Intrasquad Roundup

Teams have finished up their December intrasquads and are breaking for the holidays.  Coaches have given their teams specific "we can't officially make you train but here's what you better do over break" instructions and will hope that their gymnasts return in recognizable condition to prepare for the first meet. In the meantime, let's take a look at what some of the teams have been up to in the past week or so.

Georgia has posted a new episode of We Need to Talk about Kevin (Copp) containing highlights from the recent intrasquad.  Of note:

• Chelsea Davis has been fully gymdogged out (it's a real word...now) with the glitter and the ribbon and the temp tattoo.  We'll just have to deal with it.  We didn't see too much from her except the vault, which is her weakest event.  She lacks competitive amplitude.  I'm interested to see bars most of all.
• Kat Ding is a gem.  She rates them at an 8.5.  I love the use of .5, like it's a real scale, and her ability to resist the "I'd give us a TEN!" snap reaction.  She knows her teammates aren't up to her level.  Still, it's Georgia, so adjust for inflation.  How dare they show us that stuck beam dismount and make us want her to compete beam even though we know she'll get like a 4 in competition.  
• Jay is worried about the team's fitness coming back from the break.  Apparently, he got his hand stuck in the cookie jar at 1:30.    

Our updates from UCLA have been sporadic.  They had the "Meet the Bruins" event, which wasn't a real intrasquad (it was weirder and better), and now we have videos of only some of the gymnasts on only two events.  I'm not really surprised.  

They actually look well prepared on vault.  Hopfner-Hibbs and Peszek don't have the same distance as the others, but they are both capable of sticking landings sometimes (as we see in this video), which should even out the scoring.  A presumed lineup of Hopfner-Hibbs, Peszek, Larson, Courtney, Frattone, and Zamarripa (with occasional routines from alternates Wong, De La Torre, McDonald, and Gerber) will be very difficult for any team to beat.  They have enough depth that they won't miss Sydney Sawa's competent vault.

Florida held an intrasquad on December 9th.  Kytra Hunter looks strong and Alaina Johnson looks on point.  Ashanee looks about as enthusiastic as usual.  Marissa King's double layout is a dream.  Given that these are highlights, it's difficult to draw real conclusions from the performance, but the Gators seem on track.  Although, those dangly little half-hearted streamers are a little too reminiscent of when Mary trashed the gym on Seventh Heaven.  Don't pretend like you don't get the reference.

Oklahoma has a highlight reel with a few full routines on each event.  The article is a breath of fresh air when K.J. doesn't pretend like her other freshmen are going to make lineups.  This is unusual among NCAA coaches.