GOING
BEYOND
WHEN YOU ACHIEVE THE ULTIMATE GOAL, WHAT COMES NEXT? YOU CAN EITHER STAND STILL, OR GO BEYOND.
Written by Head Coach K.J. Kindler
SEASON PREVIEW
IT’S A NEW SEASON WITH A NEW TEAM, NEW GOALS AND NEW FACES. NO ONE HAS HIGHER EXPECTATIONS FOR OKLAHOMA WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS THAN THE TEAM ITSELF, AS HEAD COACH K.J. KINDLER EXPLAINS IN THE 2015 SEASON PREVIEW.
Out With The Old
Coming off a 2014 Co-NCAA Title—the first in program history—we will lose valuable leadership and experience in graduates Lara Albright, Madison Mooring and Taylor Spears. The three combined for six contributing routines in the 24-person line-up and all three were All-Americans during their careers.
The biggest loss comes on balance beam, where all three of these athletes contributed to the top seven routines on our OU squad. Floor will also be heavily hit with NCAA event finalist Albright taking her final bow and Spears and Mooring also contributing to the depth. Vault and bars, having only one routine loss on each event, should receive a boost in scoring potential for the Sooners.
In With The New
Our freshmen class will need to contribute right out of the gate to replace valuable losses from the 2014 championship team. Brenna Dowell and Ali Jackson are expected to contend in the all-around eventually this season, but will likely begin on two to three events while working into the collegiate system. Stefani Catour was sidelined in the preseason for a minor injury but continues to prove she can catch up to the group and be a strong option on all four. Natalie Brown has seen a great deal of improvement in the preseason and will likely contribute on beam and floor during 2015, while Samantha Craus continues to make excellent progress on bars and beam.
Vault
Vault has received the biggest upgrade for our team in 2015. This lineup has power, amplitude and difficulty and should be amongst the best in the country. The depth here is beyond any other event and the amount of athletes who could deliver 9.9s and higher is mind-blowing.
As freshmen, Dowell and Jackson will enter the lineup and contribute immediately, performing the most difficult vaults in the squad in a Yurchenko 1.5. The anchor in 2014 and vault NCAA finalist Haley Scaman was our most consistent performer last season. She will again ground the squad in the last position with her dynamic Yurchenko full that can drop on a dime. Chayse Capps, vault All-American Maile’ana Kanewa and Keeley Kmieciak are also capable of outperforming anyone in the field. This stellar six in Scaman, Jackson, Kanewa, Kmieciak, Capps and Dowell will be nearly unstoppable in 2015.
To round out the vaulting lineup, look for Stefani Catour, Kara Lovan and Hunter Price to jump into the scene. Catour is powerful and quick and Lovan amazed with awesome landing technique last season. Price has improved leaps and bounds since last season and performs a unique handspring entry front pike with a half twist.
Right on their heels are experienced senior Erica Brewer, sophomore McKenzie Wofford and sophomore Charity Jones, who was sidelined earlier this fall with continued plantar fascia issues from 2014. All three are dynamic and expected to be contributors.
Uneven Bars
In this season, we will lose event anchor Spears, who was as elegant on bars as she was on balance beam. To replace her impeccable routine is a very worthy Dowell, who is well-known for her aggressive swinging on the bars and strong difficulty. A slew of other athletes are stepping up to add depth and choices to our team. In total, we have 12 10.0-valued routines to choose from.
Veteran Rebecca Clark will be the priceless starter for us this year. She has a short and sweet exercise with impeccable angle execution and strong shaping throughout her skills. Her elite roots are obvious here. Senior uneven bars All-American Brewer, Scaman and Kmieciak can all hit the mark at 9.9-plus for the Sooners and have the “stick factor” on their side!
The two big guns on this event that really highlight the beauty and difficulty of bars are Dowell and sophomore McKenzie Wofford. Wofford made drastic changes to her technique and routine composition in the preseason and after a year of experience, I expect her to shine as a top scorer. She swings with ease and launches her dismount as high as any athlete in the country. Dowell will undoubtedly wow fans with incredible height on her releases and a breathtaking full-twisting double layout dismount. Both athletes are imperative to the scoring potential on this event.
Rounding out this group are five additional athletes that will likely earn a spot during the season. Lovan, Jackson and Catour could secure a place in the lineup and provide a deep group for our staff to select from. Lovan has incredible swing and performs a unique “E” level Hindorf release and pak salto. Jackson’s routine is short and sweet and also highlights an “E” release. Catour adds to the “E” skills with her Ray release and has sticking power in her double layout dismount. In addition, Capps and Jones could gain experience in the lineup. Capps has refined her bar skills over the past year and would be an applauded addition with immaculate form. Jones is powerful and aggressive on this event as well.
