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An excellent poem on a most important subject. Every competitive gymnastics coach can relate.

For gymnasts everywhere who for various reasons have had to move on…Hold on to all the good things this sport has given to you….and you will be courageous, focused, strong, confident, dedicated…you have been amazing…you will always be special…and you are ready for life’s challenges and adventures.

E-mail me if you need to know why I asked if the squirrel was blind

Charlie Amerosa

Just Like You

When we first met you were so little, too scared to utter a single word
Not much muscle and no split to speak of, as helpless as a baby bird
But there was a flicker in your eyes, a determined look on your face
And as your light grew brighter, your home became this place

Seven years later you’re a special young lady, with a strong and confident glow
And you have etched moments in my mind, some of which I’ve wanted you to know
Almost Three thousand hours of training, medals, podiums and now Jr. high
It has been quite amazing and sometimes painful, to watch you learn to fly

I would talk and you would just stare, your eyes wet and glistening
Not knowing what you were thinking, or if you were even listening
Watching you from afar, still on the floor when everyone else was done
Trying again and again to kick over from a bridge, to you this was serious fun

There was the stunned look on your face, after you made your first kip
And then the panic in your eyes, because what followed….your first rip
Watching front handspring front tuck, you landing on your behind
Finally you stood one up, I asked you if the squirrel was blind

Your working back tuck on floor kept me awake for a few nights
But you figured out the timing and I watched as you reached new heights
You would wipe your hands on your legs, while standing frozen on beam
You flew up and stuck a back-handspring, and asked me “Is this a dream?”

When you’re being coached hard and your eyes get wet, but you refuse to cry
When you’re excited about a new skill and you keep asking for one more try
When you’re not grouped with your friends but still determined to have a great night
When you won’t look at me as I’m coaching you and I know we’re in for a fight

When I hear the thump, you’re on the ground, but you say it wasn’t you who fell
When I see you drag a suitcase bigger than you are, into the lobby of the hotel
When you’re on the podium leaning forward for your medal, such a beautiful smile
When you truly expressed yourself in your floor routine, it made it all worthwhile

When you knew what mat I like to use, so you always made sure it was in place
When you greet a competitor you’ve known for years, with a warm little gym embrace
When your beam routine looked like an oil painting, you were seriously in the zone
When I see that frustrated look on your face, and I know it means to leave you alone

When I overheard two young gymnasts who were sitting quietly watching you
One whispered, “I want to be just like her” and her teammate replied “ Oh me too”
Then they darted off to the side, trying to imitate the dance in your routine
And I thought to myself, that is the greatest compliment I have ever seen

There have been so many great moments, and heartbreaking ones too
Your Mom’s face at a meet in the city, she has always been so proud of you
Walking perfectly in line with your teammates, you’ve been with them for so long
And they love you and treat you like a sister, to them you can do no wrong

So maybe you’re not as naturally gifted as some other girls may be
You’ve had to work a lot harder, you’re skills never came for free
But the results are truly astounding, in both your body and your mind
You’re strong and fit and focused, your stars are all perfectly aligned

But lately…I could feel that something was just not right
You seemed a little unhappy during training each night
It was becoming clear, you didn’t want to be here
And every now and then, I thought I might have seen a tear

I knew your knee was giving you some pain
The doctor said maybe it was a ligament sprain
But you weren’t working too hard, even after a month of rest
And I wondered to myself why you seemed to be depressed

I asked you if maybe it was about having some fears
And as you answered me, you had to fight off some tears
“I’m not afraid of giants if that’s what you think”
“I will be ok” you assured me, and you gave me a wink

And now a few weeks later you say you think you’re done
That it’s not in your heart anymore, its no longer any fun
“I’m almost 13 now, there are other things in my life”
And hearing those words, cut through me like a knife

I know how important your friends are to you
How it feels good to chat and go out at night too
I know the gym can be hard, some nights don’t go so well
And you can’t remember the last time, you rang the new skill bell

How your body hurts at night and the next day at school
How some coaches can sometimes seem a little bit cruel
But it’s being a gymnast that has separated you from the rest
And for years, after so much hard work, you have passed every test

I know I can’t change your mind, so I’ll take your picture off my shelf
Because this isn’t the kind of sport you can do for anyone but yourself
So you’re free from the hard work and pressure, now go and have some fun
But remember it will be hard to compare, to what you already have done

Please for the rest of your life, be proud of what you have achieved
And I will always be proud of you, and grateful for the gifts I received
The pure gift of knowing you and coaching you, I learned so much as you grew
Under “This is how a gymnast behaves”, the textbook shows…a picture of you!

