Question any coach who seems to be aggressive towards children.
The only way to stop it is for parents to stand up, not simply for the current athlete, but the future human being!
We fail our kids when we ignore the very real long-term damage of abusive coaching for the fleeting celebrations of short-term results. Besides, there are far more coaches who don’t verbally abuse players getting the same kinds of results, but also building up excellent humans too. …
AI summary of the NY Times article by David Gauvey Herbert.
Published Oct 22, 2024
… the rise of competitive cheerleading in the United States and the dominance of a single company, Varsity Spirit, in the industry.
It highlights the story of Nikki Jennings, a talented young cheerleader who suffered numerous injuries and abuse during her cheer career, including concussions, hamstring injuries, and emotional abuse from her coach.
The article also delves into the history of cheerleading, tracing its origins from military chants to the modern, acrobatic sport it has become.
It examines how Jeff Webb, the founder of Varsity Spirit, has shaped the sport through his innovations and desire for control, leading to allegations of monopolistic practices and negative impacts on participants and their families.
The article also touches on the recent $4.75 billion sale of Varsity Spirit to the private equity firm KKR, raising questions about the future of the sport and the company’s grip on it.
Read the original article (subscription required).
Coaching Association of Canada is circulating a “toolkit” for coaches who want to improve the success rate for their athletes.
It’s based on the dissertation of Erin Willson, PhD.
The full document is linked at the bottom of this post.
AI summary of the PDF:
The document provides a toolkit for coaches to create positive sport environments that foster both performance success and athlete well-being.
It outlines four key attributes of a positive sport environment: characteristics of the athlete, characteristics of the coach, characteristics of the coach-athlete relationship, and characteristics of the training environment.
The toolkit encourages coaches to expand their definition of success beyond just medal performance to include personal development, well-being, enjoyment, and a desire to stay in sport.
It provides guidance on assessing readiness for change, implementing positive coaching strategies like being empowering, healthy, and maintaining respectful coach-athlete relationships.
The toolkit also includes resources like checklists and planning guides to help coaches integrate these strategies.
Abuse-Free Sport has published the Sport Environment Assessment report concerning Gymnastics Canada. …
SEA serves to address and prevent systemic issues related to maltreatment, discrimination and other prohibited behaviours under the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport to improve the sport environment for both current and future participants.
The SEA process and published report are a tool for the entire sport community in crafting and improving their safe sport policies and practices. …
Micheline Calmy-Rey, the President of the Gymnastics Ethics Foundation (GEF), addressed delegates of over 150 member federations of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), who are currently attending the 85th FIG Congress. …
… the GEF, operational since 2019, has handled 261 cases to date. …
The election of the President was followed by elections for the other FIG governing bodies. VICE-PRESIDENTS: Mr Ali AL-HITMI (QAT) Ms Naomi Chieko VALENZO AOKI (MEX) Mr Suat CELEN (TUR)
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE The FIG Executive Committee is comprised of the President, the three Vice-Presidents, the President of the Gymnastics for All Committee and the seven Technical Committee Presidents, the five Presidents of the Continental Unions and the President of the Athletes’ Commission, who are all ex officio members. The seven Executive Committee members elected by Congress are as follows: Ms ZHOU Qiurui (CHN) Ms Li Li LEUNG (USA) Mr Edwin RODRIGUEZ (DOM) Mr Vassily TITOV (RUS) Mr Jeffrey THOMSON (CAN) Ms Eirini AINDILI (GRE) Mr Srayuth PATANASAK (THA)
COUNCIL The FIG Council is composed of the FIG President, the three FIG Vice-Presidents and the seven elected members of the Executive Committee, 21 Council members elected at the Congress, the six Technical Committee Presidents and the President of the Gymnastics for All Committee, the five Presidents of the Continental Unions and the President of the Athletes’ Commission. The 21 Council members elected at the Congress by the delegates of their respective Continental Union are as follows:
EG (seven members) Ms Blanka MLEJNKOVA (CZE) Ms Hlif THORGEIRSDOTTIR (ISL) Mr Alfons HOELZL (GER) Mr Jacob WISCHNIA (ISR) Mr Krasimir DUNEV (BUL) Mr Marijo MOZNIK (CRO) Mr Joao Paulo ROCHA (POR)
AGU (five members) Mr Timur ABDUVALIEV (UZB) Mr Saqer ALMULLA (KUW) Ms Cynthia NORTON CARRION (PHI) Ms Danissa DUISENGALIYEVA (KAZ) Mr Ahmad PARVAIZ (PAK)
UAG (four members) Mr Gebeyaw Takele DAGNEW (ETH) Ms Lamiaa ABDELRAHMAN (EGY) Mr Bakhit MUTAZ (SUD) Ms Harriet AYAA (UGA)
PAGU (four members) Mr Ricardo CACHO RESENDE (BRA) Mr Juan MEDINA (COL) Ms Kenia HERRERA (NCA) Ms Patricia DIEGUEZ (GUA)
OGU (one member) Since there were no candidates for the Council from OGU, a separate election will be organised by the OGU to designate its Council member.
