Iowa Men's Gymnastics Fans,
We have created a new website!
www.iowamensgymnastics.com
Go Hawks!
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
2010-2011 Season Flashback
When the Hawks first began the 2010-2011 season some 10 months ago, many were doubtful of the success they would achieve in their first year under Head Coach Reive. However, two multi-record breaking meets and one All-American later, the Hawks have indefinitely sealed the title of the “come-back” team in the Big Ten.
In August of 2010, with a group of unknowing but willing gymnasts, Coach Reive and his staff began re-constructing Iowa Men’s Gymnastics from the ground up. From the most major of skills to the minutest of maneuvers, detail to form and presentation were heavily stressed. A pre-season of basic training and mental mentoring were all steps in formulating a new and improved Big Ten team. With careful consideration of each gymnasts needs, the athletes and coaches over time learned, grew, and connected together to make an already rich program even richer.
Having had some of the most amazing “mile-stone” moments in recent Iowa Gymnastics History, it will be difficult to say goodbye to such successful year. However saying goodbye will make it easier to say hello to the 2011-2012 season – which is sure to be just as thrilling if not more. With a large number of the Hawks training right here in Iowa City this summer, the team is already getting ahead for the ’11-’12 pre-season. These dedicated athletes will be sacrificing a summer of friends, home, and vacations to not only better themselves, but the entire Iowa Men’s Gymnastics Program.
For those of you who are just tuning into the Men’s Gymnastics scene, the promotional team (now official Team Managers) compiled pictures, bloopers and amazing competition footage of the Hawks for their end of the year banquet. With such an accomplished year under their belts, it was our goal to create a video that would embody the fun, focus, and fruition that is Iowa Men’s Gymnastics. Not only did we want to honor the team and their success, but also spotlight the three seniors: Ben Ketelsen, John Haines and Michael Jiang; for they will be truly missed in and out of the gym.
We hope you enjoy the video and come back next year for further coverage of the 2011-2012 season! The Men’s Team will be working harder than ever this summer and so will we [Team Managers]. Everything from an updated website, planning volunteer work and having on-campus events, the Men’s Gymnastics Team will have made its presence well known in time for the competition season featuring the 2012 Big Ten Championships hosted by your very own Iowa Hawkeyes. Fans, do not sleep on the Hawkeyes – for in three short months, we will be back stronger than ever!
Go Hawks!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Big 10 Team, Big 10 Dream
The success of a program is not measured just in the number of championships won or the number of fans accumulated, but moreover in perseverance, integrity, and professionalism. Last weekend, your Iowa Hawkeyes went out in front of a conference crowd and showcased not only their diligent work from this entire competition season, but also how they want to remembered by every team present.
Although the Hawks only placed sixth in the competition, their lack of “medal memorabilia” was overshadowed with a notion of professionalism no other team could mimic. Prior to and following the competition, the gymnasts received specific orders and words of encouragement from their head coach. Each gymnast listened with intensity as the arena rang with the cheers of the opposing teams. It was obvious that this team was focused and determined to represent what Iowa Gymnastics is really about: clean gymnastics with a poised disposition. It is just magnificent to think about what a program like Iowa’s is and will be.
Event by event coverage:
1st Rotation:
The Hawks would begin their night on the High Bar, where So. Broderick Shemanksy posted a solid 14.000 along with Fr. Sam Wright’s well-performed 13.800 high bar set. Sr. Ben Ketelsen would also open his last Big Ten’s with a 13.750.
2nd rotation:
So. Matt McGrath would lead the Iowa floor team with a score of 14.750. Following him would be Ben Ketelsen with a 14.250 and So. Timm Krueger, nailing his set, with a 13.850.
3rd rotation:
Pommel seemed to be no trouble for the Hawks this evening. Sr. Michael Jiang 14.30. Jr. Zach Cazabon would swing extremely well with a 13.850. So. Anton Gryshayev would come in third with a 13.700.
4th rotation:
On the Still Rings the Hawks would hit some trouble with their lead off men, however Fr, Angleo Bronzino would come through to give the Hawks their highest score of 14.100. Sr. John Haines would also compete his routine well enough to come in second for the team with a 14.000. So. Brody Shemanksy would tie Haines’ 14.000.
