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Speaker 1: Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're celebrating

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Speaker 1: this weekend's NC Double A Gymnastics Championships by doing splits

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Speaker 1: at a party. Okay, fine, fair, I'm always doing the

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Speaker 1: splitzet parties, but this weekend they'll be extra good. It's Thursday,

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Speaker 1: April seventeenth, and on today's show, we'll be chatting with

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Speaker 1: ESPN Gymnastics commentator and NC DOUBLEA perfect ten record holder

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Speaker 1: Trinity Thomas about the top teams and athletes and this

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Speaker 1: weekend's NC Double A Gymnastics Championships, dealing with pressure and

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Speaker 1: how to be a better gymnastics viewer. Plus a goat

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Speaker 1: adds a few more records, unrivaled, roster gets a little bigger,

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Speaker 1: and we checked there's no rule saying backflips have to

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Speaker 1: be done in a gym. That's all coming up right

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Speaker 1: after this. Welcome Max Slices. Here's what you need to

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Speaker 1: know today. The US wrapped up the group stage at

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Speaker 1: the Women's Ice Hockey World Championships by beating Switzerland five

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Speaker 1: nothing on Tuesday behind two goals of He's from Tessa

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Speaker 1: Janicky and Kendall Cooinscofield. Hillary Knight recorded three assists in

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Speaker 1: the win to break the all time assists record at

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Speaker 1: Women's Worlds. Knight now has fifty one more than previous

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Speaker 1: record holder Canadian Haley Wickenheiser. Knight is already the most

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Speaker 1: decorated athlete in Women's World Championship history, owning the record

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Speaker 1: for most medals with fourteen, most all time goals with

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Speaker 1: sixty seven, and most points with one hundred and seventeen.

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Speaker 1: After finishing group play with a four to zero record,

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Speaker 1: the US will play Germany in the quarterfinals today. We'll

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Speaker 1: link to the full World Championship schedule in the show notes.

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Speaker 1: Also shout out to friend of the show Kendall Coinscofield.

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Speaker 1: In addition to those two goals, this week, she's also

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Speaker 1: celebrating a new partnership with our friends at ELF. She

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Speaker 1: just joined their roster of sponsored athletes. As part of

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Speaker 1: her partnership, she recently hosted a group of young players

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Speaker 1: at a Minnesota Frost game. Love that two hoops. Paige

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Speaker 1: Beckers has more to celebrate than just being the number

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Speaker 1: one pick in Monday's WNBA draft. Just ahead of the draft,

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Speaker 1: it was announced that Beckers has signed a three year

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Speaker 1: deal to play in three on three League unrival Per

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Speaker 1: the Athletic ESPN, Becker's first year salary and Unrivaled will

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Speaker 1: exceed what she earns in all four years of her

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Speaker 1: WNBA rookie contract. Becker's previously signed an NIL deal with Unrivaled,

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Speaker 1: which gave her equity in the upstart league as she

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Speaker 1: finished her college career. Speaking of Unrivaled, Time has named

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Speaker 1: Unrivaled co founders Nafisa Collier and Brianna Stewart to the

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Speaker 1: twenty twenty five Time one hundred, its annual list of

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Speaker 1: the one hundred most influential people in the world. To softball,

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Speaker 1: Kim Eng, who joined Athletes Unlimited last summer as a

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Speaker 1: senior advisor, has been named commissioner of the AUSL ahead

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Speaker 1: of its June launch, and players are starting to get

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Speaker 1: the call for the new pro Softball league. Over the

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Speaker 1: next few weeks, Golden tickets will be presented to college

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Speaker 1: softball players across the country, signifying their selection in the

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Speaker 1: twenty twenty five college Draft. Last Sunday, after her team's

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Speaker 1: fifteen to one win over Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, pitcher

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Speaker 1: Emma Lemley was surprised with the very first golden ticket

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Speaker 1: the AUSL College Draft Show will reveal which teams the

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Speaker 1: drafts are selected to. You can watch that on Saturday,

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Speaker 1: May third at nine pm Eastern on ESPNU. Finally, some

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Speaker 1: golf news. The International Olympic Committee has approved a mixed

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Speaker 1: gender golf team event for the twenty twenty eight Los

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Speaker 1: Angeles Olympics. It'll be a thirty six hole competition split

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Speaker 1: across two eighteen hole rounds, with teams made up of

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Speaker 1: one male and one female athlete from the individual competitions,

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Speaker 1: limited to one team per country. We got to take

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Speaker 1: a quick break. When we come back, we talk NCUBLEA

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Speaker 1: Gymnastics Championships with Trinity Thomas. The two semi finals are today,

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Speaker 1: with the top two teams in each semi qualifying for

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Speaker 1: Saturday's final. We caught up with Trinity on Wednesday to

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Speaker 1: discuss what to expect that's coming up right after this

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Speaker 1: joining US now, she's a commentator for ESPN. Who was

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Speaker 1: a five time member of the USA Gymnastics national team

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Speaker 1: and was an eleven time NCUBLEA All American for the

