Gymnastics Coaching.com

I’m excited to see events hosted in Arabic countries. Sport is one of the best ways to break down barriers.

And who wouldn’t want to compete here:

Yet there are very few female gymnasts coming:

The event will see participation of 109 male and 29 female gymnasts from 38 countries. …

Croatia’s Robert Seligman, France’s Yann Cucherat in parallel bars, Greece’s Dimosthenis Tampakos, a Olympic gold medalist, Italy’s Igor Cassina, Japan’s Hiroyuki Tomita, Netherlands’ Lambertus Van Gelder in ring, Germany’s Oksana Chusovitina and Tunisia’s Wajdi Bouallegue are some of the top gymnasts who will be seen in action during this three-day event. …

March 4-6th – Artistic Gymnastics World Cup – official website

Only 29 female competitors?

I have a theory that the current code of points may eventually fail for an unexpected reason. That too few of the member nations of FIG will be able to field athletes.

Even the top 12 nations qualified for the Team Olympics are having problems putting together a competitive team for Beijing.

How long can it be before disgruntled nations force rules change to allow them to be more competitive on the world stage? FIG elections are one nation, one vote.

Sadly, Santa Monica Gymnastics Center in California is closing.

Taking down the gym must be like doing an autopsy.

Not sure exactly what’s happening in this photo:

original – flickr – Wordsmith from Nantucket

more photos – SMGC Deconstruction

Mexico hosted some sort of gymnastics gala. It included top gymnasts in the world including Ivan Ivankov and Alina Kozich.

Elsa Garcia, of Mexico, performs on the uneven bars during the Gala Gimnastica gymnastics event in Mexico City, Sunday, March 2, 2008.

(AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

(AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

Nastia Liukin competes during the uneven parallel bars event of the American Cup gymnastics competition Saturday, March 1, 2008, in New York.

more gymnastics pics – ESPN photo wire

The excellent members-only Gymnopolis discussion group asks that you fill in a survey about your gymnastics club:

The Gymnopolis Gym Survey is designed to help Parents locate the right gym for their training gymnast. Your participation in the survey can help parents if they relocate or move and need to find a new gym for training a gymnast in the family. Parents as well as Coaches and Gym Owners are welcome to fill out this form. Give your best estimates on any questions with a numerical answer required. Your answers are completely confidential and anonymous.

Gymnopolis Gym Survey

We will post any results of interest to coaches here on Gymnastics Coaching.

When I was a young coach, Art Shurlock welcomed us Canadians into his gym many times.

I particularly remember Christmas 1983 just before Los Angeles hosted the 1984 Olympics. In his gym over the holidays were Vidmar, Dagett, Gaylord and many other greats.

I have terrific admiration for Art Shurlock the man, and the coach.

UCLA may no longer have an NCAA Men’s Competitive Gymnastics Team, but Art is going strong at age-70.

International Gymnast Magazine

What a shame.

This is the two time defending NCAA Champion’s second Achilles injury, both times tumbling on Floor.

Her recovery the first time was amazing.

As I wrote recently, “if there is such a thing as a ‘good’ serious injury, it’s a complete Achilles tendon tear.” Courtney could come back again — but not this season.

What a shame.

… This doesn’t bode that well for the Georgia Gym Dogs, who are hosting this year’s NCAA Championships and are favored despite pressure from perennial no. 2 Utah. But this team has proven itself incredibly well under pressure — last season it lost seniors Kelsey Ericksen and Ashley Kupets to injury before the NCAA tournament and still managed to win. …

Gymblog

Courtney Kupets – Georgia biography

(via difficulty plus execution)

UPDATE: In case you were wondering, it was Courtney’s other Achilles. Now both have been operated upon. (link)

Funastics Gymnastics hosts an annual competition in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho called the Great West Gym Fest. (You may have read something about it on this blog in the past.)

One of the hundreds of nice features of this meet is the big screen powerpoint presentation identifying the current competitor. For once everyone knows exactly who is competing.

Click PLAY or watch it in action on YouTube.

One family — the Wrights — takes responsibility for displaying the correct slide with the correct competitor during finals. (Even when the order is changed due to “scratches”.)

Ann wrote suggesting that this version is springier and is preferred by gymnasts.

Leave a comment if you’ve tried this model and have an opinion.

THE WORLD’S ONLY capsule-shaped TRAMPOLINE

Springfree Trampolines

Of course I am negative about backyard trampolines, in general. Best is to have kids do trampoline in a club, on safe equipment, with trained coaches.

This happened a month ago. But I post now because I couldn’t resist linking to this excellent photo:

original – flickr – HeffTech

Someday the “brains” at F.I.G. are going to realize what a mistake they’ve made giving up the “perfect 10”. (That’s what happens when an organization listens to the judges instead of the marketing department.)

There was a bit of a story to this score, as well:

One judge saw it as a 10.0 routine. The other judge, Mary Ann Mahoney, gave it a 9.95 – that is, until she saw the other judge’s score and quickly changed her mark to a 10.0 as well. Postell’s 10.0s

Mahoney’s action was wrong, since judges are supposed to rate routines independently of one another and should not change their score based on the other judge’s opinion.

Mahoney declined to be interviewed by members of the media afterward.

Regardless of the actual number, Postell said she felt the vault was the best she has performed.

“I was just happy I stuck it; I was running back like, ‘whatever,’ ” she said.

Utah coach Greg Marsden said he didn’t see the judge change her score, but that it didn’t matter to him what Postell earned because he knew what he saw.

“I know it was the best vault Ashley has done since she has been here,” he said. “She absolutely nailed it. She just dropped out of it and nailed it.” …

Utah gymnastics: Postell’s perfect 10 vaults Utes to victory – Salt Lake City Tribune

I couldn’t find the vault on YouTube. Here it is, the first one shown in this montage on YouTube. (Slow run. Helps control the landing, I assume.)

Thanks Stephanie.

For decades Olympians have inked Olympic Rings.

In some countries, athletes get tattoos when they first qualify for National Team.

Most conspicuous are the facial temporary tattoos worn by NCAA gymnasts.

Inevitably, this statement of team spirit will be emulated by age group gymnasts:

at Great West Gym Fest

Entrepreneurs take note, clubs do not yet have their own temporary tattoos. The girls I’ve seen use make-up and glitter — perhaps even felt marker — to draw their own.

This could be a good business opportunity.