5th rotation:
On the Vault, the Hawks were able to count on So. Todd Becker’s’ solid vault; giving him a 15.600. Fr. Javier Balboa who had been absent from the event in previous competitions came in second for the Vault team with a 15.500. Sr. Ben Ketelsen would end his last Big Ten Competition with a clean routine giving him a 15.250.
6th rotation:
The Hawks would finish up their Big Ten Season on the Parallel Bars where Fr. Javier Balboa swung his way to an 14.150. So. Matt McGrath would narrowly come behind Balboa with a 14.100. In Iowa’s third spot of the night, Broderick Shemansky would post a supportive 13.600.
The Iowa Men’s Gymnastics Team has come a long way this year, a very long way. In their first year under the tutelage of JD Reive and his coaching staff, the Hawks have accumulated accolades and coverage more so than ever before. After this competition, it is my belief that the Big Ten is beginning to feel the pressure from Iowa Gymnastics. They are noticing a team of focused individuals, seeking the one goal any Conference program would desire – a Big Ten Championship.
This is the dream your Iowa Hawkeyes are working towards. In a little under a year from now, the Hawks will be hosting the Big Ten Championships right here in Iowa City, IA. The conference and nation will know that their blood, sweat, tears and injuries from this 2010-2011 competition year were not in vain. Instead, they will serve as a testimony to the story that will be told when they too hold that Big Ten Championship trophy one day.
Go Hawks.
Although the Hawks only placed sixth in the competition, their lack of “medal memorabilia” was overshadowed with a notion of professionalism no other team could mimic. Prior to and following the competition, the gymnasts received specific orders and words of encouragement from their head coach. Each gymnast listened with intensity as the arena rang with the cheers of the opposing teams. It was obvious that this team was focused and determined to represent what Iowa Gymnastics is really about: clean gymnastics with a poised disposition. It is just magnificent to think about what a program like Iowa’s is and will be.
Event by event coverage:
1st Rotation:
The Hawks would begin their night on the High Bar, where So. Broderick Shemanksy posted a solid 14.000 along with Fr. Sam Wright’s well-performed 13.800 high bar set. Sr. Ben Ketelsen would also open his last Big Ten’s with a 13.750.
2nd rotation:
So. Matt McGrath would lead the Iowa floor team with a score of 14.750. Following him would be Ben Ketelsen with a 14.250 and So. Timm Krueger, nailing his set, with a 13.850.
3rd rotation:
Pommel seemed to be no trouble for the Hawks this evening. Sr. Michael Jiang 14.30. Jr. Zach Cazabon would swing extremely well with a 13.850. So. Anton Gryshayev would come in third with a 13.700.
4th rotation:
On the Still Rings the Hawks would hit some trouble with their lead off men, however Fr, Angleo Bronzino would come through to give the Hawks their highest score of 14.100. Sr. John Haines would also compete his routine well enough to come in second for the team with a 14.000. So. Brody Shemanksy would tie Haines’ 14.000.
5th rotation:
On the Vault, the Hawks were able to count on So. Todd Becker’s’ solid vault; giving him a 15.600. Fr. Javier Balboa who had been absent from the event in previous competitions came in second for the Vault team with a 15.500. Sr. Ben Ketelsen would end his last Big Ten Competition with a clean routine giving him a 15.250.
6th rotation:
The Hawks would finish up their Big Ten Season on the Parallel Bars where Fr. Javier Balboa swung his way to an 14.150. So. Matt McGrath would narrowly come behind Balboa with a 14.100. In Iowa’s third spot of the night, Broderick Shemansky would post a supportive 13.600.
The Iowa Men’s Gymnastics Team has come a long way this year, a very long way. In their first year under the tutelage of JD Reive and his coaching staff, the Hawks have accumulated accolades and coverage more so than ever before. After this competition, it is my belief that the Big Ten is beginning to feel the pressure from Iowa Gymnastics. They are noticing a team of focused individuals, seeking the one goal any Conference program would desire – a Big Ten Championship.
This is the dream your Iowa Hawkeyes are working towards. In a little under a year from now, the Hawks will be hosting the Big Ten Championships right here in Iowa City, IA. The conference and nation will know that their blood, sweat, tears and injuries from this 2010-2011 competition year were not in vain. Instead, they will serve as a testimony to the story that will be told when they too hold that Big Ten Championship trophy one day.
