Sunday Morning Sports Talk - May 3, 2025 - Hour 3

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the home of the Wildcats, six thirty wlap.

Speaker 2 (00:04):
This segment or for this next hour or so, we're
going to have We're going to talk a lot of
gymnastics because we have three of the super sophomores on
the UK gymnastics team. We have Creslin Bros, Sharon Lee
and Delanny Rodriguez in studio with me. Anthony's going to
trust Bow and I to take care of this with
you Allso, but I appreciate all y'all coming in with

(00:26):
us again.

Speaker 3 (00:26):
Yeah, thank you for having us talent.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
Let's just get back from the NCAA Championships recently. What
was that like, the experience going and competing and how
do you feel that you did?

Speaker 3 (00:38):
Yeah, it was really cool experience. I had a lot
of fun.

Speaker 4 (00:40):
I went with my teammate Isabelle Magnelly and yeah, we
got there smoothly, which is great, and it was just
a lot of fun. I've never experienced something like that before.
A lot of cool opportunities and we were able to
compete against.

Speaker 2 (00:56):
Really cool, fun, really talented people too.

Speaker 3 (00:59):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (00:59):
Yeah, yeah, I was just from watching the scores were
pretty incredible. It seemed to me like.

Speaker 4 (01:04):
Yeah, it was definitely definitely much a little bit harder
than normal competition because you're judging like six judges and
they're averaging all their scores, so it's hard. It's hard,
but it was really really fun.

Speaker 2 (01:18):
Just wondering what it was like. Also, again I'm not
a gymnastics wizard, what's the whole because you qualified as
an individual, so basically you and Isabella both were part
of what Michigan state rotation, So you're there rotating, which
is I guess different enough. But then you were on
the qualifying day. You were the last competitor in the
last event, so you were there how many hours just

(01:41):
waiting for a chance to go out and compete.

Speaker 4 (01:44):
Yeah, it was about like probably two hours by the time,
like you finished warming up and everything.

Speaker 3 (01:49):
There's a lot and so then.

Speaker 4 (01:50):
I feel like I warmed up for no reason at
the very beginning, But it's fine. I just kind of
rewarmed up on the sidelines while Bella was warming up
for her beam routine. But it was definitely different. It
would have been nice to just go with the whole team.
So I'm excited for us to be able to go
at some point, hopefully next year.

Speaker 2 (02:06):
So what did you do? For two hours. I mean
you just stand and watch. So usually you're watching and
you're cheering, you're running all over the coliseum. When one
of your teammates does something, you just leaned up against
the wall.

Speaker 1 (02:16):
Yeah, I was.

Speaker 3 (02:16):
There's a lot of standing talking.

Speaker 4 (02:19):
I got to know some of the girls that we
were rotating with, which was really fun. I knew some
of them previously cheering cheering for the other team. It
was a lot of fun and it was a cool
opportunity to meet other people too.

Speaker 2 (02:31):
But but Tim told me that he felt like, probably
deep down you probably liked being the last person out
there with a spotlight right on you. He said, that's
what she kind of lives for.

Speaker 4 (02:42):
Yeah, it was definitely about to be in. Did not
think I was going to be able to be put
in that position. But I had a lot of fun
because at that point, like the whole crowd's watching you,
which was really cool.

Speaker 2 (02:53):
So, Sharon, are you watching all of that and waiting
for Crestlin to get out there and kind of anticipating
what she's going to do.

Speaker 5 (03:00):
Yeah, I mean we were all really excited as a
team for Bella and Creslin just to go out there
because we know, they worked so hard and they had
such a cool and I know a lot of us
really excited to watch. Bella had an amazing final routine,
and I know Cruslin had an amazing final routine. Also
a little bit salty that they didn't show it and

(03:21):
we all like, we're so excited to watch. But yeah,
I mean just like seeing her get to go out there,
and I mean seeing the vigatine after. I mean, they
both just killed it. It just was attestament to their hard
work throughout the whole season.

Speaker 2 (03:33):
So yeah, and Delaney, in gymnastics, the margin of era
is so small. You were really close as a team
to getting there.

Speaker 3 (03:43):
Oh yeah, I.

Speaker 2 (03:44):
Kind of walked me through what it was like at
the regional for you all and how you felt that
you all did as a team.

Speaker 6 (03:49):
Yeah, absolutely, competing in the SEC, it's just it's super
super hard, just as it is so I mean when
we got to regional in Pennsylvania, we definitely just put
like our whole heart out there for sure, and you know,
you're competing against the best of the best. So yeah,

(04:10):
like you said, there's really like a small margin of
error that you can make. So yeah, I mean we
had an amazing season. Definitely didn't end the way we
wanted to, but yeah, we had we put our whole
heart out there and that's all you can do.

