Author: Rick Mc

How many Olympic Champions turned out to be great coaches?

Not all that many.

It’s great to see 1980 Olympic Champion Yelena Davydova coaching a wonderful gymnast, Kristina Vaculik from Canada.

Yelena was one of the coaches on the Floor when Canada took the silver medal as a team at Pacific Rim. Kristina finished 6th all-around. (58.425)

… Davydova said that, although the Canadian women did not qualify as a team for Beijing, their performance in San Jose indicated potential for the next Olympic cycle.

Vaculik, who will turn 16 in July, may well be part of the next Olympic cycle, as well. …

Davydova said the Canadians’ team silver medal will benefit not only Vaculik, but the next generation of Canadian talent.

“For the future, it gives us confidence that we can do well,” Davydova said. “It will give confidence to the whole team.” …

Behind the Scenes: Pacific Rim Championships by John Crumlish on IG

Here’s Yelena stretching another one of her prominent gymnasts from a few years ago, Sarah Deegan:

Gemini Gymnastics

Watch Elena’s bar routine from over 25yrs ago on YouTube.

Just before the 1980 Olympics, Romanian Head Coach Béla Károlyi named Davydova as Nadia Comaneci’s main rival for the Olympic title. (Ahead of Shaposhnikova.) Nadia finished 2nd, tied with Maxi Gnauck of East Germany.

That victory must have been bittersweet for the very modest Davydova. Those Games were boycotted. And her friend Elena Mukhina was paralysed in a training accident during a National Team Olympic training camp the same year.

Yelena Davydova – Wikipedia

Related post: International Gymnastics Hall of Fame inductees 2007

Did you see the media coverage new study on gymnastics injury in the USA?

… USA Gymnastics believes some of the points made in the study are misleading. The study is based on injury information that was entered in an emergency room database from different hospitals, which means there is little consistency in what may have been classified as a gymnastics-related injury.

Also, the study did not differentiate whether or not the injuries occurred in a proper setting with appropriate supervision. In addition, the study represented participation numbers at 600,000, which represents those who compete in events, rather than the 4-5 million recreational and competitive participants cited in some industry surveys. Although it was not featured prominently in media reports, the study documented a 25 percent decrease in gymnastics-related injuries during the period of the study and that 97 percent of the injuries were treated and released. …

read the rest of the USAG Press Release

Me thinks they protest too much.

The study is not perfect. But few coaches deny that gymnastics is a dangerous activity.

The message from USAG should be: Keep your kids safe. Send them to a USAG affiliated program. Search out experienced, competent USAG affiliated coaches.

broken wrist from gymnastics – original – flickr – Dave Parker

Please leave a comment if you’ve got an opinion.

PS

Let’s not gloss over the fact that the coach education non-system in the States is far inferior to any other developed gymnastics nation. The mandatory safety certification for professional members is not nearly enough.

In sadly Socialist Canada, for example, we have mandatory coach training called the National Coaching Certification Program. It’s not great. But our NCCP is far better than the hodge podge of coach education schemes in America.

by Rick McCharles

I fly to California today en route to the Men’s Championships at Stanford this coming weekend.

Here are the teams qualified:

The top 3 from each session (left column and right column) in preliminaries will fight it out in the Super 6 Final.

All year I’ve been predicting #1 ranked Stanford will win. Gymblog’s calling a battle between three schools: Stanford, Oklahoma and Penn State.

And what about #4 Cal Berkeley. They do wonderful gymnastics, for sure. But does Cal have the depth to win a team title?

The judging requirements are so demanding in the Men’s NCAA that it’s easy for disasters to happen. I’m expecting a close and thrilling finish in the Team competition.

HEY, the Platt Brothers from San Diego qualified for finals. Thanks to those like you and me who logged in online to vote.

Their comedy troupe is up for KIIS FM’s “best unsigned artist and music video” based on internet votes. The wnners get $10,000 and perform LIVE at Wango Tango in LA.

Their acrobatic rap video submitted for this contest.

If you like their video, click through to vote for The Platt Brothers. You can vote up to once a day starting April 14th.

Cheetah posted the lyrics.

For all of you out there who spent your childhoods in a sweaty, chalky gym doing endless conditioning and loved every minute of it!!

Facebook Group

I just joined. The name of the group gave me a laugh.

Thanks Caitlin Downie, Dalhousie.

USA Gymnastics has now taken over management of all official Regional Congress events. Formerly many were run independently of USAG.

At Region 2 Congress last year, still independent at that time, many of the most experienced session presenters told me they expected quality to decline. And sessions to offer less variety.

We shall see.

The purpose of regional congress is to provide education to the teachers, coaches, judges and gymnastics business owners of the region. Education and training enable everyone to effectively and professionally serve in the development of the young gymnasts across the country. The regional Congresses also serve the gymnastics community by providing an opportunity for networking, socializing and building professional relationships. Each Congress is tailored to the specific needs of the Region and under the direction of the Regions Chairman. Your attendance supports your region!

