Gymnastics Coaching.com

… Shawn and Teri Johnson will be leaving for Los Angeles this week. They’ll be moving into an apartment in Hollywood, where Shawn will work with Ballas.

Teri left her job in the West Des Moines school district. Her husband, Doug, a trim-finish carpenter, will stay behind to work and fly in to watch her compete.

“We’re pretty much moving out there for as long as she’s on the show,” Teri said. “I don’t feel we’re Hollywood folks. I guess we’ll find out.”

…

If Shawn decides to try for London, maybe this experience will help her “artistic presentation,” as the experts say.

“Ultimately,” Teri said, “this could be a huge benefit for her. She’s never concentrated on her grace and flexibility before.” …

Medals, tour, ‘Dancing’ turn Johnson, 17, into an old pro

Do people return to Iowa after moving to HOLLYWOOD?

Zamarripa Perfect Again On Vault As UCLA Wins Quad Meet

Watch the video.

Not quite as perfect as the first one. But good enough for 10.0 in the NCAA.

UPDATE: watch the video.

Steven Legendre’s FX (13 twists, 11 flips in total!)

See if you can count the flips and twists!

There are no names yet for the Hypolito variations he’s added. (with double twist, and full twist in layout)

There’s no doubt that the WOGA product, now training at OU has the most difficult Floor routine in the world. He’s BIG and STRONG.

Seems a shame the code motivates him to include a relatively easy whip double twist. It was intended to be whip 2.5 twist.

OU bio – Steven Legendre

Sister, Jessica, is a member of the OU softball team.

Feb. 21st in Chicago.

Normally this showcase of American gymnastics is a bit of a let down. More sizzle than steak.

And the women’s field is not all that strong this year:

Brittany Rogers, Canada
Youna Dufournet, France
Kim Bui, Germany
Rebecca Downie, Great Britain
Koko Tsurumi, Japan
Amelia Racea, Romania
Kristina Goryunova, Russia
Bridget Sloan, USA
Jordyn Wieber, USA
Jessica Lopez, Venezuela

I have already spoken on my excitement about Bridget (paticularly since reports that she’s been training a front triple twist!) and I’m sure Jordyn will do fine. It’s also nice to see Jessica Lopez back as I felt her floor was a standout last year. Plus, Koko Tsurumi is always good to see and Brittany Rogers is one of Canada’s outstanding new seniors. But I have to say that the person I am most excited about (hopefully) getting a peek at this comp is Becky Downie. …

perfection is possible

I too find myself more interested than usual, I think because it’s the first Scam American Cup of the quadrennial. Let’s see “what’s new” for this cycle. Is Wieber the next big American star?

Click PLAY or watch the TV commercial on YouTube.

official home page

The Men’s meet just might be excellent. Hagerty is in shape. If the international competitors are, as well, it should be interesting.

Florida climbs back up to 6th.

GymInfo

Commentary on Gymblog:

… In the battle of the surprise contenders, Auburn (Alabama) knocked of Arkansas, 196.175-195.400. Not that the Razorbacks were terribly displeased. “We went 24-for-24 with a few minor bobbles,” said Arkansas co-head coach Mark Cook in a press release, “but nothing we can’t correct in the gym. We fought hard in a tough environment and I’m proud of our efforts.” …

NCAA report!

larger original

UPDATE:

Freshman Vanessa Zamarripa scored her second perfect 10 of the season on vault to lead UCLA to a quad meet victory over Boise State, Washington and Cal State Fullerton in Pauley Pavilion …

… The Bruins, who were competing for the first time since being hit with the norovirus the last weekend of January, got off to a monster start on vault, scoring a season-high tying 49.525. The score was the seventh-best vault total in UCLA history. …

… Hopfner-Hibbs won the all-around …

UCLA Bruins

The high rez version on the official site would not play on my computer.

Click PLAY or watch the low rez on YouTube.

The video is MUCH better than the photos, IMHO.

