Rawles on the new perfection is possible blog notes that Jordyn Wieber’s website says that she has been selected for the 2009 American Cup, February 20th-21st in Chicago, IL.
2008 US Olympian, Bridget Sloan has already been selected.
Rawles notes …
… This is a surprising twist given that the 13-year-old US junior national champion won’t be a senior international elite until 2011. Wieber’s camp has come under a certain amount of criticism and concern in the past from gym fans who worry that Wieber is doing too much difficulty too soon and will burn out if she isn’t paced better. …
I’m not too worried. Jordyn has one of the best and most cautious coaches out there in John Geddert.
Two additional gymnasts will be named by the USA to compete at what many bloggers refer to as the SCAM CUP. It’s more of a publicity event to showcase up-and-coming American gymnasts than a true competition. Foreign gymnasts understand that they should not aspire to win.
18 comments ↓
Geddert? Cautious? I don’t think those 2 words have ever been used in the same sentence before!
Really, Wendy.
How has he had so many successful gymnasts continue into College gymnastics?
In my experience his kids are very consistent. Very well prepared in terms of “hitting” routines in competition.
I worked with John at multiple Region Five Camps, and always learned a lot from him. I wish I could have lived near his gym and gone there, since I always improved after the camps. He is also a FUN coach, which many people forget is important.
I think he’s nuts… If she’s not going to be a senior for 2 two more years and he’s pushing her into a senior level comp this early? Nuts
I think alot of people are forgetting that it’s probably not John that is pushing her into this competition.
From what I have heard, the National Team Staff select the gymnasts to represent USA at certain meets. They can say no, but if they did they would be at the bottom of the list for a long time. That’s said to be why Melaine Sinclair and Kassi Price never made the teams that mattered.
Yah I know, which is another thing about National Team stuff bugs me. I mean come on.. she can’t even compete as a senior! It’s just ridiculous…
Until the USA stops winning medals I don’t see it changing… and why should it.
Nastia was “too young” since she made the national team in 2001 or 2002. Yet she is our Olympic Champion. When you take out the emotions and look at the facts, the system works.
Jordyn is one of the best in the US right now. Why shouldn’t she get the opportunity to compete. It’s not like the rules for junior meets are any different than senior meets.
I think its silly for Wieber to be competing, she is NOT a senior gymnast and should not compete as one. the Am Cup is meant to be for senior gymnasts. If they want to change the age rules, fine, but right now Jordyn Wieber is a junior gymnast and that is where she should be competing.
I don’t think the system works all that well. Wieber should stick to junior meets until she can compete as a senior. Follow the rules.
Is there anywhere where it says that SCAM is a Senior meet? I thought everywhere I’ve read that’s it’s an international meet, that’s it.
I’m pretty sure Carly Patterson (sp?) competed at the 2001 American Cup (not very successfully, but she still competed), and she was a year younger that Jordyn is now.
i think the ACTUAL seniors on the team should get a chance at this meet, Jordyn will have her chance when she becomes a senior
I wondered about juniors at SCAM as well, but there’s actually a fairly lengthy list of juniors over the last two quads who have been invited to the American Cup.
While I tend to agree that it’s a little ridiculous to send Wieber to the American Cup when there’s such a big group of promising and untested new seniors sitting around with no experience (who will be needed to contribute to American teams in less than two year’s time) it’s not unprecedented.
But I’m pretty sure they’re banking on her to be their next It Girl and 13-year-old phenom is absolutely the kind of story that NBC would want to glom onto without any real headliners around.
USAG need a headliner for this meet. Bridget Sloan doesn’t fill the bill imo. They need to break the “next big thing” to get some attention. The eligible seniors are not terribly exciting except Shapiro and Larson who could be injured again for all we know. Bross would have been the headliner but she had surgery recently right?
Geddert and cautious are not two things I thought I would ever read in the same sentence.
I hope Jordyn enjoys her American Cup debut. If history repeats, it just might be one of the last big meets she gets to attend.
I am also upset that Jordyn is attending SCAM, even though, yes, it is technically just an “international meet” and not a “senior meet.” If there were tons of seniors injured or not competition ready, then I could see using her, but that is just not the case. I understand that she could use the experience, but the girls in the running for ‘09 Worlds need that experience waaaayy more, in my opinion. There are plenty of girls for Marta to pick from: Bridget (already going, I know), Mattie, Chelsea, Sami, Corrie, Olivia, Jana. These are the girls that need the chance NOW, not Jordyn. She has plenty of time for experience. But then again, I guess that’s why we call it SCAM- it’s so rigged in some ways it’s almost ridiculous.
“They can say no, but if they did they would be at the bottom of the list for a long time. ”
If she has the goods when the time comes, they are not going to keep her from competing.
“How has he had so many successful gymnasts continue into College gymnastics?”
He always has girls that could be decent elites but he keeps them as level 10s because he’s like a lot of people that think that winning at a lower level is better than simply participating at a higher level. Either method creates a situation where his gym becomes known for success and draws talent from other gyms across a large area. Going with the level 10’s is less expensive and is more in line with his definition of success.
He only wants to put a girl in elite if he thinks she can win big. The only way he would find this out is if he is pushing her hard.
“Bridget (already going, I know), Mattie, Chelsea, Sami, Corrie, Olivia, Jana. ”
Several of those athletes are injured and/or not ready for American Cup in February.
actually geddarts approach is well known in region 5. It may not be well liked but he has never shied away from sharing his opinion on competitive success. He advises putting a child at a level they can be successful rather than pushing their mental and physical limitations. sounds like he would be making sure wiebers well being is looked after. cautious sounds like a fair description.
to those suggesting that weiber bi pass this chance in a lifetime, try to name someone from the past that would have done the same. When opportunity knocks you have to answer.
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