Here we are at rural Brinnon Elementary.

Instruction was provided by Carrie Lennox of Jefferson County Parks & Rec who was there 4 days. Fun and fitness in a safe but challenging environment. A mobile program.

We dropped in (and trained) at the Twisters Adult class in Port Renfrew.

Here’s Carrie’s regular “Kid Fit” Parks & Rec class in Port Townsend, a set-up, take-down facility. She’s worked closely with Tumbl Trak for years.

First day in the program for this lad:

Again, the goal is high activity in a fun, safe environment. Rather than put little kids up high on a rope, why not have them sliding on the floor? Fun … and much safer.

I’ll post details on each of those programs on Rec Gymnastics over the coming week.

John Smith at NASA Gymnastics is genius at coming up with drills for Team. We got plenty of video.

The biggest news at Tumbl Trak is that they have a viral video — nearly 600,000 views. You can’t buy that kind of publicity.

Check the Tumbl Trak February 2012 newsletter. Subscribe FREE by emailing newsletter {a} tumbltrak.com.

Tumbl Trak is a valued sponsor of this site. Their corporate mission is exactly in line with my own coaching philosophy.

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Perfect domain name: ueg.org

They have RSS, Twitter and Facebook, of course.

(via The All Around Gymnastics News on Facebook)

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Feb. 10-12, 2012
Oklahoma City
900+ gymnasts

International Elite division on podium.

The annual Bart & Nadia Sports & Health Festival is coming up to give the community a chance to meet the Olympic Gold Medalists and an opportunity to begin a healthy lifestyle.

Read more …

Click PLAY or watch an interview with Bart on News OK TV.

Looks great. Bart and Nadia Festival home page.

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We’re getting rid of over 60 different privacy policies across Google and replacing them with one that’s a lot shorter and easier to read. …

These changes will take effect on March 1, 2012.

details

Some are freaking out.

That’s dopey. Not much is changing. Here’s a much more measured assessment:

Read Write Web – Tech World Overreacts to Google’s New Privacy Policy – How Does It Affect You?

… You know what you can do? Stop sharing things you don’t want tracked. …

Before and after March 1st best advice is not to do anything online you’ll regret in future. Somebody, somewhere could be tracking it. And it probably won’t be Google. They’re one of the least evil players.

If you want to dig into this deeper, the best authority is Jeff Jarvis. He’s the author of:

• What Would Google Do?
• Public Parts
_____

related – Student-Athlete Privacy

On Gymnastike, Anne commented on some NCAA schools using a 3rd party service called Varsity Monitor to follow their team online.

They flag “questionable conduct“.

That’s a bit scary. But I suspect Universities are mainly worried about what their high profile basketball and football players say. Gymnasts are probably the least of their worries.

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… Alicia Sacramone, Beijing 2008 Olympic Games silver medalist, will serve as an ambassador for P&G beauty brands including COVERGIRL®, Olay®, Pantene® and Secret®. Sacramone’s involvement is in addition to P&G’s partnership with USA Gymnastics and its global marketing partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in support of the Olympic Movement, which will reach through the next five Olympic Games from London 2012 through the 2020 Olympic Games. …

“Our goal is to inspire young women with the message that when you believe in yourself, anything is possible,” said Gina Drosos, Group President, P&G Beauty. …

read more – P&G Beauty Partners with Alicia Sacramone, Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Silver Medalist
Sponsorship Expands on USA Gymnastics Partnership

(via Full Twist)

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What’s it like to be one of Britain’s greatest gymnasts? In this fascinating autobiography, Beth Tweddle takes us through the biggest moments of her life, from winning gold at the World Championships, to being honoured with an MBE at just 25 years old. Follow her story as she prepares for her most important task yet – the Olympics!

only £5.99

Hopefully this will be available for sale at the Test Meet. I’ll buy a few copies just to support one of my favourite gymnasts.

via @bethtweddlenews

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Watch this director’s cut of the NBC Sports Network Warm Up spots – NHL, Cycling, Olympics, and more – just for you, our loyal sports viewers. Hope you enjoy.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. … Versus will be re-launched as the NBC Sports Network on January 2, 2012. …

In a related story, many U.S. viewers will be losing TV access to Universal Sports. Hopefully they’ll still be able to get it online.

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Gymnastics Coaching is an aggregator . We try to link to the best of the best published online in English. The most interesting ideas, photos and videos.

Artistic Gymnastics – best of 2011 categories:

Artistic Gymnastics, especially WAG, dominates the Gymternet over all other acrobatic disciplines. That’s OK since we want every child to start with Artistic & Trampoline before specializing.

Artistic Gymnastics is the Foundation.

_____ INDEPENDENT SITES:

The very best have not changed much since a year ago:

Blythe Lawrence (USA) – Gymnastics Examiner | Facebook | @GymExaminer

Read Blythe’s 2011: The gymnastics year in review

Brigid McCarthy (Australia) and friends – The Couch Gymnast | Facebook | @TheCouchGymnast

Albert Minguillón i Colomer, Nora Schuler & Elizabeth Long (Europe) – THE ALL AROUND | Facebook | @THEALLAROUND

Katie (Ireland) – Full Twist | Facebook | @full_twist

• GymNiceTic (all FIG disciplines)

Those sites post prolifically. Each is quite unique. Please subscribe, follow and/or like those as well as others listed here that don’t post quite so often. (A much longer list of sites we follow is listed in the right hand navigation of every page on this site.)

