“I am sorry Vanessa’s experience wasn’t positive during her time at WOGA. When asked to help during a difficult time for her, my intention as a coach was to help Vanessa achieve her dreams, not make her training situation more difficult,” says Liukin.

“My recollection of working with Vanessa is different and includes many positive experiences. Coaching techniques and perspectives have evolved since then, and I have grown as a coach through experience and expanding my knowledge.  Today, I firmly believe an athlete’s focus should be on training smart, with increased education in the areas of balanced nutrition, fitness, healthy lifestyle and communication.  This is the basis for our approach in women’s gymnastics.”

Former USA Gymnast Vanessa Atler Says She Developed an Eating Disorder Under Valeri Liukin: ‘I’m Still Messed Up’

If you haven’t listened to Vanessa’s interview on GymCastic #254, you should.

Her remembrances of her short time with Valeri at WOGA are nuanced and well balanced. This headline does not accurately sum up her memories.

You probably know coaches who use marijuana medically or recreationally.

Is marijuana worse than alcohol?

Personally, I feel the safety of children is more often endangered by tipsy / hungover parents or coaches. I worry most about parents who have been drinking driving kids home from Gym.

If marijuana is banned, alcohol should be banned as well.

If your club has a “zero tolerance” policy for employees using illegal drugs click through to this article about a Canadian coach suspended 2015 for using medical marijuana. The B.C. Human Rights Tribunal is hearing the appeal.

It’s a more complicated issue than you might think at first glance. Especially with the laws changing in Canada and other parts of the world.

Employers need to ‘start treating [medical marijuana] as if it is a pharmaceutical,’ expert says

(via Grace Chiu)