Go Hawks.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Senior Night: One for the History Books
Saturday February 19, 2011 is a day that will go down in Iowa Men’s Gymnastics as one of the most memorable and jaw-dropping evenings to date. Having gotten off to a rocky start at the beginning of this season, the hard-working No. 10 Iowa Men’s Team stripped their “shackles” of un-confidence and took center stage against the No. 7 Nebraska Cornhuskers to give the fans and public a true display of collegiate gymnastics the only way they knew how – Hawkeye style.
6:50 P.M. – In just minutes, the Hawks would step out under the bright lights of the main deck of the Field House for their last home competition. In front of a crowd of 400+, the Hawks walked their way into the deck; heads high and veins pumping with the desire to compete. It would be their last time this year to show all of their fans, friends, and family in the Iowa City, IA what they were capable of. It was their time shine as a team, as brothers.
7:00 P.M. – The anthem was sung and the judges assumed control of their events. Every member of the team had the same notion of victory, but in a different aspect. For weeks Head Coach Reive has spoken about the incredible potential of these gymnasts and what they can do. He stressed, “… the guys need to have confidence in what they can do and not to worry so much about their opponents. Once that happens, the sky is the limit.” Well, ask anyone who sat in the audience of that competition one week ago and they will say the same thing as the next person – the Hawks soared on Senior Night! They would tumble, vault, swing, and twist their way past the Cornhuskers to a victory, 348.100 – 342.700; a season high.
With the first rotation of the competition, the Hawks looked like the team they were always destined to be. Sr. John Haines opened the event with a nailed routine giving the Hawks a solid beginning and himself a tie for his season high score of 14.200. So. Matt McGrath performed a record breaking floor routine giving him a whopping 15.500; beating the previous record of 15.45 set by Alumni Geoff Reins in 2008. Notables also on the Floor were Fr. Lance Alberhasky (14.200) and So. Anton Gryshyev (14.000). If that wasn’t want enough on FX, a new team score record was set with a 57.900. But it most definitely did not stop there.
The Pommel Horse couldn’t buck these Hawkeyes off on senior night. So. Broderick Shemansky circled past competitors to place second the event with a personal best of 14.800. Sr. Michael Jiang was right behind him with a 14.400 and Junior Adam Wilson narrowly missed the podium by placing fourth in the event with a 14.200.
With two rotations under their belt and moving onto the Rings, the Hawks were ready to show what all those muscles were used for. So. Anton Gryshayev for the third time this season set a new school and personal record with a whopping 15.200 to help lead the Hawks to a season high team rings score of 58.100. Both So. Matt McGrath and Fr. Javier Balboa did well enough to tie for third on the event with a 14.400, respectively.
Vault landings were no issue for the Hawks this competition. Junior Zach Cazabon and Anton Gryshayev both stuck their respected vaults. Gryshayev would end up setting a season high for himself, a 1st place finishing 15.700.
Even Parallel Bars, an often times un-stable event for the Hawks could not conquer the confidence of this team. A team season high was made possible through the great display of athleticism shown by So. Broderick Shemansky, who just missed breaking the school record with a 14.700. Sr. Michael Jiang came in just behind Shemansky with a 14.600.
It came down to the final and last event, the Horizontal Bar. What once in previous competitions had given the Hawks some trouble proved to only on this night seal the win over the Cornhuskers. Fr. Samuel Wright swung his way to first place on the 10 ft. tall even with a 14.300. Shemansky would place third with a 14.200. Iowa would claim their second “W” at home for the season.
The coaches, gymnasts and audience would have never guessed that senior night would end up turning into more than just a night to recognize the three 4 year veterans. It would exceed expectations and turn into something breath-taking and incredible. The last competition in the Field House during the 2010-2011 season for the Hawks could not have gone any better. It was truly one for the history books.
A couple reminders Fans!
1)New GymFace Album! Vote below!
2)Continue voting for March's Profiled Hawkeye!
3)New Skill of the Week! Pay attention for the "Skill of the Week" Quiz 2!
4)New "Super Six" Video!
5)Look for the next opportunity to get your wristbands soon!!
6)Have a suggestion? Got a question? Like one of our videos? Tell us in the comment box below! Anyone can comment!
6:50 P.M. – In just minutes, the Hawks would step out under the bright lights of the main deck of the Field House for their last home competition. In front of a crowd of 400+, the Hawks walked their way into the deck; heads high and veins pumping with the desire to compete. It would be their last time this year to show all of their fans, friends, and family in the Iowa City, IA what they were capable of. It was their time shine as a team, as brothers.