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Speaker 1: Florida Game College, finishing her career with an NCAA record

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Speaker 1: tying twenty eight perfect ten scores and a record breaking

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Speaker 1: five Jim slams, which are scores of perfect ten on

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Speaker 1: every apparatus. Since the end of her college career, she's

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Speaker 1: worked as a student coach for the Gators in addition

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Speaker 1: to our media work, and this May she'll begin nursing

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Speaker 1: school at Florida. Her list of accomplishments is so long

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Speaker 1: it takes up the entire TV screen. Just ask co

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Speaker 1: anchor Bart Connor who lost his head to the list

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Speaker 1: of Trinity's many feats. It's Trinity Thomas. Hi, Trinity, Hi,

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Speaker 1: how are you? I'm good? Thanks for joining us. Before

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Speaker 1: we get to the excitement of this week, I want

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Speaker 1: to ask you about the LA Olympics, because I just

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Speaker 1: said all that in past tense, and in the past

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Speaker 1: you did attempt to qualify for the twenty twenty and

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Speaker 1: twenty twenty four Olympics. But today, in this moment, right now,

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Speaker 1: how are you feeling about giving it one more go

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Speaker 1: and potentially trying to go to LA twenty eight.

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Speaker 2: Right now, I'm definitely on a down swing. I have

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Speaker 2: a dongymnastics since November, and honestly, I don't I don't

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Speaker 2: know that I will do gymnastics again, but I'm not

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Speaker 2: completely closing that door, just kind of we'll see good.

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Speaker 1: That's you don't have to you get to decide. Maybe

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Speaker 1: you'll get the itch.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, maybe we'll see Okay.

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Speaker 1: On to this week's big event in Fort Worth. So,

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Speaker 1: the semifinal rounds of the twenty twenty five NCAA National

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Speaker 1: Collegiate Women's Gymnastics Championships get going Thursday on ESPN two

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Speaker 1: Semi Final one at four thirty Eastern, Semifinal two at

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Speaker 1: nine pm Eastern, and then they culminate with the Championship

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Speaker 1: Final live on ABC on Saturday. I want to start

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Speaker 1: with the basics. Can you tell us how the eight

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Speaker 1: competing teams make the cut to get to compete at

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Speaker 1: this national Championships.

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Speaker 2: Yes, So they were all at their own regional locations

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Speaker 2: and they had to be the top two teams out

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Speaker 2: of the regional location to make it to the national Championships,

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Speaker 2: which is not easy. There's a play in day where

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Speaker 2: the bottom two teams one team gets to go, and

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Speaker 2: then there are two sessions of four teams and the

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Speaker 2: top two teams from each session go from Day one

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Speaker 2: of regionals today two and so then there are four

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Speaker 2: teams left and the top two teams from Day two

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Speaker 2: on the Nationals.

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Speaker 1: They are individuals competing as well. How did they qualify?

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Speaker 2: Yes, So basically, if you're an individual and you place

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Speaker 2: at the top of Day one of Regionals, then you

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Speaker 2: get to qualify to go to Nationals. If you weren't

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Speaker 2: on those two teams that already qualified.

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Speaker 1: Okay, got it? Okay, So semi final one tomorrow is

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Speaker 1: an all sec showdown. We got number two seed Oklahoma,

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Speaker 1: number three seed Florida, number seven seed Missouri, and number

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Speaker 1: eleven seed Alabama. Which team is coming in feeling the

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Speaker 1: most confident? Which team has most people believing that they'll advance?

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Speaker 2: Yeah, honestly, I think all of the teams have a

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Speaker 2: really good shot. They are so good this year. And

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Speaker 2: I mean I will have to say obviously Oklahoma and

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Speaker 2: Florida at the top. So I think that those teams

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Speaker 2: are definitely.

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Speaker 3: Like people will assume that they will advance.

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Speaker 1: But it's a hard yes, but it's a.

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Speaker 2: Hard competition, and Missouri can bring it like those other

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Speaker 2: teams can bring it. So I think it's gonna be

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Speaker 2: a lot of fun this weekend just watching everyone. It's

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Speaker 2: gonna be who's on and it's like mental game. They're

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Speaker 2: all physically like incredible. All the teams are incredible, but

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Speaker 2: it just comes down to who can hit and do

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Speaker 2: no wobbles and hit their cast handstands and stick when

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Speaker 2: it counts.

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Speaker 1: Who are some of the standout stars from those teams

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Speaker 1: that you'll be watching for?

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Speaker 2: Okay, So Alabama, I'll say Gaby Gladio. She I feel

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Speaker 2: like she's a big one.

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Speaker 3: And then Lily.

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Speaker 2: Hudson their team is pretty awesome. Missouri, Jocelyn Moore, Amari Drayton. Again,

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Speaker 2: their team is awesome. There's so many and then oh

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Speaker 2: you honestly, the freshmen. I think the freshmen for OHU

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Speaker 2: have been like incredible for that team and so important,

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Speaker 2: even though like they've got their Faith tours, they've got

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Speaker 2: their Jordan Bauers, they've got those big names, but the

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Speaker 2: freshmen have done a great job for Oklahoma this year.

