The first thing the UF gymnastics team talked about on the bus after it lost to Arkansas last Friday was quarterback Tim Tebow's speech after the Mississippi game.
Following the loss to Mississippi, Tebow promised no one would work harder on the field, and the team rode his promise to deliverance: a national championship.
It seems the Razorbacks may prompt the UF gymnastics team to do the same: work harder.
"This (loss) is going to cause them to go back in the gym and train harder than they've ever trained before," UF coach Rhonda Faehn said.
Injuries and the toll they're taking on the team may have played a role in costing the team the meet against Arkansas.
That may change this week with UF coach Rhonda Faehn telling her team to face its fears.
"We can't be afraid of any more injuries," Faehn said. "We have to go out and train and compete exactly how we normally would for the best results."
Injuries to Rebekah Zaiser, Amanda Castillo and now Nicole Ellis have prevented the team from having a meet-to-meet lineup, especially on balance beam.
"We have to just get consistency in the lineup," Faehn said.
Consistency will develop into a comfortable rhythm, yielding better results, she said.
That, plus three falls in a row against the Razorbacks on Friday, will mean a new beam lineup for the fourth consecutive meet.
Freshman Kailey Tissue will be performing on beam for the first time as a Gator, and even though veterans Castillo and Corey Hartung suffered uncharacteristic falls, Faehn said they will be back on beam as well.
Alicia Goodwin, the third Gator who fell during the Arkansas meet, will not be competing on beam. She will be doing exhibition work.
The team will take its new beam lineup and look to rebound against Kentucky in the O'Connell Center Friday night at 7. Guests are encouraged to wear pink, as the meet is aimed at raising breast cancer awareness.
"We love our blue and orange," Faehn said, "but they get excited to be able to put pink on."