Speaker 2 (04:22):
Yeah, you have said a pretty half bar for yourself
compared to us because the team was ten years ago
or something. I mean, I can remember a time just
getting to the regional seemed like a pretty lofty aspirations.
Now it's given the championship, I guess as your als
go every year.

Speaker 6 (04:37):
Delay, Oh yeah, absolutely. I mean you want to be
the best of the best for sure. So I mean
within the past like ten years, just making it to
the regional and super regional, it's been awesome and it's
it's been amazing journeys. So spat there and do our best,
and I mean our ultimate goal is to make it
to the national championships. So next year and hopefully senior

(04:58):
year will be there.

Speaker 2 (05:01):
Kres on what we're talking about next year, the three
you all sitting here with me this morning, you're going
to kind of be the foundation for next year's team.
I mean you're losing what five seniors off this year's
team sixty six okay, and you've only got one is
of right now? One returning performer that'll be a senior
next year. So how's that going to kind of change

(05:21):
things for the three of you all next year?

Speaker 4 (05:24):
Yeah, I mean you're losing a lot of people and
you're gaining a lot of people, so the team will
be different. But as a class, we've all kind of
talked and really are trying to all step up as
leaders and just guide the newbies and keep what we want,
like in the legacy that other people left on this team.
So we're excited and we're like ready and hungry to

(05:45):
go out and kill the next season.

Speaker 3 (05:46):
We're actually hosting regionals.

Speaker 4 (05:48):
I believe next year, which will be really really cool
and it'll also just be a familiar place to compete
and continue to compete. So yeah, we're ready, we're excited,
and we're, like you said, to just kind of step
up into a new role.

Speaker 2 (06:02):
So, Sharon, did you all enjoy competing Memorial this year
with the changes in the coliseum and everything.

Speaker 5 (06:08):
Oh? Yeah, it was awesome.

Speaker 3 (06:09):
It was electric in there.

Speaker 5 (06:10):
I mean, BBN, you guys really just like showed up
and showed out. I think we our freshman year were
always in rep which was amazing and such a cool
opportunity and this year, but just getting to be a Memorial,
like it just felt so much like home and like
for it to be the grand opening of Memorial this
year and just the meeting behind them to be able
to compete for that just really puts a lot more

(06:33):
meaning to like gymnastics and what you know, it really
means to represent UK gymnastics at the lay.

Speaker 2 (06:38):
The crowds were pretty remarkable there at a Memorial. Every
match that you all had this season.

Speaker 6 (06:43):
Yeah, it was amazing. I mean competing at REP as
a freshman for our class was just awesome. And just
coming into college gymnastics as it is, it was like
mind blowing. I was like, wow, this is actually insane
and then it's huge, So it was awesome. And then
moving into Mamori our sophomore year was also amazing. You know,

(07:03):
such a great opportunity to be able to compete in
a brand new facility and Memorial.

Speaker 3 (07:09):
Is just is so historic. So it is really awesome.

Speaker 6 (07:11):
And I think we sold out like two meats, which
is awesome.

Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yeah, the crowd it was amazing.

Speaker 6 (07:17):
It just feels literally like home, like Sharon said, so
it was amazing. Is such a great opportunity and me
carrying to down.

Speaker 2 (07:24):
Yeah, the atmosphere of gymnastics is not quite like it
is any other event, I don't think on campus. It's
just kind of a fun field, NonStop action for two hours.

Speaker 3 (07:35):
Yeah, for sure.

Speaker 6 (07:36):
I mean gymnastics is I feel like it's so entertaining,
you know, it's we're just doing flips and having fun
and stuff. So yeah, I think it's a really cool
sport to watch for sure, even if like you don't
know gymnastics, it's just it's great.

Speaker 2 (07:48):
So yeah, a memorial, it seems like that there's I
don't know how many people that are there, but it
seems like half of them when the match is over
stay around to wait for you all to sign autographs pictures.
Is that something you eagerly look forward to? Do you
kind of think, oh, no, we're going to be here
another hour again tonight doing this. How do you all

(08:10):
kind of approach that?

Speaker 4 (08:11):
Honestly, for me personally, it's something I look forward to
at the end, even if it's not my best meet
or it is something I always have to look forward to.
A lot of those kids they come to all these
meats and I recognize faces, memorized names, and a lot
of them are from like.

Speaker 3 (08:25):
My camp groups from the summer.

Speaker 4 (08:27):
So it's honestly just nice to see nice to see
them smiling, and I love taking pictures with them and
autographs and everything.

Speaker 5 (08:35):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (08:35):
Yeah, Sharon, it seems like you all to stay for
how long you actually end up staying, but it seemed
like it's a long time every match.

