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Goblins Ready Bars
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The Alabama Crimson Tide Gymnastics Team held their annual spook-tacular intra-squad on Sunday, October 29, 2006, for the fans in the Francis Smith Practice Facility on the campus of the University of Alabama. After officially starting pre-season practices on September 11th, the team has been working diligently to perfect skills that will be incorporated into full competitive routines by Thanksgiving.
This intra-squad is the first mock-competitive opportunity for the freshmen and gives the coaches a glimpse of how the team potentially will respond to pressure as a unit. The coaches were in agreement that this was by far one of the most energized and competitive G v G intra-squads in recent memory. Certainly the level of difficulty was high across all events and the crowd in attendance was particularly aware and appreciative of this so early into the pre-season. The final score of 219 for the Goblins to 205 for the Ghosts mainly reflected a higher number of Goblins having more complete routines with accompanying difficult dismounts or bonus elements. However, the Ghosts were praised by the coaches for hitting all of their vaults, beam routines and floor tumbling passes, which put more pressure on the Goblins to perform at their best. And that’s exactly what the coaches were hoping both teams would inspire.
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Ghosts Pale Line
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Before we head to the highlights, some notable Tide celebs were in the audience to cheer the team on, including Ashley Miles, Dana Pierce, Meredith Laxton, Dana Duckworth-Dobransky, Michelle Reeser, Marie Robbins and we spotted several parents, including Bill Lebegern, Mel and Linda Priess, Gary and Helen O’Neal, and Steadman and Ann Shealy.
Ghosts (Total: 205)
Kaitlin White (Junior)
This was definitely her best G v G intra-squad, where she hit on all four events, highlighted by a terrific uneven bars set (full turn to Gienger release, pak Salto, full turn to double tuck dismount; also threw an Arabian double front dismount on the soft mats later). Kaitlin also stuck the Yurchenko 1/1 vault (a little piked down at waist but terrific distance), and showcased a very confident beam set (switch leap to straddle full jump, bhs to layout step-out, punch front, switch side straddle leap, tuck full jump, round off to 1.5 twist dismount). On floor, Kaitlin tumbled a punch front layout to Rudi (1 ½ twist) and a punch front layout to double full as well as a double pike. Energy was good, focus and determination excellent on this date. Kaitlin looks ready to contribute on all four events.
Ashley O'Neal (Sophomore)
The best of O on this date would certainly be her new vault, the Omeliantchik (Yurchenko ½ twist on front pike off), which had impressive height, distance and excellent control on the landing. The crowd erupted in applause when she hit. Floor tumbling included her new double layout, a double pike, double tuck (spotted on the regular floor) and a front-front full twist-front layout. Rhythm and pace during the beam routine were noticeably improved; she was clearly more confident with the elements thrown, including the bhs-layout step-out, punch front tuck (super solid), switch leap to straddle-straddle combination, and the double front (tuck) dismount, one small step forward on the medium soft mat. Upon landing this E dismount, a huge grin broke out from O as the crowd responded with hearty applause. Her uneven bars routine showcased a clear hip handstand to Tkatchev and a double tuck dismount (later exhibited a double front on the soft mat). For this to be a competitive routine the coaches can depend upon, O will need to perfect her handstands and upgrade the difficulty of her transition move to the low bar. She looks ready to contribute on three events at this point. If she masters the necessary upgrades on bars, she will definitely shine in the all-around at some point for the Tide.
Cassie Martin (Sophomore)
CM had standout performances on the balance beam and vault for the Ghosts. Her growing maturity on the beam was evident, as we saw a more focused, polished set that still included difficult skills, where last year she appeared to be fighting the beam much of the time in pre-season. On this date she threw a switch side straddle leap (slight leg lift on the landing), front aerial, bhs to layout step-out (beautiful form, extension), switch leap to wolf, bhs to full twist dismount off side of beam. She also hit the Omeliantchik vault with one step to the side (soft mat) and showcased her signature moves on the uneven bars: toe-on toe-off to Tkatchev to pak Salto (still working on timing of final element in combination); giant ½ turn to front giant to another ½ turn to double tuck dismount (stuck, landed chest high). Floor tumbling included front handspring-front handspring to front full twist on the regular floor, a double twist on the medium mats. Events likely for Cassie to compete on in 2007 at this point would be vault, bars and beam.
Amanda Montgomery (Sophomore)
Amanda has worked very hard during the summer voluntary practices leading up to formal pre-season training. She was much more confident on the uneven bars and really hit her skills on the beam at G v G with amazing calm and fluidity. Amanda’s challenge now is to perfect the little things that always matter when routines are being considered for the line-up, like toe-point, form and extension. The uneven bars routine included nice vertical handstands, a full turn to Gienger release (good height but leg separation and flexed feet were evident) and a full turn to double tuck dismount (one step forward, chest slightly down). The balance beam routine was impressive, starting with a full turn, front walk over to side aerial, a split full jump, front aerial, switch leap to tuck full jump, one-arm bhs to wolf full jump, running Rudi dismount (1.5 twist). No vaulting or floor tumbling exhibited on this date.
