Author: Rick Mc

by site editor Rick McCharles

Right now College Men’s Gymnastics in the USA is on a death spiral. In 1982 there were 79 teams. What can be done to save the current 17 teams? … This is one in a series of posts.

#1 Increase the fan base at each of the MAG schools:

Illinois-Champaign (Big Ten), Illinois-Chicago (Eastern Intercollegiate Gymnastics League), Iowa (Big Ten), Michigan (Big Ten), Minnesota-Twin Cities (Big Ten), Ohio State (Big Ten), Penn State (Big Ten), Springfield (EIGL), Temple (EIGL), U.S. Military Academy (EIGL), U.S. Naval Academy (EIGL), and William and Mary (EIGL).

California-Berkeley (Mountain Pacific Sports Federation), Nebraska-Lincoln (MPSF), Oklahoma (MPSF), Stanford (MPSF), and U.S. Air Force Academy (MPSF).

Several of the women’s College teams have somehow managed to accomplish it.

I asked then Cal coach Barry Weiner in 2008 how to save NCAA Men’s Gymnastics. He told me each school had to take care of their own team. Not to count on any outside help.

His team was cut last week.

What men’s teams have actually tried seriously to grow their fan base?

Who has the highest attendance in 2011?

Leave a comment if you have an opinion on how to grow the audience for Men’s Gymnastics.

related – Gymnastics Examiner – How to better market men’s NCAA gymnastics?

Posted by International Gymnastics Camp.

Click PLAY or watch it on Vimeo.

Leave a comment if you know what that’s about.

IGC has a gorgeous video called Poetry posted on Facebook.

Gymnova has some free software where you can design a gymnastics gym.

I tried the online version on a Mac. … Fail.

I didn’t try the software download.

Here’s the link if you want to give it a go. Gymnova – Create your gymnasium in 3D

Leave a comment if you’ve tried it.

One thing I like about competitive cheerleading is the number of choices coaches and kids have in what competitions to attend.

There are a number of companies and organisations operating independently, many in the USA. If you don’t like one, switch to another.

Choices are a good thing. Though some are safer than others.

But it’s the The International Cheer Union, listing nearly 100 member nations, that applied for recognition by the International Olympic Committee.

Now they are in negotiations with FIG and SportAccord, the former General Association of International Sports Federations. Another step in the long road towards being recognized as an Olympic sport.

What do you think? Could Cheer get into the Olympics, one day?

The ICU WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS will be held again in Orlando, April 27-30th, 2011.

The International Cheer Union currently encompasses 91 National Federations from countries across the globe. Every year the ICU host the ICU World Championship. Unlike the USASF Worlds, this competition uses Level 6/ Collegiate style rules. Countries assemble and send only one team to represent them.

… A dozen speakers from the USA, Great Britain, Belgium, Greece and Australia will be welcomed to the FIG Head Office in Lausanne, February 18 – 19, for a Scientific Colloquium, the conclusions of which are anticipated by the entire international gymnastics community. …

FIG

Organized by Keith Russell, of the FIG Scientific Commission, Dr Adam Baxter-Jones will chair.

Dr. Dennis Caine, Dr. Gaston Beunen, Dr. Robert Malina, Dr. Rob Daly, Dr. Alan Rogol, Dr. Richard Lewis, Dr. Neoklis Georgopoulos, Dr Neil Armstrong, Dr. Michel Leglise, etc. …

Many of the most important researchers in the field.

Nobody can claim FIG is ducking the issue of what intensive training does to kids. Respect.

NCAA Schedule | CollegeGymFans.com | Friday WAG NCAA |

CONGRATS, guys.

MAG AA medalists: Kal Nemier, BC – Silver; Simon Porter, ON – Gold; Mathieu Csukassy, QC -bronze

Facebook: 2011 Canada Games by Grace Chiu GraceClick

Simon:

… “Competition was really good. I hit 6 for 6 routines today,” said Porter.

“I held all my strengths on rings and I nailed almost all my landings on floor.”

