Michigan’s New Era: Building on the Kanewa-Hermelyn Foundation Following the legendary 36-year career of Bev Plocki, Maile'ana Kanewa-Hermelyn just wrapped up her first season at the helm in Ann Arbor. Finishing ranked 13th nationally and making a regional final for the first time since 2023 shows that the program is not only staying steady but actively climbing under her leadership. University of Michigan Athletics Kanewa-Hermelyn has been very intentional about her vision:

What made you want to coach gymnastics? Well originally I wanted money to go hangout at Wendy's with my friends in high school. Coaching was the most convenient job since I was already at the gym for practices. I continued coaching in college when I wanted more practice time in the gym than what my school's club team had. Were you a gymnast yourself growing up before you started coaching the sport? Yes, I started rec classes when I was 3 years old, started competing when I wa

How old were you when you started gymnastics, and what originally drew you to the sport? I started gymnastics when I was 4 years old. I was drawn to the sport because I loved climbing around and just being very active. What is your favorite meet, your favorite and least favorite events, and the hardest/easiest skill you ever trained? My favorite competition is probably 2025 DP Nationals. My favorite event is floor, and I don’t really have a least favorite. The hardest skill

How old were you when you started gymnastics, and what originally drew you to the sport? I was 3. My mom was a gymnast, so I was always watching it on tv. I just thought it was so cool and I wanted to be able to do that. What is your favorite meet, your favorite and least favorite events, and the hardest/easiest skill you ever trained? My meet is probably Gasprilla when it was at the Tropicana Field. My favorite event is beam and my least favorite is vault. The hardest skill

The Cardinal Standard: Consistency and Excellence at Stanford When you talk about programs that define "consistency," you have to talk about Stanford. Under the leadership of Tabitha Yim, the Rodgers Family Director of Women’s Gymnastics, the Cardinal have become a model for how to balance elite athletic performance with a rigorous academic environment. Yim, a Stanford alum herself, has been at the helm for nine seasons, and her impact is undeniable. She has fostered a progra

The Red Rocks Reset: Utah's Technical Overhaul If you want to see a program that has completely rewritten its own history over the last few years, look no further than the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Under the leadership of head coach Jenny Hansen, who just completed her 12th year at the helm, the program has moved from a consistent regional competitor to a national contender that just punched its ticket to the Final Four for the first time in school history. A Staff Built for

The 2026 Pan American Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The competition, which kicked off on Wednesday, June 17, and runs through Sunday, June 21, serves as a pivotal stage for gymnasts looking to secure their place for the upcoming 2026 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships USA started off with a great start, USA lead in team standings and won the team compeition. Competition Schedule Wednesday, June 17: Senior Women’s and Men’s Team Final, Al

The Red Rocks Reset: Utah's Technical Overhaul The Red Rocks have been the gold standard in college gymnastics for over 50 years. Missing the National Championship this past season was a major shock to the system, but if you look at how the staff is handling the off-season, you can see they are using that "miss" as pure motivation. As a coach and judge, I’ve been watching Utah closely. They aren't just moving on from 2026; they are actively resetting their entire approach to

What age did you start gymnastics? 4 How did you start in gymnastics? At a REC center and then the offered me to come to try out team classes How did you deal with mental blocks? Even still I struggle sometimes with being a little nervous for skills but journaling setting goals and taking it slow Who was your role model/someone you looked up to in the sport?: Haleigh Bryant and suni lee What was your hardest struggle during your time as a gymnast? Mental blocks on back tumb

From the Grip Bag to the Clipboard: How Coaching Healed My Athlete Brain For eleven years, my life could be measured in chalk dust, rip sticks, and the specific rhythm of a spring floor. You guys know me—gymnastics wasn’t just a sport I did after school. It was my entire world. During the school year, I lived for those nine hours a week in the gym. But when summer hit? The gym became my actual home. We’re talking 25 to 30 hours a week of pure grit, sweat, tears, and the exhau

From a Quiet Corner of the Internet: The Story Behind My Passion Project When I first started this website back in my senior year of high school, it was little more than a quiet, private corner of the internet. It was just a tiny space meant to house my absolute obsession with this sport—a place where I could unpack my thoughts on NCAA lineups, elite routines, and everything in between. If you had walked up to me back then and told me that this little passion project would gr

After wrapping up the 2026 season with a third-place finish at Nationals, it’s easy to look at Florida and see a team that just missed the top spot. But if you’re actually watching the gym floor, you know the truth: The Gators are more dangerous than ever. As both a coach and a judge, I’ve been keeping a close eye on Gainesville, and here is why Florida is still the team everyone is going to be chasing next year. A Foundation of Stability Florida’s success starts with a coach

Me At UGA Invite In Jan of 2024 I was the bars champion with a 9.725 in XCEL Platiumn When I was seven years old, my parents signed me up for a class at IK Gymnastics. At the time, it wasn’t about gold medals or state titles; it was about addressing physical challenges like coordination, balance, and crossing the midline that how I started gymnastics beccause I struggled to cross my midline. My parents enrolled me in an occupational therapy program that just happened to be

What age did you start gymnastics? 5 How did you start in gymnastics? I watched the movie “Nadia” and wanted to try gymnastics. How did you deal with mental blocks? When I was younger and didn’t have many tools yet, I dealt with mental blocks by hiding in the bathroom! As I got older and learned that avoidance was not the answer, I started using things like visualization and mantras or key words to help myself through mental blocks. Who was your role model/someone you looked

Imagine a place that is high energy and you are in an environment that is filled with chalk, cool breeze off the lake, and the presence of hundreds of gymnasts and many NCAA gymnastics coaches cheering you on as you learn a new skill in the foam pit. Welcome to summer at Flip Fest. Flip Fest is located on a private lake in the hills of Crossville, Tennessee. This famous camp was founded by two Olympians, John Roethlisberger and John Macready. While in gymnastics competition,

What age did you start gymnastics? I started gymnastics as soon as I could walk! If I remember correctly, my first class was around 7 months old. How did you start in gymnastics? I was fortunate that my grandma started my families gym in 1963. So I was born into the sport and have involved with it ever since. How did you deal with mental blocks? I have struggles with numerous mental blocks in gymnastics. The best way I can push through them is breaking down what my goal is t

For eleven years, gymnastics was my world. I trained as an Xcel competitive gymnast, but my journey started long before the medals and competitions. It began at IK Gymnastics, where I was going through physical therapy. Somewhere between rehab exercises and watching the team girls fly on bars, I fell in love with the sport without even realizing it. If you had told a seven-year-old me that I would go from physical therapy to classes… to two competitive teams… to a four-time

Have a question or just want to chat about all things gymnastics? I’d love to hear from you! Drop me a message through the contact form on the site. https://www.gymnastsalute.com/contact

While other NCAA teams are completely changing up their strategies during the off-season, LSU is locking down their formula for staying at the top. Jay Clark has built something special in Baton Rouge. He didn't just help bring LSU their historic national title—he has created a staff that keeps pushing the boundary of what a top-tier program looks like. But what makes the Tigers so dangerous isn't just the huge crowd energy at the PMAC or their stacked roster; it’s how perfec

When we found out Cécile Landi was taking over as the head coach at UGA, everyone knew big changes were coming. But now that Laurent Landi is officially joining her in Athens as the Associate Head Coach? It’s over. The GymDogs aren't just trying to fix their program—they are playing for a national championship. An Unmatched Coaching Lineup As a college student who also judges and coaches the sport, looking at this new staff is actually insane. Laurent Landi, Cécile Landi, Bre