GYMNASTICS: Cyclone coach faces old team at Auburn
GYMNASTICS: Cyclone coach faces old team at Auburn
January 21, 2009
ISU gymnastics coach Jay Ronayne heads back to his old stomping grounds as the Cyclones take on Auburn this Friday.
Ronayne was Auburn’s assistant coach for four years, so he knows a thing or two about Auburn.
“We can’t walk in and say this is an easy win, let’s just fool around and get this thing done and get out of here. We have to be on the top of our game. We have to be better than we have been these past two meets,” Ronayne said.
The Cyclones hope to continue improving this week against no. 4 Auburn.
“If we do exactly what we did last week on bars I’ll be happy, that will definitely set the tone correctly,” Ronayne said.
“Vault we need to improve, we need to stick some landings. Judges are very influenced by that landing, it leaves a lasting impression.”
The Cyclones hope to see a great meet from senior Jasmine Thompson and junior Megan Barnes and hope to get junior Melanie Tham out on the floor.
The only major change the Cyclones would like to see, other than continued improvement this meet, is Michelle Browning’s new vault.
“We may introduce another vault,” Ronayne said.
“Michelle Browning is working on a vault that’s worth a little more, it’s worth .1 more than the one she’s been doing the past two weeks.”
Ronayne hopes to improve the team’s vault scores by one half point, at least.
During practice the Cyclones are continuing to work on hitting routines.
The team is trying to focus on doing the same thing in competition that it does in practice.
“We’re looking great in practice, we’re just trying to translate it into competition,” junior Anna Robey said.
“I try to do the same stuff I do in practice and not change my form — have the same thought process as practice.”
Despite being 0-2 heading into the meet, the Cyclones are trying to keep a positive outlook.
Iowa State has started the season with back-to-back losses to Missouri and Nebraska.
“[We want to] go out there and be aggressive, not hold back, have no regrets at the end of the meet, and knowing that we put it all out there,” Robey said.