Speaker 5 (08:42):
Yeah, I mean, I think it's honestly just far so
many little girls that are looking up, So that's like that,
and I think it really is perspective because like I remember,
there was like one meet where I had like fallen
and after the meat like signing autographs and all these
like little girls like you did so amazing, and I'm like,
I don't, like in my head, I was like, oh,
like didn't really feel like I did that great. But
to them, it just doesn't matter. It's just the fact

(09:03):
that you would even like go up to them and
like build that relationship with them, and that you even
are on the Kentucky gymnastics team like that in and
of its skulls model to them. So yeah, really really
cool experience.

Speaker 2 (09:14):
Delay is that something unique to Kentucky or does that
happen happen all across the country at gymnastics matches that
after the match, a lot of the younger fans stay
and want autographs and pictures at all.

Speaker 6 (09:25):
Yeah, I feel like it's pretty common. A lot of
the younger girls usually stay and want autographs and pictures
and stuff, and it's it's just such a great opportunity
to go and meet your fan base and create those relationships.
And again, going off what Sharon said, even if you
have like your worst meat, they still look up to
you no matter what. And it's just a great reminder
that like, just because you have a bad meat, it

(09:47):
doesn't define who you are. They're still gonna love you.
They're still gonna look up to you no matter what.
And I keep, like so many girls have given me
like pictures and so many different great things.

Speaker 3 (09:57):
I keep all of that.

Speaker 6 (09:58):
I look at it all the time, and it's just
it means so much to all of us.

Speaker 3 (10:02):
So, yeah, we love that.

Speaker 2 (10:03):
We're talking here on Sunday Morning Sports Talk with Crislin Brose,
Sharon Lee, and Delaney Rodriguez of the UK gymnastics team.
So we're gonna take a little break here remind you
of this hour of Sunday Morning Sports Talk has brought
to you by Country Boy Brewing. When we come back,
we're gonna talk a little bit about how the three
of them got to Kentucky, since none of them are Kentucky,
and so we'll see how they ended up getting to

(10:24):
the Kentucky Gymnastics. We'll stay with us here on news
radio six thirty WLAP.

Speaker 1 (10:28):
This is the home of the Wildcats, six thirty WLAP.

Speaker 2 (10:32):
Want to try to start and kind of find out
since all of you all from out of state, let's
start with you, Sharon, How does Kentucky get a gymnast
from Texas to join the team.

Speaker 3 (10:42):
Yeah, I know, A crazy story.

Speaker 5 (10:44):
I mean I was not the greatest club gymnast, to
be honest. I mean I had a lot of skills,
but had a really hard time performing and competing and
showing that. And I think one amazing thing about our
coaching staff is that they really look for potential. And
I have no idea how, but they saw it in

(11:04):
me before I saw it on myself. And it also
helped that I had an old teammate that I grew
up and she had joined the team two years before
I did. She is graduating this year, but she was
telling me about her experience at Kentucky, and she's like,
you should just reach out and see if they'll take
a chance on you. And so they graciously did, and

(11:24):
I just was between here and one other school, and
I remember just feeling like the Kentucky team was just
so much more of a family. Like you could really
tell everyone had to fire to be here, everyone wanted
to be here, and we were just had a very
much of a team mindset. And one thing Bella had
said to me that really like stood out to me
was she's like, it doesn't matter if you're a walk on,

(11:46):
full ride whatever. Everyone once you get here is on
the same playing field. So like they don't give spots,
like lineup spots to people who were just because they
have a scholarship or whatever. Like everyone's on a level
playing field and like whoever earns that spot when they
hit your spot, and so just like just the opportunity
for that and just seeing the family environment at Kentucky,

(12:07):
I just was really drawn here.

Speaker 2 (12:09):
So, yeah, so you kind of sold yourself to team.
You get to kind of sell yourself and gett him
to come recruit you.

Speaker 3 (12:16):
I guess I have no idea.

Speaker 5 (12:18):
I think that I just I mean I would just
send them like my videos and like have phone calls
and really just try to get to know them and
help them get to know me as a person. And
then yeah, I guess they saw something in me.

Speaker 2 (12:28):
Impress. When you came from Holly Springs, North Carolina, how
did your recruiting process go?

Speaker 4 (12:33):
Yeah, I mean similar to Sharon's. I like, in recruiting,
you kind of just reach out to like your dream schools,
smaller schools that you just don't know about yet and
everything in between, and you just put your name out
there and hope to get emails back. I emailed Kentucky
and I like never really heard from them, but they
are like an SEC school top ten, So I was
like on it. So I went on a couple other visits.

(12:56):
Nothing really felt like home, and I was like a
late bloomer when it came to like recruiting and like
peaking in my gymnastics career, I was like not, I
was like okay, as like a junior in high school.
But I think my senior year, I actually like everything
started to click a little bit more So. Right before
senior year, my recruiting advisor like called me and was

(13:18):
like Hey, can you please send me videos pad coach
Chad from Kentucky. He said that they have like a
twenty twenty three spot available. I was like, oh, okay,
Like I sent her videos and then ended up he
ended up calling me. We had a call, and then
the next call he ended up offering me and then
offering me an official visit. So coming in on my

(13:38):
official I was able to know that I already like
kind of had a spot offered. And then when I
came in, and then Bella Isabella McNally, she was my host
for the day, and we were like driving by and
she like mentioned that that was like a church that
they all went to, and it was just like, wow, Okay,
I feel like the Lord.

