Author: Rick Mc

Career gymnastics coach who loves the outdoors, and the internet.

Iowa Men’s Gymnastics cut after this season

Letter from Bruce Harreld, President and Gary Barta, Director of Athletics:

…  In consultation with the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, we have made the decision to discontinue four of our varsity sports programs at the conclusion of the 2020-21 academic year: men’s gymnastics, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, and men’s tennis.

Each of these teams will have the opportunity to compete in their upcoming 2020-21 seasons, should the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 permit, before they are discontinued at the varsity level. …

All existing scholarships will be honored through graduation for those student-athletes who choose to remain at Iowa.  If a student-athlete wishes to transfer to another institution, we will assist them in every way possible.  In addition, we will continue to provide academic and mental health support as requested.  The contracts of affected coaches will be honored. …

related – Iowa becomes first from Big Ten to cut sports amid pandemic; Wisconsin Badgers not planning to follow

training trunk flexion

This will help with shaping on future skills.

Click PLAY or watch it on Instagram.

former gymnast Rea Kolbl crushed Eco-Challenge Fiji

Rea Kolbl competed for Slovenia until age-17.

Now age-27, she’s is a professional Obstacle Course Racer.

With no Adventure Racing Experience, Rea was asked to join Team Canada Adventure for the Eco-Challenge Fiji race now airing on Netflix.

First time in a major AR, Rea is already one of the top competitors.  #respect

A great athlete. Sure.  But Rea also has bachelor’s degrees in physics and astrophysics at Cal. And a master’s degree in science and engineering from Stanford.

Click PLAY or watch an inspiring 2017 feature on YouTube.

 

 

 

 

Training for Club Owners / Managers

Zander Arthur is offering an online course.

Good timing as we reinvent our Gyms following COVID-19 lockdown.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Details here. $349

related – Metzger’s Boot Camp costs about $2199 but is not being offered right now due to COVID.

Black Lives Matter athlete roundtable

Erynne Allen (Penn State ‘20), Sierra Brooks (Michigan ‘23), Alexis Brown (UC Davis ‘18), Darian Burns (Seattle Pacific ‘20), Dymiana Cox (Penn State ‘22), Kytra Hunter (Florida ‘15), AJ Jackson (Oklahoma ‘18), Zahra Lawal (Seattle Pacific ‘20), Nya Reed (Florida ‘22), Paige Williams (Minnesota ‘20) and Gabryel Wilson (Michigan ‘23)

Floyd’s murder was the flash-point that ignited impassioned protests throughout the United States, with millions of voices screaming for justice and demanding equity for Black citizens. Social media quickly became a hotbed of emotion, and NCAA gymnastics programs were not immune.

The content of the teams’ responses—both official and unofficial—was heavily scrutinized, with many drawing harsh criticism from the gymnastics community for being too generic or too anemic. …

Black Lives Matter: Shining a Light on Racism in NCAA Gymnastics

Which teams were able to use the words “Black Lives Matter”, and which were forced to use weasel words workarounds?

#GymnastAlliance update

It’s not easy to keep up, on different social media, with gymnast statements from around the world.

Fortunately, GymCastic has been doing that for us.  And updating each week.

Listen to episode #437 Lineup Racism?

performing on a spinning platform

I got dizzy just watching this.

Choreographer Yoann Bourgeois – “Celui qui tombe” (He who falls)

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

(via Kotke)

hmm – Helen Hu v Chellsie Memmell

Tough one.

Helen is the Beam dream.

Click PLAY or watch it on Instagram.

Click PLAY or watch it on Instagram.

 
Helen was featured on the University fan sports photo of the year.

Danusia Francis on improving Gym culture

Back in training for next summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo following quarantine, British-based Jamaican gymnast Danusia Francis is also devoting her energy to helping change the often-abusive culture of gymnastics brought to light in part by #gymnastalliance, an online movement launched in her native England. …

DF: The #gymnastalliance movement was an idea of (2012 British Olympian) Jenni Pinches.

… Jenni came up with the statement with the idea to show solidarity and that we do not stand for any kind of abuse in gymnastics. …

I also believe I am an example that you can achieve your goals within a nurturing happy environment instead of this culture of abuse that many gymnasts had to endure.  …

DF: I feel that if a gymnast isn’t happy at their club right now, then the best option would be to change clubs. There are many great coaches out there. You do not have to tolerate a negative experience …

Jamaica’s Francis: ‘You Do Not Have To Tolerate A Negative Experience

The secret agent: Danusia Francis