Category: psychology

Jim Thorpe’s shoes at the Olympics

Associated Press named him the “greatest athlete” from the first 50 years of the 20th century.

Here’s a great story – triumphing over racism and adversity.

James Francis Thorpe (Sac and Fox (Sauk): Wa-Tho-Huk, translated as “Bright Path” … was an American athlete and Olympic gold medalist.

A member of the Sac and Fox Nation, Thorpe became the first Native American to win a gold medal for the United States.

Considered one of the most versatile athletes of modern sports, he won Olympic gold medals in the 1912 pentathlon and decathlon, and played American football (collegiate and professional), professional baseball, and basketball.

He lost his Olympic titles after it was found he had been paid for playing two seasons of semi-professional baseball before competing in the Olympics, thus violating the amateurism rules that were then in place. In 1983, 30 years after his death, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) restored his Olympic medals. …

Lieke Wevers – recharge and recover

Lieke Wevers is taking some time off in order to recharge and recover. She talked to Lisa Deen for The Force is Grace blog about her break and her plans for a comeback. …

… My body was empty. I could no longer do those things that were necessary to do what I wanted, which was extremely frustrating …

Q: Why did you choose to go to Tenerife?

… On Tenerife, I am working on my recovery, without have any obligations or things on my agenda. I am completely focusing on myself and my health. After three weeks on the island, I am already noticing a difference. I slept a lot, around 10 hours each night for these first weeks. …

… I am starting to build up my physical training. I go running on the beach or running track, or I am swimming. In the gym, I do my strength exercises …

My goal is to again become the strong Lieke, the best version of myself. Of course, you always need some future goals to motivate you, for me that is Tokyo 2020. …

gymnovosti

Anna Li’s 1,950 Beam series in a row

The great Anna Li is a new mom. Busy, busy.

Miss Val in her new book notes that Anna hit 1,950 Beam series without a fall near the end of her career. That’s consistency. Mental toughness. It was something she learned in College.

Ted St Martin hit 5,221 basketball free throws in a row. I reckon Anna’s feat is more impressive.

When UCLA won the 2010 NCAA National Championships, I gave greatest credit to Anna starting Beam every meet. Her teammates so confident she’d get the line-up rolling.

Focused and Inspired by Lisa Mitzel


If you liked her first book — “Focused and On Fire” — as I did, you’ll want to check out #2 “Focused and Inspired“.

Keeping Our Athletes Safe in a Win-at-All-Costs World

The book identifies verbal and emotional abuse and shares methods to prevent it in sport.

It’s still a “positive coaching” approach helping coaches optimize the experience for their athletes.

You can order it from her publisher. $16.95 or less.

A Sport Psychologist, Lisa will be working TOPS Camps for USAG.

 

 

Miss Val is another UCLA coaching legend

I’m listening to the audio book now.

It’s always best when the author reads. It makes the content come alive.

Life Is Short, Don’t Wait to Dance

Advice and Inspiration from the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame Coach of 7 NCAA Championship Teams

Click PLAY or watch it on Facebook.

(via Ashley)

Giulia Steingruber interview

Giulia will not be back to competition before 2019. But she is making good recovery from the ACL tear and meniscus damage.

Giulia Steingruber injured her knee in July and is missing the rest of the season because of it. She gave an interview to Aargauezeitung about dealing with the injury and her goals and dreams.

The translation from German was done by Emma Bateman. …

STEINGRUBER: I’M NOT A YOUNG GYMNAST ANYMORE

Congratulations Giulia Steingruber

Shawn Johnson – Freakonomics interview

Shawn has been featured on a number of recent Freakonomics podcasts on the ‘Hidden Side of Sports‘. But best is to listen to her full interview. There’s some good content on her relationship with Chow.

Sae Miyakawa defends her abusive coach

I feel he should be banned AND arrested. This kind of physical punishment was quite common in Japan in the past. But I thought it was no longer tolerated.

Click PLAY or watch it on Twitter.

On August 15, 2018, gymnastics coach, Yuto Hayami, was banned indefinitely by the Japan Gymnastics Association (JGA) from coaching gymnasts. …

On August 29, 18-year-old gymnast, Sae Miyakawa, held a press conference emotionally protesting the banning of her coach …

Miyakawa also said that while her coach, Hayami, did sometimes hit her, she wanted him restored as her coach. …

The Olympians – The Complex Case of Sae Miyakawa and Power Harassment in Japanese Women’s Gymnastics

The story is tied to the suspension of Chieko and Mitsuo Tsukahara.

(via theGymter.net)

Camp lineup in a semi-circle

Many noticed a small but perhaps symbolic difference in the line-up formation at Camp with Tom Forster in charge.