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Speaker 2: So the freshie's for Oklahoma. And then what was the

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Speaker 2: last one?

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Speaker 1: Florida?

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Speaker 2: Florida the Okay so obviously lean long Selena Harris, but again,

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Speaker 2: their team is so deep this year, so honestly, like

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Speaker 2: they lean on each other and that's so cool. Obviously,

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Speaker 2: every team has had adversity this year, and so it's

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Speaker 2: nice when you have a deep team to be able

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Speaker 2: to put the next one up and they're just as

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Speaker 2: good as the last.

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Speaker 1: So we know you've really moved on to your media

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Speaker 1: role when you forgot your own team. You're really so

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Speaker 1: unbiased at this point that you forget your own squad.

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Speaker 1: So I love the idea of the freshman coming out

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Speaker 1: of Oklahoma as being one of the stories this weekend.

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Speaker 1: Any other great stories, whether that's athletes looking to break

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Speaker 1: a record, maybe someone coming back from injury, or something

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Speaker 1: else for that first semi final you'll be watching for.

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Speaker 2: I definitely think Helen Who's story is incredible. She didn't

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Speaker 2: do gymnastics last year, she was doing learning so much

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Speaker 2: about herself and about the world year and comes back

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Speaker 2: and I think she's got three perfect tens now on meme,

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Speaker 2: so really, look, I mean, she could win that beam title.

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Speaker 3: She is one of the.

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Speaker 2: Most incredible beam workers in the NCAA right now, and

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Speaker 2: so I think her story is really special and it'd

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Speaker 2: be so cool to see her walk away with a

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Speaker 2: national title on TAM.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, it's so interesting in certain sports, particularly

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Speaker 1: ones where there's a lot of mental pressure it's about perfection.

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Speaker 1: It's not about reacting in the moment. It's about having

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Speaker 1: done it so many times that you can sort of

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Speaker 1: get out of your head and let it happen. That

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Speaker 1: there are athletes like that who step away and when

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Speaker 1: they come back with a different perspective, how it changes

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Speaker 1: their sport as well. And it feels like you've been

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Speaker 1: on this stage so many times in the past. Can

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Speaker 1: you talk about the pressure of this point of the

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Speaker 1: season and how it does come down to not just

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Speaker 1: physically how great you are, but how much you're ready

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Speaker 1: to handle it.

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Speaker 2: Yes, absolutely, I mean the pressure at Nationals is like

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Speaker 2: nothing else. Obviously, every team's biggest goal, whether like it's

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Speaker 2: in the forefront or of their mind or in the

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Speaker 2: back like is to win a national championship. And so

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Speaker 2: that's always like that overhanging like dirt cloud. I don't know,

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Speaker 2: but it's like it's a great thing, but you can't

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Speaker 2: let it consume you. And so although it's the National Championships,

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Speaker 2: you've competed at all of these meets this year, and

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Speaker 2: the National Championships is no different.

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Speaker 3: It's just another meet.

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Speaker 2: It's about the way that you approach it and look

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Speaker 2: at it, and for me, I would always try to

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Speaker 2: make it small, Like I do this every single day

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Speaker 2: in the gym. I've worked for this moment. It's just

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Speaker 2: another beam routine, it's just another bar routine, it's one

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Speaker 2: more vault, it's one more floor routine. So it's just

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Speaker 2: like really breaking it down in your mind to not

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Speaker 2: make it bigger than what it is.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, and I feel like Oklahoma, of all the teams,

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Speaker 1: would be really ready for that kind of approach because

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Speaker 1: they've been so consistent all season. Their scores have been

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Speaker 1: across the board like they just don't waiver. So I

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Speaker 1: would love to be their coach heading into this and

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Speaker 1: just be like, listen, you've done it literally every single time.

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Speaker 1: Just do the exact same thing you've pretty much done

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Speaker 1: every single time. Semifinal two defending national champ top seeded

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Speaker 1: LSU alongside number four Utah, number five UCLA, and number

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Speaker 1: eight Michigan State. Obviously, LSU's coming in number one team

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Speaker 1: in the nation actually the first time any team other

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Speaker 1: than the Oklahoma Sooners has held the number one position

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Speaker 1: in the postseason for over a decade, which is crazy.

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Speaker 1: So obviously the Sooners have something to prove because they

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Speaker 1: got knocked off their pedestal, but also LSU coming in

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Speaker 1: with all those expectations, what are you watching for? Particularly

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Speaker 1: with that team?

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Speaker 2: I mean LSU is a great team again, so much

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Speaker 2: talent across the board. I honestly think as long as

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Speaker 2: they come in, just be them, Like they just have

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Speaker 2: to do their normal. They have to trust their gymnastics.

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Speaker 3: That team is. I mean, they've gone team of veterans too.

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Speaker 2: Like, they've got a lot of girls that have been

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Speaker 2: to several national championships. A lot of them are back

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Speaker 2: from last year coming off of the national championship, so

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Speaker 2: they literally, I think, just have to be them.

