NCAA Gymnastics

This past weekend was might have been arguable the most competitive gymnastics championship ever. The mens team final started Friday night with a huge upset. The University of Illinois beat the top seed Oklahoma to win their first team title since 1989. On the women's side of things the No.2 team Oklahoma did not even make it to team finals. The teams that progressed to the Super Six were Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Stanford, Utah and UCLA. The battle was extremly fierce with only .5 seperating first through fifth place. Alabama was able to sneak past No. 1 seed Florida to take the back-to-back championship. The scores were, Alabama 197.85, Florida 197.775 and UCLA 197.725. A few uncharacteristic landings and a fall by Florida helped Alabama take the title. Although the Gators did not leave Georgia totally empty handed. Freshmen Kytra Hunter won the coveted All-Around title Friday night. Soaring past many competitors in the SEC.

NCAA Gymnastics

This weekend 12 teams from around the country will be attending the 2012 NCAA Divison I Women's Gymnastics Championships. After Friday and Saturdays preliminary meets only 6 team will advance to the final competition on Sunday. It will be a close battle between the top 5 teams since their qualifying scores were only seperated by .325. Florida has been ranked No. 1 for the last three years but has never been able to pull off the championship. If they win it will only be the 5th school to ever win the title. Oklahoma has also been at the top of their game bouncing between the 2nd and 3rd ranking. If they stick they could walk away with the title. The 2010 Champion UCLA is currently ranked No. 2 and just might be peaking at the right time of the season. Also, Alabama, that won in 2011, will surely show up to try to regain the title. Georgia has been climbing all season long and is finally pulling together. They can never be counted out for the title since they have the most team titles.

KENTUCKY

The University of Kentucky basketball team advances to the Final Four in 2012 NCAA tournament. The team seeks a national title this year which would make it the second one for the university. The cheerleaders of the basketball team had prevously won the UCA Divison 1A title this past January. As the current national champions the cheerleaders will be there to cheer on their basketball team to a second championship for the University of Kentucky in one season. Kentucky is scheduled to play the University of Louisville on March 31, 2012. Louisville coincidentally is also a defending national champion at the NCA competition.

SRU Cheer

With the spring break coming to an end the Slippery Rock cheerleaders are at the very beginning of their preparation for the 2012-2013 school year. This time of year many of the cheerleaders get together a few nights a week to workout in the field house. They try to get new skills and polish old ones for the upcoming try outs in the beginning of May. This year will mark a new year for the co ed team as they switch into the small co ed division. It will be the first time in this division (instead of large co ed) since the program has been in existence. 

This past week end the 2012 AT&T Amercian Cup was held in Madison Square Garden. This is the first year the American Cup boasts its new name with the sponser AT&T. It was previously partnered with companys such as Tyson, McDonalds and Dial. This is the first championship of the 2012 season on the road to London for the summer olympics. Congratulations to both Jordyn Wieber and Danell Leyva from the USA on their first place all-around finishes.

Career Interest Area

My area of interest in the sport management field I believe is some type of athletic director position. Both the high school and collegiate levels are interesting to me for different reasons. The high school level interests me because it is a much personal level with everyone. I would be able to get to know the coaches, players and their families well as well as being known throughout the community. Also, it would allow me to oversee each individual aspect closely so that is being done the way I want it. However, at the college level it is a much bigger scale with greater risks and rewards. I will not get to be as interactive with each sport. Many of the jobs I would have to delegate to other people and could not do it alone. Lastly, the salary would be higher at the collegiate level than high school. I love having pride for the school I represent and always want to show my school off well.