Speaker 3 (13:55):
Is pulling me here.

Speaker 4 (13:56):
And so I ended up committing And I do not
regret one single bit of it because I love it
here and I couldn't imagine myself anywhere else.

Speaker 2 (14:03):
Well, the Lord is up in a blue sky most days,
so does kind of make time. And then then Delaney,
you came from Las Vegas to Kentucky. Just a little
bit of a change, I guess. But how did your
recruitment process go?

Speaker 6 (14:15):
Yeah, So junior year, that's when you were able to
start reaching out to colleges. So honestly, Kentucky was not
my Remember, I had talked to a ton of different
schools on the phone, sent emails, nothing was really finalized,

(14:35):
and Kentucky, out of nowhere, just reached out to me
and I had a few calls with Chad and Rachel
and they asked me to come on a visit here.
So I came in January of my junior year and
I actually came with Sharon. We had our visit together
Darren us since we came on our visit together, but
that was Yeah, it was so fun. We had the

(14:56):
best time and they ended up offering me a spot
here and I immediately immediately wanted to say yes because
I was like, I just know I want to go here.
And yeah, it was definitely like a culture shock when
I came here because I am from the West Coast
and so it was very different, but it was different
and the best way possible.

Speaker 3 (15:17):
It's exciting.

Speaker 6 (15:17):
It was so fun and I've had the best time here.
And it's actually funny because my whole my mom's side
of the family is obsessed with you, k They're like,
die heart Kentucky fans. So it's a weird coincidence that
I came here. It was pulling me towards Kentucky's So
it's been an awesome journey and I can't wait for the
next two years on the.

Speaker 2 (15:36):
World with your mom's side of the family in Las Vegas.

Speaker 7 (15:38):
And.

Speaker 6 (15:40):
I know, well, my mom's side of family is from
Chicago and huge fans of Keenland and the Derby and
all that, and yeah, I don't know. They've just been
like huge fans of Kentucky die heart. And then they
found out I was coming on a visit here and
they were like, oh my gosh, Lena, you have to
come to Kentucky. And then I ended up like loving
it and I was like, Okay, I actually do want
to come here. So yeah, it's that's been awesome.

Speaker 2 (16:00):
It's pretty I mean, Sharon, Also, one thing I wondered
about all of y'all were on the All Academic SEC team.
In fact, I think probably seventy percent of your team,
do they is having great grades requirement for being a
gymnast at UK before you get here too, I mean,
have the that part account of go in recruiting.

Speaker 5 (16:18):
I definitely don't think like they I mean, obviously seeing
that you are motivated in academics is like an important
part too. But it's like when we got here, our
academic advisor, Mike Haylee, he was really intentional about being
like you were your student before. You're an athlete, if
you even you were, if you don't even have the

(16:39):
grades to keep your eligibility, you won't be able to
do anything. Doesn't matter how good you are being an athlete.
And I think all of us are all very intrinsically
motivated to like do well in school. And I think
one really cool thing about college and UK and the
support we have academically is that we were all encouraged
to do different things. We had like a career combine
we did where we just could just talk to a

(17:00):
bunch of other people and just just said it. And
that helps when you find the major that you really
want and you're like in like motivated to learn about
and that helps like in your classes, like I know
it's Lenny and Crestlin and Cadence another sophomore are I
see majors and they're super passionate about that, And then
the rest of our classes, like human health sciences majors
are really passionate about that and so being motivated in

(17:22):
both aspects of like, oh, I'm so passionate about gymnastics, Like,
let me take that and use that for academics too.
It's been really cool.

Speaker 2 (17:28):
So it's just cultivated each other. Then academically you think too.

Speaker 5 (17:31):
Yeah, for sure, there's no like Unrien, there's no like
spoken like everybody has to have a certain GPA. We
have like requirements that we have to meet as a team,
but no one's ever really just trying to meet the
bare minimum. We're all trying to go like, the same
motivation we have to be excel in the gym is
what we use in the classroom too, And so.

Speaker 2 (17:48):
Yeah, yeah, thout Tam Tolmy Chris on the likely Darrell's
team GPAs like somewhere three seven, three eight numbers I
didn't even recognize. I mean, but for a team GPA
to be there, that's that's pretty amazing because how many
hours a day you'll usually put in a practice.

Speaker 4 (18:02):
We put in about average of three probably a day,
three to three and a half.

Speaker 3 (18:08):
Yeah, three to three and a half.

Speaker 2 (18:09):
And then you have most of you take what five places,
four places?

