Author: Rick Mc

A sell-out crowd of over 15,000 college gymnastics fans look on in Alabama’s Coleman Coliseum as the Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs compete.

GemGemz

More information on the meet – Clash of the Titans

Morgan Dennis won the All-around. Georgia defeated Alabama 196.625 to 196.000.

The most interesting aspect of the Women’s NCAA is how hugely popular the top teams are. How can we extend this to age group gymnastics?

I’ll be attending Chicago Style (4000+ competitors) next weekend. Lets see what kind of audience they draw.

If you are planning on attending one of the major North American camps, register early to get the week you want.

The excellent bilingual camp in Quebec — GymRep — is already full.

Coach Robert Majeau tells me they still have space in Cheerleading, the first year they’ve offered it. But gymnastics is FULL. With a waiting list.

GymRep – English home page

Related posts – Camps Category

If there is such a thing as a “good” serious injury, it’s a complete Achilles tendon tear.

Alexis Greene – University of Arizona

… “She’s phenomenal,” said senior Karin Wurm. “It’s definitely been inspirational for every person on the team, from the seniors looking down at her and for the freshman to see someone who had had such an extreme injury – tearing your Achilles’ – which for many people is career-ending and to come back and to be so strong is awesome. …”

Wildcat Online

Far from being “career-ending”, most gymnasts recover very well.

Adam Wong, Canadian Olympian, is on the comeback trail, as well. And looking good to qualify for Beijing.

Every coach knows someone who has had this injury. It must happen to gymnasts and tumblers more than in any other sport.

I have no data at all. But, seems to me, it is happening less frequently than in the past. Leave a comment if you have any statistics on this.

I still have not seen the “ideal” Yurchenko (video) hand mat.

But this one is quite good:

Utah

At the same competition — Utah vs Arizona in the NCAA — this mat was used:

Arizona

Obviously both worked.

But I prefer the first which gives the gymnast more visual information. And which might, on average, keep them straighter on to the beat board. I like a narrow mat because it encourages the gymnast to do a traditional round-off rather than “over turn” the hands.

Leave a comment if you have used and like another type of hand mat.

The annual fund-raising competition in support of American Collegiate gymnastics is coming up in a month. Registering competitors in this meet helps support an important cause.

In 1969, there were 230 men’s collegiate gymnastics teams in the United States. Today, there are 20 NCAA teams and approximately 15 college club teams. Simply put, this trend needs to be reversed. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of the gymnastics community to effect a positive change. That includes parents of current gymnasts, alumni, clubs, vendors, etc.

The MIGS Program was founded in 2002 for the purposes of ensuring continuation of existing men’s collegiate gymnastics programs and bringing additional programs on line.

We are working to:

• Ensure we don’t lose any more programs.
• Re-establish some former programs.
• Establish some new programs.
• Create an endowment fund of $50 million to ensure the continuation of men’s intercollegiate gymnastics.

Since founding the MIGS Program, we have discovered that people all over the country feel this mission is important enough to make a financial contribution. During the first year of operation, we received donations ranging from $5 to $2,000. Contributions came in from individuals, clubs, State Coaches Associations, State Judges Associations and various businesses. A typical contribution from individuals was $120 while the typical donation from clubs was $300. The geographic origin of these contributions was widespread, from all corners of the country and many points in between.

In order to complete this mission, we need your support.

Details on how we can help.

Another MIGS option is the Pacific Coast Classic, Oakland, California Feb. 21-23, 2008.

Blythe on the Gymblog featured one of the NCAA Champion Georgia gymnasts. One often overlooked in the company of so many other fantastic teammates.

I’m embarrassed to say I also did not instantly know the name.

CLICK PLAY or watch Tiffany on beam at the 2008 UGA GymDogs Sneak Peak.

… Like Kupets, Tolnay has extremely clean lines and both seem to have the same measured, athletic way of moving that seems both fluid and staccato at the same time.

It seemed the only reason Tolnay, who was fourth in the beam final in 2006 didn’t get a comparable score to Kupets was because she went up first. Since then, she’s continued to put up high numbers for the Gym Dogs, finishing fourth in the all-around at the 2007 NCAA Championships, just as she did in 2006. …

Tiffany Tolnay, Gym Dog in the shadows

Thanks Blythe. I will be cheering for Tiffany from now on.

Got a last minute ticket for the big top touring show Kooza playing tonight in San Jose, California.

Whoo Hoo.

KOOZA tells the story of The Innocent, a melancholy loner in search of his place in the world.

KOOZA is a return to the origins of Cirque du Soleil: It combines two circus traditions – acrobatic performance and the art of clowning. The show highlights the physical demands of human performance in all its splendor and fragility, presented in a colorful mélange that emphasizes bold slapstick humor.

Cirque du Soleil – photos, video, details

PS

Cast members from The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil at The Mirage in Las Vegas will perform live at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, February 10th at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Someone having fun with Photoshop.

source – flickr – skywalk over the Grand Canyon

Canadian National Team Member (25th AA at the last Worlds) Casey Sandy was one of the main contributors to Penn State’s NCAA Championship win at home in 2007.

Gymnastics Canada

In 2008, Casey is off to a great start. He’s ranked 1st All-around in the NCAA as of Jan. 28th on GymInfo. (David Sender and Sho Nakamori of Stanford are right behind him.)

Penn State head men’s gymnastics coach Randy Jepson has high praise for one of his most unusual recruits.

Casey’s is a great and inspiring story. Read about it here: An All-Around Anchor

This weekend. One of the most important invitational competitions of the year.

WOGA Gymnastics (formerly World Olympic Gymnastics Academy) will be hosting the 11th Annual WOGA CLASSIC, a women’s international gymnastics meet, February 2-3. …

Over 800 athletes are entered including 38 elite athletes from the US, Australia, Canada, Russia, Ukraine, Japan, Mexico and the Netherlands. Some of these elite athletes are in contention for places on their country’s Olympic Team for 2008. Gymnasts from seventeen states will be joining local and Texas gymnasts competing in all levels this year. …

… Carly and Nastia will be on hand Saturday from 4:00-5:30pm and Sunday 12:00-2:30pm to sign autographs immediately prior to the Elite Session. …

For WOGA CLASSIC meet information go to www.woga.net