Category: safety

Béla Károlyi is dead

Controversial coach Béla Károlyi has died, age-82.

One Romanian site says he was living in Huntsville, Texas at the time.

In my opinion, Béla was no technical coach, but a great motivator and promoter.

Without question, he helped popularize Artistic Gymnastics around the world, personal coach to two Olympic champions.

Many of those who knew him best had mixed feelings.

I felt his training methodology was unscientific. Unsafe.

Márta was somewhat better — but in the early 2000s, still required kids to do 10 routines / day immediately before competition. Dumb. Dangerous.

Worst of all, Károlyi success in the USA motivated Steve Nunno and others to emulate harsh coaching.

Márta Károlyi remained the national team coordinator for USA Gymnastics until 2016.

In 2024, we are far better off with elite American leaders like Alicia Sacramone Quinn and Chellsie Memmel.

“I Have Made Their Lives Miserable”

That’s what famed gymnastics teacher Bela Karolyi says about the rival coaches who criticize his ruthless methods—but he could say the same about the girls he is training to become Olympic champions.

no excuse for abuse

Question any coach who seems to be aggressive towards children.

The only way to stop it is for parents to stand up, not simply for the current athlete, but the future human being!

We fail our kids when we ignore the very real long-term damage of abusive coaching for the fleeting celebrations of short-term results. Besides, there are far more coaches who don’t verbally abuse players getting the same kinds of results, but also building up excellent humans too. …

Parents in Sport

Ellie Black – keeping gymnasts safe

Emma Spence, Felix Dolci, and others are interviewed.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

How Cheerleading Became So Acrobatic, Dangerous and Popular

AI summary of the NY Times article by David Gauvey Herbert.

Published Oct 22, 2024

… the rise of competitive cheerleading in the United States and the dominance of a single company, Varsity Spirit, in the industry.

It highlights the story of Nikki Jennings, a talented young cheerleader who suffered numerous injuries and abuse during her cheer career, including concussions, hamstring injuries, and emotional abuse from her coach.

The article also delves into the history of cheerleading, tracing its origins from military chants to the modern, acrobatic sport it has become.

It examines how Jeff Webb, the founder of Varsity Spirit, has shaped the sport through his innovations and desire for control, leading to allegations of monopolistic practices and negative impacts on participants and their families.

The article also touches on the recent $4.75 billion sale of Varsity Spirit to the private equity firm KKR, raising questions about the future of the sport and the company’s grip on it.

Read the original article (subscription required).

How Cheerleading Became So Acrobatic, Dangerous and Popular

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Coaching for Performance in Life and in Sport

Coaching Association of Canada is circulating a “toolkit” for coaches who want to improve the success rate for their athletes.

It’s based on the dissertation of Erin Willson, PhD.

The full document is linked at the bottom of this post.

AI summary of the PDF:

The document provides a toolkit for coaches to create positive sport environments that foster both performance success and athlete well-being.

It outlines four key attributes of a positive sport environment: characteristics of the athlete, characteristics of the coach, characteristics of the coach-athlete relationship, and characteristics of the training environment.

The toolkit encourages coaches to expand their definition of success beyond just medal performance to include personal development, well-being, enjoyment, and a desire to stay in sport.

It provides guidance on assessing readiness for change, implementing positive coaching strategies like being empowering, healthy, and maintaining respectful coach-athlete relationships.

The toolkit also includes resources like checklists and planning guides to help coaches integrate these strategies.

quality-coaching-toolkitDownload

Air Barrel or Octagon?

I’d use BOTH. 😀

For me the Octagon is a bit safer, therefore better for Recreation classes.

I’d not normally use either for teaching Backward Handspring. BUT both are useful for Walkovers and Forward Handsprings.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Flyaway to Flat Back

BEFORE we let kids flip, it’s essential that they understand well how to move the centre of gravity AWAY from the Bar at the point of release.

Some call it “pitching out” the centre of gravity.

Flyaway not Flyclose.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Gymnastics Canada Abuse-Free Sport

Abuse-Free Sport has published the Sport Environment Assessment report concerning Gymnastics Canada. …

 SEA serves to address and prevent systemic issues related to maltreatment, discrimination and other prohibited behaviours under the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport to improve the sport environment for both current and future participants.

The SEA process and published report are a tool for the entire sport community in crafting and improving their safe sport policies and practices. …

SIRC

2024-10-29_OSIC_Sport_Environment_Assessment_Report_-_Gymnastics_CanadaDownload

Simone Biles Rising

This 4 part documentary on Netflix is extremely good.

It was fun reliving Paris.

Good editing. They got the Gymnastics right. Yet didn’t overwhelm the general public with too much technical jargon.

All gymnasts should see it if only to know that EVEN Simone Biles gets nervous at age-27. It’s normal.

Laurie Hernandez is the best colour commentator.

I was impressed with Joscelyn, too. So charismatic and well spoken.

Simone’s Mom is charming. I’m not surprised she got so much screen time.

I did NOT enjoy reliving Simone’s (possible) calf injury in Paris. … Whew.

Imagine the storyline if she had withdrawn before Vault in qualifications.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

GymCastic has a comprehensive review.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Gymnastics Ethics Foundation

Micheline Calmy-Rey, the President of the Gymnastics Ethics Foundation (GEF), addressed delegates of over 150 member federations of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), who are currently attending the 85th FIG Congress. …

… the GEF, operational since 2019, has handled 261 cases to date. …

Read the report on their website:

Gymnastics Ethics Foundation presents latest case numbers to FIG Congress