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Speaker 1: What are you watching for in terms of stars from

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Speaker 1: some of these teams in the second semi final?

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Speaker 2: I know Michigan State this is their first time in

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Speaker 2: I can't remember how many years, A long time coming

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Speaker 2: to the national championship, but like they cannot be underestimated.

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Speaker 2: They are incredible, absolutely amazing. Again, They've got some great

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Speaker 2: veterans on their team, and I definitely think that they

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Speaker 2: can make it out of this round one of Nationals

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Speaker 2: and their I don't know. Oh, I love Nicki Smith.

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Speaker 2: She's so much fun. She's an incredible gymnast. She brings

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Speaker 2: all the difficulty, she brings all the energy. But that

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Speaker 2: team as a whole, I feel like they have an

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Speaker 2: aura about them when they walk into the room, and

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Speaker 2: they've been taking ownership of their gymnastics this year, and

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Speaker 2: I think that they can definitely go all the way.

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Speaker 2: So I think that's a really cool story with Michigan State.

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Speaker 2: But obviously Oklahoma they've done it so many times.

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Speaker 3: They had that that fault last year.

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Speaker 2: Didn't quite go the way that they wanted it to,

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Speaker 2: didn't even make it to four on the floor, which

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Speaker 2: is like not obviously not normal for OU, And so

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Speaker 2: I think they're they're coming back. They've got a new

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Speaker 2: team right mostly like a very a very young team

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Speaker 2: with a lot of contributing freshmen, like we were saying,

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Speaker 2: But I think that for them, I feel like their

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Speaker 2: overall like team chemistry this year, and kJ has talked

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Speaker 2: about it. They are so close and they are having

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Speaker 2: so much fun, and I think that this team right

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Speaker 2: now literally just needs to like let that last year

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Speaker 2: stuff roll off of their shoulders and just go out

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Speaker 2: there and do the gymnastics like you said that they've

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Speaker 2: been doing all season long. kJ Kidler is the head

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Speaker 2: coach of the Oklahoma Sooners gymnastics team. She is I mean,

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Speaker 2: I can't even remember her accolades, Like she's been insane.

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Speaker 2: Oklahoma has done She's done a great job at Oklahoma

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Speaker 2: in an absolutely amazing job.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, so the big stories heading into the semi finals are,

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Speaker 1: of course Oklahoma, this team that's been a powerhouse but

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Speaker 1: really fell apart last year and is trying to have

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Speaker 1: a little revenge tour LSU. They're quote unquote trying to

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Speaker 1: protect the crown after winning it all last year. And

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Speaker 1: then like you mentioned, all these upstart teams. There's a

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Speaker 1: ton of parody this year and a lot of people

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Speaker 1: see the field is pretty open for this year, like

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Speaker 1: anything can happen. The top two teams advanced to the

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Speaker 1: Championship final on Saturday. If I had to make you

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Speaker 1: put your money down, who you got? Who you got

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Speaker 1: for the final two?

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Speaker 2: Oh my goodness, do you want me to say what

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Speaker 2: I think is gonna happen or what I hope happened?

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Speaker 1: Give us both. I'm guessing Florida's in there somewhere.

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Speaker 2: Obviously, I'm a Florida Gator, so I've gotta have the

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Speaker 2: Florida Gators in there, so I think the Gators are

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Speaker 2: going to go.

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Speaker 3: I think, oh, this is so hard.

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Speaker 2: I'm going to go with the Gators in Missouri, and

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Speaker 2: mostly because I really want Missouri making to four on

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Speaker 2: the floor.

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Speaker 3: I think that'd be really cool for them.

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Speaker 2: So the Gators and Missouri out of that first session,

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Speaker 2: and then the second session LSU and oh gosh, I'm.

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Speaker 3: Gonna say, Michigan State. That's what I want.

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Speaker 1: Okay, all right, Well, we'll know who you're rooting for

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Speaker 1: at least, or at least what you'd like to see happening.

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Speaker 1: There are also the twenty athletes that are competing individually,

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Speaker 1: including a couple Olympians, two time Olympians and twenty twenty

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Speaker 1: four Olympic gold medalists Jade Carey who's competing for Oregon

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Speaker 1: State and Jordan Chiles of UCLA, and then twenty twenty

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Speaker 1: four US Olympic alternates Leanne Wong that you mentioned from Florida,

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Speaker 1: Jocelyn Robertson from Arkansas. Who are you wanting to watch?

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Speaker 1: Who are you just excited to see? It's always interesting

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Speaker 1: to me these Olympians who come back to the college game.

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Speaker 1: There's still a lot of pressure, but it just feels

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Speaker 1: like so different to watch them compete for their team

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Speaker 1: as opposed to on the biggest stage at the Olympics.

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Speaker 2: Yes, I'm excited for all of them. I'm just glad

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Speaker 2: that they are. I mean, they bring you so many

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Speaker 2: more eyes to NC DOUBLEA gymnastics, which is so important.

