2002 Ghosts vs Goblins Intra Squad Competition

• Slide Show: Ghosts and Goblins (2003)
• Photo Album: Ghosts and Goblins (2003)

Pooh Bear's Assistants and 75 plus fans were once again packed into the gymnastics practice facility for the annual fall intra-squad, which took place this year on Sunday, October 27, 2002.  Alabama has been officially practicing now for six weeks and there are already signs that this squad could overall prove to be the Tide's strongest, most athletically talented team ever.  As with every squad, the "trick" will lie in how the coaches are able to shape and mold this great talent into a cohesive team that can challenge for national championships.  Nevertheless, Bama is off to a great start in a short amount of time.  The following report highlights the skills that stood out in PBAs' eyes on this date:

Ghosts (89.10)                        Goblins (89.00)

Mari-Christine Bayer                             Rachel Delahoussaye

Alexis Brion*                                        Dana Filetti

Stephanie Kite                                      Lauren Holdefer

Ashley Miles                                         Shannon Hrozek

Dana Pierce                                          Michelle Reeser

Lauren Pruitt                                        Jeana Rice

Kristin Sterner                                     Larissa Stewart                                   

*Alexis was not feeling well on this date and warmed up only on floor.

The Ghosts were ethereal on floor:

Mari-Christine: full in (pike); double pike; front handspring-front full-punch front; she also did a front and back tumbling combination that ended in a full twist; she has trained and competed more difficult twisting passes.

Stephanie: front handspring-double twist-punch front; front handspring-front full-front layout; front handspring-round off-back handspring-layout step-out

Ashley: double layout; double pike; double front Arabian; front handspring-front full-front layout (perfect landing); Ashley has incredible "air awareness" as well as power.

Dana P: double pike; double twist; front handspring-front full-punch front; she was a little sluggish on some of her early passes but picked it up towards the end;

Kristin: double pike; Randi (front through to a 2 ½ twist); front handspring-1 ½ twist -layout step-out

The Goblins were anything but gruesome on vault:

Note: All vaults were thrown on soft mats.

Dana F: Yurchenko 1/1 and a Yurchenko full twist on, pike off (awesome!)

Lauren H: Pike ½ twist (excellent height, distance and form)

Shannon: Yurchenko layout (great form and distance)

Michelle: Yurchenko layout (nice)

Jeana: Yurchenko 1/1 (solid!)

The Ghosts were supernatural delights on the uneven bars:

Mari-Christine: 1 ½ turn on the high bar to a pike Jaeger release; double pike dismount

Ashley: Shaposhnikova, toe on-toe off to full turn to immediate Tkatchev; double front dismount (she threw a full routine)

Dana P: two inverted giants to half turn to immediate Tkatchev, double front dismount

Kristin: Shushonova, Tkatchev, double front dismount (she threw a full routine)

The Goblins were levitating on balance beam:

Rachel: wolf Popa; switch leap-wolf jump-3/4 straddle combination, side somi (fall), flic flac, flic flac, (did not try third element, a layout); running back tuck off the end of the beam; again, great dance, toe point and extension; the majority of this routine was worked up on her toes.  Rachel really stands out on this event and just needs more confidence in her tumbling skills to have a competitive routine.

Jeana: wolf jump; flic flac, layout, layout; wolf Popa. She is reportedly working on a new dismount, either a double tuck or double pike to replace the double twist.

Michelle: flic flac, layout; switch leap-wolf jump-Korbut (fish flop); punch front.  Moves with confidence and just needs to polish her toe point and extension.

Lauren H: punch front pike mount; flic flac, layout; switch leap-3/4 straddle combination; punch front; straddle-straddle jump combination; rudi dismount.  Has the big skills, now needs to polish her dance moves for maximum scoring potential.

Shannon: she is now mounting the beam by starting off with a handstand on the springboard, followed by arching over onto the beam and continuing forward until she is stretched length-wise along the beam; ff, ff, layout; switch leap-back handspring; switch leap-sheep jump; double twist dismount.  This routine is ready to compete.

Dana F: round off layout mount onto the beam (fell but never missed this move during warm-ups); switch leap-stag leap combination; ff, Korbut; side somi (fell); tuck Popa; very nice dance and presentation throughout this routine.

