Brenda Ladun, a news anchor for ABC 33/40, is helping get the word out about Alabama Gymnastics' "Drive 4 the Cure" meet to help battle breast cancer.

Ladun, who is a cancer survivor herself, will be helping coach Sarah Patterson publicize not only the meet, but the DCH Breast Cancer Fund, which was created in December 2004. The Fund goes to help West Alabama women in need gain access to medical care for early detection, which is essential in beating breast cancer, and treatment.

WVUA-FM New Rock 90.7 and GymTide radio will have contests this season and great prizes will be won by some lucky fans. To find out how to enter and win, please follow this link:

• Gymnastics Contest Rules

Don't be left out! Time is running short to qualify to win the first prizes, which will be offered during the Super Six Challenge meet on January 6th, live from Baton Rouge.

Roll Tide!!!

Super Six Challenge - Baton Rouge(January 6th)

In January in Baton Rouge, we will stay at Comfort Inn University & Conference Center overnight. We have reserved 20 double rooms. For reserve one, call 225-236-4000 and ask for the Medalist Club block. Cost is $66.67 including tax and includes deluxe Continental breakfast. The bus will cost $39.00 per person. UPDATE: 12/14/2005 - Meet tickets have been purchased for those who will be riding the bus to the Super Six Challenge. The tickets cost $5.00 apiece, which we will collect from you when you board the bus (we will have only limited ability to make change, so please try to bring the correct amount!).

We have a new "Chalk Talk" from Coach Patterson:

• Chalk talk - 12/16/2005

PBAs caught the last major practice before the gymnasts enter final exams this next week. The gals were working out today on every event and PBAs got a chance to view more of the floor choreography that will be presented this year with the help of Dana Dobransky-Duckworth. Rachael Delahoussaye had a small air cast on her arm to help with a stress fracture but she was practicing her beam routine and adding new elements that were exciting to see. Read on for more Tidebits...

We have the second of two pre-season practice reports on how the Tide is looking on the final two events, balance beam and floor exercise. We will post at least one more practice report prior to the Christmas Holidays and a few after the 26^th as the Tide prepares for the opening meet on January 6^th. It should be noted that senior Rachael Delahoussaye has been in an air cast for a few weeks to help her deal with a minor stress fracture in her arm but has not lost any significant training time and is on track to compete by the first of the year.

Ten Troupe is an student organization that has helped supercharge the atmosphere at UA Gymnastics Meets and is open to any current UA student and is similar to Mark's Madness at Alabama Men's Basketball games. A membership fee of $25.00 will be assessed and membership will be available on a "first come, first served" basis.

The December issue of the Medalist Club Newsletter is heading to print as you read this. This issue talks about the coming season and what to look for from our favorite team!

It will only be mailed to our current membership, so if you haven't (re-)joined the Medalist Club for 2006, now is the time to send in your membership. If you can't find your brochure, don't worry! You can download one from Gymtide.com. Simply click on the menu option for "The Club", then click the link to "Join the Club". Download one of the forms, fill it out and send it in to our membership chairman!

As an added incentive, the first 200 members who join will receive a special "Gymtide.com" shoulder bag.

Finally, all members who've joined by December 10th who have Medalist Club T-Shirts coming will receive them before Christmas!

See you in January!

The Medalist Club

Sarah Patterson and the Alabama Gymnastics program inked four student-athletes to national letters of intent during the early signing period. Morgan Dennis, Kayla Hoffman, Ricki Lebegern and Casey Overton have all signed to compete for the Tide starting with the 2007 season.

"It's Thanksgiving time of year, and a good time to talk about something for which we can all be thankful. In fact, we've talked a lot this fall about the gymnasts, and how well they are coming along, athletically. I'm happy to report that a recent visit to practice found the gymnasts all to be 'up and at 'em', practicing hard, and doing a great job. In addition, another area that the GymTide concentrates on - community involvement - has also had some great success with the recent 2005 Golf Classic and Chopper Drop benefiting the DCH Breast Cancer Fund, which is in some ways an outgrowth of Coach Sarah Patterson's 'Think Pink' breast cancer awareness campaign begun last year and continuing on this season. However, it is the other factor in the GymTide equation, academics, which a recent field trip brought to the forefront."

