Daniel Jacob Erb, 33, of Hatboro, was arraigned Friday on 48 counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child and related offenses, court records show. …
Erb most recently worked at Tumble Kids Gymnastics in Wyndmoor, court documents showed. He also spent time at the Newtown Athletic Club at their summer camp, according to a letter posted online. The letter said Erb spent a decade working in the York area before moving into southeastern Pennsylvania. …
Category: safety
keeping gymnasts safe
The front page headline where I’m at was the Indianapolis Star investigation on how USA Gymnastics handles allegations of sexual misconduct.
If you want to follow-up on this discussion I recommend GymCastic episode 210.
“IndyStar tracked down four cases in which USA Gymnastics was warned of suspected abuse by coaches but did not initiate a report to authorities. Those coaches went on, according to police and court records, to abuse at least 14 underage gymnasts after the warnings.”
GymCastic and our twitter account @GymCoaching are the only two sites I know of consistently linking to stories of coaches accused of abuse.
It’s an important issue.
That said, let’s put the risk of coaching sexual misconduct in perspective.
I’m far more worried about motor vehicle accidents driving to the Gym than I am of sexual abuse.
I’m far more worried about injuries in the Gym than I am of sexual abuse.
Fact is that female gymnasts are the best protected children in town, on average.
The GymCastic audiocast mentions Larrissa Miller as an example. In 2015, Larrissa revealed that she had been sexually abused by an extended family member from the ages of 5 to 16.
Not a coach.
If you worry about child sexual assault take a close look at friends & family of those kids you feel are vulnerable. Protect your own.
USA Gymnastics could do more to safeguard their members. I agree. This media attention will help.
But it’s far easier for independent watchdog sites to track past offenders. Suspected potential offenders. The best we have so far is GymCastic’s List of Gymnastics Coaches In The News for Alleged Abuse database.
If concerned, you should volunteer to help update that list.
Finally, I believe people are innocent until proven guilty. How many innocent coaches will be accused in aftermath of this news story?
related – Bekah – Put down your torches: In defense of USAG
UPDATE – A message from Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics
does USAG do enough to protect kids?
The Indianapolis Star posted a lengthy article detailing numerous cases where the reporters feel the National Sports Governing Body could have done more, sooner.
Timing is lousy since most of the world is distracted by something happening in Rio right now. This is an important issue. Better would be to have posted a week ago. Or right after the Olympics.
Publishing now does smack of Olympic opportunism.
USA Gymnastics’ response to Indianapolis Star’s report
For information on how USA Gymnastics handles allegations of sexual misconduct, please click here.
Handspring TRIPLE front
We’ve spent two quadrennials in fear of catastrophic injury on WAG Vault – Handspring double front.
This new vault is significantly more dangerous. 😦
Click PLAY or watch it on Twitter. Igor Radivilov, 2012 Olympic Bronze medalist.
pit foam can be dangerous for gymnasts
Courtney Carignan from Harvard sends a link to an update on the research.
… a new study published online in the journal Environment International, co-authored by School of Public Health researchers, reports that popular gymnastics training equipment contains mixtures of flame-retardant chemicals that have been linked to increased risks of ADHD, cancer, and brain development delays.
The study found higher levels of those chemicals in gymnasts’ urine, indicating that gymnastics-training—specifically, pit cubes found in foam pits—are a source of exposure to toxic flame retardants. …
While prior studies have found high levels of such retardants in the air and dust of gyms, the new study, which analyzed foam pits in 11 US gyms, found that 89 percent of pit cubes sampled contained flame-retardants. …
Managers of the gyms reported that they had been required by local fire marshals to purchase equipment containing flame retardants. …
In the short term, one way that gymnasts can reduce their exposure is by washing their hands with soap and water after practice, rather than just with hand-sanitizer, Carignan said. …
For more information gymnastcollaborative.org
IOC doping tests are a mess
The IOC should test all athletes at the Olympic Games. Announce the results.
End of story.
This breaking news is absurd. You should not FOREVER keep going back to retest old samples. 😦
The IOC said that the 30 athletes from the Games came from four sports and eight National Olympic Committees (NOC). …
A third and fourth wave of re-tests will take place throughout and after the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, with the samples being re-analysed using the latest scientific methods.
The athletes, NOCs and International Federations concerned by the positive drug tests are being informed, the IOC said, with proceedings against the athletes able to commence after B-samples are tested. …
related:
• GymCastic #206: The Russian Situation
• Should the Russian gymnasts be allowed to compete in Rio? RRG’s view
• Skating Lesson – An Invitation to Cheat: Following Up With Christine Brennan
• Skating Lesson – Russia on Thin Ice: A Conversation With Christine Brennan
diving platform collapses
A diving platform collapsed when Russian athletes were performing synchronized diving during their Rio 2016 Olympic preparations in Havana, Cuba.
Sergey Nazin was executing a synchronized dive with his partner …
“The competition had to be stopped, so the doctors could check on him. But he returned to the action and won his fourth gold medal that day” …
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
(via Thomas Trapp)
Chusovitina 15,600 vault
Here’s what FIG judges award a 15,600. 😦
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
When are FIG WTC going to fix the vault rules?
Second vault very impressive, however. She’s in good shape for Rio.
(via Gymternet)
the world is your gym
Crazy street tumbling. And tricking.
Click PLAY or watch it on Facebook.
Alyssa Baumann withdraws from trials
Alyssa Baumann Injured, Withdraws from Olympic Trials
Terrible timing.
Alyssa is one of those inspiring future generations of gymnasts around the world.
Jazzy Foberg, Bailie Key and Norah Flately will not be competing. Gymnastics is a dangerous sport. At any one time a high percentage of gymnasts are injured. 😦
(via FloGymnastics)
