Gymnastics Coaching.com

Paul Hamm not a jackass

But you’d never know it by how he’s handled one bad night after drinking.

… Olympic gymnastics champion Paul Hamm … has pleaded not guilty to assault and two other misdemeanor charges in Ohio.

He is accused of kicking a taxi driver in suburban Columbus, damaging a cab window and refusing to pay a $23 fare. …

Defense attorney Bill Meeks said before the plea was filed that he had no comment from Hamm. …

Washington Post

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

related post – Paul Hamm should have resigned

Achilles tendon rupture

There’s all sort of speculation about Alicia’s injury. I’m assuming it’s a partial or complete Achilles tendon rupture.

Very common in older power athletes … like Alicia Sacramone.

As much as I’d love to blame the rules, too severe training or the Gods, I can’t. That’s the result of thousands of take-offs over many, many years.

It can happen any time.

Don’t blame Marta for this one.

Recent Achilles tears: Hambuchen, Becky Downie, Vanessa Zamarripa, Michelle Stout (Arkansas), Benoit Caranobe, Sandra Izbasa, Courtney Kupets, Casey Sandy … to mention a few that come to mind.

Amanda Castillo and these College girls:

Natasha Kelley, Oklahoma
Kareen Kaveh, Auburn
Maria Scaffidi, Nebraska
Brittany Howse, Cornell
Kara Pinjuv, Iowa
Angela Walker, Minn
Amanda Castillo, Florida
Courtney Hawkins, Centenary College

Sacramone out, Anna Li alternate

Official announcement:

USA Gymnastics has announced the U.S. women’s line-up for the qualification round at the 2011 World Championships at the Tokyo (Japan) Metropolitan Gymnasium. The U.S. women compete at 1:15 p.m. local time on Oct. 8, the second of two women’s qualification days.

The six women on the U.S. Women’s Team are: Gabrielle Douglas of Virginia Beach, Va./Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute; McKayla Maroney of Laguna Niguel, Calif./All Olympia AOGC; Alexandra Raisman of Needham, Mass./Brestyan’s American Gymnastics; … Sabrina Vega of Carmel, N.Y./Dynamic Gymnastics; and Jordyn Wieber of DeWitt, Mich./Gedderts’ Twistars USA.

Anna Li of Aurora, Ill./Legacy Elite Gymnastics LLC, is the alternate. …

USAG

Still a “team”. But they can’t afford another injury. It looked scary for a short time when it seemed that Aly was injured, too.

Blythe’s assessment:

… This means the U.S. will compete for World gold with only five gymnasts, while every other team has six. …

Alicia Sacramone withdrawn from Worlds after Achilles injury

Here’s the plan at this point:

Vault – Vega, Douglas, Raisman, Wieber, Maroney;
Bars – Raisman, Maroney, Vega, Wieber, Douglas;
Beam – Maroney, Vega, Raisman, Wieber, Douglas;
FX – Douglas, Vega, Wieber, Maroney, Raisman.

The top 4 scores count for team in prelims. In team finals it’s 3-up, 3-count, equalizing things (somewhat) for team USA.

… Sacramone injured her Achilles tendon earlier today while tumbling …

People who were there are sure it’s Achilles. Injury on take-off.

Too bad. But very common in older power gymnasts.

Jessica Lopez – Bars

… new bar routine in the Tokyo training hall before the start of competition at the 2011 World Gymnastics Championships. …

Lopez is a 2008 Olympian and a former University of Denver collegiate gymnast. She placed 10th all around at last year’s World Championships and has continued to improve each year. Watch for Lopez in both the uneven bars, and all around finals.

Click PLAY or watch it on Gymnastike.

http://www.gymnastike.org/embed/NTU5NTA5MTQx?related=1

Watch more video of World Gymnastics Championships Tokyo 2011 on gymnastike.org

One of my favourite gymnasts.

related – Couch Gymnast – Jessica Lopez Training Update

Zhang Hongtao Pommels – 9.25 E

Have you seen a higher execution score on Pommels recently?

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

He’s not on the Tokyo Worlds team, however.

via @SyqueCaesar

new Men’s gymnastics skills

Adrian STOICA and Steve BUTCHER signed off on a memo from Men’s FIG Tech Committee. I list only some here. Click through for the entire list.

ELEMENTS SUBMITTED FOR EVALUATION 2011 WORLD ARTISTIC CHAMPIONSHIPS TOKYO
(MAG)

Rings
2. Salto forward piked or stretched with 5/2 turns (D value, EGV)
Submitted by Max WHITLOCK (GBR)

Vault
3. Handspring forward and salto forward stretched with 3/1 turns (7.4 value, EGIII)
Submitted by YANG Hak Seon (KOR)

Parallel Bars
5. Moy piked with ½ turn to upper arm support, also with straddle (B, EGIII)
Submitted by Mahmood ALSADI (QAT)

7. Swing forward with 5/4 turn on 1 arm through Healy to support (F value, EGI), any momentary stop will result in two independent elements
Submitted by Epke ZONDERLAND (NED)

8. Double salto forward piked (F value, EGV)
Submitted by (RUS) David BELYARSKIY (RUS)

9. From upper arms hang, backward salto with ½ twist (D value, EGII)
Submitted by Jacob DALTON (USA)

14. Gaylord from el-grip = (D value), same box & value as Gaylord (Code II.52)
Submitted by Vlasios MARAS (GRE)

FIG – full document (PDF)

Doug Boger fired by ArtSports World

…
Doug Boger, 62, was dismissed by ArtSports World, a Colorado Springs gym, amid mounting concerns by parents and gym employees about the safety of children around Boger. …

Boger, a U.S. national team coach and USA Gymnastics national coach of the year as recently as 2009, continued to work at ArtSports more than a year after he was banned by USAG. …

While Boger was permanently banned from coaching at member gyms or participation in USA Gymnastics-sponsored events, he was able to continue coaching … gymnasts at ArtSports World because the gym is not affiliated with USAG as a member club. …

Peter Vidmar, the chairman of USA Gymnastics’ board of directors and a former Olympic medalist himself, told The Register on Tuesday he wants the governing body to make changes to its bylaws in an effort to prevent banned coaches from continuing to work with underage athletes. Vidmar said USA Gymnastic officials have been consulting with the organization’s attorneys as well as nonprofit experts about possible rule changes.

“We have to take a look at doing everything we can to protect the children in our sport,” Vidmar said. …

Orange County Register – Coach accused of abuse is fired by Colorado gym

Boger has categorically denied the allegations

One of his athletes, Aubree Balkan, defends her coach of 10yrs.

I invite anyone who would like to weigh in on this story to leave a comment. As every coach knows, being accused is the same as being found guilty in this kind of crime.