Alecia Ingram was a 4 year National Team member. (1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99)
At various times she trained at Cypress under Deana Parish and Debbie Kaitschuck, at Dynamo, at Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy, with Don Peters at SCATS, and at Parkettes.
In College she competed for Nebraska and University of Florida, finishing in the autumn of 2003.
Alecia recounts a LOT of bad experiences in this sad, sad post.
It’s hard to find the right words to preface my story. Sometimes you just have to let it speak for itself. I am sharing this bc of the brave athletes who have shared theirs before me. It is long. But I believe it’s necessary. #gymnastalliancehttps://t.co/LNmgR1I9ajpic.twitter.com/Q3C5IM1I5C
Suzanne Fisher, formerly of Gymnastics Canada, worked with an organization called True Sport to develop a freeonline module for coaching ethics.
It looks like a Powerpoint presentation where you must sometimes click to move forward. There is some video. A few slides where you must answer questions.
It takes less than 45 minutes to complete.
This is not a requirement of the National Coaching Certification Program in Canada, rather a supplementary module. Canadian coaches who complete it can be credited 3 points towards professional development requirements.
Good and important content.
Go for It
Rise to the challenge – always strive for excellence. Discover how good you can be.
Play Fair
Play honestly – obey both the letter and spirit of the rules. Winning is only meaningful when competition is fair.
Respect Others
Show respect for everyone involved in creating your sporting experience, both on and off the field. Win with dignity and lose with grace.
Keep it Fun
Find the joy of sport. Keep a positive attitude both on and off the field.
Stay Healthy
Place physical and mental health above all other considerations – avoid unsafe activities. Respect your body and keep in shape.
Include Everyone
Share sport with others. Ensure everyone has a place to play.
Give Back
Find ways to show your appreciation for the community that supports your sport and helps make it possible.
The Gymnast Alliance is forcing a reckoning with abusive practices that have long been at the center of the sport.
… hundreds of gymnasts from all over would post their personal stories of pain and abuse to social media using the hashtag.
They spoke of being forced to train and compete on serious injuries; of being publicly shamed for their weight; of being screamed at and belittled for making mistakes in practice.
Press attention would soon follow, with reports on ITV and other outlets. And the #gymnastalliance would soon spread to other countries, with gymnasts in Belgium, New Zealand, Australia, and the Netherlands speaking up about abuse at the highest level of sports there.
Hotlines have been set up; independent inquiries have been promised; coaches have been suspended. …
Beam will be featured in episode 3, but you need a YouTube Premium account to watch episodes 3-6.
In part 2 there’s a serious discussion of the psychological pressure on girls during puberty, as well. Kyla Ross talks about the growth spurt she had after her first Olympics.
The great Vanessa Atler talks about the distress she felt when her coaches started weighing her daily.
Steve Rybacki certainly comes off a jerk.
I went back to listen again to Vanessa’s 2017 interview on GymCastic. Vanessa has many good memories of her main coach, however. She’s forgiven a lot of people from her past.
Cathy Rigby talks about eating disorders, as well.
WHGF provides free and low-cost Gymnastics to underserved communities in Harlem, and Detroit with the mission to empower the lives of urban youth by improving their physical and mental health through gymnastics.
To date, WHGF has made gymnastics accessible to over 20,000 urban youth in NYC. …
As they approach almost twenty-five years in Harlem and five years in Detroit, the foundation allows all kids from every background to pursue a sport that they love and empowers them to want to succeed. …
When asked what words of wisdom she has for those interested in the sport, Ms. Hilliard recommended, “Go for it! Gymnastics can do wonders to your physical and mental health, from flexibility and strength to focus and discipline. These are skills kids can utilize in all walks of life.” …
Rianna Mizzen talks about how being overworked in training contributed to her ACL tear.
“I have had some terrible experiences at major international competitions and national training camps between 2006-2012 that I wouldn’t wish on anyone,” two-time Olympian Georgia Bonora wrote on Instagram.
“There’s training hard and helping your athlete get the most out of themselves, but then there’s also a very fine line that can be crossed into abusive territory,” said Mary-Anne Monckton, a five-time Australian champion who won two silver medals at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
“A lot of girls, some 20 years later, still didn’t realise that that was abuse. None of us recognised it because it wasn’t just happening to us. It was happening to everybody.”
Nick is eloquent in his summing up of the #AthleteAlliance revelations — gymnasts emboldened to come forward with some of their worst experiences in the sport.
How revealing past abuse can make things better for future generations.
Of course he looks at it from the coach perspective.
In episode 41 of the 'Gymnastics Growth Show' podcast it's just 'Me, myself and I' sharing my honest, open thoughts on #AthleteAlliance.
… an interactive forum where gymnasts, coaches, technical experts from the sport and top administrators express their views based on their daily first-hand experience. …
Two sessions at different times are planned with the intention that all the national Gymnastics federations can take part. The national federations will soon be invited to send the FIG ideas and proposals in line with the main topics on the e-conference agenda.
Many young women are more comfortable training in shorts. Now they can be more comfortable while competing.
International guidelines state female athletes are to wear leotards that “must not delineate more than 2cm below the buttocks” or a full unitard that extends from hip to ankle.
GNZ allows gymnasts to wear “leg coverings” and is now allowing female athletes to wear “bike shorts” or “shorts”. …
The (LSU) Tigers recently installed a Continuous Air and Surface Pathogen Reduction system (CASPR) unit. This high-end unit goes into the HVAC system, retailing around $85,000, and essentially attacks and kills every airborne passage in the air and on surfaces in their gym, operating 24/7. …
CASPR
In 2017, Utah installed UV, hospital-quality lights in high-touch areas. Farden explains that UV lights scrub everything, killing COVID-19. These lights are in their locker rooms, bathrooms, foyer, storage areas and any room with high-touch and high-frequency traffic.
OSU recently added an AIR-THX filtration system, in addition to a spray system. …
WHGF provides free and low-cost Gymnastics to underserved communities in Harlem, and Detroit with the mission to empower the lives of urban youth by improving their physical and mental health through gymnastics.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 