Transcript of Yahoo! Chat with Plocki, Ray and Knaeble
4/3/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
mgoblue_host: Welcome to the Yahoo Chat with University of Michigan head women's gymnastics coach Bev Plocki, U.S. Olympian Elise Ray, and captain Bridget Knaeble
mgoblue_host: Michigan is hosting the NCAA northeast region championships at Crisler Arena this Saturday -- 6:00 p.m. EDT.
mgoblue_host: The Michigan women's gymnastics team is competing for a spot in the NCAA national championships -- their ninth consecutive trip.
mgoblue_host: Coach Plocki has lead Michigan to each of the eight consecutive trips.
mgoblue_host: Gymnast Elise Ray captained the 2000 Olympic squad in Sydney.
mgoblue_host: Senior tri-captain Bridget Knaeble earned Academic All-America honors in 1999-2000.
mgoblue_host: Elise will be competing in the all-around competition this weekend and Bridget will be competing in at least three events.
mgoblue_host: Bridget's strongest event this year has been the uneven parallel bars followed by the floor exercise.
mgoblue_host: Elise has excelled in all of the events this year -- epecially the bars and the floor.
mgoblue_host: For more information on the gymnastics team go to mgoblue.com/gymnastics-w
mgoblue_host: Elise and Bridget are on pace to finish with the top two season averages on the uneven parallel bars in school history.
mgoblue_host: You can follow the NCAA regional online this weekend at mgoblue.com/gameday
mgoblue_host: Gameday covers live rotation scoring and includes a live video feed!
mgoblue_host: Please welcome coach Bev Plocki, Elise Ray and Bridget Knaeble to Yahoo Chat!
barrman34: Hey Bridget what do you do in your free time
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: Right now I have really no free time. But when I do...I like rollerblading, reading, spending time with kids and spending time with friends.
lrmoonbeam: What do you like to eat
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: Pasta, fruit, and chocolate...but that's bad for me.
Yahooligan_NIkki: What is it like to be a coach
mgoblue_chat: Coach Plocki: It's very rewarding to be able to have an impact on these athletes lives.
mgoblue_chat: It's fun to have someone to come into your program and watch them develop beyond what they thought that had the potential to do.
barrman34: Who influenced you most as a younger gymnast
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: First of all...my older sister Mindy...because I always looked up to her during my entire gymnastics career.
mgoblue_chat: My coach from Twin City Twisters, Mike Unger...and my college coaches, of course.
mgoblue_chat: Coach Plocki: My private club coach from Pennsylvania, Danny Warbutton because he taught me a lot about the technical knowledge of my sport.
mgoblue_chat: And Linda Burdette who was my college coach at WVU -- that's West Virginia University -- because she taught me a lot about making gymnastics at this level fun.
mgoblue_chat: ....and that you can still be successful and still enjoy what you are doing.
I_M_A_STAR: How many hours a day do you train
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: We train 3 to 3 1/2 hours....five days a week.
barrman34: Hey elise what do you do in your free time
mgoblue_chat: Elise: Hang out with friends mostly...study...not much time for anything else
I_M_A_STAR: Does your training interfere with a social life and school and how much
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: It doesn't interfere much because we've learned how to balance social life, gymnastics life and school life. School and gymnastics comes first.
mgoblue_chat: ....BUT...my teammates are also my good friends...so they kind of go together.
Yahooligan_rose: What is the hardest thing for you to do in coaching
mgoblue_chat: Coach Plocki: I think the hardest thing about coaching is developing the consistency in competition and not being able to have the control over an athlete once their on the floor.
mgoblue_chat: You know there are time when you'd like to yell out a correction but you know once the athlete mounts the apparatus...they're on their own.
wlleclair: What kind of music do you like to listen to
mgoblue_chat: Elise and Bridget: COUNTRY!
mgoblue_chat: mgoblue_hosts asks Elise "what was your first concert"
mgoblue_chat: Elise: Debbie Gibson...The Electric Youth years
Yahooligan_Elisabeth: Do you watch survivor on tv
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: I don't have time to watch TV :-)
jwr798t: What are the team's goals heading into NCAA competition
mgoblue_chat: Coach Plocki: We don't go into any competition without having the goal of winning, obviously.
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: Ideally our goal is to win the triple crown....Big Tens, Regional Championship and National Title.
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: That title would be the first for a women's team sport at the University of Michigan.
Yahooligan_Lizzie: Elise,if you weren't a gymnast,what would you be doing
mgoblue_chat: Elise: Play another sport definitely...I don't know what though...but I would have to be involved in athletics somehow.
Yahooligan_Christina: Can anybody's body be flexible,or can just some people be flexible
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: I always joke that my parents didn't give me anything flexibility-wise from genetics....I'm probably the least flexible gymnast.
mgoblue_chat: Elise: I think that it definitely comes more natural to some people than others...but in general you just have to work on it if you want it.
asr922: What were the last CDs you bought
mgoblue_chat: Elise: I bought Save the Last Dance soundtrack.
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: I just bought Pink Floyd...Wish You Were Here.
Yahooligan_Jenna: Bridget, what does a captain do
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: A captain tries to keep everybody motivated and the energy level up....keep goals in mind, encourage teammates when they need it.
mgoblue_chat: Act as a mediator between the team and the coaches and take care of organization things such as planning events...fun activities.
Yahooligan_rose: What event do you think your team is best at
mgoblue_chat: Coach Plocki: Floor excercise because I feel that our athletes put a lot of their personality into the performance of their routines.
asr922: What are you majoring in I am going to major in Pharmacy tech.
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: I'm majoring in sports management and communication.
mgoblue_chat: Elise: I don't know yet.
jensen404: Elise, what was your favorite part of the olympics
mgoblue_chat: Elise: Being a part of the team...the friendships I made.
