HAWK TALK

January 2015

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69 e Hawkeyes come in with a need to prove themselves again. Iowa's strength of schedule this year will give the team more opportunities to make a name for itself and prepare for the postseason. "It's really important for the team to go against teams that have been perpetually better than them," Reive said. "I want to put them on the floor so they are exposed to what those teams' behaviors are like, because these are the same teams we are going to be facing in the postseason." Another change this year is the addition of a third coach. Aer having only one assistant last season, Reive decided to bring in another to continue to develop a championship team. Minyoung Kwon comes from Tennessee to bring another set of eyes in the gym as well as 30-plus years of gymnastics experience. "Kwon's technical understanding of the sport, his presence, and ability to coach and teach will be a great asset," Reive said. "His background as a gymnast at the level that he competed during his professional gymnastics career and the power of the program that he came from is going to make him a huge asset for us." Last season's finish le the Hawkeyes in an uncomfortable position. e team has been working tirelessly to avoid that same feeling this season. "Our sport is all about failure," Reive said. "You have to fail to know how to get back up and try again. at failure is what pushes us further." e Hawkeyes kick off the 2015 regular season Jan. 17 at the Windy City Invitational. T he University of Iowa men's gymnastics team couldn't find the success it had in 2013 when it took fih at the NCAA Championships. e 2014 group missed the team finals and outside of the top five. With a team of gymnasts recruited by him for the first time in his tenure at Iowa, fih-year head coach JD Reive expects to surpass last season's lackluster postseason finish with hard work and determination. "We feel like we can compete with anybody this year," senior co-captain Lance Alberhasky said. "It's not about hanging with these teams anymore, it's about beating them. I want to make team finals at the NCAA Championships and place in the top three. It's time we get on the podium." Last season the team didn't hit its peak and faulted during the postseason even though the talent was there. e Hawkeyes couldn't put it all together. is year's group is motivated to keep that from happening again. Vigorous offseason training has continued the development of returners and the younger gymnasts like sophomore Corey Paterson, who kicked off the summer by claiming the Canadian National Championship on high bar. His achievement highlighted an offseason that was one of the best Reive has had since he came to Iowa. "is summer was fantastic," Reive said. "We have a bunch of guy that are no longer content with just participating. Summer time is when we raise our level, and it begins the week aer NCAA championships. Having guys go to national competitions keeps the intensity and drive up and into the fall semester." JANUARY SCHEDULE Jan. 24 UIC

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