Category: safety

treating Gymnasts with Sever’s disease

Sever’s disease is inflammation of the growth plate of the heel. Very common in growing children.

Dave Tilley posted the most comprehensive information for gymnasts I’ve seen. Here’s a summary:

  1. Addressing problems early and head on, with great communication
  2. Properly resting from impact and allowing bone healing to relieve pain
  3. Progressing local ankle and global leg strength
  4. Progressing general plyometrics first before gymnastics-specific impacts
  5. Progressing from soft to medium, to hard surfaces gradually over two to four weeks when returning

Click through to see the entire post:

HELPING GYMNASTS WITH SEVERS

Division I NCAA benefits 2024

The Division I Board of Directors on Wednesday unanimously adopted new rules for all Division I schools that will require increased support for college athletes. …

All Division I members who do not do so already will be required to:

  • Provide medical coverage for athletically related injuries for at least two years after graduation.
  • Cover out-of-pocket medical expenses (copayments, deductibles, etc.) during a student-athlete’s playing career.
  • Attest that they provide mental health services and support consistent with the NCAA’s mental health best practices.
  • Attest that they follow concussion management protocols in line with the NCAA Concussion Safety Protocol Checklist.
  • Offer degree completion funds for up to 10 years after a college athlete’s eligibility concludes, if that college athlete was previously on full scholarship or received financial aid in a head count sport.
  • Provide the same scholarship protections already required of autonomy conferences.
  • Attest that they provide academic support services in line with NCAA rules.
  • Attest that they provide career counseling for current and former college athletes and life skills development across a range of topics, including at minimum:
    • Mental health.
    • Strength and conditioning.
    • Nutrition.
    • Name, image and likeness opportunities.
    • Financial literacy.
    • Career preparation.
    • Transfer requirements.
    • Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
    • Sexual violence prevention. …

Read the full press release.

social media harming mental health

Sensitive content.

This film features real stories about body appearance that may be upsetting to some viewers. New research by the Dove Self-Esteem Project found that social media is harming the mental health of 3 in 5 kids. Join us, along with Common Sense Media and Parents Together Action, in supporting legislative change to make social media safer. Sign the petition to pass the Kids Online Safety Act …

It’s hard to watch.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

CAN Sports Minister confirms “Investigation”

Finally.

I’m amazed it’s taken so long to get this confirmation of an investigation, if not an Inquiry.

Elite sport is the best place to start. No doubt resulting regulations will be applied to all competitive sport.

Bars – Porcupine Pad

Andrew Vetter really likes the NEW Porcupine Bar Pad from Tumbl Trak.

It gives gives feedback to gymnasts, helping them learn where how close to the Bar they actually are. It was developed by Brett Wargo.

I’d need 2 or 3 so it could be used for Straddle Giants, as well.

Click PLAY or watch it on Instagram.

NCAA Coaches Well-Being Study

In Women’s Artistic Gymnastics, being a full-time NCAA coach is just about the best job in the world.

KJ Kindler makes about $555,000+ / year, for example.

I doubt she’d leave NCAA coaching for any other job. 😀

A study published January 2023 looks at how NCAA coaches are supporting student-athletes … while also caring for their own mental health.

What impact do changes in recruiting and roster management during the pandemic have on their jobs?

What support is desired by coaches to help them navigate the challenges they and the athletes on their teams face?

Over 6,000 head and assistant coaches across all three NCAA divisions answered a short survey …

2023res_ncaa-coach-well-beingsurveyreportDownload

Kim Bui autobiography

The legend — Kim Bui — represented Germany from 2004 until the 2022 European Championships in Munich. Three Olympics. Six World Championships. Always a fan favourite.

Though reluctant at first to write a career retrospective, she decided to go ahead hoping that sharing her story will help others.

“The hardest chapter to write was the one on eating disorders,” she said. “I had never talked about it until then. …”

Kim Bui on her battle with bulimia: “I want to say that you… are not alone”

Nastia Liukin, Kohei to Hiroshima

Japan’s Kohei Uchimura will be among 10 current and former gymnasts from seven countries who will visit Hiroshima ahead of May’s Group of Seven summit to send a message of peace, International Gymnastics Federation President Morinari Watanabe said Wednesday. …

Women’s 2008 all-around Olympic champion Nastia Liukin of the United States and Britain’s Giarnni Regini-Moran, the reigning men’s floor exercise world champion, are among those who will take part in a series of events organized by FIG. …

Kohei Uchimura among 10 gymnasts to visit Hiroshima before G-7

Mai Murakami, Marcel Nguyen, Aljaz Pegan.

Atomic bomb damage Hiroshima, Japan by U.S. Department of Energy is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

teaching kids to be independent

An important post from Wendy Bruce Martin:

As sports parents, we would do anything to protect our athletes. We want to take away their sorrow, we want to give them the answers they need, we want to protect them from pain. We want to ride in our our white horses and be their saviors. We want to fight their battles, remove their enemies, and provide a life a happiness. For if they are happy, then we parents must be doing our jobs.

When we rescue them, what are we really teaching them? If we always come to their rescue when they are hurting, sad, embarrassed, angry, or suffering, we are only teaching them that we will solve their problems, we will save them. We are teaching them they aren’t strong enough to think and fight on their own and we must think and fight for them. …

What happens when we aren’t there? …

You Don’t Need Me…You Got This: Teach your Athlete to Rescue Themselves.

sad gymnast