Gymnastics Coaching.com

Is this guy awesome, or what?

original – American Cup 2008 – flickr – Angela Radulescu

He finished 2nd on Pommels.

The old Russian coach’s comment really got me:

“Forty years of coaching,” Boris said, “and Laura is my best student.

Reminded me why so many of us coach when we could be doing better paid, more boring, work. It’s such an honour to get to work with some of our kids.

He’s talking about 18-year-old Laura Lane.

“She’s my angel,” said her Richmond Olympiad gymnastics coach, Boris Choutkin. …

“She has [he clinches his fists and squints his eyes while searching for the right word in English] tenacity, and as a coach, that’s what you love to see.”

The Choutkins are a demanding pair, capable of driving some girls to tears, in their tireless efforts to induce maximum results.

Lane, for one, never flinched.

“Laura never miss a practice . . . never late . . . never an unkind word,” Boris said. …

Boris is as tough a guy as you’ll ever know, but he becomes misty eyed in evaluating his prized pupil.

“Laura Lane,” he said, “is like God’s present to a coach.”

I don’t know Laura. But with this kind of commendation from a tough coach, I know she will go far.

Congratulations.

During high school, Lane has trained 24 hours a week under the Russian husband-wife tandem of Boris and Larissa Choutkin.

Headed to Auburn: Lane finished 22nd at the 2007 nationals, where she caught the eye of Auburn University coach Jeff Thompson.

Lane will enter Auburn’s nationally No. 7 ranked program next school year with a two-thirds scholarship. …

It helps that Lane carries a 4.8 grade-point average. …

The total gymnast. Dedication and natural ability work for Lane – Norfolk Life

by Rick McCharles

I’m booked, as usual, for both High Performance Training Camps in Couer d’Alene, Idaho. It’s the most fun and unforgettable in-gym camp anywhere.

The line-up of coaches is yet to be announced. But there’s no camp anywhere with stronger, more experienced coaches than at Funtastics. It’s a treat to be there. Coach education seminars are scheduled in the evenings.

Details (CAMP BROCHURE 2008 (PDF)) on HPTCamp.com

coach Rachael Tart

More photos from past HPTC camps.

Host Stanford will be the favourites to win at home.

(I said the same thing about hosts Georgia at home in Athens.)

But the Men’s competition — using modified FIG rules — is far more competitive. Any team that hits Pommels will be in the running. Any team that starts counting falls, could lose the meet.

It was thrilling in Penn State last year where I thought any of 8 different teams might have won. And it will be thrilling in San Jose.

I’ll be there reporting live.

The nation’s top ranked collegiate men’s gymnastics teams are set to compete April 17-19 at the 66th Annual National Collegiate Men’s Gymnastics Championships at Stanford University’s Maples Pavilion. The excitement of collegiate men’s gymnastics returns to the Bay Area for the first time in a decade as the nation’s best compete for team and individual championships.

Participating teams will be announced on April 8.

2008 Tournament Central

Very cool “quick edit” commercial for the meet is well worth watching. Click PLAY or ya dee da on YouTube.

Is gymnastics a cool sport, or what!

You’ve heard the name.

Tall, lean. Super artistic.

Could Kyson Bunthuwong from Cal Berkeley win the NCAA Championships this year?

He’s ranked 3rd right now on GymInfo behind much more experienced Casey Sandy (91.083) from Penn State and David Sender (89.450) from Stanford.

Kyle Bunthuwong, his brother, is ranked 11th.

But Kyson scored 90.20 last weekend. Is young. And rapidly improving. He has one of world’s most knowledgeable and dedicated coaches in Barry Weiner and has been well trained his entire career.

Is 2008 his year?

Cal Berkeley is ranked 4th and no doubt wants to win it all as a team too. They were by far the best technically and artistically in 2007. I really hope they HIT at Championships.

Click PLAY or watch Kyson Bunthuwong on YouTube. …

…

Actually, Kyson is so little known there are only 3 old clips on YouTube. And hardly any photos on the internet.

Kyson Bunthuwong — talk about an unsung hero.

Have you heard about this?

