Simone – Disney superhero

Of course she is. 😀

catching up with Louis Smith

Louis is one of the greatest British gymnasts all time. Four Olympic medals.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. (90min)

Gymnastics to Pole Vault

I recall how Athletics recruited new Pole Vaulters at University of Saskatchewan.

The coaches dropped into the Gymnastics Gym. Watched the oldest, tallest gymnasts — and asked me how close they were to retiring from Artistic. 😀

It’s an easy transition for many. They already have the physical ability, and aerial awareness.

Olivia McTaggart, for example, did Gymnastics for 10 years. Switched to Pole Vault at age-16.

At the 2022 World Athletics Indoor Championships she finished 6th.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Gymnastics in emerging nations

I’m a volunteer for IOC and FIG helping member countries who want to grow and improve their Gymnastics sports.

A NEW video looks at the challenges faced around the world. Facilities. Coaching. Local knowledge about the sports.

Parkour is one of the easiest disciplines to get started.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. (42min)

Heath Thorpe’s NEW podcast

Gymnastics, of course.

As well as Heath’s world view being a Gay athlete.

Subscribe via your favourite podcast player.

should Palestine or Israel be banned by IOC?

A good question.

The International Olympic Committee should be specific on what causes a nation to lose membership.

In the case of Israel, there is the additional issue of safety of their team at the Paris Olympics.

NCAA NIL is a MESS

The 3rd year of NCAA NAME, IMAGE, LIKENESS (NIL) is underway.

Unsurprisingly, the rollout has been inconsistent and unfair.

According to a study by Opendorse, the leading athlete marketplace and NIL technology company, the NIL market should grow by 11.2% to a whopping $1.17 billion. And while that’s great for all student-athletes, the lion’s share of that money is flowing into the 65 Power 5 football programs. …

More than half of $1.17 billion spent on NIL will go to 65 teams in one sport, report shows

Some additional facts from NIL year 2 via The Upside:

  • Deep-pocketed alumni superfans, also known as boosters, have created complex organizations and nonprofits to effectively use as slush funds to attract the top athletes to play for their alma maters
  • A group of University of Iowa superfans, pays recent transfer quarterback Cade McNamara $600 an hour for various community-oriented tasks, like delivering meals to seniors and making visits to children’s hospitals
  • Michigan State football players, are simply tasked with promoting their collective’s charity via social media, … some athletes to make as much as $25,000 per post.
  • University of Utah’s Crimson Collective is granting every scholarship football player a new $61,000 Dodge truck — leased to each player
  • average starter at a major football program now makes about $103,000 a year, according to Opendorse, while the average men’s basketball player with a collective deal earns $37,000
  •  “[The collective system is] a pay-for-play scheme disguised as NIL,” Big Ten Conference commissioner Tony Petitti said at a Senate hearing in October

HOPEFULLY, the beginning of the NIL era may be remembered as a short-lived period of unregulated mayhem. The IRS is increasingly cracking down on booster organizing.

More regulation is needed. And it must be enforced.

All that said, I support College athletes getting MORE of the billion$ made by the NCAA.

But it should be done more fairly.

Livvy Dunne was the highest-valued women’s college athlete as of 2022.

One downside of fame and money is the need for security.

3-in-1 Adjustable Handstand Canes

About $240 in 2023.

I really like this product for keeping the wrists healthy while training handstands.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.