University of Georgia Athletics
Working Class(es)
December 23, 2004 | Gymnastics
Dec. 23, 2004
In 2004 the Gym Dogs were led by gymnastics' Super Six. Six seniors, each one an All-American, led the team in and out of the gym and provided stability in the lineup for every meet. Now for the first time since 1986 Georgia will enter a season with just two upperclassmen - Michelle Emmons and Brittany Smith. Talent with those two has never been an issue, but the amount of time it takes Georgia's younger athletes to adjust to a college schedule could be.
"There was no quick fix to replace what we lost last year," coach Suzanne Yoculan said. "Looking at the big picture our goal was to set a foundation and then build around it. We've done just that."
And this is the foundation Yoculan and her coaching staff wanted following the four-year run of last year's senior class. This young team will be together for the next 2-3 years, learning together along the way. Emmons, the lone senior, returns as one of the most steady performers in Gym Dogs history. Since her freshman season the Georgia coaching staff has called upon the Houston, Texas, native to lead off on vault, beam, floor, or all three at nearly every meet because a solid score is almost always posted. She's just one person, but you can't doubt her leadership. In her final year as a Gym Dog Emmons has added difficulty to her beam routine and the coaching staff says her vault, one learned last season, is a good as it's ever been.
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