We have some photos that we did not post during the season. We've combined 2 sets, "Practice on April 19th" and "The Grand Gala" into one photo album.

• Photo Album: "Practice on April 19th" and "The Grand Gala"

Here are a few of the Photos:
(Click on a thumbnail to view a full size picture)

53 kb GALA-11

49 kb Gala-02

69 kb Gala-03

August 1999...so let the journey begin!

I'll never forget the day Keith loaded the girls into the car and departed for Tuscaloosa, Alabama. They looked like 'Okies' with all of their possessions crammed into the car, and bikes hanging off the back. The commitment had been made, and we turned our daughter over to the capable and nurturing hands of the Pattersons...and to the entire Alabama support system. Kristin was always a great teenager, with potential to be tapped. The coaches assured us they had a PLAN for Kristin, and boy, did they ever!

I'll never forget how completely the team 'adopted' Kristin and Sara, and never made them feel like underclassmen. Genuine friendships followed, and they will last a lifetime. The first season, by all accounts, was a success. Alabama won SECs, Regionals, and placed 5th at NCAAs in Boise. What an honor to be a part of such a fantastic team. One year under her belt, and we sensed that Tuscaloosa was starting to feel more like 'home' than home!

We've got a new photo album for the Medalist Club Banquet (Saturday, May 03, 2003)

• Photo Album: Medalist Club Banquet (Saturday, May 03, 2003)

Here are a few of the Photos:
(Click on a thumbnail to view a full size picture)

25 kb Kristin-fan-2

37 kb Larissa-trophy-1

39 kb Mari-trophy-1

We've got a new slide show and a photo album for the SEC Championship

• Slide Show: SEC Championship (Saturday, March 29, 2003)
• Photo Album: SEC Championship (Saturday, March 29, 2003)

Here are a few of the Photos:
(Click on a thumbnail to view a full size picture)

75 kb 01. Michelle straightlines a giant

109 kb 02. Dana F Giengers to the left

93 kb 03. Jeana transitions to high bar

"I think that every parent harbors the hope that their child will grow up to become an adult that is happy, normal and will make a meaningful contribution to society. Kristin's experiences at the University of Alabama have been a major contributor toward the fulfillment of that hope for me. It would be impossible to try to name all of the people that have had so many positive impacts on her during these past four years and it is apparent to me that I have had the privilege of meeting only a small portion of them. They range from the coaching and support staff, her teammates past and present as well as the Bama family of boosters and University faculty. I have been so impressed with their kindness, caring and enthusiasm. With an atmosphere like that, it is seemingly impossible not to succeed! My personal thanks to all of you for your wonderful and caring support."

"I find it hard to believe that four years could have passed so quickly. It seems much more like only one and a half years! These four years have provided her with a chance for growth and the realization of broadened intellectual vistas and perspectives. It has been a continuation of learning to balance her job as a university athlete against the need for scholarship and trying not to lose sight of the collegiate experience as well. It has given her a chance to be "on her own" while still under the gentle (most of the time) guiding influence of her coaches and their staff. She has teammates that will be lifelong friends every bit as close as her own siblings. She has known the agony of defeat as well as the joy of victory and the realization that just plain hard work can be a reward in itself. Perhaps this is a lesson that is even more a realization for her mother and I. She is the kind of kid that doesn't make much of either a defeat or a victory but is far more inclined to be focused on the next competition or test, realizing that the past is past and the future is where we must focus our efforts. She has shared with me that her proudest moments have been her academic accomplishments while at the university and that she is immensely proud of being introduced as an Academic All American, perhaps even more so than and Athletic All American. "

The Alabama Gymnastics team celebrated the 2003 season Saturday night with the annual year-end Medalist Club Banquet.

The banquet celebrated the Crimson Tide's fifth Southeastern Conference Championship, 19th NCAA Regional Championship and its NCAA Runner-up finish last week in Lincoln, Neb. Alabama also celebrated Sarah and David Patterson's 25th season coaching the Tide.

The squad's lone senior, Kristin Sterner, was named captain for the second year in a row. The Ionia, Michigan native earned three All-American honors during her last season, boosting her career total to 11. She was also named the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

THE MEDALIST CLUB NOMINATION COMMITTEE has recommended the following nominees for board members. The Medalist Club membership will vote at the Annual Banquet on May 3rd, 2003.