Practice Notes for Sunday, October 26, 2003

We have another peek at what the ladies are working on just prior to Ghost vs. Goblins.  Today was also a strength (weights) and conditioning day, so some of the ladies were not observed on certain events. 

Let's start with the freshmen:

Erin Rightley: PBAs observed her today on the vault, bars and beam.  She is mastering new skills very quickly from the coaches' comments and from direct observations we made today.  Her vault runs impressed us the most.  She will be throwing a Yurchenko 1/1 and is achieving amazing repulsion off the horse while maintaining excellent form throughout the twisting.  On bars she has very nice giants and pirouetting and is already working a double layout with only a few days of technique perfecting according to David Patterson.  Beam is where she is a little tentative but she seeks perfection on each flight series rep (bhs-bhs-layout) and was working on an initial dismount of gainer layout out of a cartwheel.  She's got the look!

Brittany Comeaux: She was throwing strong front aerial combinations on the balance beam and vault runs of a Yurchenko ½ on front tuck with a ½ tuck off.  She combines both power and grace in her skills. 

Johnna Gay: She demonstrated consistently smooth giants and pirouettes on the uneven bars and was refining her technique over and over with the double pike dismount, with nice results.  Nice vault runs: Yurchenko layout and then 1/1 into the pits.  Great attitude.

Meredith Laxton: She worked the beam and some giants and pirouettes on the uneven bars today.  Coach Patterson was choreographing her beam routine and she picked up the new moves very quickly.  We were impressed with her overall presentation on the beam (good form, extension and toe point).  No signs of trouble from her ACL injury (no brace or bandages used).

And now the sophomores:

Mari-Christine Bayer: She was working on a pirouette combination on the bars today and her new dismount off the beam (switch leap to immediate back pike).  Vaulting runs consisted of the Yurchenko layout and 1/1. 

Rachael Delahoussaye: Balance beam was her main focus on this date.  She was working a new flight series combination (bhs-layout-fish flop) and giants/transition moves on the uneven bars.  She was also working timers into the pits for her dismount, which looks like it might end up being a double tuck or double layout.

Dana Filetti: She was working on her bars pirouetting and a new flight series on the balance beam (handstand to back layout to back handspring).  Observations of her work ethic and upgrading of skills in the gym this pre-season continue to indicate that Dana has real potential to factor in the all around for 2004. 

Ashley Miles: We saw her on the balance beam only today, where she has now changed her flight series to a bhs to two-footed layout.  She was landing this more consistently than the gainer bhs to full twisting tuck, so it's likely that she will stick with this.   In the long run this appears to be a better flight series for Ashley because she can show off her long lines and super power on the second element.  It's valued the same according to the coaches.  Thus, with a beam routine she can now perform consistently, Ashley is expected by the coaches to figure strongly in the all around as well.

Dana Pierce: We caught her on the vault only today, where several runs were done on the Yurchenko layout and 1/1 into the pits.  She received lots of attention from David and Bryan on her timing, placement of hands onto the horse and repulsion off.  Lots of power!

Larissa Stewart: Coach Patterson commented on her great attitude during workouts despite being handicapped for the moment with her injured hand.  She was throwing lots of leap combinations on the beam and her front aerial combo, with very nice results.  On floor she was throwing a front through to a front full to front tuck.  Imagine having to practice without every touching your hands down. 

Juniors count too:

Alexis Brion: Wow, she was looking very strong on the uneven bars, where she continues to refine her technique with the pak Salto.  Her giants and pirouetting are so smooth and confident, handstands almost always vertical out of each, that we hope she is able to soon master the second release move (Tkatchev is the first).  She was also working a pirouette to double tuck dismount. 

Shannon Hrozek: Lots and lots of vault runs today, perfecting the Yurchenko layout and 1/1.  On bars, she mainly focused on the full in full out dismount (incredible height but a little too close to the bars on occasion) into the pits and the transition move from the high to low bar (handstand position).  All elements are looking strong. 

Michelle Reeser: She is being rested from floor and vault runs this week to ease some soreness in the achilles tendon area but she did lots of reps on the uneven bars, working mainly on her pirouetting and the full in dismount (very nice height and distance). 

Seniors rule:

Lauren Holdefer: We observed several very solid vault runs of the pike ½, with excellent repulsion off the horse and super height on the first salto.  Landings were consistent with spotting from David Patterson.

Stephanie Kite: She too showed excellent repulsion off the horse into the first salto but appeared to struggle a bit with her twists, sometimes landing bent forward or having to step back to stop her momentum.  However, her confidence with this vault has increased a great deal over the past year. 

Jeana Rice: PBAs only got to see her do the strength and conditioning workouts and will have more to report after the intra-squad.

Next report: Intra-squad: Annual Ghosts vs Goblins: Friday, October 31, 2003, starting at 1:30 pm in the practice gym.  Hope to see you there!