Gymnastics Coaching.com

USA Gymnastics will celebrate the accomplishments of the USA’s 1980 Olympic Gymnastics Team on Saturday, Aug. 14, as part of the final day of the 2010 Visa Championships in Hartford, Conn.

Thirty years ago, the 1980 USGF International Invitational, the alternate Olympic competition for gymnastics, was held at the Hartford Civic Center, now known as the XL Center, after President Jimmy Carter decided the United States would boycott the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, Soviet Union. …

The members of the women’s 1980 Olympic Team are: Luci Collins Cummings of Inglewood, Calif.; Marcia Frederick Blanchette of Assomet, Mass.; Kathy Johnson Clarke of Longwood, Fla.; Beth Kline Rybacki of Upland, Calif.; Amy Koopman Enxing of Village of Lakewood, Ill.; Julianne McNamara Zeile of Thousand Oaks, Calif.; and Tracee Talavera Kent of Tallahassee, Fla. Ernestine Weaver was the head coach, and Paul Ziert was the assistant coach.

The men’s team is comprised of: Phil Cahoy of Omaha, Neb.; Bart Conner of Norman, Okla.; Ron Galimore of Indianapolis, Ind.; Larry Gerard of Fort Worth, Texas; Jim Hartung of Lincoln, Neb.; Peter Vidmar of Coto de Caza, Calif.; and Mike Wilson of Plano, Texas. Francis Allen was the head coach, with Bill Meade as the assistant. …

read more – USAG – 1980 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team will be recognized at ’10 Visa Championships

Congratulations.

Looking back, the two boycotted Olympics seem a tragic waste.

… Should we have the Olympians compete? What MAG and what WAG gymnast would win if they put the grips back on in 2010?

Vidmar and McNamara?

The 2000 Olympic medalist from Russia on the beach in Vancouver, B.C.

It’s Yekaterina Lobaznyuk‘s birthday today.

StickItMedia:

For the third time in the last four seasons, the SCATS Men’s Gymnastics program (in Huntington Beach, CA) has produced a national champion. Last month, Sam Mikulak earned the Level 10 (16-18) all-around gold in a hard fought battle against Jesse Silverstein. Mikulak’s exploits were key to helping SCATS win the Level 10 national team championship as well. …

Coached by Grigor Chalikyan and Albert Avchian, Mikulak is capping off a remarkable club career as one of the sport’s most consistent competitors over the years. His 91.55 is the highest ever JO Nationals all-around score under the current scoring system. Along the way, he has become one of America’s best vaulters …

read more – StickItMedia Exclusive Interview: Sam Mikulak

This photo is from last year …

Sam joins Michigan this Fall. … I’m thinking Michigan may be the team to beat in 2011 after that astonishing 2010 season.

Talking to the Canadian National team coaches last week, many raved about the up-and-coming MAG talent in the USA. … They raved about the Pommel Horse in the U.K., even more, though.

The younger athletes rushed back to school for exams.

If you somehow missed seeing the popular YouTube clip of acrobatic gymnasts winning Britain’s Got Talent, click here.

They are splitting the £100,000, giving 15% to their gym. Nice.

The seven boys and six girls (from age-12 to 24) are members of Spelthorne Gymnastics Club of Ashford, Surrey. The spelling of the troupe’s name is a reference to the club.

Best case scenario, Acrobatic Gymnastics could be added as a demonstration sport for the 2012 Olympics.

… Simon (Cowell) said: “On live TV, that was one of the most astonishing things I’ve ever seen. In Olympic terms, it would have won a gold medal.” Those words may be prophetic.

Olympics chiefs, who introduced medals for BMX bike riding at Beijing 2008, are discussing including another new event for 2012.

Spelbound insist acrobatic gymnastics is a better candidate than skateboarding, which is being considered. …

I doubt that will happen. Skateboard is in. They want Shaun White.

Certainly Spelbound will get a feature spot in the London Olympic opening ceremonies, though.

Susan Boyle who finished second on the same show in the past went on to sell millions of CDs.

But how does Simon Cowell monetize these kids?

On the other hand, they’ve already been approached with offers from Las Vegas and even R’n’B star Usher.

Congratulations once again to Adam McAssey, Adam Buckingham, Alex Uttley, Jonathan Stranks, Douglas Fordyce, Edward Upcott, Nicholas Illingworth, Katie Axten, Leighanne Cowler, Lauren Kemp, Hollianne Wood, Abigail Ralph and Amy Mackenzie.

Like their Facebook page.

Simon Staton sends us a link to a new site – TrampolineClubs.co.uk

It’s About Artistic Gymnastics has some good ones.

see more

The Jurassic Classic competition is no more.

In 2011 it will morph into something completely different.

2004 Olympic Floor Champion Kyle Shewfelt announces his Gymnastics FESTIVAL March 25-27, 2011 at the University of Calgary in Canada.

Kyle expects to have thousands of participants in a FUN weekend.

Artistic, Trampoline Sports, Rhythmic, Cheer and Gymnastrada are scheduled. It’s all in support of the RIGHT TO PLAY charity.

Click PLAY or watch a promo from Kyle on Gymnastike.

http://c1403192.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/player.swf

To get on the mailing list, send a request to KyleShewfeltInvite@gmail.com.

I’m expecting the limited number of spaces available during a 3 day event to fill quickly.

Kyle Shewfelt, Gold medalist in Athens, led a full day at our Level 3 Coaching Course this week hosted by the Calgary Gymnastics Centre.

Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.

There are no secrets.

Condition. Pay attention to detail, technique and form. Take pride in your gymnastics. Have some personal style. And creativity.

His best advice for young gymnasts is to do series of round-off backward handsprings every practice. For over 15 years he did 10 sets of 5 back handsprings on a soft surface like a TumblTrak or Rod Floor.

The Australian Gymnastics Blog linked to a T.V. promo for the Commonwealth Games, a very IMPORTANT competition for that nation.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Commonwealth Games 2010 are hosted in Delhi, India October 4-14th.

The World Championships in Rotterdam go October 12-24th.

Nations that are able, like Australia, will likely send a “B” team to Commonwealth Games, an “A” team to World Championships. It’s nearly impossible to compete both … though some athletes from some nations will try, I reckon.

UPDATE – Australia might try to send some gymnasts to both.

This will be the weakest Commonwealth Games in many years, in any case.

Don Eckert posted this challenge from Level 10 Championships:

These are the many of the best dismount from nationals in Dallas TX 2010. I got many but not all and would like to hear from you on the best.

Click PLAY or watch the contenders on YouTube.

Leave a comment on the YouTube page if you can decide which dismount was “best”. They are tagged with numbers on screen.