Congrats Class of 2014! :D

Lots of college commits lately! I'd like to say congrats to all of the girls who have committed and take a closer look at the top 6 ranked teams!


1. Florida

Property of Kennedy Baker

Kennedy Baker - Texas Dreams
As 2 time US National Team Member and 2009 Jr. Bars Champ, Kennedy is possibly one of the most underrated gymnasts in the country. I'm interested to see a "Gator Chomp" in her floor routines, which have been notoriously unique.

Ericha Fassbender - Stars
Ericha was a member of the 2010 US National Team and competed at Top Gym there earning 4th place all around. Ericha has clean lines on bars and big skills on beam.

Grace McLaughlin - WOGA

Grace, who was Chellsie Memmel's replacement on the 2011 Pan American Games team and has had a decent Elite career overall. Like many of the other girls, she's had strong execution with not as strong difficulty. Her lines on bars are strong and has pretty skills on beam. 

2.Oklahoma
Stefani Catour  - Desert Lights
Stefani qualified to US Championships in 2010 and was named to the National Team Training squad in 2009. Stefani has very pretty floor and beam routines but struggles on bars, particularly in hitting handstands.


3. UCLA
If Miss Val's recruited any of these girls, she's keeping it well under wraps. I haven't been able to find anyone committed to UCLA for the 2013-2014 Season.

4. Alabama

Property of Ryan Schulz 

Mack Brannan - Capital 
The victim of Tim Dagget's unintentional creepiness, Mackenzie has phenomenal lines on bars and beautiful tumbling on floor. Although she's never had the most difficult routines her gorgeous gymnastics is likely to earn her college acclaim.

Kiana Winston - Texas Dreams
Kiana is the definition of a power gymnast, except her bars don't suck. She's got huge skills on beam and is solid on all four events. I can't wait to see her compete for Bama, where I feel like she fits well.

Aja-Monet Sims - Brandy Johnson
Aja-Monet Sims is one of those elites not a lot of people know about. She wasn't shown on TV at the 2012 Classics, but her bars totally stood out. That Wieler-Comaneci combo of her's is worth remembering.



5. Nebraska
Kamerin Moore - Geddert's Twistars 

Property of Kamerin Moore 

Many people remember Kami as the "girl with glasses" who competed alongside Jordyn Wieber in her junior years. That "little girl" now has contacts, has overcome a whole host of health issues, and is kicking ass in Level 10. She's fairly strong all around and will be a force to be reckoned with as long as her body doesn't rebel against her.

Grace Williams - Geddert's Twistars 
Grace, 2011 Nastia Liukin Cup Champion, 2012 Bronze Medalist and former Elite has a fabulous floor and beam set. She's looked like a college gymnast since she made it big on the gymnastics scene and could be a standout for Nebraska.

6. Georgia
Brianna Brown - Cincinnati Gymnastics

Property of CGA

Pretty, pretty, pretty gymnastics from this one. She's got pretty bars, a decent beam and a fun floor. Like Brannan, she's never had the most difficult routines, but she's got strong execution.

Chanen Raygoza - Wildfire Gymnastics 
She was one of the ninety-hundred-million Jr. Intl Elites from GymMax in 2009, she qualified to Nationals in 2010 and then decided to compete Level 10 in 2011. She's a pretty dancer and has All Around potential.

Uncommited Big Names

Gabrielle Douglas - Chow's 

Most likely, she hasn't gone pro, and in my opinion should head to UCLA stat.

Napualani Hall - KGDC 
Who as of September was looking into all of the top 6 schools with the exception of Georgia. I'm hoping to see her at Utah.

Brenna Dowell - GAGE 
I'd bet money that Al Fong is wanting this National Team Member to wait until after the Olympics to go on college visits. I could see her at Oklahoma with former teammate Rebecca Clark.

Elizabeth Price - Parkettes 
Fabulous on Bars, yet still super powerful. I could see her at Florida, UCLA or Bama. I have heard that she'd love to go to Stanford, though.

Lauren Marinez - Orlando Metro 
Lauren placed 4th on beam at last year's nationals and could end up at Georgia (with former gym mate Shayla Worley), or somewhere less prominent like Missouri, Michigan or even Denver.

(Can anyone confirm one way or another if Vega & Maroney are pro?)

Camp 11/17-11/22 - Full Attendance List

It's National Team Training Camp Time!!!

It's expected that Top Gym Assignments will be given, along with another possible December competition.It's also possible that the Olympic Test Event team will be chosen at this camp, because as Jennifer stated in the comments, Nominative entries are due December 7th. 

