10 Things You Don't Know About...Laurie Hernandez

1. I'm a HUGE hunger games fan!
2. I love John Green! (Author)
3. I love wearing neon mis-matching socks!
4. I wear contacts.
5.  I have pink teeth retainers!
6. I can name all 44 presidents by heart!
7. I can dance like a robot!
8. I LOVE one direction!
9. I have a stuffed animal cow that I sleep with at night, and I named him Eddy after Ed Sheeran. 
10. My favorite Christian band is MercyMe! 

"Eddy"

10 Things You Don't Know About:
Victoria Moors
Sarah Finnegan
Ragan Smith
Ari Agrapides
Ellie Downie
Vanasia Bradley
Jazmyn Foberg
Deanne Soza

Predicting the Super Six

With the regular season about halfway over, it's time to start pondering potential candidates for the Super Six this year. With so many incredible NCAA teams and only six spots in the finals....who is going to make it?

We asked several bloggers from the gymternet to voice their opinions...

Ashlee and Brittany from Triple Twist
Florida is a given. They are the reigning National Champions, they have been ranked #1 for most of this season, and they haven't slowed down one bit. Making the Super Six won't be a problem for them. Oklahoma is also another given in my opinion. They have really stepped it up throughout the last few years and managed to place 2nd at Championships last year. Oklahoma has been on Florida's heels all season long and has even been ranked  #1 nationally a few times this season. In my opinion, Oklahoma is one of the only teams that is up to Florida's standards and if anyone is gonna give them a run for their money (or a National title)- it's them. LSU has really impressed us this season and shouldn't have a problem making the Super Six. They've been ranked in the top three all season long so far and I really feel like they are a whole new team out there compared to last year. They placed 5th at Championships last year which was their first Super Six appearance since 2009. I think LSU has a great chance of placing in the top 3 this year! I think we will see Alabama in it once again, despite loosing one of their key players (Kayla Williams) to injury. Bama is a very strong team and usually peaks right around Championship season. However, they need to work on consistency if they want to edge out the other top teams in the finals. Georgia started out the season a little bit sluggish, but they have picked things back up and I think they have a great shot at Super Six this year. Georgia has had the toughest schedule in the NCAA this year, so I'm impressed with how they're doing. For the last spot, it's always a fight! With only six teams advancing to finals, there is always a few teams that are disappointed. Last year that was Michigan when they just missed advancing to the Super Six. Michigan hasn't made it to the Super Six since 2011, but I think that's gonna change this year. Michigan has welcomed two incredibly strong freshman  (Talia Chiarelli and Nicole Artz) and they have both made a big impact in the lineups. Of course they have their leader, Joanna Sampson, who is also capable of bringing in huge scores across the board. Michigan has been consistent all season long and hasn't had to count one fall yet. Despite falling victim to some harsh scoring, they've remained in the top 8 nationally. If Michigan stays consistent, I think (and hope!) they will sneak into the Super Six this year.

Allie from Double Double Gym Blog
Despite some weird home scoring, I think Florida is looking in prime position to fight for their second national title and looks much like last year with great a freshman class. LSU is on a roll this season adding to a fifth place season last year. After beating Oklahoma, I think they have the confidence and skills they need to make the super 6. Oklahoma is looking gorgeous this season and I think will keep on improving their difficulty and as long as they become a little more consistent, they should make the Super 6 with no problem. I think Michigan is coming back hungry this season after just missing out on the super 6 last year. They are picking up steam this season and, as long as they hit what they're capable, should make Super 6. While Alabama is having a rough start, Sarah Patterson and the coaches at Alabama know how to pace their gymnasts for a championship season. However, if prelims is close, I can see Alabama on the short end of the stick. Georgia is near the top of the rankings this season for the first time in a few years. The team is really adapting the coaching style of Durante and will be hungry to build on a 6th place finish last year

