Alabama Gymnastics 2003 Season Preview
1/3/2003 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
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One of the things that Sarah and David Patterson are very big on going into their 25th year coaching the Alabama Gymnastics team is balance. That would seem like a given for gymnastics coaches, but the Pattersons are interested in more than just balance on the beam or the floor exercise. They want their charges to have it in all aspects of their lives. Strength in the gym must be balanced with strength in the classroom. Receiving support from the local community to the tune of nearly 10,000 fans per meet over the last six years is balanced by a squad that works tirelessly in the area of community outreach.
But when Sarah Patterson, the newest inductee into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, talks about the balance of this year’s squad, she’s talking about something a little difference. With its largest freshmen class ever, the defending NCAA Champion Alabama Gymnastics squad is split right down the middle with seven freshmen and seven returners.
“With this many freshmen, we spend as much time in September helping them find their classes and the gym as we do getting use to how things work in the gym,” Sarah Patterson said with a laugh. “It sure makes things interesting, but also exciting.”
The Tide will be led by its four returning All-Americans, though with seven freshmen, all the upperclassmen will lead at some point or another. And if the Pattersons have their way, even the freshmen will get into the leadership act as the season goes along.
“Very rarely do we have one person be ‘the’ leader,” Sarah Patterson said. “And that’s by design. We want everyone’s input and we want everyone, when they can, to help us take a step forward and move ahead. That’s part of the responsibility of being on this team.”
Alabama’s lone senior, Kristin Sterner has been leading both in the gym and the classroom, since her rookie year. The nine-time All-American holds a 3.9 grade point average in biology. The Ionia, Michigan native is set on medical school after graduation. Andre? Pickens, the most decorated gymnast in Alabama history, calls Sterner the “Quiet Storm” for the way she has quietly gone about racking up a hall of fame caliber career.
Sterner will again see plenty of action in the all-around. Last season she earned All-American honors on the balance beam and the floor exercise. She also chipped in a 9.950 toward the Tide’s NCAA Balance Beam record at the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships.
Talented all-arounder, Jeana Rice is back for her third season. The junior earned eight All-American honors in her first two seasons with the Tide, including three last season. In addition to being a 2002 All-American in the all-around, the Longwood, Fla. native picked up the honor on the vault and balance beam. She also was a part of the Tide’s NCAA record on the balance beam.
Sophomore Alexis Brion made quite a splash in her rookie outing. The Virginia Beach, Va. native competed in two events at the 2002 NCAA Championships, the vault and floor exercise, and came away with two All-American honors. Brion was a crowd favorite last year on the floor exercise where her infectious personality shone bright.
Shannon Hrozek also earned All-American as a rookie, taking the honor on the balance beam. The Woodlands, Texas native was also a part of the Tide’s NCAA record balance beam squad. The only freshman to see action on all four events last season, Hrozek could be a more integral part of the all-around lineup this season.
Another crowd favorite on the floor exercise last season, sophomore Michelle Reeser wowed crowds with her dynamic tumbling and won them over with her impish grin. She scored a team high 9.975 on the floor exercise against Auburn last season. This year the Monroe, La. native could see all-around duty.
Junior Lauren Holdefer, a hometown favorite after growing up in Northport, competed in the floor exercise and vault during the Tide’s march to the NCAA Championship. She has upgraded her floor routine for this season and could also see action on the balance beam.
Stephanie Kite is as consistent in the classroom as she has been on the floor exercise for the Tide. Kite comes into her junior season sporting a perfect 4.0 grade point average. In the gym, her steadiness, especially on the floor exercise, earned her the lead off spot on that event last season. This year the Austin, Texas native could also see action on the balance beam.
While Alabama’s freshman-seven are new to the Tide, they are far from unknown. This is without a doubt one of the most talented classes in Alabama’s storied history, with tremendous potential.
Ashley Miles is a gymnast with big tumbling and immense power. A four-year member of the U.S. National team, Miles helped the U.S. to a bronze medal at the 2001 World Championships. With all-around potential, Miles’ power will be immediately evident on the floor exercise where the San Antonio, Texas native does four tumbling passes, and the vault.
No stranger to international competition, Dana Filetti was an alternate on the U.S. World Championship squad. Another potential all-arounder, the Chesapeak, Va. native brings a lot of grace to her gymnastics. Fans will want to keep an eye out for her vault, which is unique in collegiate gymnastics.
Another member of the U.S. National Team, Dana Pierce was a member of Bela Karolyi’s famed pre-Olympic development camp. Pierce’s combination of power and grace could propel her into the all-around as well. The Advance, Ind. native is equally good on all four events.
San Jose, Calif. Native Mari Bayer was another member of Karolyi’s camp. Strong on the vault and balance beam, Bayer could also see all-around action. Bayer, who has had an outstanding fall according to the coaches, has surprising power to go with her long, clean lines.
Larissa Stewart is another member of the U.S. National Team. The Healdton, Ok. native finished fifth on the balance beam at the 2001 USA Championships. A graceful gymnast with extremely clean lines, Stewart should be a standout on the uneven bars and balance beam.
Rachael Delahoussaye comes to the Tide from Mandeville, La. The seven-time Louisiana State Champion is strong on the balance beam and could also see action on the uneven bars and floor exercise.
Decatur, Ala. native Lauren Pruitt led Austin high school to the 2000 State Championship. Pruitt will look to contribute mainly on the vault as a rookie.
With such a talented lineup, the challenge will be developing depth and experience throughout the season. It will take the freshmen sometime to get use to collegiate gymnastics where competition comes every week, instead of every few months as it did in club gymnastics.
Helping the Pattersons develop the 2003 edition of the Crimson Tide will be assistant coach Bryan Raschilla who has been with the Tide for the past six seasons, giving Alabama the most established coaching staff in the nation. Joining those three will be volunteer assistant coach Dana Dobransky Duckworth, a former Tide national champion, in her fourth year on the Tide coaching staff, and Andre? Pickens, two-time NCAA Champion and captain of last year’s NCAA Champion squad will serve as a student coach.
The Tide’s schedule remains one the nation’s toughest, made tougher by the fact that everyone will be gunning for the defending national champions. After a meet the team exhibition on January 5 in Coleman Coliseum, Alabama has its first four competitions on the road before opening at home on Jan. 31 against the Michigan Wolverines. The Tide’s home slate is filled out with LSU (Feb. 14), Auburn (March 1) and Kentucky (March 8). The Tide finishes off the regular season home schedule with last year’s NCAA Runner-up, the Georgia Bulldogs on March 15. The Tide will host the NCAA Regional Championships for the eighth time on April 12.