Here is the full list of camp attendees:

Kennedy Baker 

Simone Biles

(Property of Gym Examiner)

Rebecca Bross
Brianna Brown 

Nichelle Christopherson

Bridget Dean
Nia Dennis

Maddie Desch
Brenna Dowell

Peyton Ernst
Sarah Finnegan
Amelia Hundley
Brandie Jay

Amanda Jetter

Bailie Key

Lizzy LeDuc
Nastia Liukin 
Grace McLaughlin
Katelyn Ohashi

Elizabeth Price
Lexie Priessman
Kyla Ross
Polina Shchennikova
Mykayla Skinner

Kiana Winston

McKenzie Wofford

This list is based on conversations I've had with gymnasts/coaches & posts on twitter and other sites by gymnasts/coaches. 

My guess is that it will be Junior National Team, Some Seniors and some extra invites. 

The biggest shocks to everyone have been Amanda Jetter, who had pretty major surgery to repair her foot after complications with her Jesolo injury in Early September and Lizzy LeDuc, who was rumored to have dropped down to Level 10 after her move to Zenith.

Pan American Games - Day 1

(Photo property of Grace Chiu, USA Gymnastics)

I, like many gymnastics fans at the moment, am dealing with some very conflicting feelings. If you weren't following gymnastics this afternoon, the USA won the team title at the Pan American Games as everyone around the world understandably expected. However, what people around the world didn't expect was the USA's lead only consisted of two points, Johnson's double fall on beam, and DeZiel, who is a first year elite, leading the US on each event that she competed. While the US should certainly be commended for their first place win as well as their standings on vault and bars, I can't help but be disappointed in the fact that not 1 US Gymnast qualified for beam finals. In fact, DeZiel was the highest beam scorer and she placed 16th. Unfortunately, this means that for the first time in at least 10 years, the a US Gymnast will not win the Beam Title at a Pan Am Event. 

(Photo property of Grace Chiu, USA Gymnastics)

To be honest, I have NO IDEA what Marta's thinking at this point. Are her feelings mixed like mine? Is she pleased with the team win? After all, she does always say that "it's all about the team". I'm at a loss. I asked the Twitterverse what they thought Marta was thinking, and the answers were all across the board. 


@Laura722: "they won by over 2 points, no big deal"


@TommyStark11: "shes thinking "THIS is our B team?!?!?!" Then she swears a bunch in Romanian"


@caseymagnesium: "I think she is currently forging a birth certificate for Katelyn Ohashi... that's what I would be doing."


@BTOgymblog: Thank god I chose the girls I did for worlds! Or WHY DID MY FEED NOT WORK?


That feed was horrendous, wasn't it? Oh well, at least it's free coverage. The point is, there's no way to know what she is really thinking, or whether today's performances will have any positive or negative effect on the girls' future assignments. 


Looking forward into Wednesday's All Around, 2 girls from the USA qualified: Brandie Jay in 5th and Bridgey Caquatto in 4th. The girls in medal position included Ana Sofia Gomez of Guatemala, a first year senior whose DTY and strong beam helped her qualify first, Peng Peng (Christine) Lee of Canada who finished 19th in World All Around final and her teammate, Kristina Vaculik, a gymnast for Stanford who may have qualified for the World AA Finals, had she hit in prelims. 


My predictions for the Podium: 
1. Bridgette Caquatto (Not just because I love USA, but today's score was in fact, her season low) 
2. Peng Peng (Christine) Lee 
3. Ana Sofia Gomez 

In my opinion, two girls have a shot at the Vault gold medal, USA's Brandie Jay and the Dominican Republic's Yamilet Peña. Peña, who qualified for the World vault event finals, only attempted a handspring tuck today, but landed a handspring double tuck (SV 7.1) in Worlds Qualification. In finals however, she took it to her back and received a zero. I'm not sure whether or not she'll go for it in finals, but if she does, and lands it, the gold isn't necessarily  hers. If she lands the vault the was she did in Worlds Prelims and gets a 15.0, she'd still fall a few tenths short of Jay's 2 vault average. If she lands it well though, I don't think there will be any argument. Regardless, Today she qualified 3rd without it. 


If I had to guess the podium:
1. Yamilet Peña Abreu (I've got a hunch!)
2. Brandie Jay
3. Elsa Garcia (of Mexico) 

The USA would have qualified all 4/5 of their gymnast to bar finals if the 2 per country rule didn't exist. Unfortunately on this event, it does. Caquatto and Johnson will compete in finals for the USA while  Peng Peng Lee of Canada qualified in 3rd with a score over 14. The next qualifier, Marisela Cantu, the next highest qualifying competitor qualified more than 6 tenths lower than Lee. For this reason I believe that the top 3 qualifiers will be the medalists. If history has shown us anything in the past, it's that when she disappoints herself and others, she goes out and she redeems herself. For this reason (and also because I know that she can get rid of that stall she had) that I think Shawn will take the Bars Title. 


