Author: Rick Mc

Complete change of regime, it would seem …

I hope the gymnasts are all on board.

After days of speculation, new Ohio State men’s gymnastics coach Rustam Sharipov made it official today that Orlando Metro coach Casimiro Suarez and 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Paul Hamm are officially on board as assistant coaches.

We don’t need to elaborate too much about Hamm’s background, of course, but it’s assumed that he will also continue his training on the Buckeyes’ campus. Most recently, Suarez is well known as the coach for JO Nationals AA champions Sean Melton (’11) and Jake Martin (’10). …

read more on Stick It Media – Paul Hamm and Casimiro Suarez Join Ohio State Coaching Staff

There’s a full-time Head Coach, Women’s Artistic Gymnastics, job available in the host city for Nationals 2012. Start date August 1st.

A-Mazing Adventures is located in a fully equipped 28,000-sq/ft gymnastics facility, with one of the largest memberships in the country.

That’s a privately owned gym. Very stable.

Contact Mary Lou Cooke/Tamra-Lin Uhersky
gym.adventure @ sasktel.net

Read an update on what happened at the recent Summer Nationals.

Edmonton Journal – Sehn takes care of business

related – flipnrip.com, a good Diving News site. Or (easier) LIKE out their Facebook page.

When was the last time FIG asked your opinion of the Code?

This is a very positive step forward in getting a set of rules that makes sense.

Wanted!

Gymnasts input for Code of Points.

Lausanne (SUI)/ FIG Office, June 06, 2011: FIG is organising a symposium for WAG, MAG and TRA aiming for future development in Code of Points in these disciplines starting June 17th. Now is the time for you as an athlete affected by the Code to express your feelings and ideas for next four year cycle regarding Code in these disciplines.

Please send me your thoughts, opinions, suggestions, feedback, critic, feelings or any ideas you might have about Code of Points in these disciplines and its future development before 15th of June. The e-mail address is:

athletes@fig-gymnastics.org

I will present your ideas and feedback during the Symposium and believe me when I tell you that gymnasts’ opinions will be highly appreciated when decisions are done!

Kind Regards,

Jani Tanskanen, President of FIG Athletes Commission

Jani, a former World Champion on Horizontal Bar, is a member of the FIG Athletes’ Commission for MAG. And a Technical Director in the Finnish Gymnastics Federation.

This is for athletes, not coaches. Forward this post to any of your athletes who have strong opinion on the international rules.

Thanks Randy McMullen for the link.

From her 59.500 AA performance this past weekend.

Click PLAY or watch Beam on YouTube.

Fangymnastics on Facebook shared. Thanks.

Jessica Dowling has always been a fantastic gymnast. But she’s struggled for recognition. Until now.

All of a sudden the girl not good enough to try out for the Canadian Olympic team is being warmly welcomed by the Dutch.

International Gymnast:

… Dowling said she began her quest to represent the Netherlands after injuries made her unable to compete at the Elite Canada meet last December.

“As a result I was no longer part of the Canadian selection process,” Dowling said. “I then decided to contact the Dutch federation, who put us in contact with the national head coach (Gerben Wiersma). After a successful week of training in the Netherlands with (Wiersma), he invited me to attend the Dutch national championships in order to be eligible for their selection process. We decided to take advantage of this unique opportunity.” …

… read more

Canada makes too many decisions based on RULES, rather than common sense. Too many decisions are made by judges and bureaucrats, not enough by coaches.

The process by which two Canadian girls were chosen for Beijing is a perfect example. It was widely denounced.

… How many coaches are on the committee responsible for selection of the Canadian Team to Worlds, by the way?

Jessica has a ‘little sister’, Melissa. Watch a video montage.

Keeping it FUN for girls age 5-9.

… This workout was filmed in mid-April as the young gymnasts prepare for their upcoming TOP testing and a chance to make the USA Gymnastics TOPs National Team.

Past CGA TOPs National Team members include their current elite gymnasts Amanda Jetter, Lexie Priessman, Amelia Hundley, and many more throughout the years. …

http://www.gymnastike.org/embed/NjE1NDkzNjEz?related=1

Watch more video of Workout Wednesday, Season 5 on gymnastike.org

Good stuff. I like the handstands balanced against the TumblTrak. … But a couple of cautions. Many coaches put little kids too high on the rope, too early. Just because it’s in TOPS testing, there’s no need to require climbing high immediately. There are many alternatives.

And be careful with little ones using free weights. They tend to drop them.

Personally, I don’t do forward / backward limbers with bad form. There are many better alternative drills. The first skill I’d eliminate in the American compulsories is front limber.

One more caution – Coach Howard lays out some of the problems associated with putting too much emphasis on physical ability assessment programs on Gymnastics Zone – TOPs and non TOPS.

… The only 2 female Olympic gymnasts from my region would have scored badly in TOPS. They were very strong, but not flexible.

Joshua Tree Gymnastics Salve is a product being promoted by coaches Ben Hardy and Jason MacDonald.

details – jtreegymbalm.com

Cost is $16 for 50ml. Discounts for buying more units.

Leave a comment if you’ve tried JTree Balm. How is it compared to Udder Balm or (expensive) Vitamin E?

After Canadian Championships in PEI, as usual, Keith Russell scheduled a week of Level 4 National Coaching Certification workshops.

To represent Canada at major international meets, you must be fully certified Level 4. (4 weeks over 2yrs)

This time round, Keith invited Kelly Manjak who’s coached both Men and Women to World Championships.

For a glimpse of what happened at the clinic, Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Kelly is very specific on basics, but not nearly so exacting on high level skills. He’ll spend years working handstand, then expect kids to add Tkachev to their routines within a few weeks.

The course was not videotaped, but I do have some highlights to post over the next couple of weeks.

14.900 on Bars.

She’s a contender.

The lovely Romanain pipsqueak Larisa Iordache has outperformed Russian legend Anna Pavlova at the Slovakian Gym Festival in Trnava this weekend. …

read more on Couch Gymnast

results (PDF)