Region 5 Gymnastics Insider Podcast

In this episode we welcome Buckeye Senior Sidney Washington to the show. Sidney gives us some insights to her two years at Pittsburgh, what the whole transfer experience was like and what it was like becoming a Buckeye, especially for someone who grew up in Ann Arbor. She talks about a moment in her club career where she considered quiting but her club coach Claudia helped and motivated her to stick with it. Kim dives into a floor discussion and where she got her love for performing and puttiing on a show. 

Our next Alumni Conversation of the season is with one who we have watched grow up in front of our eyes. From winning the all around at the Level 9 Easterns, to excelling at the elite level, to her beautiful bars and beam as a Cal Bear. Our guest is the fabulous Gabby Perea. As we do with each episode we take a journey back with Gabby to her Region 5 days and how her time as an elite helped her in the transition to college gymnastics. We of course dive into the beam dismount that broke the Gymternet, her standing full at nationals and much much more. 

Our first Alumni Conversation of the season is with one of the most decorated Region 5 athletes ever, pretty much always and forever Region 5 Royalty. Kai Rivers won almost everything you could win in Level 10 and road the roller coaster college journey to a NCAA National Championships with the LSU Tigers. In this episode, we take Kai back to her Region 5 Days as well as talk everything LSU. Highs, lows, Achilles times 2, the Yurchenko Double, JAY vs DEE DEE we have it all in this episode. 

NCAA’s begins with Alum Un-balanced but then she found her balance for a national title,  we might have seen a new skill that could be perfected for some originality, NEW CHampion is added to the short list, Finally it happened and all is right in the world, one more standing full for old time sake, the pilgrims founded the Plymouth Colony in the1620’s but in the 2020’s we have our own Pilgram and her journey is only getting started

Jordyn was our first coverage on the Insider back in 2012 when we covered her Olympic Send Off Celebration. So for our 100th episode of the College Salute podcast we wanted Jordyn to be our guest especially since she made her first trip with a full team to the NCAA Championships as the head coach of Arkansas, We talk about what being part of Region 5 meant to her, how she came to be the head coach of the University of Arkansas, the experience hosting Regionals and then qualifying to NCAA''s as a team, how coaching as impacted her and the impact our 5 Region 5 alums she has coached had/or is having on the program. We talk about what being part of Region 5 meant to her, how she came to be the head coach of the University of Arkansas, the experience hosting Regionals and then qualifying to NCAA''s as a team, how coaching as impacted her and the impact our 5 Region 5 alums she has coached had/or is having on the program.

It began with 4 very close play ins and ended with lots of drama and excitement it’s REGIONAL weekend,  up close and live for the best on bars never to win, SEARS is SOMETHIN,  OU is OUTSTANDING U, Frazier was a show I never got into but I am all about the gymnastics of a Frazier, DId our R5 U line-up make it nationals this year, who is moving onto to Fort Worth,  Oh and I am wondering if OKeefe’s favorite animal is a Cat because she lands like one

Welcome to our special regional preview here on the College Salute Podcast,  we  break down the alums you will see, the routines to watch and who we feel will advance from each of the four regions. We also give our pick for the final four and the national champion. Both Kim and I will be in Ann Arbor to bring you behind the scenes content from the Ann Arbor regional. 

OUR 100th Episode!!!  Conference Championships and here is to 100 salutes, another 10 but first for this athlete though it was one of many at the meet, Kim fought for her photo box space this week, Conference Tournment Champ again after 10 years and one for the first time in program history,  Bleeding toe can’t stop a spartan, lots of alums crowned conference champion and Geography is not Jason strong suit.   