Podium Prediction: 
1. Shawn Johnson 
2. Bridgette Caquatto
3. Peng Peng Lee 

While the US didn't qualify any girls to the beam final, it's still a pretty interesting field! Ana Sofia Gomez (Guatemala) is the clear favorite (watch for her beautiful Back Walkover into a Full), but Vaculik (Canada), Gil Ortiz (Columbia), Salzar & Estrada (Mexico) all had routines that could potentially medal. Canada's Peng Peng Lee and Talia Chiarelli tied for 4th place, so I'm not sure which one they'll put up in finals and to be honest, I'm not really sure what the rules say about it all. The wonderful blogger at Tsuk the Pain believes that it's the highest E score, which would send Chiarelli to the finals. 


Anyway, here are my predictions: 
1. Ana Sofia Gomez 
(Insert Lee here, if she goes up in finals! Her 4th Place finish was with a fall!)
2. Kristina Vaculik (Even her 8.675 Qualification E score seems a bit low) 
3. Jessica Gil Ortiz 

(Photo Property of Thomas Scheyer)

And finally, we come to floor. I'll be honest, I wasn't really very impressed by any of the gymnasts' floor routines today. It seemed like most of the girls either were incredibly sloppy, made fairly major mistakes or had awful choreography and music. My projected winner falls in the third category. 


Podium Predictions:
1. Mikaela Gerber (Canada) 
2. Elena Torres (Cuba) 
3. Kristina Vaculik (Canada) 

(Photo property of Grace Chiu)

These are all just guesses, of course. I'm not psychic, I honestly don't know that much about gymnasts from Cuba and the Dominican Republic and unlike Komova's mother, I haven't heard the judges talking in the lobby. What predictions do you agree with? Which ones do you think I got totally wrong? Let me know! It will be fun to find out who wins! 

Pan Ams Preview - The US Team

While waiting for The Pan American Games to begin Monday,  I realized how bizarre of a team this is. This is the first international assignment for 3 of the girls, 1 girl has been to some big yet low stakes meets, while 2 more have taken the title of World All Around Champion and were on the 2008 Olympic Team. Wow. This is weirder than the 2008 Pacific Rim Competition when Rebecca Clark and Darling Hill shared the stage with Nastia Liukin. 


Now, information is limited  due to the fact that the competitors are without internet and few bloggers are there so far. We do know, thanks to a picture taken by Amanda Lauren (@amandalaurenrob), that the girls are in the icky bubblegum pink leo for podium training and that they will be competing on Gymnova equipment. 

So who ARE these girls? 


Newest to the elite scene is Jessie DeZiel, 2011 Senior C JO National Champ, Freshman at Nebraska and fabulous vaulter. She only competes 3 events, but she actually had a a pretty decent JO Bar Set. She'll more than likely compete on Vault and Floor. She may compete Beam, but who knows?

Grace McLaughlin from WOGA wasn't even supposed to be on the team. After Chellsie Memmel had shoulder surgery, she was named to it. Most likely, Grace will compete on every event but Vault, on which she only has a 1.5. She's a great bar worker and has a strong beam routine but has problems with consistency. She's also had quite a few injuries. She was out for 2010 due to what I believe was a foot injury and she rolled her ankle keeping her out of the AA at 2011 Classics. Regardless, her leaps and artistry are FABULOUS making her totally fierce.

Next is Brandie Jay who has been an elite for 2 years now and is known as "that random girl with 2 vaults". Seriously, I've heard people refer to her that way several times at meets. She's also known for her cute little haircut. What she ISN'T known for is how good her bars actually are. In addition to placing 3rd on Vault in 2011 (Behind McKayla & A-Sac) she placed 7th on Bars. She most likely will go up on all four events, possibly skipping Beam if the delegation chooses to put DeZiel up instead. I'm certain that barring disaster, she'll make Vault finals and likely even earn a medal to hang in her dorm at Georgia next year. 

Likely to medal on Bars is Bridgette "Bridgey" Caquatto. Bridgey, who competed on the European Tour and Jr. Pan Ams in 2009 and at Jesolo in 2011, has a strong DTY and will almost certainly go up on all four events. You can't help but love her "Jai Ho" Floor routine and overall confidence throughout her meets. I'd be surprised if she did not make the All Around Final. 

And finally, we come to Shawn and Bridget. Shawn's openly said that she will not be competing all four events. She'll be an asset to the team on every event but floor. If she can hit, hopefully she can make beam finals and successfully show that she has returned to the international stage. Meanwhile many fans and journalists are pinning Sloan as the favorite for All Around Champion. I'm not sure if I agree. Sloan, who hasn't competed All Around since she won the World title in 2009, hasn't been healthy in a very long time. If she can return to a good condition, I think she has a shot, but we have no idea what kind of routines she'll be competing. 

(Photo by Grace Chiu, USA Gymnastics) 

I think that everyone's in agreement that unless literally everyone falls, the US will win. The last time that the US did not win the team title at the Pan Am Champs, Games or Jr. Champs was in 1999, one of the deepest darkest years of American Gymnastics. Even this hodgepodge team has strong basics and good form; I just hope they hit. Go USA!