7:00 P.M. – The anthem was sung and the judges assumed control of their events. Every member of the team had the same notion of victory, but in a different aspect. For weeks Head Coach Reive has spoken about the incredible potential of these gymnasts and what they can do. He stressed, “… the guys need to have confidence in what they can do and not to worry so much about their opponents. Once that happens, the sky is the limit.” Well, ask anyone who sat in the audience of that competition one week ago and they will say the same thing as the next person – the Hawks soared on Senior Night! They would tumble, vault, swing, and twist their way past the Cornhuskers to a victory, 348.100 – 342.700; a season high.
With the first rotation of the competition, the Hawks looked like the team they were always destined to be. Sr. John Haines opened the event with a nailed routine giving the Hawks a solid beginning and himself a tie for his season high score of 14.200. So. Matt McGrath performed a record breaking floor routine giving him a whopping 15.500; beating the previous record of 15.45 set by Alumni Geoff Reins in 2008. Notables also on the Floor were Fr. Lance Alberhasky (14.200) and So. Anton Gryshyev (14.000). If that wasn’t want enough on FX, a new team score record was set with a 57.900. But it most definitely did not stop there.
The Pommel Horse couldn’t buck these Hawkeyes off on senior night. So. Broderick Shemansky circled past competitors to place second the event with a personal best of 14.800. Sr. Michael Jiang was right behind him with a 14.400 and Junior Adam Wilson narrowly missed the podium by placing fourth in the event with a 14.200.
With two rotations under their belt and moving onto the Rings, the Hawks were ready to show what all those muscles were used for. So. Anton Gryshayev for the third time this season set a new school and personal record with a whopping 15.200 to help lead the Hawks to a season high team rings score of 58.100. Both So. Matt McGrath and Fr. Javier Balboa did well enough to tie for third on the event with a 14.400, respectively.
Vault landings were no issue for the Hawks this competition. Junior Zach Cazabon and Anton Gryshayev both stuck their respected vaults. Gryshayev would end up setting a season high for himself, a 1st place finishing 15.700.
Even Parallel Bars, an often times un-stable event for the Hawks could not conquer the confidence of this team. A team season high was made possible through the great display of athleticism shown by So. Broderick Shemansky, who just missed breaking the school record with a 14.700. Sr. Michael Jiang came in just behind Shemansky with a 14.600.
It came down to the final and last event, the Horizontal Bar. What once in previous competitions had given the Hawks some trouble proved to only on this night seal the win over the Cornhuskers. Fr. Samuel Wright swung his way to first place on the 10 ft. tall even with a 14.300. Shemansky would place third with a 14.200. Iowa would claim their second “W” at home for the season.
The coaches, gymnasts and audience would have never guessed that senior night would end up turning into more than just a night to recognize the three 4 year veterans. It would exceed expectations and turn into something breath-taking and incredible. The last competition in the Field House during the 2010-2011 season for the Hawks could not have gone any better. It was truly one for the history books.
A couple reminders Fans!
1)New GymFace Album! Vote below!
2)Continue voting for March's Profiled Hawkeye!
3)New Skill of the Week! Pay attention for the "Skill of the Week" Quiz 2!
4)New "Super Six" Video!
5)Look for the next opportunity to get your wristbands soon!!
6)Have a suggestion? Got a question? Like one of our videos? Tell us in the comment box below! Anyone can comment!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Gophers Scoot by Hawks in Conference Meet
This past weekend, on the main deck of the Fieldhouse, two nationally ranked teams took it to the floor in a Big 10 battle. One team, known for its power and clean gymnastics, traveled more than four hours to the quaint town of Iowa City. The other, more recently noticed for its extreme potential and well-presented gymnastics, was at home and ready to take down a competitor well within their competition level. The energy was high. The enthusiasm was there. However fate would have a different story to tell that evening.
The No. 9 Hawkeyes would fall to the No. 7 Minnesota Gophers that evening in the Men's Competition. As the Lady Hawks battled out a victory over the Denver Pioneers, our Men found it difficult to do the same.
