Category: judging

Nick Ruddock interviews Donatella Sacchi

The FIG Women’s Technical Committee President is refreshingly honest and clear answering questions about Olympic qualification and the future of our sport.

She advises coaches not to rush. Avoid injuries. Go clean. Emphasize artistry. Build the dance elements progressively over the long term.

Don’t copy the best in the world. Instead work with the specific strengths of each athlete.

If you want the highest score, consult judges as often as possible.

Jr. World Championships are confirmed for 2019. It’s an experiment. If successful FIG will run Jr. Worlds every 2 years. If not, the concept will be dropped.

Nick spoke with Donatella at the European Union gymnastics camp in Tirrena, Italy. She’s much closer to coaches than was Nellie Kim.

Listen online. Or subscribe to the Gymnastics Growth Show on iTunes.

FIFA’s Video Assistant Referee

The World Cup showed how VAR will shape soccer’s future

FIFA’s Video Assistant Referee tech has added a new dimension to the sport.

Click PLAY or see how it’s supposed to work on YouTube.

Elena Davydova interview

Elena Davydova is Head Coach and Owner of Gemini Gymnastics in Ontario. She’s the 1980 Olympic Champion and currently sits on the FIG WTC.

Elena Davydova gave an interview to Oksana Tonkacheeva for the magazine of the Russian artistic gymnastics federation. …

Davydova is one of the few people in the artistic gymnastics world who attended the Olympic Games in three roles – a gymnast (for USSR in 1980), a coach (for Canada in 2012) and a judge (also for Canada, in 2016). …

 

The 1970s were the era of discovering new elements. We were practically attacking them even though there was no method of learning them. … I watched Aleksandr Tkachev training his releases (we both lived in Voronezh at the time and sometimes trained in the same gym), so I ran to my coach Gennadi Korshunov and told him: why don’t I try this? …

Q: How did you end up in Canada?

A: It’s a personal story. Or rather, a problem. The complications of a difficult birth seriously affected the health of my oldest son. The treatment that our doctors offered wasn’t helping. … 

By the way, I want to say special thanks to Andrey Fyodorovich Rodionenko. During his years of working in Canada, the authority of a coach grew a lot. …

Q: How do you separate your emotions when both Canadians and Russians compete?

A: Oh, I’m nervous for everyone equally. … 

ELENA DAVYDOVA ON COMPETING, COACHING AND MOVING TO CANADA

flexed feet in Gymnastics

Most coaches cringe when they see flexed feet on a backward salto. ☹️

Layout Yurchenko is a particular pet peeve of mine.

feet flexed layout Yurchenko

But when this same gymnast twists that layout, she can keep her feet stretched. There’s less chance of kicking the table.

3D Gym from FB-Curves WAG

Former French gymnast Fabien BOUGAS developed 3D Gym Men – FB Curves. The app is available free for iOS devices. It includes a sample number of skills . You pay only if you want to access all the men’s skills.

Click PLAY or watch a sample on YouTube.

He’s currently working on a version for Women’s Gymnastics.

Click PLAY or watch it on Instagram.

details

pet peeve – Double Back with flexed feet

Here’s are some good feet.  🙂 Hands on shins, as well!

Phoenix Gymnastics, Vancouver.

wall angle markings for turns to handstand

Paint like this is an ongoing reminder for coaches and gymnasts.

Blind Change to Handstand

Phoenix Gymnastics, Vancouver.

Kaliya Lincoln – Floor

FloGymnastics has a great post comparing gymnasts’ Difficulty score with Execution.

DiCello, Jones Lead Top Difficulty & Execution At The 2018 American Classic

One of those praised for high difficulty with excellent execution is Kaliya Lincoln from Airborne. Click PLAY or watch her Fiesta Bowl routine on YouTube.

MAG Gymnastics Spotlight on YouTube

I just subscribed. This channel is uploading difficulty evaluations for Men’s routines.

Click PLAY or watch Kohei’s H Bar on YouTube as an example.

Thanks Ono.