Category: ethics

in praise of Aly Raisman

Must listen. The new (Nationals 2018) Aly Raisman interview on GymCastic episode 319.

I’m astonished that it’s a 24-year-old gymnast that is the most important voice in critiquing USA Gymnastics. They really should invite her to sit on the Board.

#respect

Yes Mary Lee Tracy did resign only hours after accepting a position with USAG. Mainly, it sounds, as a result of Aly’s negative feedback.

WHAT? … It sounds like she’s unresigned and getting legal advice. 🙁

What a mess.

If you can’t keep track of who USAG is hiring and firing, Spencer has a rundown of what’s happened.

Mary Lee Tracy may decline new job

Mary Lee Tracy replies to Aly Raisman, says she might resign US Gymnastics post

Tracy says “cyber bullying” is hurting her family

Reaction from almost everyone online has been negative. MLT is considered more of a Nassar / Ranch / system defender than was Tom Forster, though he was even more an insider.

Kathie Klages ‘Permanently Ineligible’

Klages was added to USAG’s ‘Permanently Ineligible Members’ list on Tuesday, less than one week after she was charged with two counts of lying to investigators about when she was told of Larry Nassar’s abuse. …

Klages retired as MSU Gymnastics Coach in 2017, after she was suspended for defending Nassar in a meeting.

Kathie Klages expelled from USA Gymnastics

Mary Lee Tracy new elite development coordinator

USA Gymnastics Women’s Program leadership has named Mary Lee Tracy of Cincinnati, Ohio, as the new elite development coordinator. …

Tracy will oversee the developmental pipeline for women’s gymnastics, which includes Hopes, the Developmental Program and the Talent Opportunity Program (TOPs). …

USAG

MLT is definitely qualified. I’m a big fan of the coaching tutorials posted by Mary Lee, too.

On the other hand, the pick is controversial as she’s definitely — like Tom — a part of the Karolyi system. And she’s been more vocal online defending the Ranch.

Still, I get the feeling they are rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

How can USAG survive the coming onslaught of litigation?

Whistler Bounce Tramp facility closing

Pay for Play trampoline parks are far too dangerous, in my opinion.

People should do trampoline under supervision of qualified coaches.

Changes in insurance policies in Canada are driving some out of business.

Unfortunately, Whistler Bounce is one of them. This is the best and safest of any I’ve visited. It was custom built so snow sport athletes could learn flipping and twisting more safely than out on the slopes.

Popular trampoline facility Whistler Bounce was forced to close last month because of a dramatic rise in insurance rates, explains owner John Dunbar.

Whistler Bounce is closing down after almost seven years in business. …

Dunbar said that up until this year, insurance costs stayed relatively stable through the years of operation, at around $16,000 a year. But this year, that figure grew astronomically—to around $100,000 a year.

The decision to close was a “no brainer,” he said. “The decision was made for me. There was no way I could survive.”

According to a recent article in Canadian Underwriter, insurance companies are “jumping out of the trampoline business.” …

Despite their popularity, trampoline parks are not regulated in any jurisdiction in Canada …

Over at the Whistler Gymnastics Centre, however, they are not seeing the same dramatic uptick in insurance, though there have been gradual increases over the last 25 years.

“What’s different is that we have policies and procedures that we must follow, which our insurance covers,” said club director Tami Mitchell. …

Whistler Bounce closes its doors

Thanks James.

Kathie Klages arrest warrant

A former gymnastics coach at Michigan State has been charged with lying to police amid the sexual abuse investigation involving former sports doctor Larry Nassar.

The charges against Kathie Klages were announced Thursday …

Ex-MSU Gymnastics Coach Kathie Klages Charged With Lying to Investigators

why Simone wore teal

The ‘Go Teal’ campaign was started at Michigan State where Nassar was a former doctor. The campaign was designed to give students the opportunity to stand in solidarity with the survivors who came forth to testify during Nassar’s hearing.

Teal ribbons, t-shirts, posters and more covered campus, using the color to inspire a new movement that applauds survivors for their courage. …

Simone Bile Wears Teal Leotard for Larry Nassar Survivors

Simone Biles competes on the balance beam at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Not Just ‘Little Girls in Pretty Boxes’

Rachel Nickens, a doctoral candidate in sociology and a USA Gymnastics coach and judge, spent a year observing training sessions and competitions, and conducted in-depth interviews at three gyms with 20 gymnasts ages 11 to 17 in Junior Olympics levels eight, nine and 10.

The interviews were part of a larger ethnographic study on youth gymnastics. Nickens also drew on data from another 18 interviews with adolescent male gymnasts, coaches and parents.

Nickens will present her study, “Not Just ‘Little Girls in Pretty Boxes’: The Everyday Experiences of Adolescent Female Gymnasts” in Philadelphia at the 113th annual meeting of the American Sociological Association …

… when gymnasts define and explain their athletic participation, they mostly talk about practice, teamwork, the joy of physicality, and the reward of overcoming challenges and fears. While they define themselves as gymnasts, they also define themselves as athletes and students, friends and leaders.”

Nickens said that at the moderately high level, gymnastics might not be all that different from any other sport—both in its rewards and in its challenges.

Despite olympic gymnastics’ woes, sport is mostly positive for teen girls

(link fixed)

There is a group of people I refer to as the burn it all down crowd.

They believe Gymnastics is intrinsically harmful for girls. (They mostly ignore male gymnasts.)

That’s nonsense, of course. There’s no sport which rewards participants as richly in motor and physical fitness. For girls in particular, competitive Gymnastics is a great way to grow up. It seems to me gymnasts are disproportionately successful in later life compared with other sports. The discipline and persistence transfers. Gymnasts consistently get some of the best grades amongst NCAA sports.

As coaches we need maximize the benefits, minimize the risks for all our athletes.

Thanks Jim.

Kyla Ross & Madison Kocian speak out

Both state that USAG has never reached out personally to apologize and/or offer help.

Lawyers must be advising no apology.

You have to agree with Miss Val that the Karoli’s program was a culture of fear. Silence. Winning at all costs.

Watch the entire interview on CBS This Morning.