on this event.

Andree Pickens (senior): she threw her punch front mount but fell after a mighty struggle to hang on. Next came a nice switch leap to wolf (slightly bobbled) followed by a perfect flight series (ff, ff, layout). She threw her new shoulder roll immediately followed by the side straddle leg switch (down on the beam) that she performs. Later, she threw a perfect punch front (tight tuck, excellent amplitude and a chest high landing) and she finished with a gainer layout off the side of the beam. The fans present were clearly happy to see Andree back in the beam line up and gave her a hearty applause for a solid routine.

Michelle Reeser (freshman): she had a lot of difficulty in this routine, including a flight series of a flip flop to layout, a switch leap to a 3/4 straddle jump (slightly bent at the waist upon landing) a super punch front and a wolf jump to Korbut (fish flop down onto the beam); a side switch leap; full turn; gainer layout off the side of the beam. She looked like a veteran up there today!

Natalie Barrington (senior): she threw a flight series of ff, ff, layout (wobbled landing on the third element), a switch leap to two straddle leaps (beautiful toe point and extension), a full turn; switch leap to Korbut; and a gainer layout dismount. She has worked hard in fall practice and has a legitimate chance to make the beam line up this year.

Kristin Sterner (junior): she now has a punch front mount (executed perfectly on this date), a flight series of ff, ff, layout; a straddle to 3/4 straddle (bent at waist on landing second element), a side switch leap; a wolf jump to immediate standing back pike (one leg off to the side to balance her landing); ending with a double pike dismount (two steps back to check her balance). She continues to push the envelope of difficulty on this event.

Tiffany Byrd (sophomore): she mounted with a straddle uprise to handstand back down to the beam for a leg pose; a nice full turn, a switch leap to two straddle leaps (very nice toe point and extension); a flight series of ff, ff, layout; switch leap to immediate gainer layout (very sharp). The only thing that marred this excellent routine was the rather off center dismount of a single twist, which was also a little sloppy in form. It looked like Tiffany's foot might have slipped off the beam a bit as well.

Raegan Tomasek (senior): solid punch front mount, a flight series of ff, layout; a switch leap to straddle with a little balance check; a very nice front aerial followed by a wolf to 1/4 dive handstand with nice amplitude on the preceding jump; a beautiful full turn (could she perhaps do a double?) and a back handspring to a gainer layout dismount off the side of the beam.

Floor Exercise

PBAs noted that the floor music has been changed for all but a few of the gymnasts and the new music was very well-received by the fans on hand to see what the Tide would be offering on this event for 2002. There is a mixture of Russian, Mexican and Greek folk music, as well as modern movie theme music, hard rock, and Big Band. Overall, the new music is dynamic, dramatic, crowd-involving and the choreography complements each gymnast in new and delightful ways. Kudos to Coach Patterson and Dana Dobransky for their combined efforts in this area for 2002.

Routines were thrown in this order: Natalie Barrington, Stephanie Kite, Raegan Tomasek, Lauren Holdefer, Alexa Martinez, Kristin Sterner, Shannon Hrozek, and Tiffany Byrd. Tomasek has now re-incorporated the double front Arabian as her opening pass (super height and a solid landing every time on this date). Sterner has a double layout as her opening pass. Martinez threw four passes (gorgeous dance and interpretation of the new music) while Kite threw a front handspring to 1 1/2 twist to front tuck. Holdefer threw a double front as her opening pass and Hrozek executed a double pike and a gorgeous double twist in her routine (we're still trying to figure out her second pass, which was a super powerful whip 1/2 sequence (two) to what looked like a front full). Byrd throws a double pike on her first two passes and finishes with a double tuck while Barrington will be throwing a double pike on either her first or second pass, a double tuck and a front handspring 1 1/2 to a front tuck.

Barrington, Martinez, and Hrozek have some of the most dramatic and captivating choreography in their new routines, while the strong tempo/upbeat routines have been slated for Tomasek, Sterner, and Byrd. Kite and Holdefer have retained their music from last year but Kite has changed a few of her dance sequences for new inspiration. Tide fans already know what extra special magic Jeana Rice and Andree Pickens can bring to the floor. Finally, Tide fans may well be seeing freshman Alexis Brion on this event in 2002, as she has resumed practicing this event under the watchful eyes of her coaches.