When asked how the flu virus, that assailed both he and his Ontario team-mates, affected his performances, Porter said: “It took away a little bit of bounce in my skills but my head space was pretty good. …

CWG blog

International Gymnast:

In Wednesday’s men’s finals, Simon Porter (Toronto Gymnastics International) took the gold medal with a 2.25-point margin of victory. Porter was the 2008 Canadian novice champion.

Kal Nemier won the silver for British Columbia. Nemier is coached by Romanian-born Vali Stan at Flicka Gymnastics.

Mathieu Csukassy, a member of Quebec’s gold medal-winning team from Monday, won the bronze. …

All three men’s medalists are 17.

“Gymnastics to me is the best thing out there,” all-around champion Porter said in his Canada Games official biography. “It has taught me the value of respect and in working hard for your goals and to never get down on your self if you fall short of them. Also chicks dig back flips.” …

read more on IG

full results

Why didn’t anyone name me in the latest Discussion – Challenging Kohei

More than any gymnast of the past decade, Japan’s Kohei Uchimura has mastered both the technical and artistic sides of the sport. …

… could there be someone out there who might upstage him this year?

Continue reading on Examiner.com: The Discussion: Challenging Kohei

Click PLAY or watch his Kovacs + salto in training on YouTube.

If someone gets close, Kohei’s got upgrades on many apparatus to add, if he needs. And he seems to be able to do anything in competition, when he tries.

More likely Kohei will be able to emulate 2008 Olympic champion Yang Wei, … only do as much as he needs to win.

Dave sends this message sent to Cal Gymnastics Forever supporters …

“If you have not already heard, Cal Men’s Gymnastics & Baseball were not reinstated.

Women’s gymnastics, lacrosse and men’s rugby were reinstated.

I am just as disappointed as you are all. I have been in contact with the heads of the baseball fundraising effort and they are just as committed as ever to keep fighting this and gymnastics is as well. So I ask all of you to please keep the faith and that we are not done fighting this by any means.

Our strongest weapon right now is to keep the media pressure on and to keep raising money via pledges. We will be working side by side with Save Cal Sports so please email the following people with why you want be sending them money until all 5 sports are reinstated.

Chancellor Robert Birgeneau- chancellor@berkeley.edu

Vice Chancellor Frank Yeary- frankyeary@berkeley.edu

Athletic Director Sandy Barbour – athletic.director@berkeley.edu

Cal Gymnastics Forever

And a link to the Cal women’s response by Head Coach Cari DuBois.

I was copied the email that went to Cal Gymnastics Alumni from legendary coach Hal Frey:

To all gymnastics enthusiasts I want you to know that I and a few other individuals are very involved in trying to reverse this cruel act by our Chancellor and A.D. Sandy Barbour. I will try to give you a synopsis on what happened and what may happen:

1. the rules of the game originally was that all five sports would raise a certain amount of money or all five sports would be dropped

2. The money was to put in a pool and shared in the fund raising.

3. Each sport was to raise money with their sport fans, followers, parents, etc.

4. Our Gymnastics supporters pledged over $900.000 and more pledges still filtering in

5. The sports that survived (Rugby and women Gymnastics and Lacrosse did not do a good job of fundraising but somehow they were bolstered by Rugby who seemed to have money from previous fund raising drives. In exchange they received Title Nine benefits and were reinstated.

6. I would recommend hanging tight on pledges and do not give up on our status. Baseball is very angry and seeking every avenue to be reinstated. They know that the campus is viewing their field and if dropped it will be snapped up .

7. Doing our best with the current Gymnastics team would be the ultimate rebuttal to what Sandy Barbour has done.

8. We have a fine team and they work hard and deserve our support and they are improving with each meet.

9. I was hoping for a one win over Stanford and we already have two wins over them. WE need at least one more.

10. you can write to any of our local newspapers expressing your dissatisfaction with the change of plan at the last minute on the five programs being divided and ignoring the original plan for fundraising and reinstatement …

I am A little Sad now but hope to cheer up for better days!

The fight goes on.

Which school will be next to face elimination?

Cal is only one battle in the bigger war that Men’s Collegiate Gymnastics is losing.