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Speaker 2: They've really paved the way and they've done a great job,

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Speaker 2: and I'm just so glad they're enjoying their collegiate experience

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Speaker 2: because me personally, like college gymnastics was like the best

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Speaker 2: part of gymnastics for me, it was my favorite part.

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Speaker 2: And so I love to see these Olympians, incredible athletes

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Speaker 2: and people get to come back and enjoy their collegiate

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Speaker 2: careers as well. So I honestly think that they are

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Speaker 2: going to do and it's just an absolute amazing job

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Speaker 2: this weekend, and I'm excited for them.

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Speaker 3: I think that they're hard to beat, all of them.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I definitely think that everyone all eyes are on

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Speaker 2: them and everyone's excited to just see what happens this weekend.

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Speaker 2: I obviously, Jay Carey has been on the top of

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Speaker 2: the individual rankings all season and so she's definitely want

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Speaker 2: to watch for that all around title. So it'll be

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Speaker 2: interesting to see how it all pieces together and what

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Speaker 2: happens this weekend.

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Speaker 1: Why was college your favorite? What did you like so

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Speaker 1: much about it?

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Speaker 2: Oh? Oh, my goodness. I love the team, the team

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Speaker 2: atmosphere I loved. I obviously was at Florida, so I

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Speaker 2: loved Gator Nation. I loved competing under all the lights,

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Speaker 2: with all of the literally all the seats filled in

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Speaker 2: the stands, Like that's an unreal feeling. And getting to

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Speaker 2: like band together with a team that we're working towards

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Speaker 2: a common goal every single day for four years, and

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Speaker 2: just growing closer and closer with my coaches and with

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Speaker 2: my teammates who have become like my family too. Is

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Speaker 2: like an experience that I think few people get to

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Speaker 2: do outside of you know, sports, and so it's it's

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Speaker 2: it's something special, and it's my experience at UF is

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Speaker 2: something that I'll hold near and dear to my heart

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Speaker 2: and I will for the rest of my life.

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Speaker 1: You know, for a lot of fans, they're getting into

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Speaker 1: watching more of the NCAA. You know a lot of

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Speaker 1: people come around for the Olympic cycles and you know,

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Speaker 1: every four years for the big events but more and

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Speaker 1: more fans are starting to realize how much great gymnastics

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Speaker 1: is happening at the collegiate level, and to your point,

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Speaker 1: those Olympiads coming back and competing or helping with that

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Speaker 1: as well. Is there anything fans should know. Let's say

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Speaker 1: they're going to dive into this Gymnastics Championship this weekend

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Speaker 1: for the first time, what should they know about watching?

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Speaker 1: How is it different? What makes what would make them

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Speaker 1: a good viewer?

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Speaker 3: Oh, that's a good question.

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Speaker 2: I think honestly, it's hard to focus when there's four

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Speaker 2: teams on the floor at one time. But they do

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Speaker 2: do two events at a time for viewers, so that

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Speaker 2: makes it a little bit easy but easier. But just

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Speaker 2: listen to the commentators. They'll kind of like guide you

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Speaker 2: to one side of the screen or the other. Sometimes

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Speaker 2: it will be full screen if there's the one event

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Speaker 2: is done. But honestly, just listen and remember that, like

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Speaker 2: it's not just the National Championship, Like they're going to

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Speaker 2: be here next year from January to April, competing weekend

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Speaker 2: and week out, and there's so much fun gymnastics to

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Speaker 2: watch other than just the big competition. So I would

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Speaker 2: just challenge them to tune in now, but then also

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Speaker 2: like pick their favorite athletes, their favorite teams and like

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Speaker 2: follow them like and just that way you can kind

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Speaker 2: of build that connection and you get to show all

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Speaker 2: your friends and things like that. But it's it's really

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Speaker 2: fun when you get to know a certain team or

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Speaker 2: a certain athlete and you get to watch their career.

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Speaker 2: So I think just like just watch and when you

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Speaker 2: find like your eyes setting on one gymnast or one team,

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Speaker 2: like just continue to follow them and see what they

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Speaker 2: do in the upcoming years, because I think that's what

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Speaker 2: makes it the most fun, when you get to like

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Speaker 2: really really cheer for who you're passionate about watching or whatever.

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Speaker 1: So for sure, you're going to be part of the

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Speaker 1: stream team coverage on ESPN Plus. Can you tell us

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Speaker 1: more about that.

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Speaker 2: Yes, So we have a meeting to This is gonna

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Speaker 2: be my first time being a part of the stream team.

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Speaker 2: This is my first time covering the national Championships. So

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Speaker 2: I'm excited to be here in a different role. Last

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Speaker 2: year was here as a student assistant coach for the Gators,

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Speaker 2: and then previous years I was here as an athlete.

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Speaker 2: So just being able to like move into new roles

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Speaker 2: and new and learn new things. Has been has been

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Speaker 2: really fun, and it's a little bit outside of my

398
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Speaker 2: comfort zone, like doing all of this media stuff, I guess,

399
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Speaker 2: but I've been learning a lot and I've been i

400
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Speaker 2: feel like, getting a little bit more confident with it

401
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Speaker 2: and just kind of feeling it out.