In November Tony Retrosi launched a must read site for every WAG Coach: Gym Momentum | Facebook | @gym_momentum

The excellent Gymnastics Minute videos were Tony’s idea, originally. Sadly we’ve seen few new videos from publisher GymSmarts, long the #1 production house for coaching videos.

John Geddert has been posting online for a few years. But in 2011 he became the elite coach who communicates online the most. I get something from John every day:

The Gymnastics Coach | Facebook | @JohnGGeddert

Other great sites NEW in 2011 include:

• Bekah’s “Get a Grip” Gymblog | @GetAGripGymblog

• E Panel | @TheEpanel

• Triple Twist Gym Blog | Facebook | @TripleTwistBlog

The following sites publish less frequently, but I never miss a post:

• Andy Thornton – American Gymnast | Facebook | @americangymnast (company tweets)

• Ron Noe – Stick It Media (MAG) | @StickItMedia

• Kristal Sergent Boulden – Double Front | Facebook | @Double_Front | Tumblr

• Bronwyn & Clara Stoi!

• JAO Coaching Gymnastics in the New Millenium

• Tsuk the Pain | @TsukthePain | Tumblr

• Between the Olympics | @BTOgymblog

• GYMMIN’ MIEL!

• Ask Al Fong

Some of my favourite sites have been posting less frequently, of late, including Aunt Joyce, About.com Gymnastics and Valentin Uzunov’s The Gym Press | @thegympress.

Trending — sites dedicated to individual nations:

Romania:
• Cris – Gymfever
• Alina – Tare! magazine
• Mihai – FanGymnastics (Romanian)
• Bea – Gymnastics No Ceiling
• Carmen – Romanian Gymnastics Fans on Facebook

• Chinese Gymnastics Blog

• Rewriting Russian Gymnastics

• Jennifer Isbister’s Gymn.ca (Canada) … perhaps the original dedicated National site

Recent Couch Gymnast graphic

_____ OFFICIAL SITES:

I link a lot to IG. Dwight Normile, Amanda Turner, John Crumlish & team – International Gymnast magazine online News | Facebook | @intlgymnast

Last year and again this year I was astonished at the quality of communications out of USA Gymnastics and FIG. Those organizations have media people equal the best bloggers. In the past information from both was whitewashed — no bad news. But both have gotten increasingly open, over time.

• USAG Headlines | Facebook | @USAGym

• FIG News | Facebook | @officialfig

I’ve long criticized Inside Gymnastics magazine. But the IG2 posts were better this year, I thought. Especially during LIVE events. And especially on Facebook.

Inside Gymnastics News | Facebook | @InsideGym

Universal Sports Tumble Mumble is an interesting kind of page. Interspersed between news articles from Reuters and AP are blog posts from Blythe Lawrence, Andy Thornton and others.

_____ PHOTO & VIDEO SITES:

Anne Phillips and team are the leaders:

• Gymnastike | Facebook | @gymnastike

The best thing that ever happened for gymnastics coaches is YouTube. Thank Google for buying that company and letting us share with the world for free. In 2011 I still link to YouTube over Vimeo and others as YouTube streams quickest over a weak WiFi signal.

Some of my favourites this past year:

• American Gymnast Gymnastics on Demand videos on the JoeLangley YouTube channel (1150+ coaching tutorials)

• JAO Videos on YouTube

• gymdrills.com videos $

• Tony Retrosi – Gym Momentum YouTube Channel

• Mary Lee Tracy – USAmlt YouTube Channel

• Coach Sommers – Gymnastic Bodies videos (MAG strength)

• John Geddert – GymnasticsCoachUSA YouTube channel and DVDs $.

• Gymnastics Minute YouTube channel. And GymSmarts for DVDs $.

• MostepanovaFan YouTube channel

• RedNasvw YouTube channel, especially his MAG Code of Points videos

Inside Gymnastics has the photographer I link to most. That’s the terrific Grace Chiu. She uses Facebook perfectly, posting a few of her best shots in order to promote sales from GraceClick.ca.

There are a number of equally wonderful photographers around the world. But many are over-protective. Almost nobody sees their work. Foremost of those is the great Eileen Langsley.

Did I MISS one of your favourite sites? … or links to their content?

… Leave a comment and I’ll update this list in a week or so. I could name many more.

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Jay Soucy, of Evergreen Gymnastics in Lisbon, NH recommends this product for cleaning chalky mats. It’s intended for hardwood floors and other flat, smooth surfaces.

The Shark Steam Mop and replacement Cleaning Pads.

Keeping a gym clean is one of the biggest challenges for any manager.

(via gymmomentum – A NEW WAY TO CLEAN CHALK!)

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Dave and Lisa Adlard recommended my favourite, Love Actually. (2003 R-rated)

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

related – Billy Mack (Bill Nighy) horrible Christmas variation of The Troggs’ hit “Love Is All Around”. (VIDEO)

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