Lauren Hopkins from The Couch Gymnast
I think the Super Six this year will be Oklahoma, Florida, Utah, and LSU for sure, no questions asked, unless one of them completely bombs and counts multiple falls. But I think they're the four that have really been the most "on" this year, with the only exception being Utah's beam on occasion, so I think they're really poised to have a superb finish. In the fifth spot, I see Georgia or Alabama. For some reason, I don't think both will make it...I'd like to see Georgia get in, if only because I haven't really loved them since the Courtney Kupets days, yet this year feel like they're back in my 'favorites' group so I'd like to see them make it. Plus, I think they're a little more exciting than Bama this year for some reason. Bama is good and solid but nothing really thrills me...yet it's the senior year for some of their best, so I'm sure when it comes time to impress, they will put on a clinic. For the last spot...honestly, I think it could go to anyone depending on their day, but the most likely this year for me are probably Stanford or Michigan. Stanford hasn't really been on fire this year yet, but they always managed to do something impressive by Nationals, and Michigan is also just under the radar and could be a good surprise. I hesitate to say UCLA because I think this is a transition year for them. They lost some of their most impressive athletes in recent years between 2012 and 2013, and now the majority of their routines come from underclassmen. I'm not saying these underclassmen aren't strong competitors, but they're definitely still a little green and I think even if they did manage to sneak into the Super Six, they wouldn't quite be on par with the other five teams there, even if they were completely "on."

Rick McCarles from Gymnastics Coaching
Women's NCAA gymnastics is predictable painful. There are almost never major surprises. Florida and Oklahoma are the best two teams. LSU is hot! Utah looks to be having their best season in many years. Alabama should be in the Super Six every year, and it seems to me that Georiga is finally organized under their new coaching regime. UCLA has been more trouble minded than usual, I'm not sure Nebraksa has the needed depth, maybe Michigan?

10 Questions with Olivia Karas

Olivia Karas or Liv for short, is a level 10 gymnast on the rise. She trains at IK Gymnastics in Chicago, Illinois and is coached by Irina Kudina- whom she has trained under for many years. After having a phenomenal performance at her first JO National Championships in 2011, Olivia injured her back and was forced to miss the entire 2012 competition season. Luckily, Olivia was able to rally back strong in 2013, becoming the Level 10 State Champion on beam and floor, and accepting a full ride scholarship to compete for the University of Michigan in 2016. We talked to Olivia about recovering from her back injury, qualifying to the upcoming Nastia Cup, and her goals for the future!

At your very first JO National Championships, you managed to place 5th all around, 5th on vault, and 2nd on floor. Can you walk us through that whole experience?

Nationals was such an amazing experience! I absolutely loved being apart of a team and meeting all of the new people! It was nerve wracking, however- since it was my first JO Nationals, so I was definitely nervous but after the first event, which was vault, I was just excited and happy to be there! I was very happy with my results. I had no expectations to place high or anything, I just wanted to gain experience from it and really get to see all of the other girls competing. It was so much fun and I hope to make it again! 

Can you talk about the back injury that you had in 2012 and how you stayed motivated through that tough time? 

I fractured my back in January of 2012, which was such a shock. I was in great shape to compete for the season, so the injury came at the worst time possible and was honestly heartbreaking. I went to the gym everyday to do conditioning and stretching, but it was really hard to watch all of my other teammates train and compete. Though it was hard, it really motivated me to stay with it and not give up because I knew how much I loved gymnastics from just sitting there and watching everyone else. 

You made your comeback in 2013, can you talk about competing again and how your back is doing now? 

My back occasionally acts up. It will kind of be injured forever, but if I keep up with my physical therapy exercises and icing, I should be fine. In 2013, I really wanted to compete. At the first meet, I only did beam. It was great to get out there again, but it was honestly horrible to have to scratch everything else. The next Monday after the meet, I came into the gym and told my coach Irina, that I wanted to do floor. She just laughed because our next meet was in two weeks and she was like 'there is no way you are going to put a floor routine together in two weeks.' As usual, I wanted to prove her wrong, and did. It was amazing to get back out there and it was icing on the cake to win beam and floor at states. 

What was your reaction when you found out that you qualified to the Nastia Cup? What are some of your goals for the meet? 

I was shocked! My teammate, Lena Buescher was sitting next to me and she started crying, and then I started crying! It was such a surprise to me that I could qualify. It was always in the back of my head. During the national anthem at the meet, there was a poster that said that the meet was a qualifier to the Nastia Cup and I was thinking, "wouldn't that be like so cool!" and it happened, which is still a shock. It won't become reality until I get there. I am so looking forward to getting the experience of competing on a podium and meeting tons of new people. I honestly have no real goals for the meet except to have fun! It is amazing to even be given the opportunity to compete! 