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Ashley Ford
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Ashley Ford (Sophomore)
Ashley has been working on a Yurchenko entry vault to increase her chance to penetrate the line-up on this event. For the G v G intra-squad, she chose to throw the front entry vault, a ½ tuck on ½ tuck off, landing it well, one step only to balance the dismount. On the uneven bars, she showcased really nice giants and half turns but she does not have a competitive release move at this time and is throwing a reverse tuck dismount off the high bar. Her balance beam routine was the most impressive of her sets, highlighted by a bhs to layout step-out, switch leap to straddle jump to straddle side jump combination, a switch side straddle leap, a ¾ straddle jump (very nice) and a gainer back tuck off the end of the beam. Nice choreography and flow in this routine.
Casey Overton (Freshman)
Casey showcased strong skills on three of four events in her first G v G intra-squad. The event where she is still coming back on (uneven bars) from shoulder surgery in 2005 will require more work in the gym before we can expect to see her in the line-up. But Casey can definitely provide depth for the Tide on two events at the beginning of the season: vault and balance beam. She exhibited a strong Yurchenko 1/1 on this date, small hop back on the landing, and one of the best beam routines of the day, which included a very impressive flight series: bhs-layout step-out to layout step-out, a switch ring leap, switch leap to side straddle jump combination (more amplitude needed on the second element), front aerial to sheep jump and she dismounted with a bhs to full twist off the side. Her floor tumbling was polished as well, including the double pike, a 2 ½ twist (very nice landing) and whip full to whip full to front handspring walk out.
Ricki Lebegern (Freshman)
Assistant Coach Bryan Raschilla has already compared Ricki to a grasshopper for her high-flying skills and never-ending energy in the gym. And she didn’t disappoint the fans in attendance on this date. Where do we start? The vault obviously, where Ricki confidently hit two huge skills, the Yurchenko 1/1 and 1.5. Her power is deceptive given her petite frame and she could probably give DJ and Keith a run for their money on the football field, that’s how fast she runs as she approaches the vault table. On bars, Ricki showcased a complete routine but encountered a little trouble when preparing for her transition to the low bar, ending up with an extra swing in the process. She threw a giant to half turn to straddle Jaeger release, transition to handstand on the low bar to toe-off straddle release to the high bar and a full in dismount. On the balance beam she threw a bhs to layout step-out, switch leap to straddle jump, front aerial, switch straddle leap (very nice), full turn, side Somi (excellent amplitude and control on the landing) and a double twist dismount (slightest shift on landing). The floor tumbling was equally impressive, including several tightly executed triples, super high double pikes, and a front through to a Rudi to layout step-out. The only pass we did not see her throw that she has thrown in recent weeks very well without spotting is the double layout, so perhaps she was resting a sore back on this date. Ricki looks ready to compete in all four events for the Tide in 2007.
Goblins (Total: 219)
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Erin Rightley
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Erin Rightley (Senior)
Leadership is what the coaches have asked for from the lone senior on the Tide squad for 2007 and leadership is what they’re getting from Erin, both in the gym and in terms of pushing her teammates to higher performances. For example, we observed Erin cheering the Tide performers on both sides throughout the G v G and she even walked over to give more verbal feedback after a Ghost performer completed a terrific tumbling pass on the floor. The vault this year for Erin is the Hristakieva, which she landed well several times on the soft mat. At one point she received specific praise from David Patterson for maintaining her body position and control mid-air (she gets scary height on this vault, similar to the double pike on floor). For some reason, this vault seems more natural for Erin compared to the Yurchenko 1/1 or 1.5. On the balance beam, Erin competed her full routine, which consists now of a front aerial, bhs to layout step-out, switch leap-switch leap to pike jump (very nice), full turn, a pike full turn jump (gasp!), and a bhs to double twist dismount off the side of the beam (did a single twist first and then exhibited the double twist onto a medium soft mat later). Impressive upgrades for sure. The floor tumbling included a super high double pike (excellent landing), front through to a Rudi to layout step-out, front handspring-front full twist-front layout, and a double layout (without spotting, landed with chest down a bit and forward one step). Great energy and enthusiasm in her performances throughout the intra-squad. At this point, balance beam and floor exercise look like Erin’s primary contributing events for 2007.
Terin Humphrey (Junior)
Our gal from Missouri has returned for her junior year in magnificent shape and is once again throwing her signature skills with renewed confidence and flair. If anyone doubted the competitive nature of Terin, they only had to observe what she is preparing to showcase on all four events for 2007. Let’s start with the vault, where Terin threw the Omeliantchik for the G v G competition with good power and control, one step forward on the landing. Her uneven bars routine now has the hop full to Gienger release and a full twisting double layout while her balance beam routine was complete with the triple turn in lunge position, a Kotchetkova (full twisting bhs) to bhs to layout step-out flight series, a switch leap to wolf, front punch (tuck), Omeliantchik (3/4 bhs) to split handstand pose and a round off to 1.5 twist; she later threw a double tuck dismount onto the soft mat/foam pit, landing was over-rotated. Floor tumbling included a pinpoint double front Arabian (first warm-up was even more impressive), a 2 ½ twist and a double pike. Following a brief rehab period of 4-6 weeks (post elbow surgery for removal of bone chips), Terin is expected to resume full training on all four events.
