Author: Rick Mc

Yesterday’s Qualifier, held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, was the final qualifying event for the 2010 U.S. Championships that will be held August 10-14 in Hartford, CT.

Senior Division

Jesse Silverstein (USDGC) – 88.10 (96)
Alex Buscaglia (Stanford) – 86.30 (82)
Danell Leyva (Universal) – 87.70 (77)
Alexy Bilozertchev (USOTC) – 85.85 (74)
Andrew Elkind (USOTC) – 86.90 (70)
Kyson Bunthuwong (Golden Bear) – 86.30 (68)

read more on Stick It Media

Andy Thorton posted praise for the 19-year-old:

… The most notable point to me is the fact that he scored an impressive 54.7 in execution – an almost unheard of tally these days. That’s an average of just over a 9.1 in execution on all six events…and if you look a little closer, you’ll note that this is exactly why he won, since his total D-score was nearly three points lower than Leyva’s (and Leyva had a lower D-score on both pommel horse and p-bars than he normally does).

In today’s D-score dominated world, it’s really nice to see impeccable execution actually pay off the way the code is designed for it to …

read more – American Gymnast

… absent from the Qualifier but not already eligible for USAs: Injured Olympians Sasha Artemev (back) and Kevin Tan (forearm); former National Team member Sho Nakamori, on the mend from 2009 knee surgery; and two-time World team member Sean Golden, who tore his Achilles just days before last year’s USAs. All could still attempt to advance to USAs via petition. …

read more on Inside Gymnastics

Junior Division

Daniel Potemski (Cypress) – 82.50
Kevin Baker (Queen City) – 80.80 & Wyatt Aycock (Orlando Metro) -80.80
Alex Bubnov (Surgent’s Elite) – 80.80
Joe Peters (Parkettes) – 79.75
Cale Robinson (Premier) – 79.35
Michael Strathern (Bartlett’s) – 79.30

Working with Google, I found out this site truely is hacked. I’m tracking down the offending code right now. It should be healthy within a day or two.

Some days ago this site was “hacked”, the offending files quickly removed.

Seems some readers are being warned. No worries. I’ve tested it with Exploit Scanner software. It’s clean.

My favourite gymnastics competition anywhere.

Feb. 25-28, 2011

… jot those dates down on your calendar. Meet Director Dave Adlard is planning the best GWGF yet. Details TBA.

official website – Great West Gym Fest

This from the U.K. …

Two out of three schools are rewarding all pupils on sports days to ensure that nobody feels left out, according to a survey.

Teachers want to be ‘inclusive’ and give prizes to both winners and losers to stop anyone’s feelings being hurt.

The findings come as the Government has pledged to reintroduce competitive sport into the country’s primary and secondary schools. …

read more in the Daily Mail

Personally I’ve never been conflicted on this issue.

In school, gym and life we should recognize and reward both participation and winning.

The two aren’t mutually exclusive.

At Island Gymnastics Academy Camp, for example, all athletes get the camp t-shirt. A few were singled out for their excellent work that week.

No problem.

Being both a good winner and loser is a lfe skill we can easily teach through sport.

Elite Gymnastics Stars posts articles something like The Onion.

At first glance you’re not sure whether they are real … or FAKE.

This one for example:

Maine gymnastics coach forces students to perform on 18-foot-high balance beam

“It teaches them to pay attention,” says Clint Murdoch

(BATH, MAINE – JULY 7, 2010) – Gymnastics coach Clint Murdoch doesn’t believe in hitting his girls when they perform badly. He never kicks them out of the gym when they throw tantrums. If they gain weight, he wouldn’t think of recommending they go on a diet.

Murdoch doesn’t hand out any of the punishments coaches normally come up with to keep their girls on the straight-and-narrow. He doesn’t have to.

Murdoch, who owns Murdoch Gymnastics Academy in Bath, Maine, has found a better way: a balance beam set 18 feet off the ground. …

… “Girl shoots off her mouth? Up the ladder. Elects not to get to workout on time? Up the ladder. Can’t stay up on a beam that’s a measly four feet off the ground? Up the ladder – and you can bet she’ll stay on the one that’s eighteen feet in the air.” …

read more – Elite Gymnastics Stars – Going up the ladder in Maine

There’s much more content on that site. … You need a sense of humour, though.

A double mini-trampoline is smaller than a regulation competition trampoline. It has a sloped end and a flat bed. The gymnasts run up and jump on to the sloping end and then jump on to the flat part before dismounting on to a mat. …

Wikipedia Double mini-trampoline

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Google images.

CoverGirl Classic July 24 in Chicago.

VISA Championships Aug. 10-14 in Hartford, Conn.

CoverGirl is the last qualifier for VISA Championships. USAG posted the 75 Junior and Senior gymnasts expected to compete. Texas has by far the most competitors of any state.

Don’t be surprised if some of the big names already qualified to VISA’s withdraw. They won’t compete if not ready.

In addition, the Challenge Division competition, featuring up-and-coming gymnasts goes on Friday, July 23 and Sunday, July 25 in Chicago. Looks like a great weekend!

Gymnastics Examiner has a terrific CoverGirl preview.

Gymnastike will be in Chicago. Click through for videos of most of the competitors.

The Senior division is scheduled to be aired live on Universal Sports at 7pm on July 24th.

2008 Olympian Samantha Peszek shares her top ten reason why kids should get involved in gymnastics.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

The Pythons impressed at the Calgary Stampede Prelude Parade on Friday, July 9th!

Here’s Jenni Chong flying. Photos posted by Kimberly Blais on Facebook.

Personally, I think they should cut Dan.

The Pythons train out of Altadore Gymnastics in Calgary.

by site editor Rick McCharles

Here’s a glimpse of training at a 4 day camp in St. John’s, Newfoundland July 5-8, 2010.

Boys age eligible for Canada Winter Games 2011 and 2015 were invited.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube .

That’s Cygnus Gymnastics, a terrific facility located above and over-looking a large grocery store.

If interested, visit the home page of the camp for more information.