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Seeing is Believing J By Patrick Sojka D Reive took over the reins of the University of Iowa men���s gymnastics program prior to the 201011 season, bringing a championship pedigree and a championship philosophy. Reive was given the task of rebuilding a proud Hawkeye program. Iowa, the 1969 national champion, has won seven Big Ten team championships and crowned 93 individual Big Ten champions. In effort to get back to that championship level, Reive first instilled his philosophy with his team. In doing so, he asked his student-athletes to believe and trust in him. They have, and they are starting to see results. ���We are finally entering into what I have been patiently waiting for, for two and a half years; tangible success, confidence building,��� said Reive. ���The work they are putting in is starting to show on the weekends.��� Weekends have been good to the Hawkeyes lately. Freshmen Jack Boyle and Matt Loochtan represented the Hawkeyes at the Winter Cup Challenge in Las Vegas (Feb. 7-9) ��� one of the premier events in the country. ���It has been several years since Iowa had athletes competing at the Winter Cup,��� said Reive. ���This meet features the nation���s best gymnasts, and we were there with two freshmen. This was a great representation of where the program is headed, and puts us back on the map in many ways.��� Iowa continues to improve its team score. The eighthranked Hawkeyes downed Big Ten rival ��� and sixthranked ��� Minnesota on Feb. 8 (422.750-419.450). The squad did not stop there, knocking off defending national champion Illinois in Champaign, Ill., on Feb. 16 (428.450-428.400). The Hawkeyes claimed four event titles while defeating the four-time defending conference champions. ���Nobody recalls the last time we beat Illinois,��� said Reive. ���It was phenomenal.��� The win against the defending national champions provided evidence for the Hawkeyes to keep working and believing in Reive. ���They are starting to understand the methodology of the training,��� said Reive. ���Before, it was such a far reach to go. They are starting to see it. It is not about points now, it is about tenths. Now, it becomes this really nit-picking, focused approach to training that we have to do if we are going to move up continuously.��� Reive continues to work to establish the culture in Iowa City. ���We have been talking philosophy and theory of my approach to coaching this sport for a long time,��� said Reive. ���That is a big buy-in for kids. ���Hey, if you do this, trust me; in three years you are going to be good.��� That is a really hard sell. It is starting to happen now. Kids are able to look back with retrospect and say, ���I understand why that first month I was here as a freshman, this is what you pressed on me for, it totally makes sense.��� ���From a peer perspective, it now allows them to take younger guys, who have not done it yet, and show them the way. They buy in so much faster. That is the culture we are trying to establish.��� Reive is looking for a strong push heading into the final competitions. ���We have to buckle down,��� he said. ���You are good; to be great, you must work diligently.��� 19