You’ve been gone for a few weeks now and the gyms not the same
Your teammates are a little quiet, they don’t mention your name
Not because they are angry or disappointed, its just part of healing
You were a joy and a role model to them, they have an empty feeling

I’m going to miss you amazing girl, especially your warm smile
I’m sure I’ll feel better about it, but it’s going to take a little while
A new season is approaching, and of course there’s a new baby bird
And last night, just like you, the little one…didn’t utter a single word

Charlie Amerosa
Flipr110@aol.com

I’m hoping to get to Todd Gardiner’s Navy Pier competition for the first time. Over 4000 competitors I’m told.

“Chicago Style” 2008
10th Year Anniversary
February 8, 2008 – February 10, 2008

The Largest Women’s Gymnastics Invitational Meet in the World!

“Chicago Style” is held at Chicago’s Historic Navy Pier.

NEW for 2008! NCAA Session featuring Stanford University, UCLA, University of Illinois and University of Washington

IGI “Chicago Style” Gymnastics Meet

Karen Owoc contacted us about a great boys competition hosted in Oakland, California Feb. 21-23, 2008.

Obviously, it’s for a good cause. Everyone wants to see the NCAA program survive and thrive.

Our Goal

To provide direct assistance in preserving men’s collegiate gymnastics programs and increase scholarship and training opportunities in the United States.

In 1969: Approximately 230 collegiate gymnastics programs existed. Today: Only 18 NCAA programs remain in the U.S.

Our generation has taken responsibility to reverse this declining trend because ultimately, it is our action or inaction that will affect the longevity of men’s gymnastics programs in the United States.

Proceeds from the Pacific Coast Classic benefit two organizations that significantly impact the future of men’s gymnastics in the United States. But it is only with the support of many participating teams, coaches, judges, volunteers, sponsors, spectators and our staff that makes direct assistance to collegiate teams and to the following organizations possible:

Men’s Intercollegiate Gymnastics Support Program (MIGSP)

National Gymnastics Foundation Men’s Scholarship Program

A Benefit Event for Men’s Collegiate Gymnastics – Pacific Coast Classic Home

Fake Martha.

Someone posted a funny MySpace page. This is high tribute, actually. Once you have a MySpace impostor you know you are a true celebrity.

About me:

I am zee National Team Coordinator of the USA Womens Gymnastic team. Together with my husband Bela we have trained nine Olympic champions, fifteen world champions, sixteen European medalists and six U.S. national champions, including Mary Lou Retton, Betty Okino, Kerri Strug, Teodora Ungureanu, Nadia Comaneci, Kim Zmeskal and Dominique Moceanu.

But do not let zee media fool you, I am zee brains behind zee operaaayshun. …

MySpace.com – Martha Karolyi – 65 – Female – New Waverly, TEXAS – www.myspace.com/marta_owns_you42

(via Gym Blog)

The Wall Street Journal published an amusing article describing the unusual problems faced by Cirque talent scouts:

… As Cirque du Soleil rolls through its 23rd year and prepares to expand to 22 shows by the end of 2010, from 14 today, it has become one of Canada’s marquee cultural exports and a $620 million-a-year business. Cirque du Soleil shows will appear in 24 countries this year, drawing nearly 10 million people.

Scouts like Ms. Giasson will travel the world, scour the Internet and vet thousands of unsolicited applications to fill 500 new roles. In their quest, they have created a database of 20,000 potential performers.

Among them: 24 giants (including a Ukrainian who is 8 foot 2), 23 whistlers, 466 contortionists, 14 pickpockets, 35 skateboarders, 1,278 clowns, eight dislocation artists and 73 people classified simply as small.

