College Salute Podcast from the R5 Insider

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.