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE AND GFA COMMITTEE PRESIDENTS The FIG Congress elected the following committee presidents:
Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Technical Committee: Mr Andrew TOMBS (GBR) Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Technical Committee: Ms Donatella SACCHI (ITA)
Rhythmic Gymnastics Technical Committee: Ms Noha ABOU SHABANA (EGY)
Acrobatic Gymnastics Technical Committee: Ms Nikolina HRISTOVA (BUL)
Aerobic Gymnastics Technical Committee: Ms Tammy YAGI-KITAGAWA (JPN)
Parkour Technical Committee: Mr Charles PERRIERE (CMR)
Gymnastics for All Committee: Mr Rogerio VALERIO (POR)
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE AND GFA COMMITTEE MEMBERS
The FIG Congress elected the following committee members:
Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Technical Committee Mr Jing LI (CHN) Mr Yoon Soo HAN (KOR) Mr Butch ZUNICH (USA) Mr Steve BUTCHER (TTO) Mr Mohamed SOLIMAN (EGY) Mr Julio MARCOS FELIPE (ESP)
Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Technical Committee Ms Nehad ZAYED (EGY) Ms Helena LARIO (ARG) Ms Lyudmila LI (UZB) Ms Johanna GRATT (AUT) Ms Trisha HADE (AUS) Ms Liubov ANDRIANOVA (RUS)
Rhythmic Gymnastics Technical Committee Ms Marcia AVERSANI L. (BRA) Ms Maria PETROVA MIHAYLOVA (BUL) Ms Natalya BULANOVA (AZE) Ms Alua BEKTUROVA (KAZ) Ms Isabell SAWADE (GER) Ms Gyozal MUMINOVA (UZB)
Trampoline Gymnastics Technical Committee Ms Tatiana SHUISKA (UKR) Mr Miguel Vicente MARINO (ESP) Ms Mariela STOYCHEVA (BUL) Mr Clive MORGAN (GBR) Mr Nikolai MAKAROV (RUS)
Acrobatic Gymnastics Technical Committee Ms Irina NIKITINA (RUS) Mr Juan Antonio LEON (ESP) Mr Bernardo TOMAS (POR) Mr Marco PALELLA (ITA)
Aerobic Gymnastics Technical Committee Ms Cristina CASENTINI (ITA) Mr Jorge FILLON (ARG) Mr Vladislav OSKNER (RUS) Ms Ana MACANITA (POR) Ms Desislava BOGUSHEVA (BUL) Ms Barbara STENGL (GER)
Parkour Technical Committee Ms Angie SANCHEZ (COL) Mr Man Fung KAM (HKG) Mr Jose Antonio ROBLES JIMAREZ (MEX) Mr Aimene BOUSTILA (ALG)
Gymnastics for All Committee Mr Jérôme HUEBSCHER (SUI) Mr Chris MUCHATUTA (ZIM) Ms Yumiko ITOH (JPN) Ms Monika SISKOVA (SVK) Ms Lori LAZNOVSKY (USA) Ms Michelle CARBINATTO (BRA)
I can’t understand the logic of FIG banning most Russian athletes — while allowing Russian administrators. Have these people not supported Putin’s war?