You get the feeling the Cardinal is destined to win Championships at home April 17-19th. Certainly they are the team to beat. I say this despite their upset loss this weekend to cross town rivals Berkeley. (Stanford was missing Sender and Nakamori who were training at the Olympic Training Center.)
With the wonderful NCAA College gymnastics schedule in full swing, a sad documentary about College hazing is being completed.
The trailer to the film is streamed on this page:
A documentary concerning the death of Chi Psi pledge Lynn Gordon Bailey, Jr. (Gordie) due to a hazing incident held near CU Boulder. A documentary about the crisis facing America: young people are dying in increasing numbers due to alcohol abuse. A documentary that takes a hard look at lifestyles of young people within America’s Universities, Sororities and Fraternities.
But I have never feared to send our gymnasts off to College in the NCAA.
University athletes away from home for the first time tend to be very focused on academics and their Team. I’ve always been impressed with how well they are taken care of by College coaches and support staff.
Damien’s definitely a superb tumbler. (22nd at Worlds in Quebec City 2007, I believe.) And his latest parkour / martial arts / gymnastics showreel is the best thing I’ve seen in weeks. Funny, original, well-edited:
Seems Damien’s also won the Olympics. How about that?
The 2006 Olympics on Beam. Here’s the proof. (You may want to close your eyes when he gets to his signature skill, the “Walters”. It’s every girl’s worst nightmare.)
The most detailed overview yet of the main candidates for the US Women’s Olympic Team. Well worth a read.
I don’t agree with many assumptions made about the selection process which will be used by Martha Karolyi and the committee. Trust me. Their motivation will be to put the team on the floor who can hit the highest A-start routines. Confidence and consistency will decide it.
… Less we repeat the mistakes of 2004, Martha Karolyi should keep all doors open for Kupets and Postell to return to elite competition. Although she says she won’t try, Kupets is in fantastic shape and has upgraded bars, beam and floor. Prior to her announcement, Kupets was training routines with 7+ A-scores on bars and beam that were designed by Kelli Hill.
If NCAAs are successful, don’t be shocked if either makes a late bid. Kupets would only have to add her toe on+ tkatchev to her NCAA bar routine. Her bid is more likely than Postell’s because of her long history of good favor with USAG, her mental toughness, competitive consistency, leadership, and prowess on the Uneven Bars—USA’s weakest event.
Both girls are hesitant to try, which is likely due to wariness about their political standing with USAG. Sacramone was discouraged from competing in the NCAA and the national team staff is unlikely to name two team members who have forgone the traditional camp system. Kupets’ bid was curtailed after she was unable to secure an academic waiver for a lightened course load. In 2004, Kate Richardson benefited from UCLA’s quarter system, which allowed her to withdraw from her courses after the NCAA Championships.
This yet-to-be-released book should sell a kerzillion copies. In the Olympic year.
It’s written by Jennifer Sey, ex-Parkette gymnast. Recall the name?
At her first major international meet, the 1985 World Championships, Jennifer Sey fell off the uneven bars and broke her femur (one of the bones in the leg). At the time, she was not being spotted by her coach because the official rules prevented coaches from being on the podium during routines. As a result of this injury, the rules were changed to allow spotting (though not at Olympic competition).
“Chalked Up pulls no punches…Sey’s writing is brilliant…offering perceptive psychoanalysis of everyone in her isolated world…Chalked Up is proof that she still has alot of guts.”
— International Gymnast
“She has eloquently and fairly exposed a dark side to our sport that parents have long needed to be made aware of.”
— Dominique Moceanu, Olympic Gold Medal Winning Gymnast
Gymnastics Coaching.com 