Category: Acrobatic Gymnastics

Sports Acrobatics is currently judged in five categories: Men’s, Women’s, Mixed pairs, Women’s triples, Men’s quadruples

Beautiful Acro

Click PLAY or watch it on Instagram.

 
(via Gymnastics-Now)

Hardy Fink’s last day at FIG

Hardy Fink was the Director of Education and Academy Programmes for FIG. He organized, amongst other things, FIG Academies, FIG Age Group Programme and Olympic Solidarity courses. All things education for 7 FIG competition disciplines – ACR, AER, MAG, PK, RG, TRA, WAG.

For some years Hardy had been asking for a transition plan to a successor. It’s a massive job and not many in the world have the experience, knowledge and contacts to make it work.

Hardy has attend more World Championships & Olympics than anyone, for example. Stuttgart was his 32nd Worlds in series.

Nobody has yet been named by FIG.

The only positive note is that Hardy has been asked to consult with his replacement over the next couple of years. In my opinion, that would be essential or FIG coach education opportunities will plummet.

related – Dvora Meyer’s recent interview with Hardy (for subscribers)

What is Acrobatics & Tumbling?

The NEW American College sport has elements of Acrobatic Gymnastics, Tumbling and Cheer.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Each team has up to 28 competitors on their game-day roster and compete in six events throughout the meet, including: Compulsory, Acro, Pyramid, Toss, Tumbling, and Team Event. …

Meet Format

USAG posts a weekly wrap-up of College Gymnastics that includes ACROBATICS AND TUMBLING.

we want Acrobatic Gymnastics in the Olympics

My favourite of the FIG disciplines is Acrobatic Gymnastics.

It’s the ultimate test of what the human body can do without apparatus.

Lourenco Franca started a petition asking FIG and National Sports Governing Bodies to do more to promote the growing sport. Ultimately, to be showcased in the Olympics.

Needless to say, the IOC has dozens of sports wanting to be added. It would require a major change in order to get Acro added. Perhaps Summer Olympics every 2 years — with half the sports at each.

I did sign the petition myself though I find it a bit too harshly worded. FIG has done good work developing the Age Group Acrobatic Gymnastics coaching program with competition rules.

Click through if you’d like to sign it too:

Open letter to FIG from Acrobatics community

Click PLAY or watch men’s group (four) on YouTube.

National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling

Acrobatics & Tumbling is a relatively new American College sport exclusively for female athletes.

The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics has recommended that all three divisions of governance structure add Acrobatics & Tumbling to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program Aug. 1, 2020.

There were 29 NCAA colleges and universities sponsoring teams in 2019. The sport must reach 40 varsity programs to move forward to the NCAA governance structure for championship consideration in future.

Athletes are recruited as bases, flyers or backs. Some compete only the tumbling portion. Each team has 30 members or more. Baylor, the top team in 2019, has 50 on their roster as I post.

Scholarships are available. Numbers and amount vary school-to-school.

Competitors come from disciplines including Acrobatic gymnastics, Artistic (often Levels 8-10), Trampoline & Tumbling, and competitive Cheer  (often Levels 4 & 5).

The harder competition surface is typically a basketball floor with roll mats on top.

Click PLAY or watch some highlights on YouTube.

Baylor 2019