Cal Gymnastics UPDATE

Good news, so far, from El Wapo Sanchez on Facebook:

Just wanted to touch base and give you an update on Cal Gymnastics. Tim McNeil was hired as the head coach two weeks ago and Colin Christ is the assistant. This is very good news!!!

Tim has been in touch with Cal Gymnastics Forever and is excited to work with us. We reached our goal of 100k in fundraising for 2012 and beyond. Our goal now is to focus on the short term with events and fundraising activities along with donations for 2011.

The chancellor has delayed his decision on how to combat the budget problem until the end of September. Keep your fingers crossed. Thanks for your continued support and Go Bears …

related – Former Cal Great Tim McNeill Named Men’s Gymnastics Coach

Shawn Johnson – Def on bars?

That’s the rumoured big new skill she’s been training.

… Leave a comment if you can confirm.

She’s been working hard according to Twitter, reducing the number of these scrums:

NEW YORK - AUGUST 11: Gold Medalist gymnast Shawn Johnson launches the Refuel America Program and unveils the newest Milk Mustache ads at the 92nd Street Y on August 11, 2010 in New York City. Gold medalists Chris Bosh, Apolo Anton Ohno and Shawn Johnson teamed up today to announce a new campaign highlighting the importance of refueling with lowfat chocolate milk during the two-hour recovery window after exercise. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Refuel America)

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.js

broken wrist: splint as good as a cast

Linked by coach Greg on the NEW Oakville Men’s Gymnastics blog:

The splint’s advantage is that it can be removed occasionally to wash the arm or let it breathe, study finds …

The study, published Tuesday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, looked at 92 children aged 5 to 12 who arrived in the hospital’s emergency room from April, 2007, and September, 2009, with broken wrists.

The fractures were a clear break of the bone, and the bone could be a little bit bent or displaced for the child to qualify for the study. Forty-three kids received a splint and the remaining 49 were put in a cast. …

click through to read the details – Globe and MailA splint just as good as cast for kid’s broken wrist: study

That’s for a clean break. If there are complications (i.e. growth plate) it might mean a full cast.

Long-Term Athlete Development

A presentation by planning guru Dr. Istvan Balyi is posted online.

Salt Lake City, September 25, 2009. His LTAD is an overview of the career of all athletes. From cradle to grave.

Istvan notes that for all sports in Stage 1, gymnastics is recommended.

Kids need to Run, Swim and Gym before they start to specialize.

Long-Term Athlete Development
LTAD 101
(PDF)

best of Gymnastike – Aug 2010

I don’t have time to watch every video. But when the “best of …” page is posted, I work my way through the links.

Here are a couple of videos I missed first time around on Gymnastike Best of August.

Click PLAY or watch GABRIELLE DOUGLAS from Excaliber – Vault – on Gymnastike.

http://videoplayer.flocasts.org/player.swf

Click PLAY or watch DANELL LEYVA from Universal – DOUBLE DOUBLE layout tumbling on Gymnastike.

http://videoplayer.flocasts.org/player.swf

Olympic Champ Sandra Izbasa returns

The rumours were true.

From Prosport:

… Exactly one year from her injury, when she broke her Achilles Tendon of her right leg, Sandra Izbasa returns to international competitions. The Olympic floor champion was selected by Octavian Bellu and Mariana Bitang to compete at the Ghent World Cup, which will take place on the 11th and 12th of September. …

As quoted in Fangymnastics.

BEIJING - AUGUST 17:  Sandra Izbasa of Romania waves after winning the gold medal in the women's individual floor final in the artistic gymnastics event held in National Indoor Stadium on Day 9 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 17, 2008 in Beijing, China.  (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.js

(via Gymnastics Examiner – The gymnastics week in review)

Jeff Mortensen thinks he can dance

Watch for the former Canadian gymnast and Cirque du Soleil performer competing on So You Think You Can Dance CANADA.

have lunch with Tammy Biggs

Here’s a variation on the online coaches Congress rebranded as The Academy of Coaching Excellence.

You can get personal instruction once a month, for 6 months from any one of 3 different experts:

1. The Road to a College Scholarship: A six month program for parents with Cheryl Jarrett

2. The Coach’s Toolbox: Preschool and Recreation with Beth Gardner

3. Tammy’s Lunch Club: Get new techniques and drills with Tammy Biggs

Cost of each 6 month course is $295 … 30 person limit per course.

… actually, the Preschool / Rec course is 10 months, for the same cost.

Check out www.academyofcoachingexcellence.com for more information and registration!

10yr-old trampolinist Rhys Northover

From City of Liverpool Gym Club.

Click PLAY or watch Rhys on YouTube.

Love the coaching.

Thanks MissEducated.

Nikolai Andrianov fighting for his life

Those wishing to send messages of support to Andrianov, or those with medical resources who may be able to help, may contact Sergei Andrianov at sa2525@hotmail.ru.

Amanda Turner on International Gymnast relays the appeal from his family:

The 15-time Olympic medalist is suffering from multiple system atrophy (MSA), son Sergei Andrianov told IG. “The diagnosis is olivopontocerebellum degeneration, terminal stage,” Sergei said. “His illness is fatal and he will not have long to live, the doctors said.”

MSA is a rare progressive neurodegenerative disorder similar to Parkinson’s Disease. It is characterized by motor control symptoms such as tremor, rigidity and loss of muscle coordination, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. …

While the disease is terminal, the symptoms can be eased and quality of life improved with medical care. His family is hoping someone may be able to offer him treatment. …

“I would be very grateful if someone could consult American doctors about my father’s condition,” said Sergei, a former gymnast who now coaches in Japan. …

… read more

Andrianov is one of the toughest gymnasts I’ve ever seen. If it’s possible to fight the deterioration, he will.