Oct. 30th update!

Hey everyone! This is my first chance to really give an update about where the Falcons are in their preseason training. All four events are on pace to be ready when we make our season debut January 11!

Vault is looking extremely strong, as we potentially have six 10.0 start values that will be in the lineup, with a number of solid 9.9 vaults waiting in the wings. Right now, we are landing our competition vaults on a competition height, soft surface. Breanne Guy, Andrea Kinzer, and Molly McKinnon are both landing their yurchenko 1/1’s while Jenna Wirtanen’s Tsuk 1/1 is looking very sharp! Dawn Christman and Queenie Gamble are both doing yurchenko ½’s that look strong enough to compete against anyone. Waiting in the wings with 9.9 start values are Lexi Psichopaidas and Stacy Kramer, with Abi Ashley training towards twisting her yurchenko layout soon.

On uneven bars, it has been interesting to see the variety of skills that the girls will be competing come January. We have a nice variety of skills that we will be competing when we head to Northern Illinois. Watching Amber Brewer train bars is gorgeous with her hop 1/1, giant 1/1, and overshoot to handstand combination. Molly is training solid routine with a nice giant 1/1, Geinger combination, with a overshoot to handstand. Michelle Luchini’s Jaeger to overshoot combination is getting cleaner, and her dismount will not be a problem when season comes around. Bre is training at a high level, and is really focusing on her form and dismount landing. Lexi’s pirouetting sequence to Geinger to overshoot combination is coming along nicely as well. Carlene Allen, Kasey Fillmore, Morgan Balzer, and Anna Podgornaya are all looking towards making the lineup as well! We have the skill level on bars to compete, it will just come down to consistency and form when the season rolls around.

Balance Beam is just fun to watch our team train! I’ve seen some days where we don’t miss a routine in the entire workout! With the skills that the team is performing, and the ability they have shown to hit, we are excited about what our lineup will do! Jholeen Ponce and Jenna are both going to be major players as seniors when it comes time to march out. Along with them, is pretty much the rest of the team! I could mention anyone, and what they’re doing right now, but I’m not sure there’s enough space on this website to fit them all in!

Floor exercise may have the least amount of depth for us this season, but we do have a number of quality gymnasts that will be vying for lineup spots. Watching the full routines our team can do right now, only leads me to believe that this season will be a good one for us on floor. Bre and Dawn are both routines with a double pike, and a double tuck in them. Kasey’s working her way back to competition form, and Andrea’s routine is sure to entertain the judges and crowd! Stacey’s skills (front double twist to punch front, front lay to front full, and rudi) put her in a position to compete along with Jenna Wirtanen. Abi, Lauren, Molly, Anna, and Queenie.

I’m looking forward to the next couple of training weeks with a constant eye on the upcoming season! We appreciate your interest in our program at BGSU, and we hope that you keep up to date on all that’s happening with our program! I’m working on some video to post on the web, so be looking for that in the very near future!

Thanks again, and Roll Along!!

Craig

Hello from a new coach!

Hello everyone! My name is Craig Ballard, and I'm the new assistant coach with BGSU Gymnastics! I have to tell you that I'm very excited to be a part of the Falcon Gymnastics family, and am looking forward to everything that is headed our way! Things have been crazy since I got here on the 13th, but working with a head coach like Kerrie has made the transition almost seamless (for myself). In the gym has been amazing through two weeks! I've seen some incredible gymnastics, as well as been getting to know these amazing young women! I'll be adding more to the blog soon, I just wanted to say hello, and I hope to hear from Falcon families and fans!!

Craig