We got a chance to watch the gals practicing again this past Sunday and have some exciting new "tidebits" to report on upgrades already in several routines. Let's get right to it.

New applications for Tide Tykes and Teens will be accepted after Dec 1, 2005 on a first come first serve basis.

• 2006 Registration form for Tide Tykes and Teens - Adobe Acrobat(C) format
  The free Acrobat reader can be downloaded here

We have a brand spanking new Photo album (and a slide show) for the 2006 Ghosts vs Goblins Intrasquad Meet.

• Photo Album: 2006 Ghosts vs Goblins Intrasquad Meet
• Slide Show: 2006 Ghosts vs Goblins Intrasquad Meet

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

103068 bytes 01.Ghastly Signs Portend-Ghosts&Goblins begin

104298 bytes 02.Strange attire amazes Coach Sarah

114208 bytes 03.Coach David welcomes visitors with Arcane Rules

We present the first of two installments on the Crimson Tide Gymnastics Team's projected depth at midway point of the pre-season. Today we are covering the vault and uneven bars and will continue with the balance beam and floor exercise in a few days. The next practice report will hopefully come right before Thanksgiving, depending on the coaches' workout schedule for the team this Sunday. Roll Tide!

Michelle Reeser spent her Alabama gymnastics career excelling in athletics, academics and community service and Saturday night, she was honored for her accomplishments in all three areas.

As a top-10 finalist for the 2005 NCAA Woman of the Year award, Reeser was honored at a banquet that introduced each of the 51 state winner. Reeser and the other nine finalists were celebrated with a video presentation of their honors and accomplishments. Tennessee diver Lauryn McCalley was named the Woman of the Year.

"When you hear the stories told about each one of these girls, and you get to know them, it is amazing," Reeser said after the banquet, held at the Indianapolis Westin.

It was another shocking, awe-inspiring venture into the world of Alabama Gymnastics this past Sunday, October 30, 2005.

The UA gymnasts were going all out during the annual intra-squad to impress the coaches and fans alike. The end result (183 Goblins to 181 Ghosts) was partially credited to David Patterson for coming up with such a balanced team line-up on both sides. The gals came away feeling that each had made definite strides on this date. They also had clearer views of where they need to be in the next two months of practice in order to make the line-up at the Super Six Challenge. This first excerpt will focus on highlights of each gymnast's performance in the intra-squad. Another analysis will follow later in the week that will focus more on how the team is looking six-deep on each event in the wake of this competition.

After canvassing the attendees at the Pizza Party this past Sunday, we have decided to cancel the second bus trip to Baton Rouge, the one scheduled for Friday, March 3rd, 2006. However, the hotel information shown on the bus trip page for that night is still correct and the 'Medalist Club block' rooms will still be available on a first call, first serve basis through 02/13/2006.

The Alabama Gymnastics team hosted its annual Ghost and Goblins intrasquad today with the Goblins coming out on top by a very narrow margin.

The Crimson Tide coaching staff divided the teams with eye toward making the even. With a two point margin of victory, they were obviously successful. In front of 200-plus onlookers, the Goblins beat the Ghosts 183-181. The Goblins outscored their counterparts on the vault and floor exercise to secure the victory.

Freshman Melanie Banville was the day's high scorer, adding 60 points to the Goblins winning effort. Senior Ashley Miles added 36 points for the Goblins. Rookies Cassie Martin (Ghosts), Ashley O'Neal (Goblins) and Courtney Priess (Ghosts) all tied for third place, scoring 31 points apiece.

For Michelle Reeser, the waiting is almost over.