The competition began on the Floor Exercise where right away, many falls were a result of most routines. From the outside looking in, a combination of nerves and the desire to beat the Gophers all pitched in to why the sometimes "un-knowingly" talented team lost. As the meet proceeded on through Pommel Horse, Rings, and the Vault it seemed that the routines were getting slightly better. There were some good landings on Vault and a couple solid Rings performances. Yet after four rotations the Hawks were still down behind the Gophers by at least 3 points; a deficit that was nowhere near impossible for the Hawkeyes to overcome. But unfortunately, fate had to put in her last "two cents" during the final two rotations.
The Horizontal Bar and the Parallel Bars in particular, were the icing on the cake to seal the Gophers with a win. Uncharacteristic falls, small mishaps and bobbles on the swinging events all added up in staggering points as to why the Hawks were unable to come from behind. Despite the numerous mistakes some gymnasts in the competition shined through to give impressive scores. Senior Michael Jiang performed a flawless routine on the High Bar while Freshman Javier Balboa wowed the crowd with a difficult and clean Parallel Bar routine. In addition Senior John Haines put up cleran Floor and Rings routines while So. Anton Gryshayev proved himself again with a 1st place finish on Rings. Even though clean hits were provided at times, it was not enough to patch up the damage that had already been done. The Hawks would lose to the Gophers, going 336.500 to 330.1; a disappointing season low.
After the competition, the promotion team was able to have a post meet Q & A with Head Coach JD Reive about today’s meet.
Q: What were your thoughts on today’s competition?
A: Quite disappointing to be honest. We came in today’s meet pretty confident and coming off of a good week of practice in the gym. The guys were a little un-focused in that their mindset needed to be on doing their best and not simply winning the meet. We will have to work on that this week for Nebraska next Saturday night.
Q: Now that we are just about halfway through the season, is this where you envisioned the Hawks to be?
A: Physical yes they are 100% well prepared. We were ready for today’s competition but mentally they are still not quite together. Once they gain that confidence we will be just fine.
Q: We saw a lot of new skills today in certain guys routines. Did you expect any falls to correlate with the increased difficulty?
A:[Laughing] Well there were some scary mishaps today but overall these men are more than prepared to do these skills. They have done them numerous times and will be fine once their heads stay on their shoulders.
Some Reminders and News!
1) Home Meet next Saturday, Feb. 19th @ 7 P.M. in the Fieldhouse against the Nebraska Cornhuskers! Be there!
2) We sold over 100 wristbands at the Minnesota Home Meet! If you didn’t get a chance to get yours, be at the next home meet and secure your band!
3) New GymFace Album, Vote for the funniest!
4) Skill of the Week Quiz 1! How well have YOU been paying attention to the skills?!
5) See who will win February's Profiled Hawkeye! Video coming soon!
The No. 9 Hawkeyes would fall to the No. 7 Minnesota Gophers that evening in the Men's Competition. As the Lady Hawks battled out a victory over the Denver Pioneers, our Men found it difficult to do the same.
The competition began on the Floor Exercise where right away, many falls were a result of most routines. From the outside looking in, a combination of nerves and the desire to beat the Gophers all pitched in to why the sometimes "un-knowingly" talented team lost. As the meet proceeded on through Pommel Horse, Rings, and the Vault it seemed that the routines were getting slightly better. There were some good landings on Vault and a couple solid Rings performances. Yet after four rotations the Hawks were still down behind the Gophers by at least 3 points; a deficit that was nowhere near impossible for the Hawkeyes to overcome. But unfortunately, fate had to put in her last "two cents" during the final two rotations.
The Horizontal Bar and the Parallel Bars in particular, were the icing on the cake to seal the Gophers with a win. Uncharacteristic falls, small mishaps and bobbles on the swinging events all added up in staggering points as to why the Hawks were unable to come from behind. Despite the numerous mistakes some gymnasts in the competition shined through to give impressive scores. Senior Michael Jiang performed a flawless routine on the High Bar while Freshman Javier Balboa wowed the crowd with a difficult and clean Parallel Bar routine. In addition Senior John Haines put up cleran Floor and Rings routines while So. Anton Gryshayev proved himself again with a 1st place finish on Rings. Even though clean hits were provided at times, it was not enough to patch up the damage that had already been done. The Hawks would lose to the Gophers, going 336.500 to 330.1; a disappointing season low.
After the competition, the promotion team was able to have a post meet Q & A with Head Coach JD Reive about today’s meet.
Q: What were your thoughts on today’s competition?
