Year: 2011

FIG:

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 …

details

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.

Inventor (French Jet Ski Champion) Franky Zapata explains how. He calls it the “Flyboard”.

It gets pretty technical after 2min 40sec.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. (French)

$9000

(via Get Outdoors)

Double Front’s Kristal Sergent Boulden visited the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in Oklahoma:

… The IGHOF website describes its library collection as “extensive,” “second to none,” and “perhaps the largest gymnastics library in the world.”

And yet when I visited the IGHOF, there was no library collection. A staff member told me it was possible that materials were stored in an onsite archive and were not out for display. I am still waiting to hear back from museum staff about what items comprise the library collection.

Aside from the library collection, the IGHOF exhibit is surprisingly underwhelming. …

read more on Double Front

Kristal volunteers to help, if asked.

official site – ighof.com

That’s not the International Gymnastics Federation Hall of Fame, of course, but rather the “International Gymnast magazine” Hall of Fame.

Paul Ziert, CEO of the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame, has promised their Board will look at Kristal’s recommendations.

Leave a comment if you’ve been there.

related – Kristal’s photos & video from IGHOF

FIG posted NOMINATIVE ENTRIES (PDF) for the Olympic Test Meet in January. Don’t get too excited about those — they’re only 7 (tentative) names on paper. Teams have not yet been selected.

The Canadian Men were 12th in Tokyo and plan to have an even better meet in London, clinching one of the 4 remaining Olympic team spots.

… Gearing up for the last chance Olympic qualification meet in early January, the team will hold its final training camp in Canada at the Calgary Gymnastics Centre, December 13-20.

Members of the team are Nathan Gafuik of Calgary, Brandon O’Neill and Jackson Payne, both of Edmonton, Ken Ikeda of Abbotsford, B.C., Casey Sandy of Brampton, Ont., Jayd Lukenchuk of Saskatoon and Kevin Lytwyn of Stoney Creek, Ont. …

A final preparation camp will take place in Lowestoft, England with the British team in January. …

Alberta Gymnastics

Lukenchuk was the non-competing alternate in Tokyo, but put up some good numbers last weekend. He’s got a shot.

Kyle Shewfelt will be handling media. Spectators happily welcomed.

related – Chris Brooks and Sam Mikulak will compete London Test Event for USA
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I’ve seen no announcement on WAG Team Canada’s final trial. Kyna Fletcher has been very quiet regarding media since assuming the job of National Team Director. The WAG Selection Camp for the 2nd Olympic Qualification Event is scheduled for Dec. 27th at Centre Sportif, Gatineau, QC.

Not open to the Public.

I’m keen to see which gymnasts are invited. And not invited. I notice Brittany Rogers is listed on the nominative list for Canada — not that I’m getting excited about that, yet.

Leave a comment if you know more on WAG trials.

Going for Gold linking to China Daily:

Lord Coe visits the Chinese gymnasts

“Welcome, all of you, to London, We have lots of gymnastics fans in Britain, and you will be great draw there.”

Coe said one of his goals is for the London Games to be athlete-centered.

“We have built the best athletes’ village for you – athletes are always the most important people,” he said.

It’s good to see Cheng Fei as part of the group, even if, like Shawn Johnson was in her return to training, she seems to be the only one not in a leotard!

Going for Gold

… Sebastian Coe (center), chairman of the organizing committee for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, laughs with Olympic gold medal gymnast Yang Yilin (left) and Paralympian Lin Furong at the British embassy in Beijing on Sunday. …

China Daily

Yin finally gets the spotlight at the Gala following the Mexican Invite last weekend.

Funny.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Yin Alvarez is the Coach that Roared, stepfather to Danell Leyva.

Funny to Canucks will be Gerber and Peng Peng’s routine done to … Hockey Night in Canada. (VIDEO)

One of the most decorated gymnasts in Arkansas history, Casey Jo Magee has joined Dave Kuzara’s coaching staff at Western Michigan and will serve as an assistant for the Broncos during the 2012 season. …

Following her collegiate career, Magee was a student-assistant on the Razorback coaching staff in 2011, helping Arkansas to a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. Magee also entered senior international elite status, having qualified and competed at the American Classic, U.S. Covergirl Classic and Visa Championships. …

Magee will again train for the Visa Championships, to be held in St. Louis this summer, as an all-arounder. …

WMU Broncos

Making the rounds right now, an oldie but a goodie.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

2012 Olympic hopeful John Orozco has decided to go pro.

Orozco, one of the top U.S. men at the 2011 Worlds (5th all-around, 2nd all around after team prelims) made the decision to give up his NCAA eligibility — and future scholarship opportunities — in order to accept prize money and fees for appearances.

“It was a pretty tough decision for me, but I’ve finally made up my mind,” Orozco tweeted Sunday …

Examiner

Good move. John’s young. Good. Likeable. He could be on National Team for the next 10yrs, easily enough time to earn more than he would have by taking an NCAA scholarship. Much more time than the WAG girls.

Good for John. Bad for the NCAA. He would have been a big draw in Collegiate competition.

Are you one of those?

Gymnastics Zone:

… Can you quit taking yourself so seriously? Can you quit taking the fun out of the sport?

Gymnastics is Inherently Fun – Don’t Mess It Up

Yes, the fun. That innate quality, that the sport of gymnastics had before you were ever involved in it. Flying through the air, flipping and twisting is what drives those young gymnasts through the doors of the gyms of America. …

… Look around. How many fifteen and sixteen year olds do you have in your gym? Why? …

read more on this topic – A Rude Welcome to Coaches …

The number of older girls in a gymnastics club is a very good indicator of whether or not the gym has a positive coaching culture.

related – Gymnastics Zone – Why Coaches Should Stop Yelling at Their Gymnasts