Category: ethics
Dan Kendig retires after 25 years
The university’s Athletics Department issued a statement Tuesday morning announcing his retirement was “effective immediately.”
Kendig decided to retire Tuesday after he and athletic director Bill Moos met to discuss possible NCAA compliance issues in the program.
Moos said the decision was not tied to any issue involving student-athlete welfare. …
“We had a discussion of some concerns in the compliance area and upon the end of the discussion he said he would choose to retire at this point rather than get into the season a little bit, because it’s just getting started,” Moos said. “Certainly, we honored his decision. It’s an ongoing matter.” …
Moos declined to comment on specifics of possible rules violations or the degree of seriousness.
“The NCAA will establish that,” he said. …
“I have had the great fortune of coaching at Nebraska for more than two decades and have cherished every moment of that time,” Kendig said in the statement. “My greatest memories will be the opportunity to work with so many talented and high-achieving young women who have excelled in the gym, in the classroom and in the community.
“I have worked with many great people at Nebraska and developed countless life-long friendships,” he said in the statement. “I am proud of what we accomplished and have been blessed with great assistant coaches and student-athletes through the years. I want to thank the great people of Nebraska for the wonderful memories.” …
Heather Brink will serve as the Interim Head Coach for Nebraska for the 2018-19 season. An NCAA All-Around champion with the Huskers, Brink has been an assistant at Nebraska for eight seasons, including the past four as Associate Head Coach.
Mary Bono resigns
Mary Bono was a terrible hire. Many red flags.
Best would be for USAG to name a permanent CEO. And not one who is a former Republican or Democratic politician.
USA Gymnastics Board of Directors via email:
The USA Gymnastics Board of Directors accepted the resignation of Mary Bono as interim president and CEO. Despite her commitment to the sport of gymnastics and helping the organization move forward, we believe this is in the best interest of the organization. We, as a Board, are committed to taking action when we believe a change of course is necessary and to being responsive to our gymnastics community.
While we continue the search for a permanent president and CEO and are currently seeking input from key stakeholders on that search, we remain steadfast in our efforts to fundamentally transform the organization at all levels to ensure athlete safety and well-being is at the heart of everything we do. We are also committed to making sure that the focus remains on the athletes – including this week as our men and women head to Doha to compete in the World Championships. While we have made progress, we have much more work to do. This board is determined to take the necessary steps to support a safe, inclusive and competitive environment where all our athletes and members can grow, have fun and achieve their goals.
(via Sarah)
USAG names interim CEO
1. USAG needs a full-time CEO immediately.
2. The interim CEO is a former Republican Congresswoman who instantly ignited backlash from everyone I’ve seen on Twitter.
This is yet another poor decision in a long series of poor decisions. Needless to say, they needn’t bother approaching Nike for U.S. National team sponsorship. Ever.
Shawn Johnson went to regular school
Shawn on Freakonomics:
… My coach was Chinese, born and raised Chinese. When he was three years old, living in China, he was taken away from his family and actually put into their Olympic system. And raised to be an Olympic gymnast in China. And he kind of had this career within the gymnastics world in China that I would say almost traumatized him. He lost his childhood. He kind of lost his family in this trend. This crazy career.
So when he was 21 years old he actually left China, came to the United States, opened a gym in West Des Moines, Iowa, of all places. And had this dream, this American dream, to raise an Olympian or Olympians that were also children and how to balance in life and were fun loving and had a true childhood.
And I was really really blessed to fall under his guidance and his coaching because he let me go to school. I mean not even let me. He kind of demanded that we go to a full day of school. He encouraged us to go to school dances, to go to Dairy Queen after practice. He incentivized us by letting us sleep over at the gym and have popcorn and ice cream. And he just was this fun loving guy.
And I think because he let us have fun as children, but yet pushed us and challenged us at the same time, it challenged us and encouraged us to go farther in the sport. And I feel the intensity of elite athletics, you weed out a lot of people just because you burn them out so quickly. So no, I don’t think the intensity is necessary. I think you need intense training but in small doses, not the 80 hours a week people think. …
(via Steve Arkell)
Simone Biles: speaking out empowered me
So … the criminal doctor is in prison for hundreds of years.
What’s changed?
Will more girls and young women be willing to call out sexual assault and harassment? Are women more empowered in 2018?
I hope so.
Simone’s on prime time BBC TV news in the U.K.
But at the same time the President of the United States has been accused by at least nineteen women since the 1980s. He’s paid women hush money too.
Though initially calling testimony under oath by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford “very credible”, Trump later ridiculed her.
Young women who watched that harsh attack might be less willing to come forward. ☹️
rates of false accusation of sexual assault are very low
For rape, for example, it’s about 2% – 10%.
My guess is that it’s closer to 2%.
The best book I’ve read on the subject is Krakauer’s Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town. What happens to women who report is usually horrific. ☹️
Lisa Mitzel to TOPS Camp
Lisa Mitzel won 4 consecutive NCAA Championships with University of Utah. And went on to coach at Stanford.
Today she’s a psychologist and author of:
“Focused and On Fire: The Athlete’s Guide to Mental Training & Kicking Butt”
“Focused and Inspired: Keeping Our Athletes Safe in a Win-at-All-Costs Word”
Kathy Johnson on USAG
The captain of the 1984 Olympic team has been outspoken for decades on what changes are needed in Gymnastics USA.
… They need someone who is an expert in child safety.
Who is that? Well, it’s not some gymnastics person they’ve just put into a position of overseeing safety. …
INSIDE PERSPECTIVE: KATHY JOHNSON-CLARKE | IN SEARCH OF SOLUTIONS FOR THE NEXT ERA OF USA GYMNASTICS
Gymnastics Coaching.com 