A: Quite disappointing to be honest. We came in today’s meet pretty confident and coming off of a good week of practice in the gym. The guys were a little un-focused in that their mindset needed to be on doing their best and not simply winning the meet. We will have to work on that this week for Nebraska next Saturday night.
Q: Now that we are just about halfway through the season, is this where you envisioned the Hawks to be?
A: Physical yes they are 100% well prepared. We were ready for today’s competition but mentally they are still not quite together. Once they gain that confidence we will be just fine.
Q: We saw a lot of new skills today in certain guys routines. Did you expect any falls to correlate with the increased difficulty?
A:[Laughing] Well there were some scary mishaps today but overall these men are more than prepared to do these skills. They have done them numerous times and will be fine once their heads stay on their shoulders.
Some Reminders and News!
1) Home Meet next Saturday, Feb. 19th @ 7 P.M. in the Fieldhouse against the Nebraska Cornhuskers! Be there!
2) We sold over 100 wristbands at the Minnesota Home Meet! If you didn’t get a chance to get yours, be at the next home meet and secure your band!
3) New GymFace Album, Vote for the funniest!
4) Skill of the Week Quiz 1! How well have YOU been paying attention to the skills?!
5) See who will win February's Profiled Hawkeye! Video coming soon!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Hawks put out Flames at Home Opener
If you were to ask any of the gymnasts on the Men's Gymnastics Team what pumps them up the most for competitions, you may get many different answers. Some will say competing with 16 of your best friends. Some might even reason that finishing a hard routine in a competition setting gives them a feeling of sastification. However, on Saturday January 22nd, the Hawks recieved an extra boost of energy that was surely un-expected.
As the Men's and Women's teams competed, over 800 fans came out to root on the gymnasts while they both battled it out in thier seperate competitions! The stands? They were completely full. The track above the competiton floor? Tightly lined with eager fans awaiting the chance to see Iowa Gymnastics in action. It was a sight to see and your Hawks definitely fed off of that enthusiastic energy.
Just minutes before the competition, the Men's and Women's Teams rallied in the hallway; chanting the Iowa fight song and ringing the rafters with the resonance of their voices. With the announcer calling the teams to march out onto the floor, thier game faces were immediately put on and all rowdiness was put aside; it was now all business.
The first rotation began with the Floor. Solid performances were given by So. Matt McGrath and Fr. Lance Alberhasky who posted high numbers, had clean landings and aggresive tumbling. It was onto the Pommel Horse.
On the hardest event in Men's Gymnastics, Sr. Ben Ketelsen lead the way with a crowd-pleasing routine. With open-swinging and pointed-toes, the senior posted the highest score for the night on the apparatus and made the cut for Pommel Horse in the Super Six Video.
With the transition to the Still Rings, So. Anton Grashayev made school history. The strong rings-man broke the previous school record of 14.85 on the event with a 14.9! In addition, the entire Rings line-up that evening posted solid numbers and represented the strength of Iowa Gymnastics well.
For the fourth rotation, the Hawks moved to the Vault where Fr. Javier Balboa and Sr. Ben Ketelsen performed impressive routines with minimal deductions. Both were awarded with notable scores that would count towards the teams Vault percentage.
The Parallel Bars were nothing to difficult for Sr. Michael Jiang to handle as he competed a routine good enough to secure him a spot in this competiton's Super Six video. So. Jack McClay, in his only event for the night, came through for the Hawks as well to supply a hit set.
High Bar may have been the last event for the Hawks but the stellar performances were nowhere close to being done. Fr. Lance Alberhasky came through to seal his evening with a fluid and clean performance on the tall event. The kaboose for the High Bar line up, Fr. Javier Balboa, also wowed the crowd with his flying skills and well-deserved score.
The Hawkeyes did well enough to out do the Flames in an almost 10 point lead, giving them thier first season victory while at home. Go Hawks!
Some reminders!
1)Continue voting for February's Profiled Hawkeye!
2)Check out the new "Super Six" video featuring full routines!
3)New Skill of the Week posted.
4)Big Surprise coming soon to the Iowa Men's Gymnastics Blog! Stay tuned in over the next few weeks to see what it is!!
5)Want to see something different or just have a question? Feel free to comment below! Everyone can!
As the Men's and Women's teams competed, over 800 fans came out to root on the gymnasts while they both battled it out in thier seperate competitions! The stands? They were completely full. The track above the competiton floor? Tightly lined with eager fans awaiting the chance to see Iowa Gymnastics in action. It was a sight to see and your Hawks definitely fed off of that enthusiastic energy.
