Category: psychology

Defying Gravity – part 5

This is the criminal doctor episode.

Kathy Johnson is always good. But it’s Dominique who’s most eloquent of many gymnasts interviewed.

Jordyn Wieber too. She recalls that the Ranch was closed the day after Simone said she didn’t want to go back to the place of all that sexual abuse.

Olga Korbut calls her former coach a monster.

In part five of our documentary series, survivors of abuse describe the culture that allowed a USA Gymnastics physician and many dozens of other coaches and officials to take advantage of athletes, and explain how they’re using their voices and the life skills that gymnastics taught them to reclaim their sport.

You MIGHT be able to watch Defying Gravity free weekly with ads — or watch all episodes uninterrupted with YouTube Premium.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Alecia Ingram #GymnastAlliance

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.

 

Gymnast Alliance #gymnastalliance

Dvora posted an article for Vice:

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. …

“We Won’t Stop”: Gymnasts Around the World Are Organizing To End Abuse

Downie sisters have spoken up about abuse.

Defying Gravity – part 1

Defying Gravity is a 6-part docuseries that explores … Women’s Gymnastics through its greatest champions.

It’s playing on the Glamour magazine YouTube channel. The first 2 episodes are free without YouTube Premium.

I actually signed up for a free month of YouTube Premium so I could watch the rest.  Could be that getting rid of ads MIGHT make it worth the subscription.  🙂

Bart, Nadia, Daniella, Svetlana, Laurie, Blythe, and more.

Lots of Aly and Katelyn.

This feel good introduction part 1 highlights Floor more than the other apparatus.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I thought it was weird to include Shushanova doing a dangerous skill.

Blythe Lawrence on Aussie #AthleteAlliance

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.”

On July 30 the Australian Human Rights Commission announced it would conduct an independent review, led by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins, on gymnastics in Australia to better understand why alleged abuse went unreported.

Click through to read the well researched and detailed article in the Brisbane Times:

‘You can’t step out of line’: Medals come at a price for gymnasts

Nick Ruddock on on Athlete Alliance

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.

 

Elijah Thompson thanks his coaches

For National Coaches Week Canada, Elijah in 2019 took the time to thank his coaches, past and present.

New Zealand gymnasts can compete in shorts

Good decision.

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”. …

Gymnastics New Zealand loosen leotard rules, female athletes can compete in shorts

impact of sport on LGBTQ youth

Unsurprisingly, LGBTQ youth who participate in sports are better in school.  Do better in life.

Coaches should be encouraging kids who might feel like outsiders.

Sports participation has been linked to higher self-esteem, better grades and lower depressive symptoms among LGBTQ youth, according to The Trevor Project’s inaugural mental health survey — the largest of its kind ever conducted. …

The impact of sports on LGBTQ youth

frustrated Michigan gymnasts

Kids in New Zealand are back competing.

But gymnasts in Michigan are still locked out of their clubs due to COVID-19.

Here’s how Sophia Reddy and some of her teammates are continuing to train.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.