Larissa: punch front mount (solid); ff, ff, layout; switch leap-3/4 wolf combo; tuck full; combination front aerials (very nice); rudi dismount.  She has a great look on beam as well and has competed a double tuck dismount.

The Ghosts concocted magic on vault:

Ashley: Yurchenko 1 ½  (awesome height and distance)

Dana P: Yurchenko 1/1 (very powerful)

Mari-Christine: Yurchenko 1/1 (nice height and distance but needs to tighten up the form)

Kristin: front Pike (rocked it!)

Stephanie: front pike with a ½ twist (good landing and distance from the horse but form could be better)

Lauren P: front with a ½ twist in tuck position (very powerful entry with nice distance;)

The Goblins hexed the fans with their hypnotic tumbling on floor:

Shannon: double pike; double twist; front handspring-front full-front punch

Jeana: full in (pike); whip-2 ½ twist; double twist

Lauren H: double front; double pike; double tuck (nice form and height on each)

Rachel: double pike; front handspring-front full-front handspring

Michelle: double pike; front-front-whip ½-layout step-out

Dana F: front and back tumbling combination, with what looked like a whip ½ to punch front handspring; a very nice double twist; Dana has also competed a 2 ½  twist barani out, a triple and a double pike, so we should see more difficult passes as the fall practice period proceeds.

Larissa: front through to a rudi; double pike; double twist; a little sluggish on these passes; needs more power in her front and back handsprings.

The Ghosts were defying gravity on balance beam:

Dana P: split mount; 2-footed back handspring to 2-footed layout (perfect); side switch leap; punch front (fall); switch leap-straddle-straddle leap combination. Has nice poise on this event.

Kristin: punch front mount (right on!); ff, ff, layout; straddle-straddle jump combination; switch leap with ½ turn to wolf jump; wolf jump to standing back pike; new dance sequences at beginning and near the end of this routine; double pike dismount (one step to the side to balance).  What can you say???

 Mari-Christine: flic flac, layout (had it and then teetered backwards off the end of the beam); several needle poses to emphasize her long lines and flexibility; switch leap to split jump with ½ turn combination; switch leap-wolf jump-Korbut; front aerial; back pike off the end of the beam; This routine has lots of difficulty and creative moves; Mari just needs to polish her execution.

Ashley: round off layout mount; wolf Popa; switch leap to split jump with ½ turn combination; gainer back handspring to full twisting tuck; full turn with leg extended; punch front; dance elements and movement on the beam in general are much more fluid; lots of confidence in this gymnast.

Stephanie: she was in a zone on this event; very confident, the routine really flowed and all skills were executed with minute balance checks; punch front mount (super solid); flic flac, 2-footed layout; punch front; switch leap to ¾ wolf combo; switch leap-stag jump combo; strength move down low on the beam (shoulder stand to leg pose); rudi dismount; Stephanie is looking awesome!

The Goblins twirled in the wind on the uneven bars:

Jeana: she threw the same routine from last year but left out her new release, a Shushunova; she had two reverse giants to ½ turn on the high bar; dismounted with a full in.

Michelle: full turn to Tkatchev; dismount of tuck full back over the high bar; she has also trained a double layout dismount and a Geinger release.

Shannon: (full routine) full turn to Geinger release with front and reverse giants, ½ turns and a full turn to a double tuck dismount.  Shannon is in magnificent shape and the speed of her rotation on bars as well as her toe point and extension reflected this.

Dana F: looks great on the bars but is still putting her routine together; full turn to Geinger release; 1 ½ to double front dismount (very high tuck).

Larissa: lots of pirouetting in this routine and reverse giants; Tkatchev and Shaposhnikova releases; double layout dismount; beautiful form and toe point.

Lauren H: still putting her routine together, which includes a Voronin (or Vronin, depending on who you choose to give credit to for this release, ha ha) and a Comaneci dismount.

Rachel: she is also still putting her routine together and threw some nice giant uprises and full turns on the high bar. 

The top scorers for the winning Ghosts: Senior Kristin Sterner and freshman Ashley Miles.

The top scorers for the barely beaten Goblins: Juniors Jeana Rice, Lauren Holdefer, and sophomores Shannon Hrozekand Michelle Reeser.

We are looking forward to reading Coach Patterson's impressions from this intra-squad in her weekly "Chalk Talk" with the fans.  Next practice report will be sometime in mid- November.  Roll Tide!