why we love Paul Ruggeri

Great guy. Great gymnast.

Click PLAY or watch the Inside Gymnastics interview on YouTube.

After being alternate 3 times at Worlds in the past, he’s competing in Glasgow.

33,000 attended P&G Gymnastics

The combination of attendance, community outreach, local corporate support, fan activities, a great venue and athletic excellence made this year’s P&G Championships the most successful since USA Gymnastics introduced the current national championship format in 2005. More than 33,000 people attended the P&G Gymnastics Championships that concluded Sunday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, a 35 percent increase from when Indianapolis hosted the event in 2005. …

USAG – Indianapolis sets new bar for P&G Gymnastics Championships success

USA Gymnastics is doing a fantastic job promoting the sport. The YouTube webcast and quick upload of routines result in tens of thousands more tuning in LIVE.

- Lloyd Smith
– Lloyd Smith

Rare/Unique Men’s Gymnastics

MrBulletPig (UK gymnast Gabriel Hannah) is back with another INCREDIBLE montage. Men’s Gymnastics has many, many new skills yet to be competed. And named.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

If you are wondering who those maniacs are, he’s got links on that Facebook page to the Instagram sources.

Some of his related videos:

• 10 Rarest Men’s Gymnastics Skills (84,000+)

• More Unique Men’s Gymnastics Montage

classy Nia Dennis

She posted this photo on her instagram. With Gabby and her former coach Kittia Carpenter.

https://instagram.com/p/6gddx3mMaQ/
 
With both girls on National Team they’ll be spending a lot of time together still.

via GymFever2012

U.S. selection for Worlds

Sam Mikulak:

“I think everyone wants to have the meet of their life, but in the long scheme of things it’s not this competition that really matters. This is a test event, you could say, for world championships. We’ve got 10 weeks until worlds and whoever is going to be named on their specified events, it’s going to be very competitive.”

USA Today

Nancy Armour:

If the U.S. men want to do more than talk about winning an Olympic or world title, they should take a page out of Martha Karolyi’s playbook.

The world championships, just the competition that determines which teams go to next summer’s Rio Olympics, are still 10 weeks away. Yet the Americans went ahead and named their men’s team following Sunday’s splatfest at the U.S. gymnastics championships, with Sam Mikulak and Donnell Whittenburg earning automatic spots based on their results and Danell Leyva, Alex Naddour, Paul Ruggeri and Brandon Wynn chosen by a selection committee. …

“I feel every confident about the way we’re doing it,” men’s national team coordinator Kevin Mazeika said. “Having 10 weeks is a good thing to allow us to really solidify our lineups and function as a team. Then, when we get to Glasgow, we can hit the ground running.” …

Men’s gymnastics team could learn Olympic lesson from Martha Karolyi

I certainly don’t like the Karolyi system. Leaving selection to the very last minute puts too much pressure, too long on the girls. It will again be criticized the next time the American team has a last minute injury at one of the selection camps.

The USA is the top nation in the world for many reasons. Karolyi camps are only one.

I trust Kevin Mazeika and his coaching staff to do the right things over the next 10 weeks. Recall the 2008 Olympics when it was the men who had all the last minute injuries. Alternates were ready to step in.

bal-gymnastics-nationals-mikulak-whittenburg-2-001

Like the women, the American men have a lot of depth. Chris Brooks was 3rd AA yet is only an alternate. I’m sure many team lineups projected by the computer software they use resulted in similar final team scores.

I was surprised @jake_dalton wasn’t named some kind of alternate. I’d certainly want him at the final preparation camp(s).

Maggie Nichols – Up We Go

Chris Saccullo is back with a #PGChamps montage of the next great American international star.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Marta calls her the most improved Senior this quadrennial.

the coach athlete bond

Gina Pongetti:

The job of a coach is to wear many hats—that of teacher, part-time parent, friend, mentor, disciplinarian, strength coach, flexibility specialist, psychologist and many, many more. The craft is executed when the coach figures out the fine line between guidance and letting go; between worry and trust; between friendship and tough love. …

Inside Gymnastics – That Unwavering Bond

Click through for more photos.

https://twitter.com/GraceClick/status/632770256239505408/photo/1