Speaker 3 (18:12):
Now we take about you have five or six maybe.

Speaker 2 (18:15):
Or six people. Yeah, okay, and then have that kind
of GPA. That's that's pretty amazing to be just what
you all are athletically and to do that academically too.
This says a lot about I guess you all about tim,
the culture of the team and everything like that. So
hopefully the freshman you have coming in, I assume they
understand that. Yeah, we're coming up. Gonna take another break

(18:37):
here on Stockyards Sunday Stockyards Bank, Sunday Morning Sports Talk.
When we come back, we're gonna talk a little bit
about the W nineteen seventy four collective.

Speaker 1 (18:45):
This is the home of the Wildcats. Six thirty w
l A p.

Speaker 2 (18:49):
Welcome back to Sunday Morning Sports Talk. This is Larry
Vaut joined by UK gymnast de Lanny Rodriguez, Creslin Bros.
And Sharon Lee. Appreciate you being here on Stockyards Bank
Sunday Morning Sports Talk. Let's talk a little bit about
the W nineteen seventy four collective and what that's done
for the gymnastics world this year. I don't know who
would like to start, you want to start sharing?

Speaker 8 (19:11):
Sure?

Speaker 5 (19:11):
Yeah, So Delaney, Jill and I last summer started working
with Joni. We met up with Joni and she was
just kind of explaining to us a little bit about
the collective. They really support athletes at UK and really
wanted to help us get our names out there. We
do a lot of events. We do a lot of

(19:32):
dog adoption events, cat adoption events that like pet Smart,
just a lot of events where we can go out
and serve the community that gives so graciously to us.
There was an event recently about pliables And on top
of also like going out and doing all these things,
we also get about promoting ourselves and how to use
our name, image and likeness. I think we have a

(19:53):
really cool opportunity as student athletes and it's cool to
learn how to really take advantage of that. And so
I mean a little bit ago, our entire team did
an event with Jony, she'd set it up for us
in our gym where we learned how to market ours
media in a smart way to help promote these things
so that we could better use our name, image and likeness.

(20:14):
And it's just been a really cool opportunity to just
get to go out and help be be more of
a part of the community.

Speaker 2 (20:22):
Christlin hunt ways, does that helped you kind of either
market yourself or learn to market yourself a little bit.

Speaker 4 (20:27):
More than By doing all this, we've definitely made connections
with people and just like kind of networking, which has
been great.

Speaker 3 (20:33):
Just getting to know Joni. She's amazing.

Speaker 2 (20:35):
Talk about Joni Fowler.

Speaker 3 (20:36):
Yeah, yeah, she is amazing.

Speaker 4 (20:38):
She does so much to help us and help promote us,
and so she's so great. But I think all of
itting in the way of like it's kind of new,
Like I've never really done anything like this.

Speaker 3 (20:49):
I don't think a lot of us have.

Speaker 4 (20:50):
Like coming into college, like hard to market yourself is
it's really difficult. But to have such a big community
that wants the best for us and to help us market.

Speaker 3 (20:59):
Ourselves has been great.

Speaker 4 (21:01):
It's just like someone to lean on, which is great.

Speaker 2 (21:03):
The line and what about you, Is it helped you
with any marketing deals you've got or anything like that?

Speaker 6 (21:08):
Oh yeah, absolutely amazing. And you know, going off of
what Sharon Cresson said, we've really been able to learn
how to market and promote ourselves. And you know, being
a student athlete, we're already busy as it is, so
you know, working with Nil and trying to promote yourself.
It's it's definitely a lot of work and it can
be hard to balance at times, but Jonny has made
it such. She's been such a great help for all

(21:29):
of us, and it's been awesome to you know, serve
in our community and get all do deals and work
with companies and brands.

Speaker 3 (21:36):
It's been awesome. So yeah, we.

Speaker 2 (21:38):
Hear a lot about especially with men's basketball and football,
about nil numbers and how it's helping everything. Is it
making an impact or making a difference yet, like in
your sport?

Speaker 6 (21:48):
Oh yeah, for sure, so many. I mean, I think
it's great that day we're able to allow us to
use our name and stuff to help promote ourselves and
work with these companies and so all of us have
worked with a ton of different brands and it's been
so much fun and whatnot.

Speaker 3 (22:06):
So yeah, we're excited.

Speaker 2 (22:08):
So anything you'll be doing over the summer that kind
of take advantage of any of those things here, Yeah,
I'm so.

Speaker 5 (22:15):
I'm sure we're gonna keep doing these dog adoption events
at Petsmar and the cat adoption events at PetSmart through
Saved by Fate Rescue and the Scott County Humane Society.
So that's also like always really cool.

Speaker 3 (22:26):
I know, like women's.

Speaker 5 (22:27):
Volleyball, just SA Cafe, a couple of our girls went Appliables.