Finally, two additional athletes are on track to provide even more depth. Craus and sophomore Reagan Hemry both have beautiful routines in the works. This duo is currently working to add upgraded dismounts which will provide a final exclamation point to their clean routines.
Balance Beam
Our team has developed a love for competing beam. In 2015, we must replace steady Mooring as well as 2014 NCAA Champion Spears. This is a tall order, but I feel we are up to the challenge. Fans can expect many newcomers to get valuable experience early on.
Our beam lineup staples with high-pressure experience include Kmieciak, Lovan, Clark, Brewer and Capps.
This lineup has been incredibly tough to crack in the past three years and several athletes who had great scoring potential were often left off the competition roster. Projected starter Kmieciak was sidelined from this event at NCAAs last season but has vital experience leading off this squad during her freshman and sophomore campaigns. She is steady and dependable and boasts the most difficult dismount in the lineup, finishing with a double tuck. Senior Haley Sorensen also has exceptional choreography and amazing consistency. Look for 2015 to be her grand entrance.
Clark and Lovan are the likely core of the lineup and provide “WOW” moments within the squad. Clark took on the difficult position of anchor last season, but a move up in the lineup will allow her to compete more aggressively. This is her favorite event and it shows. Her leaps and jumps enhance the lineup and raise the level of her teammate’s performances. Lovan exhibits perfection in her every move. The execution of her skills is nearly flawless. She floats through her routine with a lightness that is effortless.
Bringing up the rear on beam are All-Americans Brewer and Capps. Both athletes bring different attributes to the lineup. Brewer takes no prisoners and competes with vigor and confidence. Her difficult tumbling and quick-paced choreography make her incredibly unique on beam. Capps exhibits a smoothness rarely seen on this event with unusual combinations. She can provide the potential 10.0 the Sooners will need on this event to dominate the competition.
Hot on their heels and fully prepared are Brown, Kanewa, Scaman, and Wofford. We expect all four of these athletes to gain important experience early on. Scaman and Kanewa are no strangers to success and both are mesmerizing on this event. Either one of them could become a standout here this season. Brown is poetry in motion. Her toe point and elegant dance coupled with strong tumbling make her an obvious choice. With a couple opportunities under her belt, Wofford is eager to see competition. Her form is gorgeous and her skills are dynamic.
Also available at a moment’s notice are a trio of freshmen in Catour, Dowell and Jackson. Catour is proving to be very steady with a new dismount in play and smooth transitions. Dowell is also highlighting a new and difficult dismount combination that includes her “E” level full-twisting back handspring. Jackson has revamped her former beam routine, changing nearly every element and thriving in the process.
Floor Exercise
Similar to beam, floor will provide opportunity for newcomers to explode on the scene for our team this season. New and exciting routines were created in the preseason and provide styles that range from swing to hip hop. We try to provide opportunities for each athlete to express her own personal style and dynamic tumbling. The line-up will highlight “E” level tumbling passes throughout and high energy choreography to keep the crowd on their feet.
So who will replace the strong performances of Albright and Spears?
Likely replacements are Dowell and Jackson. These two can tumble anyone under the table. Brenna will impress with a double front to open her routine, beautiful leaps and a kick-up in her dance style. Ali has a crowd-pleasing hip hop piece that will bring fans to their feet. She has the entire package: tumbling, sass and attitude. These two routines will be the most eagerly anticipated performances from our team in 2015.
Starting the lineup will be the dynamic Brewer. Her techno Lion King music is incredibly fitting, thanks to her “King of the Jungle” approach and energy every day in practice. A focus on improving her leaps and jumps has proven fruitful and will elevate her scoring potential.
Scaman will take on the challenge of anchoring this squad in 2015. The NCAA runner-up in last year’s NCAA event finals on this event, she provides the slam dunk that we need. Scaman has stepped outside her comfort zone with a blues musical piece that will keep the fans captivated. Opening with one of the most amazing double layouts in college gymnastics and closing the routine with a new upgraded double pike, Scaman is ready to rock again this season.
I expect crowd darlings and incredible talents Kanewa and Capps to once again amaze with their whole-package presentation. Kanewa wowed everyone with her second place finish at NCAAs last season and has done the unthinkable this season by truly stepping up her game. Capps has upgraded her first pass, which will be added to her routine in 2015. Her dancing talents are highlighted in her energetic, constantly-moving routine.
Returning All-American Lovan will make the biggest dancing metamorphosis from last season. I know she will be a fan favorite this year with tumbling as clean as a whistle and new, entertaining and intricate dance. You will not be able to take your eyes off her!
Other athletes prepared include Catour, Brown and Kmieciak. Catour is a powerful tumbler with springy leaps who is surprisingly expressive and dramatic in her dance. Brown has upgraded her final pass and is deceptively quick. Kmieciak could also see her first appearance in the floor exercise lineup since her all-around win against UCLA in her freshman season. Jones and Wofford are also capable of contributing this season.
