Maggie Haney’s NY Times interview

If you are not a subscriber, there’s a copy on The Morning Call:

If she could travel back in time, before she was suspended from gymnastics after being accused of berating and mistreating her athletes, including an Olympic champion, Maggie Haney says she would change the way she coached. …

… “Maybe what used to be OK is not OK anymore, and maybe it shouldn’t be. I think maybe the culture has shifted.” …

Haney said the accusations against her — particularly those from Hernandez, whom she coached from age 6 — had come out of nowhere, and she vehemently denied them.  …

Riley McCusker, who has a good chance of making the U.S. team for the Tokyo Games, filed a lawsuit against Haney last month. …

A gymnastics coach accused of emotional abuse speaks out: ‘I cared too much’

Aside from Maggie’s friends and some former gymnasts, most coaches I talk to feel the penalties decided by USAG were harsh but appropriate.

Spencer had the most entertaining reaction to the interview.

Read Stephanie Ventura’s response – An Open Letter to the New York Times Regarding Gymnastics, Abuse, and Sub-standard Journalism

College Gym News preseason poll

Assuming there is a 2021 season, the fans at CGN compiled a top 36 list.

The official preseason coaches poll for 2021 on Road to Nationals hasn’t been posted yet.

1. Florida (11 first-place votes)501
2. Oklahoma (3 first-place votes)488
3. Michigan464
4. Utah461
5. UCLA448
6. LSU443
7. California420
8. Denver399
9. Minnesota389
10. Alabama388

top 36 teams for the 2021 season

why lock-up youth sports?

The #1 complaint I’m hearing from coaches.

There have been no COVID super spreader events in Gymnastics clubs, yet (in some areas) riskier venues are allowed to stay open.

Churches. Shopping Centres. Bars. Etc.

Gabby at Buckeye

Ah, back in the day.

When FloGymnastics posted this to YouTube, free for all, I was keen to see if it included Gabby’s Bars double twisting double layout.

It’s not there.

That was a FUN skill she worked if and when she got through the Bars workout with time remaining.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Rhythmic Gymnastics Europeans 2020

Russia, Bulgaria, Italy and Spain were some of the nations that did not compete.

Linoy Ashram became the first non-Russian European champion since 1997 with victory in Kyiv.

  1. Linoy Ashram (ISR)
  2. Alina Harnasko (BLR)
  3. Anastasia Salos (BLR)

In another historical first, Turkey won the team competition.

  1. Turkey (tiebreaker)
  2. Ukraine
  3. Azerbaijan

Schäfer sisters speak out

Pauline (2016 Olympian) and Helene Schäfer publicly spoke up about abuse they experienced during their gymnastics training.

They gave an interview to Spiegel.de alongside Sophia Steurer, Lisa Hill, Isabelle Marquardt, and Rosa-Lynn Schmitz detailing psychological and emotional abuse by the coaches.

gymnovosti

Melanie De Jesus Dos Santos – Bars

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

And it could be higher.

Click PLAY or watch it on Twitter.