Speaker 3 (22:32):
Things like that.

Speaker 5 (22:33):
Just really Jony is awesome and really helping like find
those companies who want to work with us and who
want to do these events with us. I know Delaney
and I did some stuff with some kids last week
summer with Omac and that was so awesome just to
get to be in those environments and to again just
build those relationships with those people who like to look

(22:55):
up to us, which I know we kind of talked about.
It's crazy that like we have like kids looking up
to us because we like we like just got here.
But to get to give back to them is really
cool experience.

Speaker 2 (23:04):
So Christen, do you think those opportunities you're talking about
you all get to do with the collective? Do you
think that has maybe led to like more fans attending matches.

Speaker 3 (23:13):
Yeah, I definitely think so.

Speaker 4 (23:14):
I think there's a lot of people some people don't
even know Kentucky's a ynastics steam or they don't know
anything about gymnastics.

Speaker 3 (23:20):
So thinking after our name but also.

Speaker 4 (23:21):
Help out in the community is a really great way
for them to get to know us but also know
what we want to do and that serve our community.

Speaker 2 (23:29):
Yeah, so now over the summer, what do you do
in the as gymnasts? What do you do in the
off season as far as preparing for next year? I mean,
do you get out and run forty seven miles a day?
Do you lift weights? Do you not do anything to
let your bodies rest for a change. How do you
all do that? What do you do?

Speaker 4 (23:46):
Yeah, so most of us will go the month of
May and then starting in the beginning of June, we
have our strength and conditioning program that we do and
it's really fun because we actually do like our lifting
and weights and stuff with a bunch of different teams,
so and we never get to do that in season
because we're all on our own schedule. But so we'll
be with like women's soccer, men's soccer, baseball, like all

(24:07):
of them. So that'll be really fun and challenging. And
then we'll also have like voluntary gym go into do
gymnastics a couple of days a week, and then with
nil stuff, we'll still be pushing our name out there.
Nothing really changes from season to summer. Just everything kind
of slows down, so it'll be great.

Speaker 2 (24:26):
So you don't get it like on the delay. You
don't go on the beam every day during the summer,
do you and do those flips and all those things
that you all do or do you?

Speaker 6 (24:35):
Yeah, I mean, we definitely don't train as hard as
we do in pre season and season. It's just kind
of a time to focus more on, you know, gaining
muscle and working really hard in the weight room, and
we do.

Speaker 3 (24:48):
We definitely just do still practice.

Speaker 6 (24:50):
I will be doing flips on the beam still not
as much, but yeah, probably.

Speaker 3 (24:55):
About a few days a week.

Speaker 6 (24:56):
And yeah, so we we have fun in there, mess
around with some new skills. Me not so much.

Speaker 2 (25:03):
But yeah, So for you all next years that you're losing,
you got new people coming in, but you're all roles
on the team change any as far as actually maybe
what events you do or do not compete in. Of
course the LA you usually compete in everything. It's all
around correct, so I guess your role really can't change.

Speaker 6 (25:23):
Yeah, yeah, I mean, you know, we are losing a
lot of seniors this year, but we're also gaining a
lot of freshmen, which is a great opportunity for our
team and for roles, and I think us stepping into
that leadership role is definitely going to be super important
for our year since we only have one senior. So yeah,

(25:44):
we're gonna definitely hopefully make a great impact on the
incoming freshmen and really help them out. And you know,
it's hard coming in as a freshman, so we're excited
to take on that leadership role and help them out.
And yeah, we're excited.

Speaker 3 (25:58):
So we'll see what you sharing.

Speaker 2 (26:00):
Anticipating changes in your role or part of the team.

Speaker 5 (26:04):
Yeah, I mean, I think, obviously from a non gymnastics standpoint,
like all of us stepping into like a leadership role
and like carrying that legacy forward from the team that
we came in on. But at the same time, I mean,
we're losing six very amazing seniors that all of them competed,
which which is like so cool to have them have
made such a big impact. So it is opening a

(26:25):
lot of steps and stuff, which I think is a
cool thing to be thinking about going to the summer
of just like if you were in all around like
maintaining that or if you weren't and you want to
get into a lineup summer is a really great time
to keep working and like kind of work your run
and everything in summers voluntary, So it is kind of
like if you were goals really just to maintain, then

(26:48):
that's like awesome. But if you really want to push
into line up, thereffigny for you to like use those
three months and like really try to make strides in that.
I know, like last summer was really helpful for me
with getting in on beam this year. But yeah, I
think our team is all just really motivated and we're
ready to take on the change. I know we're losing
a lot of lineup spots, but there's a lot of

(27:09):
really really really talented athletes on our team coming in
and that are already here that I'm just excited to
see who gets open really get that time.

Speaker 2 (27:20):
And Chris, how any advance would you like to compete
in next year?