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Speaker 3: But I'm excited.

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Speaker 2: I'll be over on the stream team, which I assume

404
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Speaker 2: just means like I'm covering certain teams while everybody else

405
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Speaker 2: is covering the main stream, and so I'll be paired

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Speaker 2: with Bridget Sloan and so that'll be fun, another gator,

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Speaker 2: but it'll be it'll be fun. So we'll just be talking,

408
00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:52,959
Speaker 2: having a conversation and if you want to tune in,

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Speaker 2: like I'm sure it'll be great.

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Speaker 3: Yeah.

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Speaker 1: So there's a handful of you on that stream team,

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Speaker 1: and then fans can follow their specific squad action throughout

413
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Speaker 1: the arena with a dedicated stream and commentators. So you'll

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Speaker 1: be split up into two teams with commentators for each feed,

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Speaker 1: and that way, like you said before, when there's so

416
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Speaker 1: much happening at once, if people have found that there's

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Speaker 1: one team that they want to follow, they can follow

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Speaker 1: on the stream team on ESPN plus what there are

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Speaker 1: all those events going on at once? How do you

420
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Speaker 1: personally decide what to watch and pay attention to. Let's

421
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Speaker 1: say you're not on the stream team where you're assigned

422
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Speaker 1: to one, you're just trying to take it all in.

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Speaker 1: How do you like figure out what to watch?

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Speaker 2: Yes, I'm still trying to figure that part out. You mean,

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Speaker 2: like as a commentator, as like.

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Speaker 1: A spectator either way, I guess like when there's so much.

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Speaker 2: Going on, Yes, when there's a lot going on, I

428
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Speaker 2: sometimes bind myself like trying to watch both at the

429
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Speaker 2: same time.

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Speaker 3: But you kind of have to choose a little bit.

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Speaker 2: So if someone's doing a major skill, so like if

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Speaker 2: if someone's doing let's say we're watching floor and beam,

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Speaker 2: if someone's doing a tumbling pass, I'll take my eyes

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Speaker 2: to floor. Uh, if they're doing a major skill on beam,

435
00:21:55,840 --> 00:21:57,560
Speaker 2: I'll bring my eyes to beam. So I just try

436
00:21:57,560 --> 00:22:00,640
Speaker 2: to like kind of watch the majors skills as much

437
00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:00,960
Speaker 2: as I.

438
00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:04,720
Speaker 1: Can and wait for the crowd to go oh, I know.

439
00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:08,840
Speaker 2: But it is hard. Sometimes when there's a lot going on,

440
00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:10,760
Speaker 2: it's hard and you're like, oh, I want to watch both,

441
00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:12,840
Speaker 2: and sometimes you just have to go back and watch

442
00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:15,160
Speaker 2: that routine later if you want to like really sit

443
00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:17,159
Speaker 2: there and watch the whole thing. So it can be

444
00:22:17,200 --> 00:22:19,159
Speaker 2: hard when there's a lot going on on the screen.

445
00:22:20,040 --> 00:22:23,879
Speaker 1: So your first championship's back, not as an athlete or coach,

446
00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:28,360
Speaker 1: do you think you'll have any emotions about watching other

447
00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:31,080
Speaker 1: people try to win out and live out their dreams

448
00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:33,479
Speaker 1: or even some pangs of like, oh I wish I

449
00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:34,080
Speaker 1: was out there.

450
00:22:34,320 --> 00:22:37,960
Speaker 2: Honestly, I mean I've had my time. Obviously I never

451
00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:40,720
Speaker 2: got to win a natural championship with my team, which

452
00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:46,159
Speaker 2: is unfortunate. But it's been so fun to sit back

453
00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:50,199
Speaker 2: and watch everyone because I have never done that before.

454
00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:52,920
Speaker 2: Like I would see this in that like a little bit,

455
00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:55,760
Speaker 2: but I never paid attention to what everyone else was

456
00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:58,760
Speaker 2: doing because I was like focused on my team and

457
00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:00,760
Speaker 2: focus on what I was doing, and like what I

458
00:23:00,840 --> 00:23:02,560
Speaker 2: was there to do a job, and that's what I

459
00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:05,520
Speaker 2: wanted to do. And so it's been nice to look

460
00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:07,560
Speaker 2: around and get to watch so many of these other

461
00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:10,600
Speaker 2: athletes that like I may know personally, but never have

462
00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:14,320
Speaker 2: really gotten to like watch their season, their career, And

463
00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:18,280
Speaker 2: so that part has been the coolest, just to sit

464
00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:19,840
Speaker 2: back and enjoy the show.

465
00:23:20,119 --> 00:23:23,399
Speaker 1: Yeah, for sure, and it's such a changing space, I

466
00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:27,720
Speaker 1: mean college gymnastics over the years, especially because of NIL.

