Aly Raisman turns pro

I’d pretty much ignored this thread of discussion as empty speculation. But it’s true.

Raisman was expected to sign with the University of Florida this week after announcing her intentions to represent the Gators in NCAA competition during the August Visa Championships …. By taking on professional status she has relinquished her NCAA eligibility.

The value of a scholarship and degree from Florida is considerable. It’s difficult for me to believe she can match or better that with prize money and by signing with Octagon Sports.

But perhaps it’s getting more lucrative to go pro than in the past. Blythe Lawrence considers the issue.

I’m all for more money for gymnasts and coaches. If this works for Aly, it’s good news.

at Chinese Championships

I’m at the Henderson Cup 2011 National Gymnastics Championships, hosted for the first time in Hong Kong. Competition begins today for 90+ Sr men and 50+ Sr women. The Worlds Teams from Tokyo are not here, still in recovery mode from that peak meet.

That gives an opportunity for the best of the rest to shine.

Facebook page.

official home page in Chinese and Google translated

You might be able to watch some LIVE coverage online on Nov. 20th, Hong Kong time:

… 2-hour live broadcast will also be broadcast in real time, on-line, so that people can have more ways to enjoy this wonderful event. Visitors can log in from anywhere via the Internet to watch event …

details

Internet in Hong Kong is not restricted as it is in the mainland. In fact, it was very difficult for China to host the meet in Hong Kong as much cost and paperwork was required to bring everyone over.

Under the principle of “one country, two systems“, Hong Kong still has a different political system …

A guest of Cirque du Soleil’s Jun Chen, I don’t have a media credential, but I’ll still try to get stories out as best I can.

Leave a comment if you are following the meet elsewhere, on Chinese blogs perhaps.

Quacks ~ shoulder block drill

Enrique Trabanino who owns Perfection Gymnastics in the Cincinnati area introduces a drill at Region 5 Congress that he calls “Quacks”. He developed this drill after watching the explosive blocking on yurchenkos from the kids at Gym Max in California. After talking to Howie Liang(owner of GymMax), Enrique came up with this drill to help improve the blocking in his gymnasts.

http://www.gymnastike.org/embed/NjcxNTE1OTA4?related=1

Watch more video of Technique Tuesday on gymnastike.org

Gender Equity in Canadian Sport

… researchers at U of T’s Centre for Sport Policy Studies conducted the most comprehensive analysis to date of gender equity in Canada’s interuniversity sport system …

… While men make up only 44 per cent of the university student body, they have 56 per cent of the varsity sport opportunities. The exact opposite is true for women, who make up 56 per cent of students and enjoy 44 per cent of the spots on varsity teams.

The numbers get far worse at the top, where women make up only 19 per cent of head coaches and only 17 per cent of athletic directors. …

Yet Canada has no “Title IX” legislation.

Seems to me that 44-54 is not bad.

But that the old boys club is alive and well in Canadian university hiring.

The study’s authors are tasking Canadian Interuniversity Sport and its four regional counterparts with three challenges:

• to revamp their gender equity policies based on these results;
• to create an immediate 50 per cent target towards proportional female participation; and
• to develop a plan for improving leadership opportunities for women in coaching and senior administration. …

Gender imbalance lingers in varsity sport

Link to full report via that article.

Reverse discrimination is discrimination, regardless of whether you call it “affirmative action“, or not.

College coach hiring bias should be addressed, but I really don’t know the best way to improve those numbers into the future.

largest surf wave ever filmed (90ft)

… McNamara, 44, found himself on a freak mountain of water 30m high, surfing one of the biggest waves ever ridden, probably the largest in Europe and the biggest recorded on film. …

NZ Herald – Surfing: Once is enough for monster wave rider

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Phan Thi Ha Thanh wins SEA Games

Good news story gets even better.

World bronze vault medalist Phan Thi Ha Thanh took the SEA Games in Jakarta by storm. The 20 year old Vietnamese woman took gold in the All Around competition …

This is another boost for Phan Thi Ha Thanh who booked her place in the London 2012 Olympic Games when she placed third on vault in Tokyo.

Phan Thi Ha Thanh (Vietnam) 53.217
Do Thi Ngan Thuong (Vietnam) 49.700
Lim Heem Wei (Singapore) 49.484

read more on Full Twist

Phan Thi Ha Thanh

In the MAG AA competition, Vietnam earned two more medals:

Rartchawak Kaewpan (Thailand) 87.400
Pham Phuoc Hung (Vietnam) 85.500
Hoang Cuong (Vietnam) 84.550

Who’s coaching in Vietnam? … Good work.

London 2012 Test Event tickets

… tickets for the London 2012 Test Event will go on sale on Thursday November 17th but British Gymnastics are offering fans the chance to purchase their tickets 48 hour ahead of the official release date. …

details on Full Twist

It’s going to be a great meet!

Artistic, Trampoline and Rhythmic Gymnastics–10-18 January 2012

make Level 6 easier?

JBS kicked off a good discussion thread on Chalk Bucket — Why the huge drop off between 5 and 6?

Many girls in the States never make the transition from Level 5 to Level 6.

Why?

A parent (Sharks3376) suggests:

… three main reasons for girls to never make it to level 6.

The number 1 reason girls either repeated or quit before level 6 was because of BARS. Either it was a complete inability to generate enough swing/strength to do the high casting skills and clear hip or it was fear of the flyaway.

The number 2 reason girls quit (every one of these was middle school age or older) was because of schoolwork issues. Basically not being able to do the level 6 hours and keep their grades high.

The number 3 reason was because of beam fears and every time it was a complete block on the bwo.

Read and comment here.

Perhaps Level 6 Bars and Beam should be slightly easier to keep kids in longer. Ideally we’d have a linear drop-out rate, I would think.

Dropping out due to fear of gymnastics is worst case. Kids should look back at their gymnastics career with fondness, not dread. I was an awful gymnast but have only good memories of those years.