I finally saw this low budget Romanian documentary.
… famous for the legendary gymnast Nadia Comaneci, and its boarding school, which for decades has trained world class gymnasts.
Pitic and Malina might be two of its future stars, but the long road to the podium is full of deprivation. They are eight and nine years old and have been at the school in Deva since they were six. They train for four hours every day and spend the rest of their time in school.
This documentary follows the girls … leading up to their first and most important competition, capturing an intimate and moving insight into the contrast between their dreams, and the often harsh reality.
I’ve got mixed feelings. Perhaps that’s not surprising. I’ve got mixed feelings about Romanian gymnastics.
On the one hand, with a population only about as large as Texas, one of the poorest nations in Europe consistently bested Russia, China and the U.S.A.
Their girls were incredibly tough on Floor and Beam. For decades after Nadia.
On the other hand, I’ve heard more nonsense coaching theory from Romanians than any place else in the world. What kind of coach education system have they had there?None? I’m told there’s an intensive program. I’d love to see the curriculum.
The 3 coaches highlighted in this film are excellent examples of how not to coach.
Yes I realize I’m imposing Western values on Romania. Aside from ethics, what’s shown in the documentary is simply not the best way to develop elite gymnasts.
I do get the impression that things have improved there since Nicolae Forminte took over as National Coach.
Leave a comment if you know where people can download or stream The Secret of Deva.
From Gymnastics Australia President Ken Williamson:
I wish to advise that Jane Allen, Chief Executive Officer of Gymnastics Australia, tendered her resignation as of 1st February 2010. Jane has accepted the position of CEO of British Gymnastics and subject to visa approval will commence in her new position in April 2010. …
What a move. To the nation hosting the next Olympics. Congratulations Jane.
Falls on balance beam and out-of-bounds deductions on floor exercise cost fifth-ranked UCLA in a 195.975-195.625 loss to eighth-ranked Stanford on Sunday afternoon in Pauley Pavilion. …
Vanessa Zamarripa won the all-around (39.5), beam (9.9) and floor (9.9). Brittani McCullough won the vault with a 9.9 while debuting a Yurchenko 1.5 vault. …
Several large circus tents previously used by Cirque du Soleil are on their way to Haiti to be used as a temporary headquarters for the Port-au-Prince government, according to the man donating them.
The self-contained tents would replace government buildings destroyed a month ago by the devastating earthquake that killed at least 200,000 people, Nevada real estate developer Tom Schrade said Thursday. …
The tents have 33,000 square feet of interior floor space, including heating and air conditioning systems, interior and exterior lighting, toilets and 900 padded chairs, Schrade said. …
