There was a time as a club coach when I was dismissive of the Women’s NCAA.
It seemed a place for past-their-prime gymnasts to compete watered-down routines for outrageous scores like 9.95.
I was way wrong. The Championships this year, on podium, was fantastic.
UCLA gymnast Anna Li competes on the balance beam during the first day of the NCAA Gymnastics Championships Thursday April 24, 2008, in Athens, Ga.
(AP Photo/John Amis) – original – ESPN
The Women’s NCAA is by far the “best” gymnastics competitive program in the world:
85 schools had teams Division I, II, III in 2004-05 (down from 179 in 1982)
wonderful opportunity for girls to keep doing the sport while getting a degree
scholarships at some Universities
employment for coaches
fan appeal
media and TV appeal
motivation for young girls to one day get to the NCAA
superstructure of the entire NCAA sport system
beam, floor and bars are very entertaining to watch
most extreme floor choreography anywhere
where else am I going to hear ACDC as floor music?
The success of the NCAA, I feel, is mainly due to Nadia’s perfect 10. Everyone in the world understands the 10. It’s easy for fans and the media to follow what’s happening at a meet even if they cannot recognize a full-in or Jaeger.
This is BIG TIME sport.
A few things I disliked at the Women’s NCAA Championships 2008:
Only 4 programs have ever won Team: Utah, Georgia, Alabama and UCLA. That’s too predictable. I would prefer rule changes allowing other teams a better chance to upset the superpowers.
Clarification added: Too much weight put on Team and All American lists relative to the All-Around and Event Finals winners.
Not enough I wish there were MORE emphasis on All-Around and Apparatus medals. They seemed to be deemed “less important” for some reason than All-American status.
Courtney McCool FX (Georgia), Grace Taylor Beam (Georgia), Susan Jackson Vault (LSU), Tasha Schwikert Bars (UCLA) – event winners
The Men’s NCAA Championships has a better system for determining the All Around winner. The women should use it too.
Women qualify to finals with one vault. Then are asked to competed “two different vaults” in Finals. That’s not safe. The Men qualify with one vault, and compete only one vault in finals. Much better.
On vault there are too many Yurchenko 1/1s. It’s boring. Provide more incentive for different vaults, not necessarily more difficult vaults.
Too much emphasis on sticking landings. An average routine with a stuck landing is often over-valued.
The NCAA is super strict on hitting handstand on bars. But judges do not seem to deduct bad body alignment. Performances are so good in 2008 that those girls with superb line should get more credit than they do.”
The greatest criticism of the NCAA program looking from the outside is the injury rate. But I’m not completely sure that’s true. Certainly the NCAA teams provide far, far better medical than anything the girls had in clubs.
I do wish they competed fewer meets in a season.
Leave a comment if you agree, disagree or having something to add. I’ll send the comments on to the NCAA Coaches organization as feedback from the fans.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 