A few months ago you mentioned that you wanted to compete elite, is that still the goal for you? 

I have decided to stick with level 10. Elite was a goal of mine and I did start training it, but I have had many minor injuries that have been setbacks and have really made it hard to go for it. I would rather focus on making a great level 10 program and focusing on college. 

Speaking of college, you are committed to the University of Michigan! Why did you choose Michigan and what are you looking forward to most about competing there? 

University of Michigan was my first choice from the start. The team is so amazing, the facility is gorgeous, and the coaches are so great! I love the school so much and absolutely can't wait to compete for such an amazing team. I really am looking forward to meeting new girls that will soon become some of my best friends and get to compete for a school that I love to death. 

Olivia (far right) with junior elite Vanasia Bradley, and future teammates
Emma McLean and Maggie O'Hara.

Who is your favorite gymnast and why? 

Definitely Kerri Strug. I do the same vault as her and I am amazed at how she landed it on one leg. I can hardly land it on two! She is the perfect example of not giving up and persevering even if you're in so much pain. I admire her for that. 

What is your favorite event and why?

I absolutely love beam, but I hate competing it. I understand beam the most and love making up new combinations and skills. I love competing floor the most, but beam is still my favorite event. 

Are you working on any new upgrades that you can share? 

I really want to try to put a double layout in my floor routine, but we will see how that goes. Other than that, just trying to stay stable and confident on all of the other events!

What are your goals for this season?

For this season, I really just want to stay injury free and have fun! I obviously want to make Regionals and Nationals, and maybe even the All Star Team, but most importantly to keep myself healthy and enjoy the season as if it's one of my lasts!

The Artistry Debate

It's one of the most talked about topics in this sport, so perhaps I'm just beating the subject to death more by writing this post. But I wanted to talk about this (again) because of the rude things I read on tumblr, YouTube, etc on a daily basis. I honestly can't believe that this is still a topic that is being talked about after the multiple good debates I've seen . (There are some pretty good points out there.)

Before you begin reading this, I want to make it clear that this post is not in any way trying to persuade you that what I'm saying is the right answer. I just want to share my opinion on this topic because I think some people are looking at the with a closed mind. I always see people complaining about artistry (or lack thereof) and people have even gone as far to say certain gymnasts shouldn't win because they "can't dance." That statement in particular makes me angry for several reasons.

1. Artistry does not define who should win. In this day and age, it's about what you do and how you do it. The one who throws the biggest tricks and does them cleanly and consistently will win. I don't know about you, but I love the crazy-difficult skills! I'm not watching this sport to see the dancing! Besides, these girls are gymnasts...not dancers. Who says they have to move like professional ballet/contemporary dancers? They are suppose to be gymnasts!

2. What is artistry? Your answer is just an opinion. What you think is artistic might be totally different from what I think is artistic. A year ago I asked people to define what artistry is to them. Here is some of the responses I received. Again...these are all just personal opinions.

And as the king of choreography put it (Yes, I'm talking about Dominic Zito) "A floor routine doesn't need to 'be only elegant' to be considered artistic. Artistry is made up of several components: technique, musicality, movement quality, creativity, and performance ability." (Inside Gymnastics)

To me, artistry is the ability to perform and sell the routine- while being in sync with the music. Simone Biles does this. Laurie Hernandez does this. Llomincia Hall does this. Catherine Lyons does this. I could go on forever! My point is- artistry is not always about being the most graceful or having beautiful balletic lines. Sure it's nice to see, but unfortunately not everybody can move like that. I don't want to see Simone Biles doing Aliya Mustafina's floor routine! It just wouldn't look right! Every gymnast has to do a routine that works for them. Which leads me to my final point.

3. It's not that certain gymnasts are horrible dancers or that they aren't artistic, but a lot of the times the gymnast does not have the best choreography. (Which isn't necessarily their fault.) Sometimes that's all a gymnast needs! Look at Kyla Ross for example. She's a great dancer and has a beautiful routine that really suits her well. But as a kid, she use to be very stiff and boring. All it took was for someone to choreograph a routine that works for her style and bam- you have a masterpiece! People need to understand that everyone is different...especially when it comes to the artistic component of the sport.