A senior All-American on Alabama's 2005 NCAA Runner-up gymnastics squad, Reeser found out six weeks ago that she was one of 10 finalist for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award and Saturday night at a banquet held in Indianapolis, she'll find out if she is the first Alabama gymnast to win the overall award.

"I'm very, very excited and I have to say a little shocked," Reeser said. "It has put a really nice finish on a great four years at Alabama. I was looking forward to the trip from the start, but being a top-10 finalist makes it all the better."

This Sunday from 2PM - 3PM [Central], Alabama Gymnastics will once again hit the airwaves with Chad Anderson and Leesa Davis giving you a look inside of the 2006 Gymtide. Make sure you tune in if you're in the Tuscaloosa area on 90.7 FM or on the web if you're out of town at http://www.bcmonsters.com/!

GymTide reminder: Please keep in mind that the time is changing from daylight savings time to standard time early Sunday morning. Be sure to reset those clocks!

We have a new "Chalk Talk" from Coach Patterson:

• Chalk talk - 10/26/2005

We've got a much promised and highly anticipated practice report!

• Practice Report: Sunday, October 23, 2005

Registration forms for Tide Tykes and Teens for the 2006 Season will be mailed out to current members on Nov. 1, 2005.

Current members will have the first chance to renew their memberships until Dec 1, 2005 and new members will be accepted after Dec 2, 2005 on a first come first serve basis.

The Tide Tykes and Teens membership is limited to 100 so if you are a current 2005 and wish to renew please be on the lookout after Nov. 1, 2005 for your renewal application and be sure to have it returned on or before Dec. 1, 2005.

We look forward to a great season with great fun for Tide Tykes and Teens. For more information please contact: Kay Harris - 205-553-5833

• Renewal applications will be accepted FROM Nov. 1, 2005 to Dec. 1, 2005
• New member applications will be accepeted AFTER Dec. 1, 2005

Now that we have your attention, we would like to invite everyone to attend the annual 'Ghosts and Goblins Intrasquad Meet' at the Frances Smith Gymnastics Practice Facility on Sunday, October 30th at 1:00 p.m. Will the Ghosts fly by the Goblins to victory? Will the Goblins scare the Ghosts into defeat? Come early (spectator space and seating is limited) to see witch will prevail. The Practice Facility is located toward the rear of Coleman Coliseum and may be entered from the east (Law School) side of the coliseum. Note that extra care should be taken in this area due to the ongoing renovation of the coliseum. Immediately after the intrasquad, fans and gymnasts alike will adjourn to the Scholarship Room on the east side of Bryant/Denny Stadium for the Medalist Club Membership Drive and Pizza Party at 4:00. Boo!!! (Gotcha!) Roll Tide!!!

PBAs and Salto hit the doors running on this date to get another peek at the 2006 Alabama Gymnastics Team. With the exception of junior walk-on Meredith Laxton, all ladies were present and working out on the four events before hitting the spinning bikes. PBAs learned that Laxton informed the coaches the previous Friday of her decision to retire from gymnastics and focus on her studies for the remainder of her time at the Capstone. The Medalist Club wishes Meredith all the best in her future endeavors.

[ 2006 Membership Drive and Pizza party ]

Fans, come join the gymnasts for the Medalist Club Fall Membership Drive and Pizza Party! The party will take place on October 30th, 2005 at 4:00 p.m. in the Scholarship Room on the east side of Bryant/Denny Stadium.

We have another Photo album (and a slide show) for this past Saturday's autograph session on the Quad.

• Photo Album: 2006 Quad autograph session(2)
• Slide Show: 2006 Quad autograph session

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

95250 bytes 01. The line starts here for gym fans

72912 bytes 02. Bama fans split Meredith and Rachael

112812 bytes 03. Courtney and Kaitlin sign on some guys

"At first blush, the first day of official practice may seem an odd occasion for me to be thinking of that 'one day in April' - April 21, 2006, that is, the date of the National Championship team final. Well...OK, perhaps it will only seem odd to those of you who don't know me very well. It's just that, seeing the freshmen running around the gym, bumping into each other, reminds me that the seniors they are replacing, Alexis Brion, Shannon Hrozek, and Michele Reeser, always strove to be at their very best in post-season competition."

