by site editor Rick McCharles
Since I’m a Canadian, every once in a while I get criticism that the blog is pro-Canada, anti-USA.
Every once in a while I get criticism that this blog is pro-USA, anti-Canada.
For example, this point that I have emphasized many times …
… Let’s not gloss over the fact that the coach education non-system in the States is far inferior to any other developed gymnastics nation. The mandatory safety certification for professional members is not nearly enough.
In sadly Socialist Canada, for example, we have mandatory coach training called the National Coaching Certification Program. It’s not great. But our NCCP is far better than the hodge podge of coach education schemes in America.
original post – USAG rebuts recent gymnastics injury study
… drew this reaction from one commenter on that post:
… If the US is so bad when it comes to gymnastics and safety, why do so many foreign coaches come here to coach? I have seen your comments in the past about how bad our system is but, for God’s sake, enough is enough. You seem so high and mighty on your soapbox. Just give it a rest. No one’s system is perfect (as your site showed us earlier this week about the Canadian athlete that was paralyzed and the Canadian gymnastics federation just acts like she was never a part of their program.) I assume that at least some of the competitions you attend in the US are sanctioned by USAG? If they are as bad as you like to make them out to be, why do you come? I mean, I am sure they don’t mind, but why be so critical of an organization then turn right around and support them? I don’t know what the term is in Canada, but in these parts we call that hypocritical. ….
For the record, I feel that the gymnastics system in the USA overall is far better than the system in Canada. The glaring problem in Canada is the Women’s Artistic competitive structure. It’s not uniform across the country. The rules are overly complex and frequently changed. More coaches, judges and athletes end up frustrated.
The J.O. (Junior Olympic) girls program is excellent. They’ve kept the “perfect 10”. The American competitions are faster, more fun and more consistently judged. And I love the fact that Level 10 J.O. leads directly into NCAA.
The Canadian Trampoline and Tumbling program is better in Canada. Our Men’s Artistic program perhaps equal to the USA.
Last season I attended about 12 American competitions, only 1 in Canada.
I visited about 50 gyms in both countries in 2007. There’s not the slightest doubt that the “average” coach in Canada is more knowledgable and better trained than the “average” coach in the USA.
That’s mainly due to the mandatory Coach Education system in Canada. And the wildly varying modes of coach education in the USA.
In the long run the USA will be far more successful than Canada due to club structure. Almost all gyms in the States are “owned”. Almost all gyms in Canada are run by volunteer parent Boards of Directors, a big competitive disadvantage in my opinion.
Leave a comment below if you have an opinion. Or something to add.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 