Last week of the regular season and we now learn why beam is so challenging, Is a front Full front Full a requirement to be recruited at Penn, It’s late in the season so if you are tired during your Pac just take a seat, SEC is happy its not 2025, Smith might be a common last name but this one is not Mediocre OH 3 weren’t mediocre this week they were perfect well maybe not all of them, and you can get a perfect 9.95 on vault can we have a perfect 9.975 on other events  

It was a SENIOR FEST this week with Roses flyin and maybe a Herky jump or two, 2 vaults that I am glad i got to see in person, never take your eyes off Szymanski because you just never know, double front dismount that made me almost fall out of my seat, How do you describe a Scholarship to your teammates, and we have some debates on todays pod

Week 9 was a 10 multiple times in Lexington, IT was the all ohio meet but someone apparently forgot to tell Illinois, we apparently have exhibition runners in this sport, well OU is um yeah who will be second this year, and Anya's 10 reaction was epic.  

Week 8- Green is great and is the BIG Ten Regular Season Champ color, but how did they win we will explain, We might have to have a run off for President ( I am here for either of them), the Region 5 Yurchenko 1 ½  craze continues with one returning this weekend (Yes Olivia she has competed this year) but will that be the last time we see it, we had so many working parts this week and one team is even on the brink of being Dangerous, oh and I think Kim was at CMU doing behind the scenes research from the broadcast  

An Alum is perfect again on floor this week, We tied in Kalamazoo… and then we didn’t, another Yurchenko 1 ½ debuted, Q is back with a head set, Al Ashari had more space in which to perform this week,  we had more Memory’s of a goldfish in Champaigne, an angry front tuck on is the only way to do it in Teter Town especially when you are robbed, Holly Harris, need to just grow an inch in your figures on bars and did you know the rules are in the CODE OF CONDUCT!  

NCAA Week 6 and all about the bars composition this week well in all of 2024 to be honest, I thought it was regionals weekend with the Denver Stream (R5 Insider Goals), Yurchenko 1 ½ debut this week and she leads our line up, we saw the floor routine we have been waiting for and you will be JIVING about it today, Alyssa Squared killed it for our line up this week, and lets play tik tac toe KENT STYLE!

It was 2 10 weekend for alums in week 5 and they were in the same meet, but I have some thoughts on one of them, Hopefully we don’t have a memory of a goldfish during this podcast, The CAL BEAR HEAD, SunGlasses of all sizes, Some happy faces on beam in Muncie oh and Spartans were happy too!  

Week 4 another 10, this one on floor, but her teammate might just think she deserved one as well and she right, Arkansas brings awareness in a cool way, Gianna Gerdes enough said, I have my new favorite non region 5 athlete the week,  Not 1 or 2 but 5 pass movements at MSU thats Funk and Spunk if you ask me oh we have more much more, This week was certainly crafted and catered.

Well the state of Tennessee does start with TEN, The amount of gymnastics my eyes watched this past weekend, did we see a new skill at EMU, Silverware at gymnastics meet and we aren’t talking from the concession stand, The NCAA Famous Double Front and I finally saw it live, debut we have been waiting for even it’s not the event we a looking forward to seeing, and our line-up killed it in week 3.  

Another Alum was perfect, the Tri meet rotation change for 2024 seems to not be a thing at least in week 2, We got a look at the first of what is to be 4 Destiny Child inspired floor routines, um she isn’t an alum but she deserved a 10, surprise dismount change but she STUCK IT, R5 U Line-up was well listen and find out oh and more feelings from Kim 

A Perfect 10 for an alum, Region 5 University has a masters level class, roll out the scroll of alums who debuted in week 1, I feel my voice has been heard even it has nothing to do with me, and the R5 University is off to hot start, oh and the new rule got one of our alums this week at least I think it did, all that, KIm has feelings and we have our new segment Five Jive. Listen in as we recap NCAA Week 1.

The start of another college gymnastics season is about to start and of course we have a whole group of new faces we get to see this season. We highlight the must watch routines for 2024, introduce you to many but not all the newbie alums we will see and give you an update on some of the new rule changes. The R5 University will return for its 2nd season with the first line-ups coming at you in less then a week. Listen in as we preview the upcoming 2024 NCAA Gymnastics Season.