Salto snapped a bunch of photos this past Saturday at the autograph session on the Quad. Here's a new Photo Album!

• Photo Album: 2006 Quad autograph session Photo Album

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

240KB 01-GymTide fans

253KB 02-Brodie snaps picture of Brodie and Brodie

253KB 03-Signing Tide

The Alabama Gymnastics team will be on the Quad Saturday morning from 9:30-10:30 a.m. signing pictures of the 2006 squad.

Fans will be able to meet and greet three-time NCAA Champion Ashley Miles and two-time Olympic Silver Medalist and 2005 NCAA Uneven Bars Champion Terin Humphrey, along with the rest of the Tide's returners. Fans will get to meet the seven gymnasts that make up the largest freshman class in coaches Sarah and David Patterson's 28-year Alabama career.

Alabama finished second in the nation last year, marking its 10th top-2 finish. Patterson and company also won its 20th NCAA Regional Title. Miles won three Southeastern Conference and four NCAA Regional titles while Humphrey won the SEC, NCAA Regional and NCAA Uneven Bars Championships.

The 2006 GymTide will be signing autographs as part of the pre-game festivities on the Quad before the Saturday, September 24, 2005 football game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the University of Arkansas Razorbacks. The gymnasts will be located under a canopy near the pre- game radio broadcast podium from 9:30 am to 10:30 am. The Medalist Club will also be on hand with membership brochures, tickets for the 'Perfect 10 Grand' Gala Medalist Club post-graduate scholarship fundraiser, and information concerning bus-trips, post-meet receptions, Tide Tykes, and other Medalist Club activities. Come by and meet the team, get some autographs from and pictures with the gymnasts, and don't forget to stop by and say hello to the Medalist Club representatives. We're also hoping to have a visit from the GymTide Radio's all-star celebrity and groundbreaking broadcast team, the Medalist Club's own Leesa Davis and WVUA FM 90.7's sports director, Chad Anderson.

Roll Tide!!!

We've got a photo album and slide show for the 2005 NCAA Nationals (Session 1)

• Photo Album: 2005 NCAA Nationals (Session 1)
• Slide Show: 2005 NCAA Nationals (Session 1)

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

68824 bytes 01 Dana P, Dana F, Mari, Terin and Shannon chalk up

135428 bytes 02 Dana F stays tight in her Gienger

77677 bytes 03 Mari spans the bars

The good news just got better for Michelle Reeser, a senior All-American on Alabama's 2005 NCAA Runner-up gymnastics squad.

Late last month, she was named NCAA Woman of the Year for the State of Alabama and this week it was announced that Reeser was a top-10 finalist for the prestigious national award.

"I'm very, very excited and I have to say a little shocked," the Monroe, La. native said. "It has put a really nice finish on a great four years at Alabama. I was looking forward to the trip from the start, but being a top-10 finalist makes it all the better."

We have a new "Chalk Talk" from Coach Patterson:

• Chalk talk - 9/1/2005

We have a new "Chalk Talk" from Coach Patterson:

• Chalk talk - "We're Back"

The PBA's discussion of the 2006 freshman class continues. This is the second part in the series. [ Click here for part 1. ]

The tireless PBA's have been hard at work all summer gathering information on the GymTide's incoming freshman. As many of you know from visiting the message board, at the behest of 'Kristy', one of our loyal message board contributors, very informative updates concerning Cassie Martin, Courtney Priess, and Ashley O'Neal have already been posted. We have now collected those entries into a feature article, which we will update as the PBA's progress along in their efforts. As excitement builds for the beginning of the 2005 fall semester, we hope that putting this information in one place will make it a little easier for GymTide fans learn about Bama's large, varied, and extremely accomplished freshman class.

