Gymnastics Coaching.com

Front page story on MSNBC May 20th, 2010:

… Cheerleading — not basketball, not softball, not even field hockey or ice hockey — is by far the most dangerous sport for girls. Cheer accounts for 65 percent of all catastrophic injuries in girls’ high school athletics, shows a recent report by the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research at the University of North Carolina.

That’s especially striking considering cheerleaders make up just about 12 percent of the 3 million female high school athletes in the U.S.

Devastating injuries soar

Frederick Mueller, director of the injury research center, has tracked down 73 cases of “catastrophic” injuries in U.S. cheerleaders over the past 26 years.

Flying without a net: Cheer injuries on rise

I’m one of the few Artistic gymnastics coaches trying to encourage and promote competitive cheer. But it’s not easy in the face of statistics like this.

Should competitive cheer be better regulated?

Difficulty further restricted?

Leave a comment if you’ve an opinion.

Thanks Quentin Finck for the link.

This is the third I’ve posted in the past few weeks.

I’d best get out to Newfoundland myself in July. And check out what’s happening on the Rock, gymnastics-wise.
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Campia Gymnastics in Mount Pearl, NL is looking for a full-time Head Coach for their competitive programs, MAG and WAG. Salary commensurate with experience, education and certification.

Contact: Michelle Tuck, info AT campiagymnastics.com

Campia Gymnastics

Until now.

Seems to me that doping in distance cycling is endemic.

The New York Times is reporting today that after four years of denials cyclist Floyd Landis has admitted that he used performance enhancing drugs throughout his career. The 2006 Tour de France winner, who was later stripped of that title, reportedly sent e-mails to top cycling officials in the U.S. and Europe detailing his use of the drugs, while also naming other top U.S. riders who he says were doping as well. …

read more – The Adventure Blog – Floyd Landis Admits Doping, Throws Other Riders Under The Bus

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.js

Let’s say, for example, that gymnasts from your nation were underage when they competed at the Olympics.

How long can you deny that truth?

It’s bound to come out, sooner or later.

I thought the open-ended code was supposed to be killing Women’s Artistic Gymnastics.

The 42nd FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships set for Rotterdam (NED) this year are drawing a great response from national gymnastics federations around the world. By the time provisional registration closed yesterday, May 19, a record number of gymnasts had entered the championships.

A total of 729 gymnasts (399 men and 330 women) from 72 different nations are expected to make their way to Rotterdam in October.

However, whether or not 2010 will go down in history as the world championships with the greatest number of competitors ever remains to be seen; we’ll know more after the athletes have shown up in Rotterdam.

It’s easy to see why the Rotterdam Worlds are attracting so many participating nations. This year’s championships will determine which 24 Teams in Men’s and Women’s Artistic will go on to compete at the 2011 World Championships in Tokyo (JPN), prior to the 2012 Olympic Games. A total of 56 Teams will compete in Men’s, and 47 in Women’s. …

read more – FIG – Record participation in Rotterdam?

http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/PicAppPIS/JavaScript/PisV4.js

The draw for the 1st Youth Olympic Games in Singapore has been posted, as well. Nations have been assigned, but not whom will be competing.

Numbers at the Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championships are way up, too, a 26% increase over 2008.

From MunchTheSilivasFan.

Some long forgotten skills and combinations.

… Music: ABBA – Take A Chance on Me. Yeah, I know Abba were 70s.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

MAG / WAG coaches required in New Zealand

Hutt Valley GymSports situated in Lower Hutt New Zealand has vacancies for coaches able to instruct in the MAG and/or WAG disciplines. Qualifications to coach at a senior level are desirable but not essential as the roles and responsibilities are open to discussion and there is scope for additional work in the club’s Gym for All, Play Gym and casual programmes. The ability to communicate with people at all levels, a willingness to learn and enthusiasm in coaching are key attributes that applicants must be able demonstrate.

If you’re travelling to New Zealand on a working holiday or are heading this way for a longer stay this could be the ideal work opportunity for you.

You can also visit our website at www.huttvalleygymsports.co.nz for more information about our club.

Pay rate and hours negotiable.

Please email CV in the first instance to HVGS President – tim.edgeler AT gmail.com.

The best coaching staff photos I’ve ever seen were shot by Missoula photographer Jonathan Qualben

Those are some of the Mismo Gymnastics and Cheer coaches.

Analyst Andrew Thornton posted the most optimistic assessment for the USA that I’ve seen.

He believes this American team could beat this Russian team in Rotterdam, this October:

1. Rebecca Bross
2. Bridget Sloan
3. Kytra Hunter
4. Kayla Williams
5. Aly Raisman
6. Samantha Shapiro

1. Aliya Mustafina
2. Tatiana Nabieva
3. Ksenia Afanasyeva
4. Ksenia Semenova
5. Anna Pavlova
6. Anna Myzdrikova

There’s a whole lot of ifs, buts and maybes, of course. But it makes for interesting speculation.

Click through for details and to comment: American Gymnast – Could this USA women’s world team win gold?

Frustrated trying to get a question answered online?

Ask Jay.

American Gymnast is owned by former World Gymnastics Team Member and Goodwill Games Silver Medalist, Jay Thornton. Jay has over 25 years experience in the sport of gymnastics, including as an elite gymnast, coach, judge, USA Gymnastics Board Member and member of the 2004 & 2008 (chairman) Olympic Games Selection Committees.

Click through to American Gymnast to ask Jay any question you wish about Gymnastics.

Of course Andrew Thornton is Jay’s brother, and a blogger on that site.

You can pose any question to elite WAG coach Al Fong, too. Leave a comment on any post on the Ask Al Fong – Dragon Gymnastics blog.

I’m hearing rumours of a great job in the sunny Southwest.

It’s not posted yet. But you can get a head’s up in advance by emailing me: Rick_McCharles@hotmail.com