467
00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:30,920
Speaker 1: Before the NIL changes that went into effect in twenty

468
00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:33,400
Speaker 1: twenty one, it was almost unheard of to see Olympians

469
00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:36,800
Speaker 1: competing at the NCAA Championships. Those athletes would have turned pro,

470
00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:39,840
Speaker 1: they would have forfeited college eligibility. Now they can actually

471
00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:42,480
Speaker 1: make money with endorsements, and they bring all these eyeballs

472
00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:45,240
Speaker 1: when you look at the college field. How has it

473
00:23:45,320 --> 00:23:48,760
Speaker 1: impacted both the Olympians being able to come back and

474
00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:52,119
Speaker 1: find this other opportunity and also those maybe competing that

475
00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:55,240
Speaker 1: used to have a more open path to championships when

476
00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:58,520
Speaker 1: they weren't competing against the Jade Cares and the Jordan Chiles.

477
00:23:58,240 --> 00:23:58,639
Speaker 3: Of the world.

478
00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:01,800
Speaker 2: Yes, again, you said, it brings all the attention to

479
00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:04,560
Speaker 2: the nc double A gymnastics, which is really cool because

480
00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:08,400
Speaker 2: the Olympics only happens every four years, so it's it's

481
00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:12,560
Speaker 2: cool to have another another big platform for people to

482
00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:15,919
Speaker 2: watch gymnastics if they love gymnastics. And it does make

483
00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:18,880
Speaker 2: it hard for everyone else, but I honestly it elevates

484
00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:21,680
Speaker 2: the competition and that's I think. I can't speak for everyone,

485
00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:24,600
Speaker 2: but that's what we want. That's what we want in gymnastics,

486
00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:27,040
Speaker 2: that's what we want NC double A gymnastics. And of course,

487
00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:30,280
Speaker 2: like these Olympians come in and they're incredible, but it's

488
00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:35,280
Speaker 2: a lot different from elite gymnastics. And so the girls

489
00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:37,359
Speaker 2: that have never done elee gymnastics are the girls that

490
00:24:37,359 --> 00:24:39,760
Speaker 2: did elee gymnastics but didn't get to go to the Olympics.

491
00:24:40,080 --> 00:24:41,840
Speaker 3: Like they're all just as good.

492
00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:45,200
Speaker 2: So I think it's important to like note that, like, yeah,

493
00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:48,480
Speaker 2: the Olympians are great, but like these other girls are

494
00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:50,880
Speaker 2: just as good at college gymnastics as they are.

495
00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:51,960
Speaker 3: And so it's like.

496
00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:55,240
Speaker 2: Really cool to see like the playing field kind of

497
00:24:55,280 --> 00:25:00,119
Speaker 2: like just continue to elevate. They elevate each other, they

498
00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:03,240
Speaker 2: make each other better, and like it's a good friendly competition.

499
00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:08,560
Speaker 2: It's incredible. So I think that they enjoy the friendly competition.

500
00:25:09,160 --> 00:25:09,360
Speaker 3: Yeah.

501
00:25:09,359 --> 00:25:10,720
Speaker 1: I might not win as much, but it makes for

502
00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:12,400
Speaker 1: a good story. And I could say, as a washed

503
00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:14,480
Speaker 1: up old athlete, the stories I tell the most are

504
00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:17,200
Speaker 1: like the Olympians I competed against, got my ass beat

505
00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:19,960
Speaker 1: by more so than when I was like winning lesser events.

506
00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:22,840
Speaker 1: So they have the story later of like, oh yeah,

507
00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:26,080
Speaker 1: I was at Championships alongside you know, these Olympians, these

508
00:25:26,359 --> 00:25:28,879
Speaker 1: superstars that you've all watched on TV all the time.

509
00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:31,879
Speaker 1: It does feel like also maybe the parody is the

510
00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:34,000
Speaker 1: result of some of the nil changes. Right There are

511
00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:36,920
Speaker 1: more programs investing in their women's college gymnastics.

512
00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:41,159
Speaker 2: Yes, absolutely, there are definitely more programs like trying to

513
00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:44,719
Speaker 2: figure out how how can we make these these college programs,

514
00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:47,560
Speaker 2: these college gymnastics programs bigger, How can we get more

515
00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:48,640
Speaker 2: eyes on our team?

516
00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:50,080
Speaker 3: So I think like.

517
00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:52,120
Speaker 2: Marketing has been doing a great job at a lot

518
00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:54,639
Speaker 2: of the teams and the coaches I mean play a

519
00:25:54,760 --> 00:25:57,720
Speaker 2: huge role in that as well in the athletic department.

520
00:25:57,840 --> 00:26:01,200
Speaker 2: So it's been nice to see people trying to make

521
00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:05,000
Speaker 2: new programs and grow their own programs. It's been so

522
00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:08,480
Speaker 2: cool to see that transformation and continuing to just keep

523
00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:10,359
Speaker 2: pushing the sport forward.

