athletes on their parents …

Sports Girls Play linked to an excellent article on USA Swimming:

11-13 YEAR OLD SWIMMERS …
Things they love and appreciate:

When my parents encourage and support me even after a swim that I did not drop time.

When my parents tell me to not worry about my event, just go out and have fun.

How my parents prepare for my meets: Drive me there, take time off to go to meet, bring healthy food.

When my parents accept that even though I added time, I still tried my best.

When my parents don’t put pressure on me.

I like how my parents encourage me to do well and encourage my swimming.

I like it when my parents tell me they are proud of me.

I like when my parents tell me I love you no matter what happens.

read more – How Parents Affect Success: An Athletes Perspective

You might want to post that at the gym. … And ask parents to cancel their subscription to Pushy Parents.

Gymnastics Camp Rec Lesson Plans

Patti Komara offers Week-Long Camp Lesson Plans for Gymnastics. The same plan used at Stars and Stripes Kids Activity Center in Michigan.

List of themes:
-Super Scrapbooking
-Pretty Princess
-Preschool Gymnastics
-Pirates
-Nature’s Discovery
-My Dolly and Me
-Just Being a Kid-Games, Games, Games
-Imagination Station
-Dinosaur Dig
-Cooking
-Cheerleading
-Arts & Crafts Galore

Price: $219.95

(via Rec Gymnastics)

women starting Parkour

Parkour has boomed worldwide, mostly thanks to YouTube.

But there are very few female participants.

The ladies may be inspired this feature on Ann Kaczka, a normal young woman who wanted to get started. The challenges she faced.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

(via WFPF)

GymSmarts – new website

Tom & Reiko Beach announced the upgrade features:

• Easier for you to navigate and find what you need.
• Every DVD now has a sample clip of the DVD content.
• Easily search by coach or topic

Check it out – GymSmarts.com

I’m still wanting streaming video though, Tom.

Could you offer that service through iTunes or YouTube?

gymnastics safety – spotting Bars

For spotting on a high bar, my favourite stance is straddling the Bar.

Dave from Sky High in The Colony, TX is just putting on a ‘belt’ so he can lean out over the pit. (From that small spotting deck.)

(via Erin Costa on Flickr)

Of course there are many variable. Coaches size and strength. Athlete’s size and the skill they are doing. Etc.

For dismounts I stand on the dismount side of the Bar.

If you’ve an opinion, leave a comment. I don’t see many other coaches straddling the rail.

World Acrobatics Society honours George, Dawes

Do you know the WAS ??

This year’s inductees are:

Gerald George – Lifetime Achievement
Lori Aamodt – Trampoline/Tumbling
Larry Banner – Contributor
Dominique Dawes – Artistic Gymnastics
Chad Fox – Trampoline/Tumbling
Bruce Frederick – Contributor (Posthumous)
Ken Kovach – Professional Acrobatics
Dana Kunze – Diving
Realis Duo – Acrobatic Gymnastics (Shenea Booth and Arthur Davis)
Karl Schier – Lifetime Achievement
Sean Tucker – Extreme Sports

read more

The World Acrobatics Society (WAS) is a non-profit organization …

… a world-wide organization for the advancement of education, communication and cooperation among all individuals and organizations interested in fostering the growth development and safety of the various acrobatics sports and preserving their histories.

Acrobatics as defined by WAS are those activities which feature aerial rotation (somersaulting and twisting) and balancing of the body (handstands and other balances with and without partners or groups).

Major acrobatic disciplines recognized by the Society include Acrobatic Gymnastics & Cheerleading; Diving (Olympic events & professional divers); Extreme Sports (freestyle skiers & skateboarders); Gymnastics (Olympic artistic gymnastics for men and women); Professional Performers (Hollywood stunt people and circus entertainers); Trampoline & Tumbling; Contributors (teachers, writers, publishers, manufacturers, coaches, judges and innovators). …

read more …

(via Full Twist)

Anna Li – Bars 6.20/8.950

Don’t count out Miss Anna Li for Worlds Tokyo.

Rock solid beam and a 6.2 Bar start could be enough to put her on a team of strong AAs.

From the American Classic competition at the Karolyi Ranch last weekend:

Senior International

Seniors need a 54.00 AA to qualify to Visa Championships, and a 53.00 to qualify to CoverGirl Classic. OR specialists to Visa Championships: 3 Event=41.25, 2 Event=28.00

Qualified to Visa Championships:
1 Grace McLaughlin – WOGA – 56.300
2 Jessica Howe – WOGA – 55.300
3 Brandie Jay – GK’s – 54.250
4 Hallie Mossett – West Coast Elite – 54.200
6T Casey Jo Magee – Capital TX – 53.450 (qualified to Visa Championships on 3 events, VT/BB/FX with 41.85. And qualified in AA for Classics)

10 Sophia Lee – WOGA – 42.050 (3 events, VT/UB/BB)
11 Anna Li – Legacy Elite – 29.15 (2 events, UB/BB)

Brandie Jay won vault with a 14.55 (5.80/8.75). Anna Li won uneven bars with a 15.15 and the highest difficulty score competed on bars from any session (6.20/8.950).

Casey Jo Magee won beam with a 14.60 (5.80/8.250). There top score on floor was a 13.850 in a tie between Jessie Howe (5.20/8.65) and Hallie Mossett (5.40/8.45) …

There’s MUCH more on Gymnastike.

Leave a comment if you know of video of that Bar routine.