Yahooligan_barrman34: What is your favorite cartoon
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: Scooby dooby doo.....where are you :-)
mgoblue_chat: Elise: The Simpsons...Doh!
mgoblue_chat: Coach Plocki: Well...I can't say that it's my favorite but my daughter loves the Power Puff Girls...in particular "Bubbles"...so I have to watch it.
Yahooligan_samantha: how old were you when you started gymnastics
mgoblue_chat: Elise, Bridget and Coach: 6 years old.
asr922: What made you decide to attend Michigan instead of a different college
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: I fell in love with the University because of the team...the girls were so nice and welcoming. I could definitely see the rich tradition in Michigan athletics.
mgoblue_chat: Elise: The same with me...I fell in love with the team. It was the only place that I visited that I could see myself at. It just felt right.
Yahooligan_Becca: Coach Plocki,do you do gymnastics too
mgoblue_chat: Coach Plocki: I did gymnastics for 16 years but now I just coach.
Yahooligan_fula: How nervous do you get in front of all those people
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: I usually don't notice but I like to perform. So it's exciting when you have a big crowd.
mgoblue_chat: Elise: The crowd really isn't something that makes us nervous. When there's a good crowd it energizes us.
mgoblue_chat: It is a positive influence to have at a meet.
Yahooligan_lally: what are your goals for gymanstics after you graduate bridget are you going to coach
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: Right now I'm now sure if I'm going to coach or not. I can definitely see myself as a coach but it's not in my immediate future.
Yahooligan_laura: Who is your favorite gymnast of all time
mgoblue_chat: Elise: Svetlana Khorkina for me...her gymnastics were different than anyone...it's just so beautiful to watch.
leap_180: What is your favorite thing to do after a meet to relax
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: Usually we like to get together with teammates...especially after big meets.
qtchels04: Elise, what was it like to compete against your olympic teamates at the UCLA meet
mgoblue_chat: Elise: There wasn't like any competition between us individually...which I didn't expect anyway.
mgoblue_chat: I was just so excited to see them and hang out with them.
kristinfrompa: Elise, Do you still think back and think "Wow i was an Olympian"
mgoblue_chat: I think about it quite a bit. To represent your country in that way is something that I am truly proud of. It was an amazing experience.
Yahooligan_claire: What are you most proud of in your career - for all three of you!
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: Receiving the athletic scholarship from the University of Michigan.
mgoblue_chat: Elise: Winning national championship last year....in the all-around competition.
mgoblue_chat: Coach Plocki: The accomplishments that I've had coaching here at Michigan. Feeling that I've had the opportunity to give something back to the sport that I love so much.
kissie166: What's the best part of going to college and competeing there
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: Definitely the team aspect....no longer competing by yourself but with 12 other teammates.
mgoblue_chat: The pride of competing for your university.
asr922: Do you have any superstitions before or during events
mgoblue_chat: Elise: (laughing) probably a cup of coffee for me :-)
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: I think I got rid of all of mine.
jwr798t: Do you have a team "clown" or somebody that keeps the team loose
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: It's kind of like everyone's personalities come together...we're all so different...we interact in a way that makes everyone laugh...we goof around.
Yahooligan_Stefanie: How do you overcome fear of a new skill
mgoblue_chat: Elise: Count to three and go!
mgoblue_chat: Coach Plocki: You must have trust in your spotter.
leap_180: Elise, what is your favorite skill to work on
mgoblue_chat: Elise: Anything on bars really.
leap_180: Bridget, what was your favorite skill to work on
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: Full in on floor.
gotgirl808: What are your future goals outside of gymnastics
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: Right now I'm looking into possibly performing or using my gymnastics talents in either Disney or another performing arts arena and I would like to go back to graduate school in the area of public health.
mich_wolverine01: How many bones have you sprained or broken
mgoblue_chat: Elise: I had a stress fracture in my foot...a strain in my back but that's about it. Aches and pains come with the sport.
kristinfrompa: Elise, do you still keep in contact with your former club teammates and Olympic Teammates
mgoblue_chat: Elise: Yes I do.
Yahooligan_amber: What is your favorite food
mgoblue_chat: Elise: Chinese food.
leap_180: Elise, what is your favorite spectator sport
mgoblue_chat: Elise: Basketball...
Yahooligan_Mary: How did you get interested in this
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: I started in gymnastics because my older sister did and we were inspired through dance class.
leap_180: If you had a million dollars to spend, what would you spend it on
mgoblue_chat: Elise: Visiting all my friends around the country.
michigangymgirl: Elise, what has been the hardest part of adjusting to college gymnastics
mgoblue_chat: Elise: Not putting all the stress on myself but using my team to help me. I'm really used to being an individual in this sport.
Yahooligan_kristin: Mrs. Plocki at what age did you decide you wanted to become a coach
mgoblue_chat: Coach Plocki: Probably during my senior year in college.
jensen404: Who is your favorite actor
mgoblue_chat: Bridget: Robin Williams.
qtchels04: do you guys make up your own beam and floor routines
mgoblue_chat: Elise: No, I don't.
I_M_A_STAR: At the end of the day, can you look at yourself in the mirror and say "All these sacrifices have been worth it"
mgoblue_chat: Bridget and Elise: Definitely...yes.
mgoblue_host: Coach, Bridget and Elise, thanks for being here today. Good luck this weekend at the NCAA Regional Championships this weekend in Crisler Arena.
mgoblue_chat: Bev Plocki: Thanks for being our fans....come out and watch us at Crisler this Saturday at 6:00 p.m.
mgoblue_chat: Bridget and Elise: GO BLUE!!!
mgoblue_host: Catch up on all of Michigan women's gymnastics at mgoblue.com!!
Players Mentioned
