by site editor Rick McCharles
This post was inspired by the angst I’ve heard regarding the Canadian WAG selection for Worlds. Actually, the process was carefully done, from what I’ve heard.
The one valid criticism is that not enough gymnasts were invited to trials for Worlds / Pan-Ams (10 competed of 15 invited). For one reason or another, these strong gymnasts were not there: Silvia Colussi-Pelaez, Jessica Dowling, Sarah Flett, Taylor Ricci. (… who else?)
True or not, people suspect that the complex and confusing selection process protects the girls already on the National Team. (I don’t think anyone would deny that Silvia should be on the Canadian team in Tokyo if we truly want to qualify for the Olympics.)
Communication of what was happening at Canadian trials was poor too.
In recent years we’ve seen FIG and USAG improve their messaging online. In fact, I’d call both organizations superb in social media.
First Romania, then Russia and now even China have vastly improved their presence online.
Canada has not yet made much of a leap to the age of social media. In fact, I’d call us one of the least communicative gymnastics nations. I have no idea, for example, why we did not send a WAG Team to the Commonwealth Youth Games, normally one of our highest priorities. There may be a good reason — but it was not communicated widely.
Part of the problem is the top down, socialist infrastructure imposed on organizations by Sports Canada. Decisions often need to be ratified by committee. (Know that a camel is a horse built by committee.)
When Americans complain about Marta Karolyi, my first response is to wish Canada had a Marta — someone who wants to win and who can make decisions.
People ask me what’s happening with Gymnastics Canada. Normally I don’t know. I have no official relationship with Gymnastics Canada other than as a member and coaching course clinician.
An information vacuum often leads to speculation and misinformation. Here’s one example.
Yet there are a few good places to get information online.
The Gymnastics Canada website is quite attractive, actually. Featured news is right on the home page.
It’s not updated as often as I’d like. Getting posts done up in both official languages sometimes causes delays.
GymCan even has a blog linked to the official site. Though it was not updated in over 2 months, last time I checked.
The email news updates are good, but infrequent. Click on the GYMCAN E-NEWS button on the home page to subscribe.
Gymnastics Canada does have a twitter account.
@CANGymnastics
But only 119 followers, 84 tweets. Following 3.
And a Facebook page. It’s not all that active yet with only 224 LIKES.
The Gymnastics Canada YouTube channel is good. Subscribe.
TV coverage of Canadian gymnastics is surprisingly good.
Nationals is not always broadcast, but the meet was streamed online in 2009. And there are ambitious plans to stream every routine for Nationals 2011.
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Unofficial sources of information are often more timely:
Blythe Lawrence, the Gymnastics Examiner, has attended the past 2 Canadian Championships. International Gymnast and Inside Gymnastics magazines do give Canadians their fair share of coverage.
• Gymn.ca … the most popular Canadian blog edited by Jenn Isbister
• Grace Chiu on Facebook. Grace is official Canadian photographer and IMHO the best gymnastics photographer working today.
• For competitions and scores, Stu Cram’s Gym Score Depot site is excellent.
• Kyle Shewfelt is an unofficial ambassador.
… Leave a comment if I’m forgetting any WAG or MAG links of national interest.
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Information online as to what’s happening with T&T Canada is less problematic, mainly due to coach Brett MacAulay. I get updates near daily on his Facebook page.
He has over 2200 T&T vídeos posted to his CGC TV YouTube channel.
6 comments ↓
Less communication means more control for Lise. She is infamous for scheduling meetings with coaches when she knows they are travelling (often mid-flight!), thus reducing the chances of any kind of input into her decision-making processes.
I expect that Marta understands that her job would be in jeopardy if her selections didn’t produce results. Is Lise’s job ever in jeopardy?
Australia is just as bad. The girls are in selection camp as I type and no one even knows who was invited or attending. It is really annoying that they isolate the few fans that they have. You can find out when football players go to the dry cleaners but you can’t hear who is vying for selection for worlds with gymnastics.
“Here is information that will give the readers a more complete picture as to why the following WAG athletes were not invited to the August Selection Camp for Worlds and Pan Ams.
Silvia Colussi-Pelaez was on the long list for selection to Pan Ams and Worlds. In a correspondence with Spain in March 2011, we informed the Federation that “at the request of her Canadian club – Oakville Gymnastics – we invited Sylvia Colussi-Pelaez to a National Team mini-training camp at the beginning of March even though she is not a National Team member. We have never stated that Canada does not want Silvia to become a Canadian National Team member.” Silvia’s parents asked us in June to change her FIG license from Canada to Spain. We accepted the parents’ request and wished Silvia all the best. The parents were informed by FIG that she could never compete for Canada again.
Jessica Dowling is an Open athlete because she was not successful in obtaining High Performance status for 2011. Her parents requested that her FIG license be changed from Canada to The Netherlands which we accepted. She is not listed as one of the seven athletes on the Dutch team for the 2011 Worlds according to the September 14th post on this site.
Sarah Flett did not express an interest in January 2011 to have her name included on the long list of athletes eligible for selection for Pan Ams and Worlds. All HP clubs were reminded before the deadline that an athlete needed to indicate her interest to be selected by submitting the Athlete Commitment form. Not being on the long list, Sarah was not eligible for selection on the short list and could not be invited to the Selection Camp.”
Thanks Lise.
That does clear things up somewhat.
Hi Rick! I will never forget your “ha-ha” about the fact that I was completely ignored in Gymnastics Canada. I really do not want to criticize the Canadian Gymnastics Federation website. But, apparently, I have to. I am not a great expert in the strategy of selecting the National team of Canada. But my contacts with the Federation have repeatedly tried to convince me that much of this federation depends on the managers responsible for certain areas of work. What can I ask them if as we say in Russia, “the right hand does not know what left hand is doing”? My book passed the full exam (as I understand, the high level of scientists looked at it during two month), and got an approval of the President of Canadian Gymnastics. But I am still waiting for an announcement at Gymnastics Canada website! Maybe someone appends new chapter to my book, and it takes time? Or maybe someone mentioned as “socialist infrastructure”, made this so well. That’s why none of the Canadian specialists can find even an ordinary website links to my books…
Instead, I got a very attractive offer to buy “Adidas” leotards on the “Gymnastics Canada” website with a 30% discount. On this “optimistic” business proposal I would love to finish my comments. It is a bit personal, but at least useful for the people who are trying to get more and pay less. But personally for me it is nothing more than “a good mine during a bad game!”
Sorry about that, Vladamir.
I’m not sure who is responsible for what’s sold in the Canadian website store.
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