iPads donated by UA Gymnastics, Medalist Club - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

The Alabama gymnastics team welcomed a special guest to the start of its last practice Tuesday, the day before it departed for this weekend's NCAA Championships on Wednesday.  

Crimson Tide head coach Sarah Patterson had asked Dr. Martha Cook, the Executive Director of the RISE Schools, to join the team for a few minutes, but hadn't told her why. 

"You don't know why you're here do you?" Patterson asked Cook upon her arrival. 

"No, but you invited me, so I came running," Cook replied with a smile.  

At that point, Patterson asked junior All-American Marissa Gutierrez to explain just why Cook had been invited to Coleman Coliseum on Tuesday. For one of her classes, Gutierrez had interviewed Cook about the Stallings' RISE Center and in the midst of that conversation, she learned that iPads are one of the top high-tech teaching tools for children with disabilities.  

"After that, I started thinking that if Alabama students can win an iPad during our home meets, maybe we could find a way to give one to the RISE Center," Gutierrez said. "After talking to Sarah about it, she asked Ashley Priess and me to present our idea to the Medalist Club to see if they would want to help with this project." 

The Medalist Club, the gymnastic team's booster organization, did want to lend a hand and after working with Patterson and the UA Compliance department to make sure everything they were doing were within the NCAA rules, two iPads were purchased and presented to Cook this afternoon. The gymnasts also made a donation toward applications and accessories for the iPads. 

"We were excited by the energy and thoughtfulness of the gymnasts and happy that we could help with this donation that will hopefully mean so much the children of the Stallings RISE Center," Medalist Club president Lance Hocutt said. 

Cook, whose longstanding relationship with Patterson and the gymnastics program goes back decades, expressed her thanks to the gymnasts and the Medalist Club. 

"I can't tell you how much I appreciate this," Cook said. "You surprised me and I'm never surprised. For those children that can't talk for themselves, this will give them a voice. You just don't know how much that means to the child, their classmates and their families." 

Patterson was equally proud of her team and the group that supports them. 

"The work RISE does in our community is priceless, and I'm very proud of our ladies and the Medalist Club for undertaking this project and helping make a difference in the lives of the RISE students," Patterson said.  

For the gymnasts it was an opportunity to lend a helping hand to a group close to their hearts. 

"Every year we have the RISE students over the gym for the Christmas party," Gutierrez said. "And every year that's an amazing experience, but we felt that this was something we could do that would last beyond a few hours in the gym. We hope this is a gift that keeps on giving."

INFORMATION SOURCE: University of Alabama Athletics