Elise Ray-Statz leaves U of Washington

Elise Ray-Statz has resigned from University of Washington after 9 years.

Her family is moving out of the Seattle area.

Too bad. Elise did a terrific job.

Her assistant Ralph Rosso had been named interim head coach for the upcoming season.

Karen Louise Hollis Gymnastics books

Karen has a number of Gymnastics books.

Her latest is Classic Gymnastics – Issue 2.

… articles on the 1983 World Championships, Natalia Karamushka (and cover), Joanna Sime (GB), Nailya Gabassova (USSR) and more, plus posters of Nadia Comaneci, Inessa Lisovskaya, Maria Filatova, Zdenka Dornakova and more.

Cortland & Brockport 2021 competitions cancelled

Will other Universities come to this decision?

I’m worried.

Outbreaks are likely at Colleges and Universities. For example, State University of New York Oneonta has had more than 700 students and faculty test positive for COVID-19. Student population is about 3000.

first double twist in the Olympics

1932 Olympic tumbler Roland Wolfe

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Reminds me of some Cheer tumblers today.

Rowland “Flip” Wolfe will be recalled as the first and the only Olympic gold medalist in tumbling. He accomplished this feat at the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles. …

Had the International Gymnastics Federation recognized elements by naming them for one performer or another, a double twisting stretched back somersault might today be recalled as a “Wolfe”. He was the first to perform this element in the Olympic Games.

… Wolfe could also perform a double back. He related that he did not perform a double back in the Olympics since his coach was not a reliable spotter. He describes a pile of corrugated cardboard arranged loosely in one corner of the gym along with rags and other soft material. He would then attempt double backs into the corner!

… He had a famous teammate, Charlie Pond, who later coached at the University of Illinois.

World Acrobatic Society