University of Georgia Athletics
Noel Couch Blog: With Love
February 13, 2012 | Gymnastics
Feb. 13, 2012
Roses are red. Violets are blue. Watch out everyone…the Gym Dogs are coming through! I wish all my followers a very happy Valentine's Day. I hope your day is filled with love and laughter. Let's take it back two weeks ago when we left Athens on a warm, sunny afternoon only to arrive hours later among the snow-capped mountains of Utah. The views were beautiful and our pre-meet mall trip included a fun shopping spree at the two-story Forever 21. No matter how far the Gym Dogs travel, we always have an entourage. Mama Couch and Aunti Jo, along with Mamas Worley, Moffatt, and Ding were all in attendance at the meet cheering us on. We performed well and continued to improve, but fell just short of beating Utah. It was a good experience for us to compete in front of such a huge, roaring crowd. We stayed focused and determined and earned a solid road score.
After resting up from the meet and traveling we got back to the grind on Monday. There were tests to be taken, meetings to be had, and practices to continue our improvement. Tuesday night Kati, Sarah, and I participated in the Relay for Life event downtown. We got dressed up and took to the stage with several other volunteers to help in the fight against cancer. It was an entertaining night for a good cause.
When Friday arrived we had our jaws set for the showdown. The coliseum was filled with an electrifying crowd and as the lights went down and the fireworks went off, it was GO TIME. Those of you who were there know the excitement that filled the air as we competed each routine, cheered for stuck landings, and danced our way to a victory over Arkansas. A shout out to our exceptional students section that was filled with our fans who showed up in style with everything from painted bodies to shark signs. We truly have the best fans in the world.
I was thrilled to have Cassidy McComb and our friend, Marie Collins staying in the "6th Floor Pent House" with Christa and I for the weekend. Cass did another spectacular job of commentating the meet with the one and only, Kevin Copp from georgiadogs.com. We had a fun weekend together and even made a special trip to Hobby Lobby for some fun Valentine trinkets and pink hair accessories for the Pink Out meet next weekend. So, be sure to attend our meet next Saturday and keep a look out for some eye-catching hair accessories! Continue to keep up with the latest news on the greatest team by following the Gym Dogs @UGAGymnastics and me @JerseyGymdog6 on Twitter and Facebook. See you next Saturday at 4 p.m. and don't forget…Think Pink!
Noel Couch, a native of Towaco, N.J., is a junior on the Georgia gymnastics team.