Gymnastics Coaching.com

The male gymnastics community has elected the Finnish athlete Jani Tanskanen as a member of the FIG Athletes’ Commission. He’ll represent the Men’s Artistic Gymnastics within the Commission. …

… Jani Tanskanen won the World Champion title on Horizontal Bar in 1997, in Lausanne (SUI). Today, he is the MAG Technical Director in the Finnish Gymnastics Federation. …

read more … FIG Athletes’ Commission

Age-34, Jani is a great choice. Congratulations.

But I just heard that Nastia was voted the Women’s representative.

An active gymnast?

At her age and stage of life?

Wouldn’t an older, retired athlete be a better pick?

Or it is typical that active athletes are chosen?

Photo by Grace Chiu on Facebook.

Click through to watch.

USA Gymnastics: Behind The Team

As USA Gymnastics Men’s and Women’s teams prepared for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing fans were able to get a look behind the scenes with USA Gymnastics: Behind The Team presented by AT&T. Now, Behind The Team is back with some new faces and a few you’ll be certain to recognize. We hope you enjoy the latest videos showing Team USA as they prepare for the world stage.

USA GYMNASTICS: Behind The Team Presented by AT&T

Exclusive highlights from this year’s Barclaycard Freerunning World Championships in Trafalgar Square, London.

Click PLAY or watch it on Gymnastike.

http://www.snotr.com/embed/2975

Gymnastics Videos on Gymnastike

Of all the acrobatic activities that should not be “competitions”, Parkour is top of my list.

The running is “Free” … except that you are being evaluated.

World Freerun Association

Posted by JennFyre on the IG Forum:

1) Compulsories
2) The perfect 10
3) Team competition where everyone on the team has to contribute and it was more then 3 kids from each country have to win a team title.
4) Artistry!!!
5) I miss when the guys didn’t look like they were going to die 5 skills into their routine.
6) When AA guys didn’t have a VERY weak event.
7) The little transitions on floor when you could tell the stylish from the rest.
8) Dance in between the skills on beam and floor.
9) A leap that does not have a switch leg or ring shape in it.
10) Mounts that look good on beam.

10 Things I Miss About Gymnastics

Some buzz on the WWW that a favourite at the World Gymnastics Championships has withdrawn due to injury.

The wonderful JibJab site lets you put your face (or a close personal friend) on to a Rhythmic gymnast. And email the video.

Click through to JibJab to see a sample video. And get started.

Tom Kovic of Victory Collegiate Consulting posted a nice summary article on College Gym Fans. He’s one of the top consultants for gymnasts, parents and coaches.

Click through if you have athletes who might want to try for a College Gymnastics Scholarship in the NCAA one day.

Initiating Phone Calls to the Coach

I think one of the toughest challenges prospects face in the recruiting process is initiating that first phone call to the college coach, and for good reason: they are scared! Somehow, many young athletes envision an unapproachable coach on the other end of the line and view the task of calling the coach with fear. …

read more – Navigating the College Recruiting Process

related: Kovic on The Role of Parents in College Athletics Recruiting

Here’s a sad story.

Despite hosting the Olympics in 2012, there’s no funding for their 3 time National Champion in an Olympic sport for women.

A gymnast who had her sights set on competing in the 2012 Olympics has been forced to give up full-time training after her funding was withdrawn.

Welsh and British rhythmic gymnastics champion Francesca Jones, 18, had been at the national athletics training centre at Lilleshall, Shropshire.

But after two-and-a-half years’ training for seven hours a day she has had to leave after funds ran out. …

read more – BBC – Gymnast upset at Olympics funding

A friend gave a positive review for Drew Barrymore’s Directorial debut, Whip It.

He found it a positive girl coming of age/sports movie. As you know, there are far too few roles for females in Hollywood films. (Love interest and Princess)

The star is Ellen Page, who I loved as the title character in the film Juno. On The Simpsons she cameoed as a character named Alaska Nebraska, a parody of Hannah Montana.

In Whip It she plays Bliss, a rebellious Texas teen who throws in her small town beauty pageant crown for the rowdy world of roller derby.

Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.

At my gym one of the Moms joined a Roller Derby team. Got fit. Loves it.

From a thoughtful post from The All Around:

The AA top scorers this year, of those who appear doing all four apparatus in the London Worlds nominative roster:

1.Bridget Sloan USA 59.850 (USA Championships Day 2)
2.Ksenia Afanasyeva RUS 59.600 (Russian Championships qualifications)
3.Ksenia Semyonova RUS 59.000 (Russian Championships qualifications)
4.Koko Tsurumi JPN 58.650 (Japanese Championships Day 1)
5.Rebecca Bross USA 58.550 (USA Championships Day 1)
6.Yana Demyanchuk UKR 55.800 (Ukrainian Championships AA)
7.Deng Linlin 58.375 (CHN National Games AA)
8.Yang Yilin 58.100 (CHN National Games AA)
9.Elsa Garcia (MEX) 58.100 (Worlds Trials Day 1)
10.Youna Dufournet FRA 58.000 (Mediterranean Games qualifications)

… WAG Worlds Preview

Click through to see scores and predictions on each apparatus.

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

… Of course it’s impossible to compare AA scores exactly from meet to meet. American Cup scores are high, for example. But those lists give a good general overview of the favourites.