The Youth Olympic Games … will feature athletes between the ages of 14 and 18. The idea for such an event was envisioned in 2001 by International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge. On July 6, 2007, IOC members at the 119th IOC session in Guatemala City approved the creation of a youth version of the Olympic Games. …

Each participating country would send at least four athletes. The athlete will be chosen at least 18 months in advance, which suggests that some could be chosen as young as age 12. At least one IOC member criticized the plan …

Several other Olympic events for youth, like the European Youth Olympic Festival held every other year with summer and winter versions, and the Australian Youth Olympic Festival, have proven successful; the Youth Games would most likely be modeled after these. …

Wikipedia

Here’s a cute promo video featuring some youth athletes used as part of the successful Singapore bid.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Less cute, but far more informative is this Singapore 2010 Concept Video (3min) also used as part of the bid. Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I love Singapore. And am confident they will be even better hosts for a big Games than Beijing in 2008.

6th World Congress on Biomechanics

(via Kat on Chalk Bucket)

Now …

Are youth Olympics a good idea?

The whole concept flies against some of the things said by FIG President Bruno Grandi over the past year.

Leave a comment if you have an opinion.

The Automata / Automaton Blog posted this acrobat, nearly 3ft tall. One comment says the piece sold for $110,500 USD.

The word Automaton is used “to describe non-electronic moving machines, especially those that have been made to resemble human or animal actions …”

This one moves after you drop a coin in the slot. From stand it presses to handstand.

I wish I could see a video.

Others I found on the internet press to handstand, including this clown:

We already linked to Jeb Corliss, the B.A.S.E. jumper who wants to “fly” out of a plane in a wingsuit.

That maniac Travis Pastrana, first to do a double back somersault on a motorcycle, here leaps from a plane with no chute.

To see what happens, click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

In a related video — related in the way that two guys get uncomfortably close during sport — check out the world’s first two-man snowboard.

Click PLAY or watch it on BreitBart.
http://eplayer.clipsyndicate.com/cs_api/get_swf?swfHome=eplayer.clipsyndicate.com&va_id=528597&wpid=1904

by Rick McCharles

… It felt like an exhibition with 4 American Women and The Paul Hamm Show on the side. That being said, here are a few of my (admittedly unenthusiastic) thoughts…

Perfect 10 blog

I always look forward to posts on Perfect 10. This one is, as usual, excellent.

OK. About the American Cup Women’s competition.

I’m from Canada. Everyone internationally knows that you only travel to that meet in order to lose to the American of the day. (Yes I know there have been odd exceptions.)

Nastia Liukin, left, and Paul Hamm, right, hold up their trophies during the awards ceremony after their wins in the American Cup gymnastics competition Saturday, March 1, 2008, in New York.

(AP Photo/Jason DeCrow) – ESPN

It’s not a real meet. American Cup is more of a publicity event to promote American gymnastics.

Like every other commentator I’ve read, I can’t get excited about it. The Doha World Cup, by comparison, was far, far more interesting.

In the past American girls have not often competed in the regular World Cup circuit — which is admittedly far too Euro-centric. Perhaps even anti-American.

But isn’t it time to roll American Cup into the World Cup series? Have Americans regularly compete in all the World Cup meets? Make the World Cup series truly a global event?

Leave a comment if you have an opinion.

The Georgia Bulldogs basketball team finished last in SEC East. The coach was packing his bags, expecting to get fired.

Then they unexpectedly won 3 games in 2 days! (One game was delayed due to tornado.)

Georgia is suddenly going to the March Madness NCAA Basketball Tournament. Coach Dennis Felton will probably get a raise.

Don’t think this astounding rebound will be lost on the Georgia Women’s Gymnastics Team. They have a history of rebounding from adversity themselves — 1999 and 2007 — and will have to do it again this season:

ATHENS, Ga. — The top-ranked Georgia gymnastics team may have lost back-to-back NCAA All-Around Champion Courtney Kupets to injury for the year, but they proved they are still right in the hunt for a fourth straight NCAA title Saturday night, defeating the No. 10 Bruins, 197.900-196.925.

The Gym Dogs (9-2) responded from a loss against Michigan last weekend tying a season-high score, while UCLA’s (14-4) mark of 196.925 was a season-best for the Bruins as well.

“I think our team sent a message tonight that no matter what has happened we are still here to contend for a national title,” Georgia head coach Suzanne Yoculan said. “Our gymnasts don’t know anything but winning championships and they proved that they’re ready to defend their last three titles.

Gym Dogs Defeat UCLA With Season-High 197.900

With a monster crowd at home, the desire to four-pete, …

I think #1 ranked Georgia are still the favourites to win NCAA Championships 2008.

source

Certainly there will be 11 other teams convinced Georgia can be beaten come Championships April 24-26th in Athens, GA.

It’s going to be a dog fight.

I can hardly wait.