Gymnastics Coaching.com

You may already have heard about “Dasha’s” weekly news column on PerthNow. She trains at the Western Australia Institute of Sport in Perth.

… Gymnastics has never had a large following in Australia, though I don’t understand why there is seemingly little interest in this great sport of ours.

It is repeatedly one of the most, if not the most, watched sports when Olympic and Commonwealth Games are broadcast.

I believe the ratings were also sky-high during the airing of the 2005 Melbourne World Gymnastics Championships. So it is definitely not a question of entertainment – speaking from experience, people never seem to tire of pleading for a demonstration of a back flip. …

Nothing says sports person like an early morning. Awake at 5.30am, the first training session starts at 6.45am – ending three hours and 15 minutes later at 10am.

We then strip off our hand grips and leotards, pull on the school uniform and rush off to school until 3pm. After we have filled our brains with all sorts, useful and completely trivial, it’s time to come back “home” for another three-and-a-half hour session. …

read the rest of her article – Daria ‘Dasha’ Joura joins PerthNow’s commentary team

(via difficulty plus execution and Australian Gymnastics)

At International Gymnastics Camp, we combine great gymnastics training and great recreation for the ultimate gymnastics camp experience.

IGC campers range in age from 8 to 17 and are from beginner to advanced gymnasts.

Our main concern is the further development of our campers as gymnasts and as people. Our gymnastics program and our recreational activities, such as the climbing wall and trapeze, allow campers to gain self confidence and feel positive about themselves and their accomplishments inside and outside of the gym.

I see they have a good circus set-up.

Check out the highlights video posted on the International Gymnastics Camp home page.

I’ve been reluctant to predict a winner in the All-around in Beijing.

With this vault, however, the reigning World Champion is IT.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Effortless Amanar (Yurchenko 5/2 twist) in podium training at American Cup. Whoever wins the Olympics will compete this vault. Shawn is the girl to beat in the all-around.

(via difficulty plus execution)

The FINALS at the GWGF competition in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho are called the BIG SHOW.

It’s a full competition with awards. But the emphasis is on making our typically boring spectator event FUN. Coaches are warned their gymnasts may not be able to hear instructions — this show is as loud as a big NCAA meet.

Competition Director Dave Adlard explains, “A competition is a competition. Same equipment. Same judges. Same rules. … It’s what happens AROUND the competition that makes a great event.”

To start, Dave hires a live band to play during warm-up and breaks.

A professional sound and light show makes the kids feel they’re in a professional sporting venue.

Next, have Olympic Champion Carly Patterson sing the National Anthem in a duet with a young gymnast “signing” the words for the deaf.

World Champion Shannon Miller stands up with some words of inspiration to the young gymnasts.

That’s a BIG SHOW.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Great West Gym Fest – official website

About.com Gymnastics recommends that fans of the Magnificent Seven go vote for that team in a contest against other American sports.

The first (and only) American women’s team to win Olympic gold is up for induction into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. The voting starts today and only one of the five finalists will make it. There’s tough competition with the ’92 men’s basketball team and the ’98 women’s ice hockey team. So go vote!

About.com Gymnastics

Shannon Miller, Dominique Dawes, Kerri Strug, Dominique Moceanu, Jaycie Phelps, Amy Chow, and Amanda Borden

voting page – U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame

I voted, of course.

In California:

2008 Pacific Alliance Gymnastics Championships, March 28-30. The three-day international event features the top gymnasts from 14 countries, including powerhouses China, Japan and the USA, competing in the Olympic disciplines of men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics and trampoline.

Artistic gymnastics will be held at the San Jose State University Event Center, with rhythmic gymnastics and trampoline slated for the San Jose McEnery Convention Center.

USA Gymnastics

Australia, Canada, Chile, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines, Peru, Russia, and Singapore have indicated they will be sending athletes, as well.

schedule and tickets

Sergei Khorokhordin and Yulia Lozhechko won the all-around gold medals at the Russian Championships Thursday in Penza …

details on International Gymnast

Here is previously suspended Lozhechko on beam (15.550) in 2007 with the Patterson dismount. And some big deductions.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Related: Lozhechko back on Russian team – Gymblog

Texas Woman’s University backed up its top Division II ranking by winning the meet, but the fact that the meet was staged at all may have trumped who won. …

It was the first time that four of the five Division II programs have come together to compete. Southern Connecticut State was runner-up with 184.875 and Bridgeport was third with a 184.625. West Chester rounded out the field with a 170.6.

Seattle Pacific University in the state of Washington is the only other Division II women’s gymnastics program in the NCAA.

NCAA News

Many of my friends on Facebook are trying a rather goofy online poll.

What Gymnastics Move Are You?

I did not take the poll myself as you are required to ask 15 Facebook friends to do the questionnaire, as well, and I did not want to SPAM them with unwanted requests.

UPDATE: Turns out you need not pester friends. Your “skill” will still be revealed.

Turns out I am a Tkachev. (How did they know? This is some sort of MAGIC.)

difficulty plus execution posted a singularly terrible photo of Steliana Nistor and some interesting commentary:

… Yes, her vault and her uneven bars are gross, and her floor is boring, and her beam not OMGYAY, and she didn’t deserve the scores she got. …

So, even with her crappy ugly form, and everything gymnastics purists dislike her for, I’m still going to keep cheering for Miss Nistor. Of course, I really, really hope she cleans up and upgrades and all that nice stuff, but overall, I’m pulling for her to do well in Beijing because she’s a sweet girl and she deserves more support. …

difficulty plus execution – My All-Around Dilemma

I went back to look at some video of Steliana to see if she was really this bad.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube:

OK, her form and line are bad. Not terrible, but bad.

Still, I’ve stopped predicting the collapse of the Romanian Women’s Gymnastics Team, having been proven wrong so many times in the past.

Romania will be competitive in Beijing. Likely with Steliana Nistor contributing. They are a proud gymnastics nation.