Inspired by movement and modern dance, the Spring Max Azria collection explores individual expression through effortless elegance. Pared-down silhouettes are given life with graceful draping, while a luminous palette of shaded neutrals reflects the impassioned spirit of the modern woman.

Conveying the freedom and inspiration of this collection required someone iconic-someone timeless. While competing at the Beijing Olympics, gold medalist Nastia Liukin demonstrated the polish artistry, grace and casual elegance that define Max Azria aesthetic. Nastia’s refined sensibility, captured in the stunning images that fill these pages, embodies the visionary spirit of Max Azria.

official site – MaxAzria.com

I predict other high profile gymnasts will be offered similar modeling gigs in the near future.

Alicia Sacramone is down in Phoenix this weekend as a reporter for Gatorade. She has access to parties and interviewing some of the players on her quest for g activities. This is just the first video of a series of her interviewing and mingling with people.

Visit missionG.com for more videos. For every person that visits the site this weekend, Gatorade will donate $1 to charity, up to $25K.

She must be the smallest woman there!

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

It was close, 354.250-354.000, but my pick to win the NCAA Men’s Team Gymnastics title in 2009 — Stanford — lost again to Cal Berkeley. The third time in a row this season.

Stanford is now ranked 7th. Cal ranked 2nd.

Truly Stanford should be ranked #1. (They are a fantastic team. But so far this season they’ve disappointed in the same way that Florida has disappointed on the Women’s side.)

I expect Head Coach Thom Glielmi would explain that the team is “prepping” for Championships. That they don’t want to peak too early.

I dunno.

Stanford will next compete in the Pacific Coast Classic in Oakland at the Oakland Convention Center on Feb. 21 at 7:30 p.m. The Cardinal will be joined by NCAA squads Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and Air Force, along with Cal, which will be the fourth meeting between the teams this season, and an all-star team composed of the top university gymnasts from Japan. …

Go Stanford

home page – Pacific Coast Classic

That should be a fantastic meet. And it’s for a good cause.

Triple Full has a good overview:

The first American women’s elite competition of the year, the WOGA Classic in Frisco, Texas, is over and done with, and 17-year-old Christa Tanella of the home club successfully defended her title, scoring 54.400 to beat Southeastern’s Sarah Persinger (53.500) and Ukraine’s Yana Demyanchuk (53.050). …

Tanella and Svilpaite Win WOGA Classic

What did Valeri have to say?

Click PLAY or watch the interview on Gymnastike.

http://www.gymnastike.org/assets/portal/add_ons/mediaplayer-4.2/player.swf

Anne is still adding content to the Gymnastike 2009 WOGA Classic page including highlight routine videos.

Here is the highest scoring routine in the elite meet, Lithuania’s Laura Svilpaite on Bars (14.750).

Click PLAY or watch it on Gymnastike.

http://www.gymnastike.org/assets/portal/add_ons/mediaplayer-4.2/player.swf

Gymnastics Videos on Gymnastike

Full results of the elite divisions on International Gymnast.

Shout out to Sydney Sawa who won Senior beam.

Some gymnasts from Japan, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine move on to the Nadia Comaneci International Invitational Feb. 21 in Oklahoma City.

The LSU Tigers upset the fifth-ranked Crimson Tide, 196.625-195.750; and senior Ashleigh Clare-Kearney earned her 100th career individual title Friday night in Coleman Coliseum.

It’s been a “weird season” so far for the normally rock steady Clare-Kearney. Nice to see her hit in such a BIG meet.

“We beat Alabama at Alabama. Nobody does that,” Breaux said. “We beat them from the first performer to the last performer. We were tight and our gymnastics was solid. We continued to come back and do a great job through the whole meet.”

Gymnastics team gets win over Tide

Terrific photos from this meet.

Kayla Hoffman

Ashley Priess – coach Bryan Raschilla

see more – Alabama Photo Gallery