… of 259 female competitors in the 2019 WC’s, the average age was 19.93. Since the inception of the open-ended code in 2006, the average age of female competitors has risen from 18.2 years of age in the 2005 WC’s, to 19.93 in 2019. From this comparison, federations could strategize what age to peak their athletes in contemporary high-performance gymnastics.
To put it simply, programs should be strategizing on how to support older female athletes. …
Dave Tilley presented to both WAG NCAA College coaches and judges before the 2022 season.
The goal is for judges to evaluate landings consistently — and promote the safest possible landings.
The biggest reason is due to the massive number of serious knee and ankle injuries that gymnasts deal with, particularly in the NCAA. When you look at research studies, leg injuries account for up to 54.1% – 70.2% of all injuries.
Based on a study looking at injuries in NCAA Women’s gymnastics from 2009-2014, leg injuries accounted for 50% of all injuries with the knee and ankle being the most common (19). In some studies, up to 52% of all gymnastics injuries occur during landings, with some researchers calling it the ‘riskiest exercise phase in gymnastics.” …
A Mighty Girl has an important message for coaches.
By letting kids decide whether to greet someone with a hug or a kiss, parents can teach the basics of consent and bodily autonomy as early as the toddler years. …
… “The notion of consent may seem very grown-up and like something that doesn’t pertain to children, but the lessons girls learn when they’re young about setting physical boundaries and expecting them to be respected last a lifetime.” …
In 2022, USAG will hold women’s camps at STARS in Katy, TX; the gym owned by current developmental program coordinator Dan Baker. Is that a conflict of interest? And is that OK?
BUT every coach has opinions and a lot of anecdotal experience.
Most agree on a few points:
don’t use wrist guards if you don’t need them
don’t use wrist guards as a fashion accessory
limit the amount of wrist guard use, especially with growing children
don’t use wrist guards for conditioning
There are Olympic champions that never once used wrist guards, even on Pommels. That should be the starting goal for every gymnast.
Here’s the conclusion from one study out of the University of Missouri:
Evidence supports the use of wrist guards as protective equipment in the prevention of gymnasts’ wrist pain and injury.
However, potentially negative effects of wrist guards on proprioception and performance were also reported, and critical gaps in knowledge regarding guard design, most effective indications, and application to female gymnasts remain.
Further biomechanical and clinical studies are needed to fill these gaps in knowledge toward making evidence-based recommendations regarding use of wrist guards in gymnastics. …
Now that many of the lawyers are no longer getting paid, the USAG President and CEO can make a more sincere apology to victims of the criminal doctor.
“The Plan of Reorganization that we jointly filed reflects our own accountability to the past and our commitment to the future. …
USAG will formally exit bankruptcy in the coming weeks, after necessary administrative work and the entry of an order by the Court closing the case. In connection with the confirmation of the plan, the USOPC has resolved its Section 8 complaint against USA Gymnastics, which will continue USOPC’s recognition of USA Gymnastics as the national governing body of the sport. …
“USA Gymnastics is deeply sorry for the trauma and pain that Survivors have endured as a result of this organization’s actions and inactions,” USAG President and CEO Li Li Leung said.https://t.co/5Gmbzg6sZf
Gymnastics Coaching.com 