So the next time you want to insult an athlete who works incredibly hard every single day and downgrade her accomplishments because you think she is a horrible dancer...please think again. There are so many different branches of artistry...and it's not fair to belittle someone and their accomplishments because they don't fit your standards. I now rest my case.

Pro Gymnastics Challenge - 2014

The Pro Gymnastics Challenge made its debut last year and became an instant hit in the gymnastics world. (In 2011, there was a similar gymnastics competition called Evolution.) The intense head to head - skill for skill battle between team USA and team World is enough to keep anybody on the edge of their seat...even if they are not a gymnastics fan. That's the beauty of this event!

Brent Klaus, the CEO of the Professional Gymnastics Challenge was able to provide us with the latest information regarding what fans can expect at the next Pro Gym Challenge. This event is still in the works, so be sure to check www.professionalgymnastics.com  to stay up to date with exact dates, times, ticket info, etc. 

When: Spring of 2014
Where: Leaning towards Trenton, New Jersey. The venue is currently undecided.
Coverage: The competition will air on ESPN2 again this year! Air dates to be announced.
Athletes: "We are looking to have several of the same athletes from last year such as Jake Dalton, Paul Ruggeri, Jana Bieger, and Brandon Wynn. We will also have new exciting athletes, but those professional gymnasts names are under the wraps."
Changes from last year's competition: "There will be a few differences from this year and last year's competition, but the rules and events will remain the same."

Last year, there was a wide variety of gymnasts competing... from collegiate athletes like Vanessa Zamarripa (UCLA) and Marissa King (Florida) to World or Olympic medalists such as Johnathan Horton, Catalina Ponor, and Chellsie Memmel. So what exactly do they look for when selecting the athletes for this event? "We choose athletes that have a strong wheel house of unique and thrilling skills. These athletes have to be ready to toss any skill that they are placed up against, which is very challenging."  Brent said.

The PGC crew was very pleased with the outcome of last years event. They stated: "PGC's inaugural event was a great success! It was amazing to have all of those Olympic or World Champions competing against each other. The ESPN coverage was incredible and we are very happy with the outcome." They feel the Pro Gym Challenge is an excellent way to promote and expand the sport of gymnastics and in the future they hope the competition will be recognized as the "extreme and uncomplicated gymnastics competition that it is."

10 Things You Don't Know About...Sarah Finnegan

1. I can absolutely NOT stand intense/scary movies! 
2. We use to have a cat named Bob...but then he got eaten by a bobcat. Ironic right?
3. I hate watermelon and I pick out the blueberries in blueberry muffins. 
4. My favorite chocolate is Ferrero Rocher. Gabby [Douglas] introduced them to me when we were in Italy a few years back! 
5. I have been doing my Terin turn (wolf turn) for five years! 
6. I competed level 10 at JO Nationals in 2010 and then competed in the Pan American Games later that year for my first assignment! 
7. If I didn't do gymnastics I would want to be a dancer. 
8. I'm half Filipino, and the first time I went to the Philippines was when I was two years old. 
9. I want to become a sports pediatrician when I'm older.
10. I taught myself how to play classical songs on the Piano from YouTube. 

By: Amanda

10 Things You Don't Know About:
Victoria Moors
Laurie Hernandez
Ragan Smith
Ari Agrapides
Ellie Downie
Vanasia Bradley
Jazmyn Foberg
Deanne Soza

One to watch: Emily Gaskins

With her near perfect toe point and classical ballet style, Emily Gaskins is not your typical American junior gymnast. American gymnasts aren't particularly known for their artistry, so Emily's exquisite look is something that sets her apart. Thanks to her background in ballet, Emily's floor exercise is a real treat for gymnastics fans. "Before I started gymnastics I actually did ballet- like real classical ballet! I always watched my two older sisters who are trained in ballet, so growing up in Florida, my sisters and I had the opportunity to train with some of the best dancers in the World." said Gaskins.

Photo Credit: Inside Gymnastics

In the fall of 2012, Emily made a big move in order to pursue her Olympic dreams. After packing up her home in Florida, Emily headed to Cincinnati, Ohio to train with one of the most prestigious coaches in the United States- Mary Lee Tracy.  Under the guidance of Mary Lee, Emily hopes to follow in the footsteps of her teammates Lexie Priessman and Amelia Hundley by becoming one of the top gymnasts in the country and continuing to earn international assignments. "Training with Lexie and Amelia is great!" Gaskins exclaimed.  "I love training with them and watching them work hard, I look up to them."