Just minutes before the competition, the Men's and Women's Teams rallied in the hallway; chanting the Iowa fight song and ringing the rafters with the resonance of their voices. With the announcer calling the teams to march out onto the floor, thier game faces were immediately put on and all rowdiness was put aside; it was now all business.
The first rotation began with the Floor. Solid performances were given by So. Matt McGrath and Fr. Lance Alberhasky who posted high numbers, had clean landings and aggresive tumbling. It was onto the Pommel Horse.
On the hardest event in Men's Gymnastics, Sr. Ben Ketelsen lead the way with a crowd-pleasing routine. With open-swinging and pointed-toes, the senior posted the highest score for the night on the apparatus and made the cut for Pommel Horse in the Super Six Video.
With the transition to the Still Rings, So. Anton Grashayev made school history. The strong rings-man broke the previous school record of 14.85 on the event with a 14.9! In addition, the entire Rings line-up that evening posted solid numbers and represented the strength of Iowa Gymnastics well.
For the fourth rotation, the Hawks moved to the Vault where Fr. Javier Balboa and Sr. Ben Ketelsen performed impressive routines with minimal deductions. Both were awarded with notable scores that would count towards the teams Vault percentage.
The Parallel Bars were nothing to difficult for Sr. Michael Jiang to handle as he competed a routine good enough to secure him a spot in this competiton's Super Six video. So. Jack McClay, in his only event for the night, came through for the Hawks as well to supply a hit set.
High Bar may have been the last event for the Hawks but the stellar performances were nowhere close to being done. Fr. Lance Alberhasky came through to seal his evening with a fluid and clean performance on the tall event. The kaboose for the High Bar line up, Fr. Javier Balboa, also wowed the crowd with his flying skills and well-deserved score.
The Hawkeyes did well enough to out do the Flames in an almost 10 point lead, giving them thier first season victory while at home. Go Hawks!
Some reminders!
1)Continue voting for February's Profiled Hawkeye!
2)Check out the new "Super Six" video featuring full routines!
3)New Skill of the Week posted.
4)Big Surprise coming soon to the Iowa Men's Gymnastics Blog! Stay tuned in over the next few weeks to see what it is!!
5)Want to see something different or just have a question? Feel free to comment below! Everyone can!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
A 'Windy' Finish for the Hawks
For years the Windy City Invitational has been known nationwide as a collegiate competition showcasing some of the best talent NCAA gymnastics has to offer. Teams from all over the nation travel to the great city of Chicago in hopes of bringing home the pride and title of being Windy City champion and bragging rights for a full 365 days.
The University of Iowa departed early from Iowa City, IA the morning of the January 15th ; seeking to make a national state of affirmation to the gymnastics world that Iowa Gymnastics is alive and well. As the competition began, each team stood next to the other, eagerly awaiting the chance to offset their opponents. Just before the start of the first rotation, the Hawks gathered in their huddled ritual to hear rousing words from their senior leaders. After the speech filled with ‘be confidents’ and ‘we got this’ came to a close, the Hawks exploded the room with the chant, “Gold and Black, on the attack, Lets go Iowa, AH!” The Hawks were ready to compete. Here are the event highlights and notable gymnasts.
During the First Rotation, the Hawks were on High Bar and the energy in the building was enough to lift the ceiling off of the building. They had some misses on the event but more success than failure for sure. In particular, Senior Ben Ketelsen and Freshman Javier Balboa put of large numbers for the Hawks. The Second Rotation was the Floor, which seemed to be in the favor of our Hawkeye gymnasts. Their tumbling was nearly through the roof on some of their skills! Senior John Haines, Sophomore Anton Gryshayev, and So. Matt McGrath flipped well enough to give the Hawks great representation by the Hawks.
The Third rotation, the Pommel Horse, was somewhat rocky for the Hawks, however Sophomore Broderick Shemanksy despite a fall on the very last skill of his routine, put out clean swinging for the Hawkeye pommel horse team. It was now onto the Still Rings.
The event made for showing off the strength and stamina of gymnastics was represented well by the Hawks. Notables were So. Anton Grysahvev, Sr. John Haines, and Fr. Lance Alberhasky. They all from first skill to dismount posted good numbers and clean routines.