Oh, bring again my heart's content,
Thou Spirit of the Summer-time!
- William Allingham (1824-1889)

I think it might be time for a few 'Tidebits', to borrow the PBA's expression, before I lapse into my summer doldrum. Here are some gymnastics related - and not-so-related - items that have caught my attention since the season's end, followed by a, well, I guess 'philosophical' discussion:

We've got a photo album and slide show for the 2005 NCAA Regionals

• Photo Album: 2005 NCAA Regionals
• Slide Show: 2005 NCAA Regionals

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

117404 kb 01. Kaitlin hits top speed in her vault w-u

83756 kb 02. Team Roll Tide after vault w-u

113340 kb 03. Shannon's straddle uprise

We have a new "Chalk Talk" from Coach Patterson:

• Chalk talk - 2005 Ride of Love for Camp Smile-A-Mile

Two Alabama gymnasts were named to the 2005 ESPN The Magazine University Division Women's Academic All-District IV At-Large Team, selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of American (CoSIDA). District IV is comprised of colleges and universities in the states of Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee.

Senior Michelle Reeser was named to the first team, while senior Shannon Hrozek was named second team. Both women come to the team after All-American seasons in the gym.

"Michelle and Shannon had outstanding careers at Alabama, both in the gym and in the classroom, and this honor is a fitting cap to their careers," Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said. "To have two of our ladies make the at-large team, which encompasses such a wide pool of student-athletes, is really very gratifying."

It's been kind of slow lately, newswise, so we have prepared a nice treat for you. (Thanks to Salto for putting these together!)

• 2005 GymTide Highlight Slideshow

We have a season wrap up and preview from the PBAs

• A Look Back at the 2005 Season, A Peek Forward to 2006

This past season, the Medalist Club was involved with what we believe was a first-time-ever, groundbreaking enterprise: full season, home-and-away broadcast radio and internet-audio coverage of college gymnastics. The person who not only came up with, but also enthusiastically promoted, developed - you might even go so far as to say 'invented' the whole idea - was Chad Anderson, a University of Alabama student and the sports director of the University's award-winning, student-run radio station, WVUA-FM 90.7. Although Chad is a very busy young man (for instance, as I write this he is in College Station, Texas preparing to broadcast Bama softball's Super-Regional games versus Texas A&M), I was recently able to grab enough of his time to ask him a few questions about himself and his radio coverage of Bama gymnastics this past season:

University of Alabama gymnastics signee Melanie Banville followed up a stellar performance at the Summer Olympics by winning the national all-around title Wednesday night at the Canadian National Championships being held in Vancouver on the University of British Columbia campus this week.

Banville took the gold with 36.675 points posting the best score on floor (9.600), second best on vault (9.250) and third best on uneven bars (9.325). She finished nearly half a point better than defending champion Kylie Stone of the Stampede City Club in Calgary.

"I was confident and had a lot of fun out there tonight," Banville told the Vancouver Sun. "I'm excited it turned out this way. I definitely worked for it. This win pumps me up for the individual finals."

University of Alabama gymnastics signee Melanie Banville is in first place after day one of the Canadian National Championships behind held in Vancouver on the University of British Columbia campus.

Banville, a native of Long Sault, Ontario, scored a 36.850 in the all-around to lead the competition. Her score included a 9.5 on both the uneven bars and floor exercise. She will compete in the all-around finals Wednesday night. The scores from the two days of competition are added together to determine the overall winner. Banville will also compete in individual event finals on Saturday.

A member of the 2004 Canadian Olympic team, Banville won the all-around at the Canadian Olympic trials last summer. She was a finalist at the Athens Olympics and took fifth in the all-around at the 2003 Pan-American Games.

We have a new "Chalk Talk" from Coach Patterson:

• Chalk talk - Greetings from the Patterson household!