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Courtney Priess
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Courtney Priess (Sophomore)
Court has been rehabbing a sore back for much of the summer and early Fall but performed well on the uneven bars for the Tide fans during the G v G intra-squad. Highlights included a full turn to Tkatchev (really nice height and leg extension on this element), gorgeous glide uprises to vertical handstands, and she later threw a toe-on toe-off to Arabian double front dismount (one step to the left on landing). Court is working on a new transition to the low bar (bail to handstand). Here’s hoping she rehabs successfully, as the Tide really needs her skills and form on the bars for 2007.
Brittany Magee (Sophomore)
Britt is expected to help anchor the Tide on the vault and floor exercise in 2007. She competed a very impressive Yurchenko 1/1 for the Goblins, showing excellent height and awesome form mid-air, landing with one step back for balance. On bars she is still building a routine but showed some nice skills, including a full turn to pak Salto to toe-off straddle release to the high bar and a ½ in ½ out dismount on the soft mat. The balance beam routine was almost complete (dismount of a double tuck was done on the medium soft mat in the foam pit); this included the one-arm bhs to layout step-out (had to bend to balance the last element), front aerial, full turn with leg horizontal, switch leap to pike jump (very nice control and amplitude), front punch (noticeable balance check). Floor tumbling included a sky-high double pike, double tuck, front through to a Rudi to layout step-out. While the all-around is certainly a reachable goal for Brittany this year, realistically the coaches will need to see the bars routine start to shape up in the next month for this to occur.
Kassi Price (Freshman)
Throwing elite skill after elite skill on this date, Kassi was clearly ahead of just about all of her new teammates in terms of being routine ready, as Coach Patterson stated earlier in the pre-season. For example, she threw three different vaults for G v G, including the Podkopayeva, Yurchenko 1/1 and 1.5, landing all with impressive power and confidence. Fans present were in awe of her bars routine as well, which included a stalder ½ turn to Hindorff release, toe-off straddle release to the high bar (very nice form and extension on this element), and a huge full twisting double layout (nice height and distance). Kassi’s beam routine was equally impressive, where she mounted from the side with a gainer front walk-over to sit down onto the beam to side pose, then threw a wolf front aerial, bhs to layout step-out, switch leap to wolf jump, full turn, side Somi, and dismounted with a double pike (little separation in the legs). Floor tumbling impressed her Goblin teammate Jac Shealy so much that she gave Kassi a hug at the end of her performance. And no wonder, as Kassi opened with a pike full-in on the medium mat and then proceeded to the regular floor to throw an awesome triple twist before ending in the other corner with a front tuck to round off bhs to double pike (stuck). And she left out the double front Arabian!
Morgan Dennis (Freshman)
The champion sprinter from New Jersey came away with impressive performances on all four events as well, highlighted by a super high
Yurchenko 1/1 vault and floor tumbling that closely matched fellow freshman Kassi Price on this date: double layout (huge), pike full-in and a tuck full-in. Morgan also threw a front-front full twist to front layout on the regular floor, with excellent control throughout this pass. On the uneven bars, she also threw a complete routine, highlighted by a magnificent pike Jaeger release (her height on this release and the form mid-air were absolutely effortless in appearance); transition to handstand on the low bar, toe-off straddle release to the high bar, giant full turn to giant to ½ turn to double front dismount, one step forward on the landing. The balance beam routine was just as strong, starting with a front aerial, bhs to layout step-out to layout step-out (slightest of balance checks), switch leap to wolf jump, full turn, punch front (leg lift to balance), round off to double tuck dismount, step back on landing. Morgan is already on track to perform in the all around for the Tide. Polishing up on landings and hitting vertical handstands more consistently on the bars will be the coaches’ objectives for her in the remaining weeks of pre-season training.
Jacqueline Shealy (Freshman)
Jac’s complete uneven bars routine also impressed the fans in attendance. Highlights included a straddle mount over the LB to HB, pinpoint ½ turn to inverted giant to ½ turn to giant to Tkatchev (beautiful form and height on release) to giant to another ½ turn, bail to handstand transition to LB, toe-off straddle release to the HB, giant 1½ turn to 1.5 twisting flyaway, stuck the landing. The uprises to handstand positions were not consistently vertical but she attacked the bars very well on this date. The balance beam routine included a bhs to layout step-out, split scale extended back and beyond the end of the beam (Sheryl Dundas’ signature move), switch leap to wolf jump to sheep jump, front aerial to wolf jump, switch side straddle leap, a side split pose before dropping leg back down to complete a reverse full turn, round off to full twist off side of the beam, one step to balance. No vaulting on this date but she threw a front through to a double full on floor and a double pike onto the soft mat (foam pit) due to a sore back. Jac is expected to contribute on two to three events for the Tide and definitely will compete for a spot on bars and beam.
The next GymTide practice report will be posted around Thanksgiving so stay tuned!
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