The college search for athletes has grown more complicated and increasingly competitive, especially during the past 10 years. There are countless components that require attention in developing and executing a successful plan of action, along with several key “players” who make-up the team. Parents can play a significant role in the recruiting process and in my opinion; they should make an active commitment to enthusiastically assist their children from start to finish in what will be a very important life decision.
Have you ever found yourself scratching your head during an introspective moment, in an attempt to figure out how someone or some team grabbed the brass ring before you did? I have! It can be a low and frustrating inner debate, but in most cases the difference between success and failure can be a very fine line and the game changer was simply that… The other guy “found it” and you didn’t. This is a very simple statement to make and the probable solution to a challenge that haunts a lot of us in many areas of our lives, but…
SEMO tops the list of teams in the 2009 Scholastic All America rankings, according to a release from the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches, Women. They repeat at winners of the National Academic Team Championships, with a remarkable 14 athletes achieving perfect 4.0 grade point averages.
As prospects navigate the college athletics recruiting process, the level of their “command of confidence” will not only assist them in developing a positive and effective approach to recruiting, it will be “picked up” by the college coaches and assist the prospect in standing above the rest of the pack. Self confidence doesn’t just “appear"; it is a skill that is developed naturally and with experience and can offer student-athletes an effective tool that can be skillfully used in navigating the college recruiting process.
I was a 2 sport athlete in high school and I was pretty good. Not that I was the blue chip kid all the coaches were drooling after, but I was a New York State Champion Gymnast and State runner up in Track and Field. I really did not know much of anything regarding skillful tactics in getting on the radar screen of the college coaches and quite honestly, did not begin the recruiting process until well into my senior year of high school. I’m thankful that both the Track and Field and Gymnastics coaches at Temple were paying attention…

Skills of Note in the 2009 Season (W)

The following is a listing of high level skills performed by Women in the 2009 Season.  To make this list, the skill had to be successfully competed in a meet sometime during the season.  The skill competed must have an FIG rating of "E" or "F" or "G", or an FIG Vault Difficult Value of 5.3 or higher.

The issue of escalating difficult leading to higher injury rates and more wear and tear on the athlete is important.  The purpose of this list is not to encourage or foster unreasonable risk or other threats to the safety of the athletes.  In fact, many of the skills on this list were only competed in special circumstances.  This list simply serves as an archive and collection of skills actually performed by the athletes.

This list is incomplete.  Please submit your additions and corrections to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..


VAULT

 

 

 

 

UNEVENS

 

 

 

 


Yurchenko Layout 2/1

Yurchenko Layout 3/2

    Ricki Lebegern, Alabama

    Kristina Baskett, Utah

    Rebecca Best, Ohio State

    Amanda Castillo, Florida

    Annie DiLuzio, Utah

    Hillary Mauro, UGA

    Cassidy McComb, UGA

    Christine Nguyen, UNC

    Brandi Personett, PSU

    Tiffany Tolnay, UGA

RO 1/2 Front Layout 1/2

Front Handspring Front Layout 1/2

Front Handspring Front Tuck with a Full Twist


Comaneci

    Grace Taylor, UGA

Shushunova

    Heather Purnell, Stanford

Full Twisting Double Layout Flyaway

    Courtney Butler, DU

    Nicole Cowart, Illinois

    Kara Wright, UNC

Hindorff (clear-hip reverse hecht/Tkachev)

    Kassi Price, Bama

    Melanie Sinclair, UF

Ricna (Stalder reverse hecht/Tkachev)

Ray (toe-on Tkachev)

    Courtney Kupets, UGA

Bharwaj (full twisting Pak)

    Leslie Mak, Oregon State


BEAM

 

 

 

 

FLOOR

 

 

 

 


Round-Off, Layout to Two Feet Mount

Switch Ring Leap

    Morgan Evans, UNC

    Amber Hammerschmidt, ASU

    Holly Vise, OU

Back tuck 1/1 twist

Arabian Front Tuck

Back Layout Two Foot

    Brooke Barclay, Oregon State

    Grace Taylor, UGA

5/2 Turn in Wolf (Humphrey)

Double Front Tuck

Back Double Pike

    Amanda Castillo, UF

    Kassi Price, Bama

    Tatjana Thuener-Rego, Michigan

    Melanie Sinclair, UF

 

Full Twisting Double Layout

    Brandi Personett, PSU

Double Layout

    Brooke Barr, NC State

    Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, LSU

    Morgan Dennis, Bama

    Hilary Ferguson, UK

    Emily Green, UK

    Heather Hite, UK

    Susan Jackson, LSU

    Emily Lopatofsky, MSU

    Jasmine Minion, UK

    Brandi Personett, PSU

    Melani Sinclair, UF

    Kylie Stone, Nebraska

Double Front

    Daria Bijak, Utah

    Jessa Hansen, Iowa

    Danae Johnson, Rutgers

Arabian Double Front

    Kristina Baskett, Utah

    Ariana Berlin, UCLA

    Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, LSU

    Annie DiLuzio, Utah

    Samantha Engle, LSU

    Deanna Graham, Arizona

    Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs, UCLA

    Carly Janiga, Stanford

    Courtney Kupets, UGA

    Hilary Mauro, UGA

    Christine Nguyen, UNC

    Kyndal Robarts, Utah

    Mandi Rodriguez, Oregon State

    Tatjana Thuener-Rego, Michigan

    Tiffany Tolnay, UGA

Triple Full

    Marina Borisova, Sac State

    Annie DiLuzio, Utah

    Corey Hartung, UF

    Alicia Hatcher, Missouri

    Ricki Lebegern, Bama

    Elizabeth Mahlich, UF

    Nicole Pechanec, Stanford

    Abby Stack, UGA

    Tricia Woo, NU

Tuck Full In or Half In/Half Out

    Kylee Botterman, Michigan

    Sarah Curtis, Michigan

    Lara Evenstad, NU

    Erin Grigg, EMU

    Jessica Lopez, DU

    Cassidy McComb, UGA

    Rochelle Robinson, MSU

    Taylor Seaman, NC State

    Jennifer Simbhudas, Iowa

    Sarah (Specht) Tomczyk, Arizona

Tuck Full Out

Pike Full In

    Ashley Houghting, Washington

    Krista Jasper, UNC

    Nicole Ourada, Stanford

    Maranda Smith, Florida

2009 Capsule Previews #1 to #12

2009 Capsule Previews #13 to #25

It seems as earlier and earlier the recruiting season begins, the later and later we write this article. In fact, there seems to be four different recruiting seasons for each class: the junior year; summer/fall heading into senior year; the spring of senior year; and finally, early graduation for a January start! Next year, we fear we will be adding a fifth category; the sophomore year.
Earning the right to be a college athlete doesn’t happen over night. It takes time, dedication, training, talent, research and planning. Here are the top ten things you need to know to get started on your quest to earning a top gymnastics college scholarship
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