Finally.
I’m amazed it’s taken so long to get this confirmation of an investigation, if not an Inquiry.
Elite sport is the best place to start. No doubt resulting regulations will be applied to all competitive sport.
Category: ethics
NCAA Coaches Well-Being Study
In Women’s Artistic Gymnastics, being a full-time NCAA coach is just about the best job in the world.
KJ Kindler makes about $555,000+ / year, for example.
I doubt she’d leave NCAA coaching for any other job. 😀
A study published January 2023 looks at how NCAA coaches are supporting student-athletes … while also caring for their own mental health.
What impact do changes in recruiting and roster management during the pandemic have on their jobs?
What support is desired by coaches to help them navigate the challenges they and the athletes on their teams face?
Over 6,000 head and assistant coaches across all three NCAA divisions answered a short survey …
Oklahoma 2023 Champions
So close.
- Oklahoma 198.3875
- Florida 198.2375
- Utah 197. 9375
- LSU 197.5259
Many feel Florida could have taken the title with judging that better separated the best from the very best.
BUT we are stuck with the silly NCAA boxed high scores of 2023.
Is NCAA Gymnastics broken?
One article has been widely circulated recently ➙ College Gymnastics is broken: Virality, inflated scores and unwritten rules are the name of the game
I dismissed it instantly after reading one phrase:
“A sport which had remarkably consistent scoring for two decades and established norms, is being demolished by a younger cadre of judges assessing scores based on the new, unspoken rules of the sport. TikTok has taken over the mats.“
Scoring has been bad and not consistent over the past 2 decades.
But here’s the gist of the article:
- overinflation of scores across the country favored teams with Olympians
- scores are UP drastically even from last season
- there is a push for routines to go viral (e.g. Katelyn Ohashi floor)
Steve Arkell and other coaches responded:
- level of gymnastics has risen, therefore the scores have gone up as well, as they should.
- level 9/10 developmental scores have risen as well over the last few years.
- going away from the 10 scoring system would not solve the problem
- going to the FIG system of scoring would close the door to many good level 10 athletes and greatly raise the injury rates due to pushing difficulty for a higher score.
- fans love higher scores
- attendance is higher than ever
- TV ratings higher than ever
- Championships tickets sold out
Objectively speaking NCAA Women’s Gymnastics has never been stronger.
Certainly judges should face more scrutiny over awarding impossible scores. And rules should continue to be tweaked ongoing to try to better separate the best of the best.
Nastia Liukin, Kohei to Hiroshima
Japan’s Kohei Uchimura will be among 10 current and former gymnasts from seven countries who will visit Hiroshima ahead of May’s Group of Seven summit to send a message of peace, International Gymnastics Federation President Morinari Watanabe said Wednesday. …
Women’s 2008 all-around Olympic champion Nastia Liukin of the United States and Britain’s Giarnni Regini-Moran, the reigning men’s floor exercise world champion, are among those who will take part in a series of events organized by FIG. …
Kohei Uchimura among 10 gymnasts to visit Hiroshima before G-7
Mai Murakami, Marcel Nguyen, Aljaz Pegan.
FIG still allows “single point of failure” equipment
In an era with redundancy in all things related to safety, why does FIG certify equipment where failure of one link in a chain can result in the apparatus falling?
Jalon Stephens walked away. This time.
related – FIG – single point of failure
Giving Trans Kids a Sporting Chance
As throughout history, somewhere less than 1% of children are born transgender. It ranges from <0.1% to 0.6%.
Of course those children should have an equal right to participate in everything, including sport.
Each competition sport will have to have rules accepting children into either boys or girls divisions.
Sport New Zealand recently released guiding principles for the inclusion of transgender people in community sport. Trans young people in Aotearoa experience considerable health and wellbeing disparities, as a result of stigma, discrimination and violence. They face challenges within their own families, at school, in medical settings and in their wider communities.
Engagement in sport has positive effects for psychological and physical wellbeing, academic performance, and sense of belonging, and can be a source of passion – a strong protective factor for mental health. …
Giving trans kids a sporting chance
I was excited to see Cat Runner win a new reality TV show. 10 amateur climbers competing for a cash prize of $100,000 and $100,000 prAna sponsorship.
It was impressive as Cat does not have much reach. He’s the short guy in the blue jacket.
It helps to have long limbs for rock climbing.
Cat identifies as transgender, one reason he’s a climber — an activity where gender doesn’t matter.
Finally — I’m disappointed with politicians and deplorable who are today trying to win votes, make money, and accrue power by targeting transgender kids and other minorities. Attacking some of the most vulnerable people in society.
That’s despicable.
Jordan Chiles. All class.
And a great teammate.
Jade Carey and Jordan Chiles reveal training plans for return trip to Olympics
The two Tokyo 2020 Olympic medallists have each excelled in their sophomore campaigns. In a month, they’ll turn their attention to a return trip to the Games.
RUS will not compete Europeans
I understand the argument that some athletes suffer when their governments are banned from internationals sporting activities.
And I feel badly for those athletes.
That said, it would be even worse for the world if RUS and BLR were allowed to compete in Paris.
British Gymnastics – ‘Leap Without Limits’
Building on their Reform ’25 progress, British Gymnastics wants to put positive experiences for ALL at the heart of the sport.
The Vision at a glance:
- A significant step towards delivering genuine lasting and positive change in gymnastics
- Puts positive experiences at the heart of the sport
- A united approach across all home nations, shaped by the gymnastics community
- Recognises benefits gymnastics can provide for individuals, communities and society
- New vision has received backing from within and beyond gymnastics
Gymnastics Coaching.com 