Region 1 – August 22-24 – Santa Clara, California

Region 2 – October 10-12 – Portland, Oregon

Region 3 (Men Regs. 3 & 9) – July 18-20 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Region 4 – July 11-13 – Coralville, Iowa

Region 5 – Sept. 26-28 – Indianapolis, Indiana

Region 6 – August 15-17 – Burlington, Massachusetts

Region 7 – Hosting 2008 National Congress and 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Region 8 – July 18-20 – Jacksonville, Florida

USA Gymnastics

Related post: big mistake – USAG taking over Region 2 Congress

If you are going to Philly, order them online soon. The Women’s competition and Finals could certainly sell out.

June 19 to 22 at the Wachovia Center …

Two-day ticket prices are $60 or $120 for the men, $75 or $130 for the women, and $90 or $145 for the finals, plus fees and taxes.

Tickets may be purchased online at Comcasttix.com, by calling Comcasttix at 1-800-298-4200, at the Wachovia Center Box Office, or through participating gymnastics clubs in the area. Visa will be the only card accepted.

Philadelphia Inquirer

(via Shergymrag)

This just in …

Final VAULT
1. Yakubovskyi, Oleksandr (UKR) – 16,300
2. Isayev, Andriy (UKR) – 15,937
2. Hambüchen, Fabian (GER) – 15,937
3. Rivera, Luis (PUR) – 15,875
4. Gafuik, Nathan (CAN) – 15,850
5. Gonzales, Tomas (CHI) – 15,650
6. Nguyen, Marcel (GER) – 15,450
7. Yerimbetov, Yernar (KAZ) – 15,175
… Lesnek Blanik (POL), first after the preliminary round, withdrew due to injury.

Final PARALLEL BARS
1. Li, Xiaopeng (CHN) – 16,250
2. Hambüchen, Fabian (GER) – 15,825
3. Piasecky, Samuel (SVK) – 15,550
4. Tsarevich, Aliaksandr (BLK) – 15,525
5. Petkovsek, Mitja (SLO) – 15,175
6. Tsolakidis, Vasileios (GRE) – 15,000
7. Kierzkowsi, Adam (POL) – 14,650
8. Tan, Kevin (USA) – 13,700

Li Xiaopeng was 2000 Olympic Champion. Looks to me he will be back on the Olympic Team once again, competing at home. One of the greatest champions of all time.

Final HIGH BARS
1. Zou, Kai (CHN) – 16,050
2. Maras, Vlasios (GRE) – 16,000
3. Li, Xiaopeng (CHN) – 15,975
4. Hambüchen, Fabian (GER) – 15,550
5. Kyksenkov, Mykola (UKR) – 15,450
6. Kuzmin, Timur (RUS) – 15,025
7. Konecny, Martin (CZE) – 14,650
8. Bogonosiuk, Nikolay (UKR) – 13,675

commentary on the meet – GYMmedia

Finals Day 2 – World Cup, Cottbus, Germany

RESULTS – Final BALANCE BEAM

1. Xiao, Sha (CHN) – 16,125
2. Li, Shanshan (CHN) – 15,325
3. Chusovitina, Oksana (GER) – 15,300
3. Izbasa, Sandra (ROU) – 15,300
5. Sajn, Adela (SLO) – 15,075
6. Abel, Katja (GER) – 14,825
7. Nistor, Steliana (ROU) – 14,625
8. Weyers, Sanne (NED) – 14,300

Li, Shanshan fell. The Chinese girls were the class of the field.

Xiao Sha – (AP Photo/Matthias Rietschel) – ESPN

RESULTS – Final FLOOR

1. Izbasa, Sandra (ROU) – 15,300
2. Barbosa, Jade (BRA) – 14,625
3. Xiao, Sha (CHN) – 14,500
4. Dos Santos, Daiane (BRA) – 14,350
5. Zimmermann, Yasmin (SUI) – 14,150
6. Koval, Anastasiya (UKR) – 14,125
7. Abel, Katja (GER) – 13,950
8. Myzdrikova, Anna (RUS) – 13,725

Details and commentary on GYMmedia.

Izbasa – (AP Photo/Matthias Rietschel) – ESPN

Sandra Izbasa 2008 Europeans Event Finals – Floor Exercise Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube:

Last night the Regional Championships sealed the deal on the list of teams headed to Athens, Georgia:

1. Georgia
2. Louisiana State
3. Stanford
4. Florida
5. Alabama
6. Oregon State
7. Utah
8. UCLA
9. Michigan
10. Arkansas
11. Oklahoma
12. Denver

I’m booked for the big show the weekend of April 24. Can hardly wait!

My biggest disappointment is not having Nebraska (6th in 2007) there. Injuries and some bad luck plagued the team this season.

LSU

(via Gymblog)