Luisa Blanco as posted by Spencer on Balance Beam Situation.
KEEPING UP WITH THE COOL GIFS – WEEK 2
Category: NCAA
NCAA programs on #BlackLivesMatter
As usual, UCLA sets the Bar for supporting minority rights. Unapologetic.
Willing to support Black Lives Matter #BlackLivesMatter loudly. And proudly.
UCLA gymnasts use social media to speak out, support Black Lives Matter movement
BUT … how did other prominent College teams handle the worldwide protests?
Dvora Meyers posted a good overview:
Florida was much criticized by former athletes
As was Alabama.
Duckworth, in a statement posted to social media, said things about growing and learning and inclusivity without mentioning Kiaku by name or saying the word “race” or any of its variants.
As was Auburn.
Jeff Graba posted this note to Twitter in response to the statements from three former Tigers. On the whole, Graba’s note is disappointing in the way that many of these statements are: vagueness about what was alleged, failure to mention the words “black” or “racism” or any of its variants. …
University of Georgia head coach Courtney Kupets Carter put out a statement that managed to avoid using the words “black,” “African American,” “racism,” “police,” “brutality,” or “injustice.” Also, for a statement that is ostensibly about what the Black community is enduring, it makes heavy use of “I.” …
LSU head coach DD Breaux’s statement did mention “people of color” and nodded to protest as a means of enacting change, but that’s as far as it went. ..
And this from the University of North Carolina gymnastics team is perhaps the strongest and most unequivocal of all the statements put out by any of the women’s programs.
Some of the coaches are, no doubt, restricted by contract in what they can say publicly. But — moving forward — programs should be called out if there’s no real change.
I’ll be cheering for UNC and UCLA.
Click through to read Dvora’s entire important post. And subscribe if you can. This is real journalism.
We Need to Address Racism In Gymnastics
SAVE Seattle Pacific Gymnastics
Terrible news.
SPU announced publicly on Monday afternoon what Marshall learned on Monday morning: that its women’s gymnastics program had been discontinued, effective immediately. The Falcons Gymnastics Center will also cease operations and will no longer host youth camps, and the accompanying club team will no longer be sponsored by SPU.
A university release stated that “the decision to discontinue gymnastics came following an extensive review of the state of that sport in the NCAA Division II structure. Although the assessment and decision began prior to the COVID-19 outbreak and rests on its own merit, the adverse effects (of) the pandemic on the program’s funding model expedited this decision.” …
The university release stated that scholarships for Marshall’s student-athletes — including grants awarded to incoming students beginning in fall 2020 — will be honored. SPU gymnasts seeking to continue their careers at another institution will be released without penalty and are free to transfer immediately. …
‘Shocked and devastated’: Seattle Pacific gymnastics coach Sarah Jean Marshall says her program was cut without warning
Sign a petition on Change.org:
Ohio State’s video analysis system
I’ve never seen one quite like it.
Click PLAY or watch it on Twitter.
For me several available iPads in the Gym work great. Favourite the videos you want to keep for later.
Michael Reid on #BlackLivesMatter
Michael Reid was NCAA Pommel Champ in 2015 for Oklahoma.
Click PLAY or watch it on Facebook.
diversity in College Gymnastics
The Routine Podcast, from the beginning, has celebrated NCAA diversity.
Episode #87 is a highlights reel of many past interviews.
Inspiring.
Michigan’s Gabby Wilson on #BlackLivesMatter
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Good news. Gabby has felt respected at Michigan.
In this very personal post Gabby asks us to take ACTION, not just offer hopes and prayers.
Nebraska will help ‘brand’ student athletes
A recruiting advantage.
In mid-March, the University of Nebraska and athlete marketing program Opendorse announced the launch of the Ready Now Program, a first-of-its kind partnership that will assist college athletes with individual branding to market themselves as social media influencers. …
Student-Athletes Will Soon Be Social Media Influencers. And One College Program Is Helping Them Do It.
Which NCAA teams support #BlackLivesMatter?
It’s not easy to keep up with the responses from NCAA Gymnastics teams.
How much is empty talk? How many will improve over coming seasons?
Catch up by listening to episode #428: Black Lives Matter This Week Too
GymCastic was disappointed with “empty platitudes from coaches like Dana Duckworth and Courtney Kupets-Carter“.
One concept new to me was optical allyship: when we focus on ourselves rather than the victims. It’s a dodge. For example …
https://twitter.com/CoachJeffGraba/status/1268979062992756736
One ‘tell‘ for me is whether or not statements include Black Lives Matter #BlackLivesMatter.
If not, they are usually avoiding the biggest controversy to not offend somebody or other. Weak support.
Check too if there’s an actual apology for past injustice at the University. A promise of action in future. If not, it’s likely just weasel words. Nothing will change.
GymCastic was impressed that K.J. Kindler and Mark Williams marched for George Floyd.
Cal Women’s Gymnastics supported the Black Lives Matter run June 8th. A good sign.
Other sports have done more. Especially football. A racist coach was put on leave at Iowa. His base pay $800,000 / year.
Margzetta Frazier on racial injustice
UCLA gymnast Margzetta Frazier talks to BBC Sport about the death of American George Floyd and discrimination in gymnastics.
Confident to speak her mind, Marz also talks about racial stereotyping in Gymnastics.
(You’d think we would have learned our lesson from Olympic Champion Gabby Douglas who’s best apparatus was Bars.)