Photo Credit: Mary Lee Tracy

Prior to qualify elite, Emily competed as a first year level 10 in the 2013 Nastia Cup and placed 2nd all around at the JO National Championships. Then she switched gears and entered the elites ranks where she had a phenomenal year. At her first elite meet- the Secret US Classic, she placed 9th all around and 5th on floor. Then at the P&G Championships she placed 10th all around, 10th on bars, and 12th on floor! Many fans assumed that would be Emily's final competition of the year, but after having a great performance at a National team camp, Emily was added to the junior national team and granted her first international assignment! At the Mexican Open, Emily helped team USA secure first place and placed 3rd all around! (She did not receive a medal due to the two per country rule though.)

Photo Credit: Mary Lee Tracy

Sadly, Emily won't become a senior until 2016, but she will continue to impress at the junior level while gaining valuable experience. In the mean time, she is keeping her goals simple and straight forward. "I'm just taking my future one step at a time. Right now I'm focusing on increasing my skill difficulty and my strength." 

Where the future will take Emily- we'll just have to wait and see, but one thing we know for sure... Emily Gaskins is one to watch!

 

Michigan vs. Michigan State: Autism Awareness Meet

On January 31st, the University of Michigan held their first ever Autism Awarness meet in Crisler Arena! With nearly 3,000 fans in attendance, the Wolverines claimed a victory over Michigan State- while also supporting a great cause!

2012 Olympian and two-time NCAA National Champion, Sam Mikulak was on hand signing autographs before the competition and joined Dr. Larry Nassar out on the floor as several gymnasts with autism performed their routines before the meet started. There were booths set up around the concourse with pamphlets, key chains, and free t-shirts for fans and members of the Michigan gymnastics team presented facts about autism all night long up on the video boards. It was such a cool thing to see all the kids excited about performing their routines in front of Sam and the Michigan/Michigan State gymnastics teams. I was super impressed that these kids did so well on such a big stage and some of them were capable of doing things that I could never do myself as a gymnast!

As for the competition, Michigan beat State by a landslide in their stunning new white leotards. (Loved them!) The final score was 196.800- 193. 900. It wasn't Michigan's best meet- they definitely made some mistakes and did not have the floor rotation they are capable of (not one routine scored in the 9.9's- which is unusual for Michigan!) but overall they did a great job! Michigan has scored 196.525+ in every meet this season so far, which will come in handy once the RQS scoring kicks in.


Some highlights from the competition:

Austin Sheppard scored a 9.975 after nailing her yurchenko full on vault. Many people- including myself, think she should have scored a 10, simply because nobody else in the NCAA gets a much height and is as clean as she is. She's so powerful! This vault was perfect in my opinion. Austin also scored a 9.875 on bars for a clean routine that included a piked tkatchev-straddle back and a stuck double front dismount.



Joanna Samspson scored a 9.975 on bars and a 9.925 on beam, which are both career highs for her! Surprisingly, this is the first time she's scored in the 9.9's on beam, but I'm glad she hit and was finally able to bring in a huge score. The Wolverines needed that after a fall from Gies!




Sophomore Briley Casanova also made the lineup for the first time this season as the anchor on beam and she hit under pressure. Her score of 9.775 ensured the Wolverines wouldn't' have to count a fall on beam! Way to go Briley!

The freshman duo are continuing to impress. Freshman Nicole Artz is proving to be a strong asset to the Michigan team on all three events she competes. She brought in another huge set of scores last night; a 9.8 on bars, 9.825 on beam, and a 9.875 on floor- which tied her for first with Joanna Sampson. Talia Chiarelli tied for third on beam with a 9.825 and scored a 9.775 on floor!



Michigan now hits the road for the next three weeks and the competition will only get tougher from here! On Friday they vs. Illinois- then their biggest Big 10 rival Nebraska the following Friday. Then on the 21st they will face Oklahoma, Alabama, and West Virginia in the Nadia Comeneci Invite before returning home for three weeks where they will wrap up the regular season.

More videos from the Autism Awarness are being uploaded here!

Check out our photos from the meet here!