Peyton Ernst – #MeToo

We respect the right to share your story of abuse. Or keep it private, if you prefer.

Peyton decided that now’s the time to speak.

https://twitter.com/PeytonErnst/status/1136073560215162881?s=19

Recall that Peyton retired from Alabama Gymnastics September 2018.

1st Jr. World Gymnastics Championships

Highly anticipated, we don’t have much information on the competition.

But we do have the nominative roster (PDF).

Coaches are wondering whether or not we want Juniors to face the pressure and intensity of a World Championships while many are in a rapid growth stage. They are more vulnerable to some injuries than are seniors.

China’s team: Guan Chenchen, Wei Xiaoyuan, Ou Yushan.

Click PLAY or watch them on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch a preview on Twitter.

Gymnastics Canada / USAG support Pride Month

Have they done this in the past?

Good move. I’m happy to see USAG support their members and fans who are LGBTQ.

It sends an important signal. Headquarters are in Indiana, home of famously homophobic Vice President Pence.

Gymnastics Canada is on board too.

Since 1982, the Constitution of Canada has guaranteed fundamental human rights to the LGBT community in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Canada’s ‘Rule of Two’

The Rule of Two states that there will always be two NCCP (certified) coaches with an athlete, especially a minor athlete, when in a potentially vulnerable situation.

This means that any one-on-one interaction between a coach and an athlete must take place within earshot and view of the second coach, with the exception of medical emergencies.

One of the coaches must also be of the same gender as the athlete. Should there be a circumstance where a second NCCP coach is not available, a volunteer, parent, or adult can be recruited. …

Vulnerable situations can include closed door meetings, travel, and training environments amongst others. …

Coach.ca

USAG Camp chaperones

Lauren Stevens (Chalk Warrior) attended the recent U.S. Gymnastics Developmental Camp.

She was impressed with the mandatory Camp chaperones.

Read Lauren’s full report – Developmental Camp culture shows promise for the future of USA Gymnastics

NCAA sport – injuries before College

The majority of gymnasts have had a major injury before getting to College.

Ours is a youth sport. And a dangerous sport.

Via Greg Marsden

designing safer Gymnastics mats

Former gymnast Van den Avont was injured in a fall.

He’s now trying to design safer mats.

Click PLAY or watch it on Facebook.

GymCastic episode 363

If you blinked and missed USAG’s hiring and firing of Professor Edward Nyman as its full-time sports medicine and science director — a new position — Jessica has got you covered.

Another hire where vetting was bungled.

The podcast reviews two other recent issues:

  • Terin Humphrey posting and defending a dumb, wrong meme on Facebook. Terin was was a member of the selection committee that chose women’s teams for the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.
  • Mary Lou Retton‘s recent TV appearance. Recall that Mary Lou lobbied against  Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act as a USAG Board Member. Happily it was signed into law February 14, 2018. Mary Lou seems still in denial that children were abused.

In addition was new CEO Li Li Leung’s wrong statement that gymnasts who saw the criminal doctor with their coach were safe. Leung did later apologize.

363: Five Is the New Four (…Is the New Five)