Author: Rick Mc

Career gymnastics coach who loves the outdoors, and the internet.

Eddie Van Hoof may sue for wrongful dismissal

Five months after he was suspended by British Gymnastics, former men’s coach Eddie Van Hoof says he may go to court after he was fired last week by the federation over what it calls “irreconcilable differences.” …

According to The Guardian, Van Hoof stated that British Gymnastics told him he was being terminated because of insubordination toward British Gymnastics Performance Director James Thomas, “bullying” against an unspecified employee and “combative language or behavior” toward unspecified gymnasts. Van Hoof, 61, said he believes the real reason for his dismissal was because of his stance during the athlete contract dispute last year. …

“The concerns began to surface last August,” Van Hoof stated, “shortly after I raised objections to the new world-class performance athlete agreements, which have rightly been a cause of widespread concern for leaving our leading British athletes open to exploitation. I stand by my support of our athletes on the issue of contracts, and I stand by my own conduct and professionalism during my time with British Gymnastics.” …

‘Shocked’ Van Hoof Mulls Options After Dismissal from British Gymnastics

Oklahoma still #1

The team to beat.

Read Spencer’s week 8 rankings:

… It happened. We can’t pretend it didn’t any longer. Florida actually recorded a very strong 197.725 to keep in sight of the other contenders (and was on pace for about a 198.2, the highest score in NCAA), but then Kennedy Baker tore her Achilles in the final routine of the meet …

downward facing dog

Click PLAY or watch it on Instagram. 😃

BEFORE you teach flyaway

Visiting 40-50 gyms a year I see a common dynamic. Young girls doing tucked flyaway with spot off the low rail of Bars.

Fun. Easy. Seems, at the time, to work.

But that’s not the best way to teach flyaway. Instead use a wide range of drills that don’t require spotting. Here’s one set-up I like, appropriate for kids as young as age-5.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

If you don’t have Rings, I’d highly recommend you buy a set. Fitness Rings are very inexpensive. Hang those on a rail at just the right height for your kids.

 

first World Cup medal for India

Bronze on Vault in Melbourne.

For someone who always saw herself as a reluctant gymnast, Aruna Reddy made history on Saturday when she became India’s first World Cup medal winner with a bronze in Melbourne. …

Narayan Reddy, her sports-mad accountant father had other plans in mind. He got her enrolled in an academy in Hyderabad as an eight-year old, but is not around to bask in his daughter’s success today, having passed away in 2010. …

“Every medal I will win is dedicated to my father,” she said. …

Times of India

She trains with Dipa.

One of her coaches, Brij Kishore, is ill.