Gymnastics Coaching.com

Front Row (from left): Rebekah Zaiser, Corey Hartung, Alicia Goodwin, Maranda Smith, Amy Ferguson, Ashley Kerr. Back Row: Elizabeth Mahlich, Kailey Tissue, Melanie Sinclair, Amanda Castillo, Courtney Gladys, Nicole Ellis.

larger original – Gatorzone

Time to start thinking about the upcoming NCAA competitive season.

Great Leaps and Jumps make Balance Beam and Floor Exercise routines stand out at any competition. In this DVD, Tammy Biggs explains how to make your leaps and jumps exceptional. Tammy breaks down leaps and jumps into their simplest elements, shows how to drill all these elements and how to put all the elements together. The excellent demonstrations on floor, trampoline and beam show exactly how you can learn and teach great leaps and jumps. This video is a must for any coach or competitive gymnast of any level.

This video and more are linked from the GymSmarts home page.

All of the Tammy Biggs DVDs are recommended.

Many coaches are still in shock after hearing about the injury to Taylor Lindsay-Noel from Seneca Gymnastics in Toronto. Seneca has been one of the top clubs in Canada for decades. Yet they still had a catastrophic injury.

Coaches everywhere must do all they can to prevent this kind of thing happening in their gyms.

Parents and gymnasts, too, must be aware of the dangers of advanced gymnastics. It’s more dangerous than most other sports.

Most of the media does focus on Shawn Johnson, Nastia Liukin and the stars who succeed. A combination of talent, luck, timing and good coaching. Let’s not forget the many athletes — some equally talented — who did not achieve their dreams. Or died trying.

From video editor nade00 from Australia:

A montage about the sad stories in gymnastics. I cannot even imagine the pain of training your whole life for a dream then having it taken away.

Footage includes Julissa Gomez, Christy Henrich and Yelena Mukhina, whose stories are perhaps the greatest examples of tragedy in gymnastics.

Also included is Sang Lan, who is a very inspiring amd courageous woman. She has managed to keep a positive outlook on life and do many great things. She hopes to be one of the final torchbearers at next year’s Beijing Olympic Games.

The other gymnasts I chose becasue they were perhaps the best examples of gymnasts forced to retire in their prime, or before their career even really began.

I also included those who never lived up to expectations, those supposed to be the next big thing who were then forced to watch their dreams slip away in the spotlight.

REST IN PEACE:
Julissa Gomez
Christy Henrich
Yelena Mukhina
Alexandra Huci

The song is ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ by the Verve.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. (WARNING – this video is graphic and very depressing)

After watching that I had to remind myself that the girls in my gym are safer there than at Physical Education class at school. That they are safer at the gym than in the car driving to the gym.

Still …, these tragic stories are an important reminder to be even more cautious in training.

The Vitaly Scherbo Invitational, this year for Men and Women, will be held Jan. 17-19, 2009.

official website

… Michael Phelps is reported to earn a whopping $100 million in endorsements for his gold medal run, which promises lots of exposure for the swim stud, and world champion Nastia Liukin, well, she is doing pretty good as well.

Not only is the Texas native fronting a CoverGirl campaign this fall, but she’s also going to be the face of brand Vanilla Star. Her “Smart Girls Rock” ads for the company were unveiled earlier this week …

Nastia Liukin for Vanilla Star – Style List

Vanilla Star Jeans

related: Olympic Gymnast, Agent Work As Team To Appeal To Sponsors – Sports Business Daily

 
If you have ever dreamt of becoming a circus performer, now is the time to cartwheel your way into a career as one! The National Institute of Circus Arts is holding auditions in cities around Australia for 2009 entry into the Bachelor of Circus Arts degree.
 
Those with a flair for the physical and a desire for a challenge should take the opportunity to apply, with successful applicants participating in the three-year full time degree, on the Swinburne University Prahran Campus, Melbourne.
 
NICA students have come from around Australia and overseas, with backgrounds in areas as diverse as martial arts, ballet, gymnastics, theatre performance, acrobatics and youth circus.

Graduates of NICA’s Bachelor of Circus Arts have gone on to work for Circus Oz, Cirque du Soleil, Tokyo Disney, Cavalia, Circa, Spiegeltent, La Clique and Silvers Circus, amongst others.
 
Apply to audition for the National Institute of Circus Arts now! … call 03 9214 6537

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Liukin was a member of the 2007 world championships team that was named the U.S. Olympic Committee’s 2007 Team of the Year. At the 2007 world championships, Liukin helped lead the U.S. women’s team to its second world team title, the first at a worlds held outside the United States, while individually claiming first on the balance beam and second on the uneven bars. Her three medals at the 2007 world championships brought her career world medal count to nine, tying the mark held by Shannon Miller for the most by a U.S. gymnast … .

Liukin led the 2008 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics team with five medals: one gold, three silver and one bronze. She became just the third U.S. woman to win the Olympic all-around title and also claimed silver in the team, uneven bars and balance beam, and bronze on the floor exercise. She also tied the U.S. gymnastics record of five Olympic medals at one Olympic Games held by Mary Lou Retton and Miller (August).

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Vote on the bottom of this page: Women’s Sports Foundation

Of course I believe in Freedom of Speech.

Most Olympics athletes are completely focused on their sport.

But some use their high profile to promote human rights and charitable causes. Here are a few of those: Anna Rice Joey Cheek, Rosanna Tomiuk, Brian and Dennis Stever.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Right to Play – official website

Ideally I would like athletes not to advocate while on the field of play. Or podium. But at all other times they should be free to speak their minds.

China, I think, was very, very lucky not to have more vocal athlete protesters at the Olympics.

In solidarity with all those coaches starting back to the “regular schedule this week. …

Despair.com

School has started in many parts North America.

On the last long holiday weekend of the summer, I’m at the gym putting together rotations, conditioning and training plans. If you are too, my condolences.

Eveyone else is gone. Except the cleaner. And one Dad who took it upon himself to organize the massive job of painting the entire warehouse.

It looks GREAT.

I’m also still on the search for an experienced Head Coach / Administrator for our club of 600 – 700 gymnasts.