Category: ethics

Coaching style can reduce injury risk

It makes sense.

A more careful, caring coach who listens to athletes you would expect to have lower incidence of both traumatic and overuse injuries.

We have no definitive data on this, however.

Closest I’ve seen is this article by Dave Tilley:

DOES POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE COACHING STYLE INCREASE INJURY RISK IN ATHLETES?

leotard design rules?

A private Facebook group is discussion possible new USAG rules for leotards.

Have you heard anything about this?

If so, leave a comment.

“New Rule as of August 1, 2019 – no grace period at this time.

1. Acceptable Attire for Athletes
Recommendation to include the following items regarding Athlete Attire in the JO Code of Points, General-6 and the R&P, page 19 under Gymnast’s Obligations, effective August 1, 2019:

a. A backless leotard is described as: “The open area extends past the bottom of a bra line and the open area extends past the vertical midpoint of the scapula, unless the open area is filled in with mesh.” – both must be met to be compliant.
If an area is not compliant, it must be mesh lined. Any cover mesh, including nude and does NOT need to be lined, to be considered compliant.

b. Underwear (including sports bras) should not be visible. Add- (Clear, Nude Bra or coordinating base layer is acceptable.)

c. In addition to a leotard or ankle-length unitard, acceptable attire would include ankle-length tights under the leotard (that match the leotard or are skin tone).

IEC – January 1, 2020 – Elite Level leotards will go to FIG rules

Acceptable solutions are: Nude bra and full body liner would cover any open areas necessary.”

GymCastic is not impressed.

Terin Humphrey on USAG

On May 3rd, 2019, USA Gymnastics new CEO informed me that I was not going to be asked to leave USA Gymnastics.

On May 5th, I was asked to resign by USA Gymnastics leadership even though my position was an elected position by the Athletes Council not USA Gymnastics. Ostensibly because of a Facebook post on my personal page.

Finally on May 20th, the Athletes Council decided to remove me from the position because of the pressure being placed upon them by USA Gymnastics. …

Read her statement on Facebook.

Mai Murakami will not be at Worlds

Mai Murakami is the 2017 World Champion on floor exercise, the 2018 World all-around silver medalist, and a three-time Japanese national all-around champion (2016–2018).

Leaving her off the Worlds team is like leaving Kawhi Leonard off your basketball team. A disaster.

Mai did not qualify to Worlds through the official system. And it sounds like she will not be given any kind of petition to TRY for the team.

Poor planning on the part of the Japanese Federation.

do you find this Gymnastics photo controversial?

The top photo. Not the bottom photo.  😀

Head Coach Greg Marsden used the top photo for a billboard promoting University of Utah Gymnastics in 1993.

Dvora Meyers:

More than two decades ago, a billboard went up in Salt Lake City near the 600 South exit of the I-15. It featured a young woman in repose clad in a sleeveless black leotard, her back to the viewer and her head tilted up. …

The woman on the billboard wasn’t a model but a gymnast on that 1992-93 team, 19-year-old sophomore Aimee Trepanier, whose pose from her floor routine was advertised as a way to sell competition tickets for the then-defending NCAA champions.

But to others in Salt Lake City, the ad was selling something else — sex. …

It’s a fascinating story.

In fact, the University’s athletic director Chris Hill had already decided to remove the billboard ahead of schedule. Utah is a very conservative State.

Click through for the long read.

The Gymnast’s Position

Aimee Trepanier was proud to showcase the pose that started her 1993 gymnastics floor routine in a billboard ad off I-15 in Salt Lake City. But when Utahns looked up, that’s not what they saw.