524
00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:13,080
Speaker 1: It's such a fun watch it is, and it's something

525
00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:16,520
Speaker 1: I think we just give fans enough information to want

526
00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:18,159
Speaker 1: to go check it out and then they'll be hooked,

527
00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:21,000
Speaker 1: just like we all are every year with the Olympics

528
00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:23,480
Speaker 1: when they roll around. All Right, So we've got semifinals

529
00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:26,440
Speaker 1: on ESPN. Two championships on ABC and the stream team

530
00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:29,400
Speaker 1: on ESPN Plus. Trinity good luck this weekend, and thanks

531
00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:30,560
Speaker 1: so much for giving us some time.

532
00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:31,560
Speaker 3: Thank you so much.

533
00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:36,560
Speaker 1: We have to take another break when we return. It's

534
00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:47,200
Speaker 1: not just gymnasts who dazzle with backflips, stick around slices.

535
00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:49,760
Speaker 1: Welcome back slices. We love that you're listening, but we

536
00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:51,360
Speaker 1: want you to get in the game every day too,

537
00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:53,840
Speaker 1: So here's our good gameplay of the day. Watch the

538
00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:57,800
Speaker 1: NCAA Gymnastics Championships. The semi final rounds are today, with

539
00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:01,560
Speaker 1: Semifinal one at four thirty Eastern and Semifinal two at

540
00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:04,920
Speaker 1: nine Eastern. Both will air on ESPN two. You can

541
00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:08,480
Speaker 1: watch Trinity's stream team coverage on ESPN Plus, and the

542
00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:11,359
Speaker 1: final is Saturday at three thirty pm Eastern on ABC.

543
00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:13,399
Speaker 1: We always love to hear from you, so hit us

544
00:27:13,480 --> 00:27:16,320
Speaker 1: up on email. Good game at Wondermedia neetwork dot com,

545
00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:20,159
Speaker 1: and don't forget to subscribe, Rate and review, y'all. It's easy.

546
00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:24,760
Speaker 1: Watch the Chicago Stars having a backflipping goal scorer again,

547
00:27:25,359 --> 00:27:30,080
Speaker 1: rating ten out of ten Heels Overheads review. In Sunday's

548
00:27:30,119 --> 00:27:34,359
Speaker 1: Chicago Stars win over BFC, Brazilian forward Ludmila showed some

549
00:27:34,440 --> 00:27:37,720
Speaker 1: pretty footwork before slotin in a goal, then celebrated with

550
00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:40,480
Speaker 1: a handspring into a backflip, bringing me back to the

551
00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:43,040
Speaker 1: days of the great Sam Kerr and a Chicago Red

552
00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:46,680
Speaker 1: Stars kit, scoring and flipping and pitches all over the country.

553
00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:49,159
Speaker 1: Those clips of Sam were one of the things that

554
00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:51,320
Speaker 1: got me fired up to bring friends and family to

555
00:27:51,359 --> 00:27:54,080
Speaker 1: the games, promising that there was an incredible team and

556
00:27:54,119 --> 00:27:57,880
Speaker 1: an incredible entertainment game day experience right in their backyards,

557
00:27:58,119 --> 00:28:00,159
Speaker 1: even if there wasn't a ton of marketing or publicity

558
00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:03,560
Speaker 1: for it. I still miss Sam Kerr and her backflips,

559
00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:06,439
Speaker 1: but the sight of Ludemla scoring and flipping, and the

560
00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:08,080
Speaker 1: sight of the Stars and the wind column for the

561
00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:11,119
Speaker 1: first time in a very long time, warmed my cold

562
00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:14,240
Speaker 1: heart just a little bit. For fans across the NWSL,

563
00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:18,520
Speaker 1: don't take greatness for granted, whether it's Lacy Santos bearing

564
00:28:18,560 --> 00:28:22,159
Speaker 1: an absolutely clinical free kick for the Spirit or Dabinya

565
00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:26,679
Speaker 1: scoring her fiftieth career NWSL goal. Watch it, Love it,

566
00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:30,560
Speaker 1: Tell your friends now it's your turn. Rate and review.

567
00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:34,680
Speaker 1: Thanks for listening, See you tomorrow. Good game, Trinity, good game,

568
00:28:34,720 --> 00:28:38,320
Speaker 1: Ludemela few uneven bars when I was a kid, they

569
00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:40,840
Speaker 1: to keep moving the higher and lower bars farther away

570
00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:43,640
Speaker 1: from each other to accommodate my height, farther and farther.

571
00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:46,800
Speaker 1: It was a silent message from gymnastics. Honestly, maybe not

572
00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:50,640
Speaker 1: the sport for me. Good Game with Sarah Spain is

573
00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:53,680
Speaker 1: an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue

574
00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:56,880
Speaker 1: Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app,

575
00:28:56,920 --> 00:29:00,280
Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Production by

576
00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:03,760
Speaker 1: Wonder Media Network, our producers are Alex Azzie and Misha Jones.

577
00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:07,440
Speaker 1: Our executive producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan,

578
00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:10,760
Speaker 1: and Emily Rutterer. Our editors are Emily Rutterer, Britney Martinez,

579
00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:14,080
Speaker 1: and Grace Lynch. Our associate producer is Lucy Jones and

580
00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:15,640
Speaker 1: I'm Your host Sarah Spain