Category: ethics

cost of J.O. Gymnastics training

Parents from North America are sharing their stories on the Chalk Bucket forum:

Level 3 over $5000 / year for tuition/comp fees/leo/etc. (not including travel expenses, spectator entry fees, practice leos, medical fees if she happens to get injured, and thousands of hair ties).

Level 3 $3000 / year. Same girl by level 7 $7000 / year.

Level 4. $7,000 / year. That does not include travel expenses, leotards, grips, etc….

$7-10,000 / year everything included.

Level 7-8. $7500-8000/year. This excludes any entrance fees or meet travel fees, etc. …

At level 9/10 it is very easy to spend above $20k a year

Level 10 around $25k / year

A mom at our gym put it succinctly – if you just put the money you spend on gymnastics from pre-team to Level 10/Elite, your son or daughter would have more than enough money to go to any college or university in the country by the time they turned 18. It is definitely a labor of love, there is very little ROI, even for those who get recruited to compete in college.

Read more – Give it to me straight!

One coach showed me a budget for the career of an Olympian. Cost was over a million dollars thought the parents only paid a small percentage of that.

paying for a Judging appeal

‘Rule of Two’ in Canada

The goal of the Rule of Two is for organizations to always have two screened and National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) trained or certified coaches with an athlete, especially a minor athlete, when in a potentially vulnerable situation. Vulnerable situations can include closed doors meetings, travel, and remote training environments.

Implementing the Rule of Two means that any one-on-one interaction between a coach and an athlete, both on and off of the field of play, must take place within earshot and view of the second coach, with the exception of medical emergencies.

One of the coaches must also be of the same gender as the athlete. …

Canadian Sport Information Resource Centre

Nassar chill

Tony Retrosi is on the road. A long series of Congress events, Camps and competitions.

Talking to many coaches here’s one of his observations:

Because of the current climate of fear within the gymnastics community many new coaches with energy and ideas are NOT getting involved and many experienced coaches are getting out of the sport early.

Read more on GymMomentum.

I’m sensing some of that same doom and gloom in western Canada regarding the future of our sport, but it’s not nearly as severe.

Tom Forster is the USAG HP Director

Kerry Perry:

“When considering this very visible and important leadership role in the women’s program, I believe that whoever filled this role had to have a training philosophy that is aligned with transforming to a culture of empowerment that encourages, supports and hears our athletes,” said Perry …

“…. Based on the feedback from the coaches, athletes and interviewing panel, Tom was the obvious choice.

Tom is well-respected and recognized throughout the community as a leader, both technically and as an incredible motivator, with a positive coaching philosophy,” said Perry.” …

“I am humbled and excited to accept the position of the high-performance team coordinator for women’s gymnastics,” said Forster. “The responsibility of motivating and guiding our current and future elite athletes, and their coaches, is not one I take lightly.  …

“I believe in coaching through inspiration not intimidation,” said Forster. …

USAG

Good luck, sir. You are taking on a big job at a very difficult time.

Rhys McClenaghan training in his yard

The Commonwealth Games gold medallist left his club when his coach Luke Carson was given three weeks’ notice. Rhys has a World Cup competition coming up.

Rhys’ club claims the decision was financial.

Read Rhys’ statement.

Watch the BBC news report.

attention potential NCAA recruits

If a football prospect wants to be recruited by Nebraska coach Scott Frost, he should know that the Husker staff will comb through his social media history checking for character.

“And I’ll tell you this right now — if there’s anything negative about women, if there’s anything racial or about sexuality, if there’s anything about guns or anything like that, we’re just not going to recruit you, period.

Piece of advice for you — what you put on social media, that’s your résumé to the world. That’s what you’re trying to tell the world you’re all about. That’s how you’re advertising yourself. Be smart with that stuff.”

Omaha.com

good luck to the new USAG Board

At its June 20 meeting, the USA Gymnastics Interim Board of Directors confirmed the election of the new Board of Directors that was seated at the conclusion of the Interim Board’s meeting.

Additionally, each of the five competitive disciplines has chosen its two representatives to serve on the newly created Programs Council. …

USAG

Perhaps someone on the new Board could look at the mishandling of the Alex Naddour complaints.

Patti Komara’s Safety Statement

Patti posted some details on their Gym Staff safety policies. In fact the staff recites them twice a year, just to be sure they’ve been covered.

That’s included in her 64-page handbook that all employees sign after reading.

Alex Naddour suspended

Suspended pending Hearing.

https://twitter.com/USAGymSafeSport/status/1009549704529567744

Olympic medalist Alex Naddour suspended by USA Gymnastics after sexual misconduct charges