With Vault being the fifth rotation and two-thirds of the meet already being over, the Hawks sitting in 5th place were looking to post large numbers for the sake of getting one spot higher up in the rankings. Even though the event did not quite go as expected, So. Anton Gryshayev and Fr. Javier Balboa had clean landings on the event. It was now time to move on to the last and final event – the Parallel Bars.
Since Parallel Bars was the last event, the Hawks were bent on showing the crowd, judges and fans alike that despite mishaps that happened that day, they were not finished just yet. So. Jack McClay, Fr. Lance Alberhasky along with So. Anton Gryshayev sealed the event for the team with clean, solid routines and a guaranteed 5th place finish.
The 2011 Windy City Invite, even if there were no first and second place finishes for the Hawks, was a building experience. They are a young team with a new coach and new way of training. Just like a planted seed in the ground the Hawkeyes need time to grow and branch up into the team they know they can be. It may not happen overnight, but it will happen. Trust and believe in your Hawks; I do.
Some reminders Hawks:
1) Next home meet Feb. 11th @ 7 P.M. in the Fieldhouse. Be there!
2) Continue voting for February's Profiled Hawkeye!
3) GymFace Album #8! Vote for the best one!
4) New Skill of the Week!
5) Anything suggestion of what you want to see on the site?! Shoot us comment in the comment box below! Everyone can submit a comment, not just members!
The University of Iowa departed early from Iowa City, IA the morning of the January 15th ; seeking to make a national state of affirmation to the gymnastics world that Iowa Gymnastics is alive and well. As the competition began, each team stood next to the other, eagerly awaiting the chance to offset their opponents. Just before the start of the first rotation, the Hawks gathered in their huddled ritual to hear rousing words from their senior leaders. After the speech filled with ‘be confidents’ and ‘we got this’ came to a close, the Hawks exploded the room with the chant, “Gold and Black, on the attack, Lets go Iowa, AH!” The Hawks were ready to compete. Here are the event highlights and notable gymnasts.
During the First Rotation, the Hawks were on High Bar and the energy in the building was enough to lift the ceiling off of the building. They had some misses on the event but more success than failure for sure. In particular, Senior Ben Ketelsen and Freshman Javier Balboa put of large numbers for the Hawks. The Second Rotation was the Floor, which seemed to be in the favor of our Hawkeye gymnasts. Their tumbling was nearly through the roof on some of their skills! Senior John Haines, Sophomore Anton Gryshayev, and So. Matt McGrath flipped well enough to give the Hawks great representation by the Hawks.
The Third rotation, the Pommel Horse, was somewhat rocky for the Hawks, however Sophomore Broderick Shemanksy despite a fall on the very last skill of his routine, put out clean swinging for the Hawkeye pommel horse team. It was now onto the Still Rings.
The event made for showing off the strength and stamina of gymnastics was represented well by the Hawks. Notables were So. Anton Grysahvev, Sr. John Haines, and Fr. Lance Alberhasky. They all from first skill to dismount posted good numbers and clean routines.
With Vault being the fifth rotation and two-thirds of the meet already being over, the Hawks sitting in 5th place were looking to post large numbers for the sake of getting one spot higher up in the rankings. Even though the event did not quite go as expected, So. Anton Gryshayev and Fr. Javier Balboa had clean landings on the event. It was now time to move on to the last and final event – the Parallel Bars.
Since Parallel Bars was the last event, the Hawks were bent on showing the crowd, judges and fans alike that despite mishaps that happened that day, they were not finished just yet. So. Jack McClay, Fr. Lance Alberhasky along with So. Anton Gryshayev sealed the event for the team with clean, solid routines and a guaranteed 5th place finish.
The 2011 Windy City Invite, even if there were no first and second place finishes for the Hawks, was a building experience. They are a young team with a new coach and new way of training. Just like a planted seed in the ground the Hawkeyes need time to grow and branch up into the team they know they can be. It may not happen overnight, but it will happen. Trust and believe in your Hawks; I do.
Some reminders Hawks:
1) Next home meet Feb. 11th @ 7 P.M. in the Fieldhouse. Be there!
2) Continue voting for February's Profiled Hawkeye!
3) GymFace Album #8! Vote for the best one!
4) New Skill of the Week!
5) Anything suggestion of what you want to see on the site?! Shoot us comment in the comment box below! Everyone can submit a comment, not just members!
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