Gymnastics Coaching.com

From FIG by email:

FIG Disciplinary Commission

GYMNAST HEARD

Lausanne (SUI) – FIG Office, December 21, 2009: The FIG Disciplinary Commission heard Brazilian gymnast Daiane Dos Santos on Friday, December 18, 2009, in Lausanne (SUI) after she tested positive for furosemide on July 2, 2009 during an out-of-competition test.

Composed of Rached Gharbi (TUN) President, Ms Margarida Dias Ferreira (POR) and Paul Engelmann (SUI), the Disciplinary Commission described the hearing as transparent, positive and constructive. It will bring its conclusions before the FIG Presidential Commission on January 26th.

Note that the proceedings opened against Daiane Dos Santos, 2003 World Floor Champion in Anaheim (USA) and winner of the 2006 World Cup in her discipline, are in keeping with the rules in force, according to which a therapeutic use exemption request must be made in the event that an athlete necessitates the use of a prohibited substance.

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

Since the Discipline Committee is actually meeting, perhaps we’ll finally get a decision from them on whether or not China was guilty of competed with two underage gymnasts at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

UPDATE … A ruling will be made February 26, 2010.

It’s the season of gluttony where I live. Perhaps we need rent this movie to slow the gorge.

Food, Inc. is a 2008 American documentary film directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Robert Kenner.

The film examines large-scale agricultural food production in the United States, concluding that the meat and vegetables produced by this type of economic enterprise have many hidden costs and are unhealthy and environmentally-harmful.

The film is narrated by Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser, two long-time critics of the industrial production of food.[ The documentary generated extensive controversy in that it was heavily criticized by large American corporations engaged in industrial food production. …

Wikipedia

Excellent. Scary. Recommended. It had an unbelievably high rating of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.

I felt the movie was quite “balanced”. Their charges against big agriculture are indefensible.

… The producers invited on-screen rebuttals from Monsanto Company, Tyson Foods, Smithfield Foods, Perdue Farms, and other companies, but all declined the invitation. …

official movie website

companion book – Food Inc.: A Participant Guide: How Industrial Food Is Making Us Sicker, Fatter, and Poorer—And What You Can Do About It

Related posts:

• Fast Food Nation
• Super Size Me – teaching kids about fast food

shergymrag found more information on Florida coach Shane Downey who was paralyzed on a tumbltrak in 2000.

http://gannett.a.mms.mavenapps.net/mms/rt/1/site/gannett-wtlv-3319-pub01-live/current/articleplayer/singleclip/client/embedded/embedded.swf

… I’m even more convinced that Shane should take some responsibility for his accident. As sher says, he’s certainly experienced enough to know to ask for a spot if he might need one.

Season 1 of the hit TV series will be on Canadian TV starting Wednesday on MuchMusic TV.

Make it or Break it, which originates on ABC Family in the United States, follows a group of young gymnasts as they back-stab and trash-talk each other while competing for spots on the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team.

The series stars Vancouver native Chelsea Hobbs as Emily Kmetko ..

24hrs

Season 1 premiere is online now at MuchMusic.com.

Season 2 starts on American TV early in the new year.

Kaja is a young Rhythmic Gymnast from Norway who’s video montages have already generated over 6 million views.

Most popular is one called Rhythmics is NOT easy!. Thanks Anastasia Umeh for linking to it.

But I prefer another titled Love for Rhythmic Gymnastics.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

This much better explains why a young girl might be inspired to take up the extreme sport of Rhythmic gymnastics.

… The technology provides a training aid that will allow coaches and gymnasts to review performances immediately following their routine or skills. The video training system will make its debut during the national team camp in late January. …

Eight cameras have been stationed around the training gym, and the coverage can be viewed on six, 42-inch plasma screen TVs. The cameras were placed to show different angles of each of the four events. …

details on USAG

I’m surprised it took this long.

Ron Brant has resigned.

Who will replace him?

Gymnastics Examiner posted the best article I’ve seen: Ron Brant: U.S. men’s gold ‘is going to happen’:

… Brant officially left his position of U.S. national team coordinator after the 2009 World Championships in October. …

Since the World Championships, Brant has been working in Colorado Springs as the High Performance Director for the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Sports Performance Division, helping guide performance initiatives for 10 Olympic and Paralympic sports, including gymnastics.

A number of factors contributed to Brant’s decision to step aside as U.S. men’s coordinator. “Part of it was the opportunity to grow in a profession that’s hard to do,” he said. “I’m in a position that I can still communicate with gymnastics in a different level…but not be involved in the day-to-day scheduling. The part I’ll miss is the competition.”

Although no replacement has been named, Brant said he expects an announcement to be made by the end of the year.

“Nothing’s finalized,” he said. “Obviously it’s a small group of people.” Potential successors include 2004 and 2008 Olympic head coach Kevin Mazeika, or perhaps Men’s Program Committee Chairman Yoichi Tomita, whose son Yewki spent the better part of the last decade on the senior National Team. …

read the entire article – Ron Brant: U.S. men’s gold ‘is going to happen’

I’ve always been a big fan of Ron and his team. He’s a classy guy and an intelligent, knowledgeable coach.

Thank-you for all the good years.

THE NEXT EVOLUTION OF DANCE- THE LXD

The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers (LXD) is a troupe being promoted by John M. Chu director of Step Up 2 and Step Up 3D and choreographed by Harry Shum, Christopher Scott, and Galen Hooks.

Harry Chum is the “Other Asian” from Glee.

LXD came to public attention with this astonishing Dec. 3rd performance on So You Think You Can Dance.

Click PLAY or watch them on YouTube.

In 2010 LXD performances will be posted online. Details are vague as yet, but you can follow them by subscribing to John M. Chu’s YouTube channel.

The World’s First Online Dance Adventure.

Here’s a trailer announcing the 2010 project.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I’m psyched. This looks great.

Thanks Fred.

From MostepanovaFan.

… a montage to celebrate Christmas because I loves it. … features clips from 2009 of many people. I found while making this that 2009 was actually better than it seemed the first time around.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

This is the first I’ve heard of this catastrophic injury.

A Jacksonville jury awarded a former gymnastics coach $25.5 million today for injuries he suffered at an Atlantic Boulevard gym that left him a quadriplegic.

The bulk of the award is for medical expenses required by Shane Downey, 32, who was injured on a piece of tumbling equipment in 2000, said his attorney, Mitch Woodlief.

Jurors found North Florida Gymnastics and Cheerleading 100 percent negligent for not supervising Downey on the equipment. Downey, who now lives in Texas, fell and broke his neck.

Jacksonville.com

I’m suspicious of the American legal system. Not knowing any of the details, I’m still wondering how the coach can be 0% responsible. Leave a comment if you know anything of this incident.