Speaker 4 (27:23):
Oh? My goal at least spicing years to do all around.
That is definitely my goal. I might be playing around
with a couple different vaults this summer because mountain is
not my best event, but I can get it.

Speaker 3 (27:35):
I'm determined.

Speaker 4 (27:37):
But I definitely I was pretty close last or this
past season that we just had and then Unfortunately I
struggle with some mental blocks, but I'm ready this summer
to really push myself to try to get that back
and maintain. So yeah, definitely shooting for three. Hopefully maybe four.

Speaker 3 (27:53):
But we'll see, we'll see. We'll start with three, okay.

Speaker 2 (27:56):
And then of course this year you had the ta
in on the on the floor. Is that something that
kind of inspires you? I want to do it ten
more times? Or I've done it once? That's GREATA what
does that kind of do to your mentality?

Speaker 3 (28:08):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (28:08):
I mean for me, like I've done it once, I
want to do it again. I think everybody would have
to have that. We all have that mindset of like
how like how close can I get to that perfect score?

Speaker 3 (28:19):
Can I get it? And that's every meet, every meat
I think that.

Speaker 4 (28:22):
So definitely a goal is to continue to get those tens,
but it doesn't always work like that. So my goal
is to just go out there and if my best
is a ten that day, then that's my best.

Speaker 2 (28:31):
Well, nothing wrong with that. Well, one thing about anytown
we have any of you all in with us, it's
always a teen for Sunday Morning sports doll. Thank you,
we appreciate you coming in and being with us. Hopefully
maybe this summer we'll get a change to get some
of you back in here with us. Hopefully if you
have karaoke again, we get as ready to come see that.
That was a fun event. So but again, Delaightey, Sharon
and graslall appreciate you all coming in with us, and

(28:53):
best of luck over this next year and look forward
to seeing it. And thank you for breaking the news
that you're going to be hosting the NCAA Regional next year.
That's all right, We'll stay with us on the Stockyards
Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talk. We'll be back to wrap
everything's up in our life segment.

Speaker 1 (29:07):
This is the home of the Wildcats, six thirty WLAP.

Speaker 2 (29:11):
Welcome back to Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talk here
on news Radio six thirty WLA. Sitting here in the
Clarks Pumping Shop studio now all by myself after having
UK gymnasts Creslin Bros, Sharon Lee, and Delaney Rodriguez in
with us. It's always fun to talk to them. Kind
of almost feels like that's just like the Big A's
fans hotlines, just bringing them right in the studio here

(29:33):
with us. Bow and it's always really fun to listen
to what they have to say.

Speaker 7 (29:36):
Well, you and I talked about some of the guests
that we've had in here over the last couple of months,
and it's good for them because the joy being up here.
You give them a little tour of the studios and
how things kind of work. And I apologize I was
tied up with quite a bit over here in Studio
A and it's kind of fun. They're little wide eyed

(29:56):
about how does all this come together? Of course when
I watch them in action, yeah, I'm just completely overwhelmed
of how fantastic of athletes on the floor. Always enjoy
having them coming.

Speaker 2 (30:09):
In for us. Yeah, and I think if anybody that
hadn't had a chance to interview them, talk to them
or watch them, you're missing a big, big opportunity with
the UK gymnastics.

Speaker 7 (30:18):
And I think it's great that we are getting the
word out about UK gymnastics too. Where we do concentrate
on football and basketball, baseball, women's basketball and everything, but
there's so much more. That's where we come in at
on Sunday mornings.

Speaker 2 (30:31):
Absolutely act. So I think maybe one day this summer
it might be fun just to offer them. One of
them a chance just to come in and be the
host for an hour and just see what they throw
at me and Anthony. Let's let them host an hour
one more Derby interview. We'd definitely want to listen. But
I also want to mention the fact that UK basketball
significant members this past week with the passing of Lenville
Pucket and the passing of Larry Johnson, who I still

(30:54):
think Larry Johnson was one of the most underrated Kentucky
basketball players that's been around. He was followed by Kyle
Macy after Larry graduated in seventy seven when they lost
to North Carolina in the four Corners game in the
Elite Eight. Then the next year they won the national
championship and Kyle Macy came in became such an icon.
I think some time Mary Johnson, but he was one

(31:15):
of the early African Americans to play at the University
of Kentucky. And I actually heard the other day bo
when Jack Gibbons was talking about that when him, Mary Haskins,
Reggie Warford, James Lee and Jack were on the court together,
that was the first time UK hit five African Americans
on the court at the same time. Back in nineteen

(31:36):
seventy seven, so pretty or nineteen seventy six, whatever it
was at the moment in UK basketball.

Speaker 7 (31:41):
History, don't overlook the contributions of Larry Johnson and really
creating a pipeline between Western Kentucky and the Kentucky basketball program.

