Author: Rick Mc

To some it seems that Great Britain came out of nowhere to now be seriously considered a medal threat in Team at the London Olympics.

Not so.

They’ve won the past two Jr European Championships. And plan to win their 3rd in series in Montpellier, France.

Click PLAY or watch some highlights on YouTube.

1. Florida – 197.525
2. Georgia – 196.825

FloridaRon:

… Georgia rocks on bars. I love the half-twists and direction changes and connections. Florida fans were actually cheering the Georgia bar routines. …. Bravo to Georgia for some of the best bars work in the country.

2. Clearly, Georgia’s Achilles’ heel is floor. …

Georgia’s weakness is particularly evident competing against the Gators:

Randy Stageberg – 1/1-in, pike out
Alaina Johnson – Arabian
Marissa King – double layout
Kytra Hunter – double layout

Florida normally does the most difficulty. This year may be the same story.

Aligator Army:

… Many think that Rhonda Faehn’s gymnastics team is poised to take this year’s title and earn the program’s first-ever national championship.

I know. You’ve heard this all before. Florida’s gymnastics team is a fine top-tier program. The Gators can compete against the best programs in the nation, but just can’t seem to get over that final hump and bring a title to the Gator Nation. After all, only four different programs have won an NCAA women’s gymnastics national championship since the NCAA introduced it as a championship sport in 1982.

… It’s all there for the taking.

It’s up to the Gators to seize it.

Could Florida’s Gymnastics Team Win Its First National Championship in 2012?

Georgia has the best College training gym. Florida, perhaps, the worst in the SEC.

But that’s changing by the end of 2012. The expanded gym will feature:

… high-definition video recorders and monitors at each workout station to allow the coaches and athletes to receive instant feedback on practice routines similar to what the National Training Center features.

The new facility will also have seating and an observation deck for recruits and their parents when on recruiting visits.

Gator Zone

Many suspect that competitive female gymnasts risk loss of self esteem from failing at a seriously difficult sport.

But is that true?

SELF-ESTEEM AND TRAIT ANXIETY IN GIRLS PRACTICING COMPETITIVE AND RECREATIONAL GYMNASTICS

by Donti O., Theodorakou K., Kambiotis S., Donti A.

I found this study difficult to read, but here’s the gist of what I got.

They assessed 161 female competitive and recreational gymnasts (10-12 years old), looking for differences between competitive and rec in these two areas:

1) self-esteem
2) trait anxiety

… there was no difference in most of the subscales of self- esteem (athletic competence, physical appearance, behavioural conduct, and global self-esteem), except for the subscales of scholastic competence, and social acceptance, which had lower values for the competitive girls.

Competitive gymnasts did report more ‘anxiety’ than did Rec kids.

Read the full study (PDF) for yourself.

That comes from Vol. 4 Issue 1: Science of Gymnastics Journal.

Those findings don’t mean much to me as a coach. Competitive kids are normally higher achieving kids. Mild anxiety might be a good thing. A motivator.

This girl, a competitive gymnast, will almost certainly gain self-confidence from participating in the sport.

Dwight Normile presents the case for how David Sender could make the American Olympic Team:

… Sender hurried back for the 2012 Winter Cup to place sixth all-around and regain national-team status. He also placed second on vault and third on rings. And though he didn’t throw the Yurchenko-double pike he unleashed in 2009 (he did a Yurchenko-2.5 twist), he’s training 17.0 and 17.2 vaults.

“I have to be a little more conscious of my age now,” said Sender, 26. “And that vault is a really big vault. And even when it’s done really well, it’s still a tough landing to take.

“I think a 17.00, at least, on vault for me — I don’t know if it would make or break my case, but I think it would help quite a bit,” he says. …

Sender knows the U.S. is still weak on pommel horse and rings, and said he’s been training pommels twice as much as any other event.

“I can cover rings (for the team) just fine — I think everybody knows that,” he said. “So in my head, obviously pommel horse is the ticket. …

read more

Alicia Sacaramone is more of long shot. Andy Thornton compares her situation with Courtney Kupets who came back to qualify for Olympics 2004:

Could Alicia Really Do It? A Realistic Look

It’s time for the About.com Readers’ Choice annual awards.

Finalists in 10 categories have been determined based on the nominations received. Vote for your favorite:

Men’s and Women’s NCAA teams
Leotard and Grip Brand
Gymnastics Club and Camp
Male and Female Gymnast
Gymnastics Website and Twitter Feed

Vote now.

This site is in the running. 🙂

She’s the first Canadian woman to compete two double layouts in the same pass.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Facebook Fan page – Emily Smith

She’s coached by Denis Vachon. The 2007 World Championship Silver medalist is back out-of-retirement, if you’ve not heard. Great athlete, great coach.

Check Denis’ Facebook Fan page, too.

He’s training 1/1-twisting triples and quad-twisting doubles on DMT.

Shout out to all 2,100 gymnasts at the sold out Pink in Philadelphia.

They are there for a good cause — breast cancer prevention and awareness, wellness education, and raising funds to support Unite for HER.

PinkInvitational.com

Capital City Gymnastics Club from Canada is there. They raised $7000, motivated, in part, because their Head Coach is fighting Breast Cancer.

Thanks Taren Hirsche.

Next week Portugal hosts one of the biggest Acrobatics Gymnastics events ever, more than 400 athletes.

Two competitions held together at Maia, in the North of Portugal.

• Maia International Acro Cup 2012 (6th edition)
• Maia FIG Acro World Cup

Almost $15,000 prize money.

This is one of 3 World Cups, the other two to be hosted in Germany & Russia.

Acrobatic Gymnastics will be getting a big boost this summer. Britain’s Got Talent winners Spelbound will perform in the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony.

Thanks Lourenco Franca.

Sacramone is the only female gymnast who can challenge top male gymnasts for HEIGHT.

Simone Biles has big time DISTANCE on this monster from WOGA Classic.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Compare with our World Champion.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

USA is by far the strongest nation in the world on Vault.

A belated Gymnastics Valentine story out of New Hampshire:

Watching her team defend its state championship with a decisive win made Saturday a pretty stellar day for Chelsie Veilleux, Pinkerton Academy’s gymnastics coach.

Then it got even better.

As fans waited for the final trophy presentation, Veilleux’s boyfriend, Jason Burland, took the microphone and told the packed gymnasium at Salem High School what was on his mind: “I said … how much she means to me and how I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her if she would have me.”

Then he dropped to one knee and popped the question: “Chelsie, will you marry me?”

Veilleux said she had no inkling of what Burland planned to do. “When I’m at meets, I’m really focused on the team. I don’t really notice anything else around me,” she said.

And she has no idea what he actually said to her Saturday, she admitted later; she’s going to have to watch the videotape to take it all in.

“I was so stunned,” she said. “I didn’t know what to do.”

“Then my assistant coach reminded me I was supposed to say yes.” …

Marriage proposal follows gymnastics championship