We've got a photo album and slide show for the 2005 Annual Awards Banquet

• Photo Album: 2005 Annual Awards Banquet
• Slide Show: 2005 Annual Awards Banquet

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

103985 kb 01-ashley-bryan-01

63686 kb 02-alexis-mich-shan-02

75927 kb 03-crowd1

University of Alabama assistant head gymnastics coach David Patterson underwent successful spinal surgery today to correct a long standing back ailment.

Patterson, who just completed his 27th season at Alabama, had a multi-level lumbar spinal fusion performed at Carraway Hospital in Birmingham. The surgery, performed by Dr. Evan Zeiger, got underway at 1 p.m. and took about four hours.

"The surgery was a success and now we are looking forward to a full recovery," Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said of her husband's procedure.

The Alabama Gymnastics team celebrated the fruits of a season that culminated in a runner-up finish at the recent NCAA Championships at its annual awards banquet Saturday night.

The banquet, hosted by the Crimson Tide's booster organization, The Medalist Club, was held in the Bryant Conference Center.

The Crimson Tide honored 2005 co-captain Ashley Miles as its MVP. The junior earned four All-American honors and posted a third place all-around finish at the NCAA Championships. The San Antonio, Texas native became the first gymnast in NCAA history to score two 10.0s during the Super Six team finals, leading the Tide from the back of the pack during the middle at the NCAA Championships, to a second place finish. Miles, a four-time SEC Gymnast of the Week, won three individual SEC titles, including her third consecutive floor title, as well as four NCAA Central Regional Titles, including her third consecutive vault and floor exercise titles.

Sharing in one-half of the Perfect-10 Grand Gala $10,000.00 grand prize was a group of 10 teachers from Brookwood, who have sent us a picture of themselves with the check! The Perfect-10 Grand Gala was held on Saturday, April 16th at the Sheraton Four Points Hotel Ballroom and the proceeds from the event will go toward funding the Medalist Club's Postgraduate Scholarship Fund.

Pictured from left to right are: Kristie Gray, Vickii Marchant, Darlene Farris, Meredith Barringer, Sandy Miesse, Marti Ball (holding check), Molly Wagner, Fay Gwin, and Jackie Norton. Not pictured is Kirk Robertson.

We've got a photo album and slide show for the 2005 Senior Night-SEC

• Photo Album: 2005 Senior Night-SEC
• Slide Show: 2005 Senior Night-SEC

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

151148 kb 01. Brittany leads off bars warm up for Senior Night

152474 kb 02. Dana F's line makes a ruler look crooked

192174 kb 03. Mari makes her move to high bar

AUBURN, ALA - She turned silver into gold.

Alabama freshman Terin Humphrey, a two-time Olympic Silver medalist this summer in Athens, won the NCAA Uneven Bars Title here in Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum with a 9.9375.

Humphrey, who joined the Tide on Dec. 26 after spending the fall on the T.J. Maxx Olympic Tour, has learned the team concept of gymnastics very quickly.

Alabama used a fierce rally here at the NCAA Gymnastics Championships to jump from fourth place after three rotations to second place in the end with a 197.400, its best score of the season.

Alabama started the night strong with a 49.325 on the uneven bars before struggling through a 48.85 balance beam set.

"Yesterday we struggled with vault and today it was beam," Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said. "We just can't seem to hit all four events on the same night. We had a bunch of 9.70s on beam, we just didn't rock it. Georgia rocked all four events and that is what you have to do to win."

We've got a photo album for the 2005 NCAA Nationals - Super Six (Fri)

• Photo Album: 2005 NCAA Nationals - Super Six (Fri)

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

130479 kb Bayer11

79251 kb Coaches_and_Humphrey

157773 kb Comeaux1

AUBURN, ALA -- The Alabama Gymnastics team will start its bid for a fifth NCAA Championship will start on the uneven bars, after a first rotation bye, Friday night here in Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum.

In a blind draw, the Crimson Tide drew the bye before bars to start the meet. It will then start on the uneven bars, progress t