Author: Rick Mc

The Couch Gymnast has an important post called JAPAN ON THE RISE …

She highlights a somewhat unknown super talent from Japan who finished second all-around behind the unbelievable Viktoriya Komova, (who just might be the best gymnast in the world right now).

Natsumi Sasada is like the Japanese Women’s Artistic team, under appreciated and under rated.

Click PLAY or watch Natsumi Sasada’s beam on YouTube. (Superb layout Garrison mount!)

… Natsumi Sasada comes from a gymnastics family. Her mother is Yayoi Kano, a gymnast who was on five Japanese World Championship Teams. …

read more – JAPAN ON THE RISE …

Great headline posted by Gymnastics Examiner:

The NCAA has officially approved canning the six team NCAA Gymnastics Championship final in favor of a sleeker four team format, which is more TV friendly, The Salt Lake Tribune reported earlier today.

Some, including several prominent NCAA gymnastics coaches, also believe that a four team final will help casual gymnastics fans follow the action better than the Super Six format, which was first implemented in 1993.

…

Of course, the new team championship format, which will debut at the 2011 NCAA meet in gymnastics-neutral Cleveland, can’t be called the Final Four (the reason is a copyright issue with the NCAA basketball tournament of the same name.) So the hunt for a catchy new title is on. At the 2009 J.O. Nationals, which followed the yearly NCAA Coaches Conference, a few took to calling it the “Flipping Four” (go ahead and groan).

Under the new rules, 12 teams will still qualify to the NCAA Championships, but only the top four (the top two from each of two sessions) will advance to the team final. …

read more on Gymnastics Examiner – Bye bye, Super Six. Hello, Final Four

If it doesn’t work, I’d expect to see a return to the 6 Team Final.

By “work“, I mean, help secure live TV coverage of the Team Final in the next couple of years. That’s the main goal of the change.

Nathan Blair was a Horizontal Bar / Floor specialist with the University of Iowa from 1999-2003.

You can see some video highlights on YouTube. He competed Def from age-16 to age-23, rarely missing the regrasp.

One College season he never missed a single routine on pipe.

Since then Nathan has been coaching and performing all over the world. Sea World San Diego. Acrobatic shows on cruise ships. And more.

Click PLAY or watch Nathan on YouTube.

Coming up is a gig on the world’s largest cruise ship — Royal Caribbean’s $1.2 billion Oasis of the Seas.

… Facilities rival the best on land. The 1,380-seat main theater features a thrust stage, and entertainers perform aerial acrobatics. The AquaTheater pool has a hydraulic floor that reaches nearly 18 feet at its lowest depth and underwater cameras. …

Sounds great!

I should stop being surprised each time he makes a comeback. This guy could continue for many, many years.

Romanian Nationals 2009 Event Finals

Click PLAY or watch his vault on Gymnastike.

Gymnastics Videos on Gymnastike

KOMOVA leads the AA by 3.70 points. Yeesh. She scored 59.80.

WAG full results (PDF)

MAG full results (PDF)

International Gymnast commentary – Komova, Yoshioka Best Juniors in Yokohama

IRANIAN junior gymnasts will be competing in both Artistic and Rhythmic gymnastics competition in Malaysia from Sept 24 to 27.

As you can imagine, it can be a cultural dilemma to have female athletes from Islamic countries wear the required leotards.

In fact, some Iranian female athletes have fled the country in order to further their sport training. Perhaps that’s only part of the reason they leave. Improving their economic prospects is likely just as important to them.

related post – sportswear for the Muslim gymnast

Nice.

Retired Maryland gymnastics coach Bob Nelligan recently headed south to the island of Bermuda to take the job as the head coach of Bermuda’s national team. Nelligan retired last spring from Maryland after over 30 years of coaching in College Park. …

Maryland Gymnastics

by site editor Rick McCharles

For most ethical issues in coaching, I have a strong opinion.

But I don’t know what to think about 18yr-old Caster Semenya, the 800m World Champion in Athletics.

… The young athlete’s coach has already resigned. But at the centre of the storm remains Semenya, a confused teenager with a God-given talent to run, regardless of her plumbing, voice pitch and testosterone levels. After appearing in You magazine all dolled up in sequins and makeup, the runner has entered seclusion and is reportedly in counselling after having her gender identity questioned worldwide. …

National Post – Caster Semenya: Could the story get any weirder?

The details of her particular story are complicated. There are a number of ethical issues aside from whether or not it is fair for her to race as a woman.

Leave a comment if you have an opinion. I need advice.

The Science of Sport has several articles on this controversy if you want to do some reading.

Thanks George for sending in the story.

posted by Inside Gymnastics on Twitter:

Shawn Johnson returns to her alma mater, Dancing with the Stars as a special corespondent for E! starting tonight at 8PM ET.

If Australia is not for you, consider this interesting opportunity:

Cygnus Gymnastics Job Posting – Full-Time Competitive Head Coach

Closing Date: October 31, 2009

Cygnus Gymnastics Training Centre is Newfoundland and Labrador’s largest and fastest growing Gymnastics club, located in the heart of St. John’s, Newfoundland. We are seeking a full-time Head Coach to lead Cygnus into a bright future. If you are a strong leader with demonstrated skills (both on the gym floor and off), and who eats, sleeps and breathes gymnastics, we would love to hear from you.

Cygnus boasts a brand new, state-of-the-art training facility stocked with Spieth Anderson equipment, including a 40’ x 40’ spring floor, in-floor foam pits, in-ground trampoline, and a 40-foot Tumble Trac. As a financially stable non-profit organization, Cygnus is managed by an Executive Director who reports to a volunteer Board of Directors.

Salary will be commensurate with experience, education and certification. Cygnus offers a competitive benefits package, and RRSP options.

more details

For details email jhogan AT cygnusgym.com

Cygnus Gymnastics Training Centre