The FIG Academies, a worldwide education programme for coaches in the federation’s six competitive disciplines that was launched in 2002, celebrated the 10th year of its existence in 2011. …
• 118 Academies overall
• in October, overall participation reached 3,000 coaches
• three levels of coach education (for now)
• FIG Technical Committee must have L3 by 2012
• L3 candidates who meet special pre-requisites and achieve exceptional examination results will be awarded with an FIG Coaches’ Brevet.
A total of twenty-five Academies are planned in 2012 …
It was Bruno Grandi who hand picked former MTC Chair Hardy Fink for the job of FIG Director of Education and Academy Programmes. Obviously a good choice.
Right now at an Artistic Academy in Tokyo coaches are being “coached” by Fink, Keith Russell and Valeri Liukin. I think they might learn something.
… The Academy Programme for Men’s and Women’s Artistic Gymnastics has been supplemented this year with a comprehensive Age Group Development, Competition and Testing Programme that was introduced to 17 countries in 2011 to which will be added as many as 25 more during 2012. …
Philippines MAG adopted the new Age Group rules this season reporting good feedback from coaches.
Has anyone else won medals at both Artistic and Aerobic Worlds?
… At the age of thirty-one, Isabelle Severino has just received the National Order of Merit from the French Republic in recognition of her exemplary career at the elite international level, and in both Artistic and Aerobic Gymnastics. …
John ATKINSON – President FIG Aerobic Gymnastics Committee – is modernizing that discipline. Instead of searching for a PDF document on the FIG website, you can read and search the Aerobic Code online.
26th Summer Universiade in August in Shenzhen, China. Canada and China are tight these days. The MAG team wouldn’t miss this one.
TEAM CANADA ROSTER: MEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS
Nathan Gafuik – Athabasca U – Calgary, Alta.
Jayd Lukenchuk – U of Saskatchewan – Saskatoon, Sask.
Kevin Lytwyn – McMaster U – Stoney Creek, Ont.
Jackson Payne – Athabasca U – Edmonton, Alta.
Casey Sandy – Seneca College – Brampton, Ont.
In 2010 Hardy Fink, Director of FIG Education & Academy Programmes, organized 30 courses worldwide. Yet it seems there’s no slowing down.
During the remainder of 2011 there are four confirmed Level 3/Brevet Academies:
For Acrobatic Gymnastics (Lisbon, Portugal, June 22-29),
Rhythmic Gymnastics (Tokyo, Japan, December 5-12)
Artistic Gymnastics (Cancun, Mexico, November 14-21 and Tokyo, Japan, December 13-20).
FIG is looking for host nations for these courses to be held in early 2012:
MAG-WAG French/English proposed for Europe;
AER in Europe and Spanish in Central/South America;
RG February 18-25 in Portugal and Spanish in Central/South America;
TRA proposed January 15-22 in Europe and Spanish in Central/South America;
ACRO English/Spanish proposed for Europe.
I hope not. I’m planning to go and would love to be a tiny part of that nation getting back to normal.
… President Hidenori Futagi and the Japanese Federation have communicated their willingness to continue as planned the preparations and the running of these World Championships, which will take place October 7 – 16, 2011.
The FIG is sending its Directives and Appendices to all its affiliated federations, with the sincere hope that the World Championships can be held as foreseen without taking any risk for the health of the participants.
The FIG – in close cooperation with the Japan Gymnastics Association – shall follow the development of the nuclear catastrophe closely and shall reevaluate the situation by the end of May.
That was at Zeestern Trials 2011 in De Panne, Beligium Jan 16th.
The more I watch Acrobatic gymnastics, the more I like it. Super human physical ability, great control, lovely execution … and a far lower injury rate than Artistic.
The International Gymnastics Federation is stepping it up:
The clips filmed at the recent Aerobic Gymnastics World Championships in Rodez (FRA) are the first High Definition clips ever produced and offered online by the FIG. And that’s not all! The clip includes exclusive never-before-seen sequences filmed onsite and behind the scenes (VIDEO) in places only the FIG camera can go!
Though not much appreciated in North America, the sport is growing and improving worldwide. FIG Academy courses have been training new coaches.
It’s for the first time a demonstration sport in the World University Games (Universiade) in Shenzhen (CHN), August 12 – 23, 2011.
The sport’s been growing on me too, over the past few years. Certainly I admire the incredible level of fitness required. Acrobatic Gymnastics has a greater audience appeal, however, in my opinion.
It’s conveniently located close to the train station.
This past summer, on recommendation from Keith Russell, I visited the new digs. And was very impressed with the operation.
Meike Behrensen, F.I.G. Media Operations Coordinator, gave me a tour.
(You’ve probably noticed how well and widely Meike has been getting information out to the world in recent months. I’m getting updates every couple of days from multiple sources. Thanks.)
I felt a bit sheepish entering the lovely historic building after all the less than positive things I’ve had to say about F.I.G. over the years. But you won’t find Bruno Grandi at the FIG offices. Nor
Nellie Kim.
Here the FIG employees work frantically trying to keep all the events and programs worldwide on track.
It’s not easy.
I was impressed with everyone I met: young, enthusiastic, energetic, multi-lingual. To survive working for FIG you must have a lot of good qualities.
On this blog we mostly cover Men’s and Women’s Artistic Gymnastics. But in Lausanne they administer Trampoline Sports, Rhythmic, Aerobic, Acrobatic, Gymnastics for All, … and much, much more.
Consider this a shout out for the F.I.G. Staff. We really appreciate what you are doing for coaches and athletes.
The FIG Academies, a worldwide education programme for coaches in the federation’s six competitive disciplines that was launched in 2002, celebrated the 10th year of its existence in 2011. …
26th Summer 
Meike Behrensen, F.I.G. Media Operations Coordinator, gave me a tour. 