But a problem arises when talent is truly unique and either difficult or impossible to replace. If, for example, one enters the words “giant” and “opera” into the database, only one name pops up: Victorino Antonio Lujan, a 39-year-old Argentinian who stands just shy of seven feet and weighs about 400 pounds. …

25-year-old Alan J. Silva, the acrobat from Brazil, who stands 3-feet-10 inches tall. Mr. Silva first came to the attention of Cirque scouts in December 2000 at an audition in Saõ Paulo. “He walked as if he were a prime minister or the president of the United States,” Ms. Giasson said.

… read more – Talent Scouts For Cirque du Soleil Walk a Tightrope – WSJ.com

(Thanks Tom Mangan.)

Casting – Cirque du Soleil

After reading a detailed and insightful post (see below) raving for Alicia Sacramone (What’s not to love? She’s wonderful!) I’ve subscribed to the GymBlog: “News and analysis of men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics”.

But it’s Sacramone who is being widely touted as the force behind the U.S.’s recapturing the world team title, which it wrought back from a young Chinese team 184.4-183.45. The Chinese women won its first world team championship in 2006 over a seemingly stupified group of Americans, who won it from an equally stunned group of Romanians back in 2003.

At this world championships, Romania displayed its usual consistency to take a distant third with 178.1. The surprise exception to all that consistency came from all-around leader Steliana Nistor, who reportedly fell on balance beam (14.8) and had severe problems on floor exercise (13.95, the second-lowest Romanian score of the day).

Back to the real story here. As a gymnast, Sacramone falls somewhere between graceful Liukin and powerful Johnson. Her tumbling is on par with Johnson’s, but she moves far more fluidly than the short, muscular 15-year-old from Iowa and has enough sass to ignite a building with a single look.

Sacramone, like Svetlana Khorkina, doesn’t just do a floor routine — she performs. But for the first time at a world championships, she showed the steadiness of a team leader. She nailed balance beam on both days, fighting not to give small tenths away with wobbles (her front pike mount on day one could have been a much bigger problem than she let it be) and being first in line to cheer and congratulate her teammates.

This is pretty typical Alicia Sacramone, actually. The difference is that this is arguably the biggest competiton before next summer’s Olympic Games, and she remained rock solid while everyone else was a little, well, rocky. …

The evolution of Alicia Sacramone « WordPress Gymblog

Here’s the Floor routine that sealed the deal, securing the win for the USA in Team competition.

Click PLAY or watch Alicia rock her Floor routine in Team Finals on YouTube.

Another great post from Scott Bird:

At least in the ability-to-climb-walls department.

A team of Italian scientists is currently looking at ways to use carbon nanotubes (just think of really, really small drinking straws made of carbon) to create a suit which will allow the wearer to climb vertical walls. The nanotubes are bent into hooks, much like a microscopic version of velcro.

Very cool indeed. …

Straight to the Bar: Spiderman suit may not be that far away

Click PLAY or watch Spiderpig on YouTube.

World Artistic Gymnastics Championships 2007 – Women’s Final Results

World Artistic Gymnastics Championships 2007 – Men’s Final Results

The Christchurch School of Gymnastics, has a vacancy for a full time senior trampoline coach.

The club currently has trampoline gymnasts up to World Open and World Age level and has the largest and most successful trampoline programme in New Zealand. And an excellent facility.

Contact avril @ chchgymnastics.co.nz

Christchurch School of Gymnastics

Some were not convinced that Ksenia Semenova should have won Bars at Worlds 2007 over Nastia Liukin (2nd).

Watch both routines and decide for yourself.

Click PLAY or watch Ksenia Semenova’s Finals Bars routine on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch Liukin’s Finals Bars routine on YouTube.

I like Nastia’s routine far better. Her selection of skills and amplitude are superior.

But judges must also deduct errors. It’s a tough call for the officials.

UPDATE:

A breakdown of the women’s uneven bars results

Ksenia Semenova: 7.20 A score
B scores: 9.1, 9.1, 9.2, 9.2, 9.2, 9.0 (9.150 average)
Total score: 16.350

Nastia Liukin: 7.10 A score
B scores: 9.1, 9.1, 9.5, 9.3, 8.8, 9.2 (9.200 average)
Total score: 16.300

NBC