Speaker 2 (31:52):
Yeah, because then Freddie Cowen and Dwayne Casey both came
from Union County where Larry did, and just a lovable guy,
always had a smile on his face. I didn't know
the pucket as well. He was also a terrific basketball player,
but nothing but the best hope everybody can cheer the players.

Speaker 7 (32:06):
And Lynnville was a legend in Clark County. And if
you got to know Lynnville, he didn't sugarcoat as beer cheese,
if you know what I mean.

Speaker 2 (32:13):
No, he did not. He did not that kind of way.
But talking about not sugar coating, I'm guessing you might
have an interview here coming up for us and I
sugarcoated either.

Speaker 7 (32:21):
I was able to catch Julian Leperu. I did not
have a chance to get this on the air yesterday,
but I wanted to share it with you and our
audience because well, just take a listen for yourself. Okay,
I'm with Julian Leperux in the irons for Render Judgment.
Jullian Render Judgment has connections to the late country star
Toby Keith's Dreamwalk and Forbes. How special is it for

(32:43):
you to ride a horse with such meaningful connections? And
what would a strong performance mean for Toby Keith?

Speaker 8 (32:47):
I mean, you know, it was his dream to be
in a Kentucky Delby, So it's a huge, huge thing
to be here today, and the family's going to be here,
and you know, I think like all the country music
fan's going to be a rooting for us, So a
lot of people are gonna be behind us, and hopefully
we can we can have a great race and have
a good result.

Speaker 7 (33:06):
Yeah, how do you get a horse like Render Judgment
to a higher level coming off a fifth place finish
in the Bluegrass Stakes back in April?

Speaker 8 (33:14):
I mean, you know it's not gonna be the easiest
seeing but today, you know, with the track like it
is today, I feel like, you know, some horses we
like it, some mostly don't, orfully we do like it.
In the pay scenario, you know, we're gonna need a
lot of pace in front of way they go quick
or they can come back to us there in the
race and maybe we can surprise everybody then, you know, discuss.

Speaker 7 (33:37):
Your relationship with trainer Kenny McPeak throughout this process. Even
though it looked like Render Judgment wasn't going to be
in the Derby.

Speaker 8 (33:43):
Yeah, it was a late uh let's scenario for me.
I just find out maybe last week only. But yeah,
I'm happy he trust me to ride him. I've been
writing for Kenny for many years too, so now I'd
be a'd be special to write for for this connection
for sure.

Speaker 7 (34:01):
What would Toby Keith tell you prior to the Derby
if you could hear that conversation?

Speaker 8 (34:04):
Five? You just enjoy I have fun and knowefy you
a new wheel secules.

Speaker 2 (34:09):
Julian, thank you so much.

Speaker 7 (34:10):
Best of luck to you.

Speaker 4 (34:12):
Thank you.

Speaker 7 (34:13):
Hopefully Render Judgment will be singing how do you like me?

Speaker 8 (34:15):
Now?

Speaker 7 (34:16):
Across the finish line for Toby Keith and Julian Leperu
celebrating Kentucky Derby one fifty one Umbo Robinson News Radio
eight forty whas.

Speaker 2 (34:27):
Toby's horse being there was pretty cool edition of this
year's Derby Bow and I'm glad you got a chance
to talk to him, and I'm glad that the JOCKEI
knew so much about Toby Key.

Speaker 7 (34:37):
What I really wanted to do, like I told you,
was get in there, get the stories, deliver a little
something more than what everybody else is doing. And I
felt like I accomplished that with all of my interviews.
Jillian was really good to me, real lasting. After talking
to Julian who was on Render Judgment, and talking to
Kyle Zorn, who was a representative of Flying Mohawk, they

(34:58):
both finished seventeenth and eighteen. I may be getting blamed
for their finishes.

Speaker 2 (35:03):
Well, I don't think they were exactly predicted to finish
a whole lot higher. They were just two of those
kind of in there, I guess, hoping for the best.
And I mean there's still Derby horses. You can't take
that experience away a pretty big deal no matter where
your horse finishes.

Speaker 7 (35:17):
With Julian, I had to wait an hour to get
to him because we switched over from WHS to NBC's
national broadcast, and if I got Julian, it's not going
to make it on air of our Derby coverage. I
kind of did this for myself to practice and get
used to walking through the tunnel and kind of like
what Kenny Rice dies. It's just a fantastic job. It

(35:38):
was fun. I can't wait to go back.

Speaker 2 (35:40):
And can he tell me only ruined one pair of
shoes walking on the track.

Speaker 7 (35:43):
They were ruined up, but it's.

Speaker 2 (35:44):
Backup shoes were still good. Yeah. So well. Thank you
for joining us here today on Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning
Sports Talk. Thanks to our sponsors Country Boy Brewing, Clark's
Pumping Shop, and Big A's Fans Line. So appreciate Bo
Robinson taking care of us here. As always, thank you
for joining us today