Author: Rick Mc

This is Sidney Crosby, the best player in Ice Hockey today.

… In 2010–11, Crosby sustained a concussion as a result of hits to the head in back-to-back games. The injury left him sidelined for ten-and-a-half months. …

Crosby, Concussions and You

… Here, at the elite Neurotrauma Impact Science Laboratory, researchers led by Blaine Hoshizaki are reconstructing a hit similar to Crosby’s first one to establish the relationship between helmet performance and how concussions occur. …

Hits to the head: Scientists explain Sidney Crosby’s concussion

There’s never been a more studied concussion injury. Crosby is a beloved God come to earth in Canada.

… A survey showed the NHL averages 51 to 89 concussion per year …

Concussion, repercussion

Sid returned on November 21, 2011 against the New York Islanders, scoring two goals and two assists in a 5–0 shutout win. Smart move his team waiting until they were sure he was healthy.

Sidney should have been taken out after the first of his two hits. But athletes want to get up and keep fighting. Coaches and medics need intervene.

The same thing happened at World Championships 2011. Yusuke Tanaka had an obvious concussion on Floor in prelims, yet his team coaches and medical staff kept him in the meet. Dr. Michel Léglise for FIG and meet medical officials made no intervention.

Has there been any follow-up on Yusuke?

I know he opted out of All Japan Championships.

related:

• Sidney Crosby’s concussion a teaching tool

• Canadian Press – A timeline of Sidney Crosby’s concussion and recovery

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Discovery Channel visited Syd the Kid’s doctor to see how he was treated. Unconventional therapy — spinning in a gyroscope.

Watch it here. It starts at 1min 20sec.

Unproven science, be aware.

Thanks for the link George.

I often think the huge American competitive program should produce rare talents from unexpected places. Yet surprisingly few clubs in 2011 want to try, and are able to develop, athletes for international competition.

For Junior and Senior Women’s National Team:

All 32 National Team Members Come from Only 19 Gyms

Half (50%) of the National Team Members Come from Only 5 Gyms

… WOGA Gymnastics, Cincinnati, Gymnastics Great American Gymnastics Express (GAGE), Legacy Elite Gymnastics and Texas Dreams …

About a quarter come from the Dallas/Ft.Worth area.

There are just a handful of coaches producing most of the National Team. Most have immigrated to the States.

Those stats come from a post on Gymnastics Zone – US National Team Elite Gym Stats

The list is already out of date. Nastia (WOGA) and Amanda Jetter (Cincinnati) were re-named to National team recently, but it only makes the concentration of top talent even more obvious.

Triple Twist has an interesting post – USA’s Olympic Team- Why They’ll Make It And Why They Won’t

Of the candidates currently on National Team, a half dozen are deemed long shots because they “lack international experience“.

The American Women’s Gymnastics program rarely competes internationally. As a result, girls like Kyla Ross and Kennedy Baker are unlikely to be selected for London.

… On the other hand, Marta took young, inconsistent and inexperienced Gabby to Tokyo — and she ended up 5th (57.6570) all-around. 🙂

The Olympics are a much bigger deal than Worlds. Marta will be far less likely to name a no name.

Bottom line = It’s time American gymnasts started competing more internationally, especially National Team members.

Not only that — they need more experience on actual podium. China has one set up full time.

The man wins Tokyo World Cup by more than three points.

2. Philipp Boy
3. Daniel Purvis (89.631)
4. Shogo Nonomura (89.237)

Here are the final World Cup points standings:

1. Daniel Purvis, GBR, 130 points
2T. Mykola Kuksenkov, UKR, 115 points
2T. Philipp Boy, GER, 115 points

details on Examiner

Kohei will be one of the most anticipated Olympic Champions in any sport 2012.

From Peter Wraae Marino, a coach in Denmark:

This site is created to help coaches, gymnasts and parents to better understand what drills and skills gymnasts should work on and how to progress …

The site is free, but we do need you to register (FREE) to get full access.

Peter’s adding new content ongoing starting at the beginning. There are 30+ drills like this posted, so far.

Objective

Build a trust relationship between coaches and their gymnasts.

To get the gymnast comfortable doing drills above floor height and to reduce the gymnasts fear factor.

To teach the gymnast to tighten their body and maintain it through out the drill.

It’s a variation on a “trust fall“.

To see full posts for yourself, register here.

Or you can check the content without registration at TumblingDrills.com

The site has an RSS feed so — using a Reader — you could be notified every time he adds a new drill.

Peter is a game programmer so has tools to do those cool graphics. The site is very well formatted, too. I’m impressed.

Instances of physical and sexual abuse of gymnasts are rare. Kids are less at risk in the gym than at school, for example.

The real ‘abuse’ that worries me in competitive gymnastics is psychological abuse. Some coaches are manipulators.

It’s difficult to prove in many cases, however. The bruises aren’t visible.

Keep an eye on any coach you suspect of bullying.

Amy tells that EuroRSCG Chicago, USA made that image. See others similar on this page – verbal abuse is still abuse

It’s easy to crash. Bad.

via icanhascheezburger

Funny.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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Of course there are already discounts for buying more than one book at a time. The best deal, I think, is Flat Rate Priority Mail shipping for 3-6 books in the USA fixed at $15.00. … Or 3-6 books overseas for $45.

Thank to Wellness Press for advertising on this site. And for giving us first notice of the Christmas special.

The ever thoughtful Mark Folger’s response to multiple stories of inappropriate behavior toward children from coaches in college football, gymnastics and college basketball in the popular media right now:

TEN STRATEGIES FOR PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN (and their good coaches)

1. A coach should never be alone with a child, not before practice, not after practice, not during travel.

2. Coaches and athletes should never share hotel rooms when traveling.

3. Coaches should not provide special treatment to one or two athletes compared to the rest of the team. This could be trips to movies or ballgames, gifts, etc.

… see the rest and Mark’s commentary on FOLGER’S GYMNASTICS

All good reminders.

Your biggest looming potential landmine is Facebook. Tweets, chat and Facebook messages from 2011 will be used as “evidence” in courts of law for years to come. In a few of those cases, coaches will be wrongfully accused.

Put things in perspective. In my city female gymnasts are the most protected children in their schools. Over-protected more often than under-protected, I’d say.

related – Missouri Repeals Law Banning Teacher-Student Facebook Friendship