Gymnastics Coaching.com

Superb article on the benefits of our sport.

Originally posted in American Fitness, May-June 2004 by Myrna Beth Haskell.

Most experts agree that motor skills, listening, following directions and increased attention span are important faculties your child should develop in order to be successful in kindergarten. If you want your child to develop a variety of physical and social skills without having to enroll him or her in several activities, gymnastics is an excellent choice.

Many sports teach commitment, dedication and time management. However, gymnastics, because of the complex skill progression and vast number of physical techniques required to master elements on different events, teaches more perseverance, patience and discipline than most other physical activities. When a child participates in a gymnastics class, he or she develops a variety of motor skills (e.g., speed, strength and agility) while learning balance and grace. A student must also develop acute listening skills in order to transform verbal instructions into complex, physical movements.

The balance beam event, in particular, teaches students to focus and concentrate for extended periods of time. Gymnasts tend to do well in school because they utilize this ability while studying. …

Funtastics, Idaho

read the whole article – Tumbling tots: gymnastics is a great sport your developing preschooler American Fitness – Find Articles

It may be worth printing this and posting it at your gym. Or excerpting a section for your parent newsletter. It’s very well written.

Myrna Beth Haskell is a former Level 10 judge, choreographer and athlete. She had a daughter in recreational gymnastics.

Gaylord 2, Geinger, Pak, Tkachev. Some new Chinese up-and-comer?

Nope, Zhou Duan competing at the 1997 East Asian Games. That’s 10yrs ago.

Did she compete it first?

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Linked from Aleksas.com (profanity warning). That guy has excellent taste.

Chelsea Otto competed Gaylord 2 in 1999.

We’re still waiting for the first Kovacs in competition from a woman.

On Ebay.

Natalia Shaposhikova hand signed this photo for us in person at our Private signing with her. Natalia was a Soviet gymnast, two-time Olympic Champion, Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR.

Natalia Shaposhikova Russian Gymnast 8×10 Photo – (eBay item 160178556761 end time Dec-09-07 10:14:16 PST)

The Beijing Olympics. And NCAA Championships in Athens, Georgia.

I’d love to go to both. But expecting only to get to Athens. It just might be the more thrilling of the two.

The best gymnastics writer working today by far is Dwight Normile, editor of International Gymnast magazine.

His Women’s NCAA Preview article is perfect:

Suzanne Yoculan’s Gym Dogs are the team to beat, whether she likes it or not

Courtney Kupets and Suzanne Yoculan

Though the women’s preseason rankings are not yet out, Georgia is considered the favorite at the NCAA Championships next April. It has to be. The Gym Dogs have won the last three titles, they will play host to the 2008 NCAAs in Athens, they lost no routines from last season’s Super Six Final and they just began training this year in a new, state-of-the-art facility named after their coach, Suzanne Yoculan, who will retire after the 2009 season.

That’s a lot of upside for one program, but Yoculan knows that a ninth team title, which would tie Utah for the record, is far from a done deal. She says that in 1997 she had her “best team ever” but lost the meet because of mistakes. “I saw how our team reacted to that,” Yoculan explains.

…

Yoculan … won’t feel too relaxed at home. “I’m not crazy about hosting if we’re No. 1,” she says. “There are some high expectations for us on campus. (The pressure) is constant.”

Read the entire article on International Gymnast.

Twyla Ryan organized a terrific coach education course in July 2007. It was a first, but hopefully not the last.

Twyla called it a “Coaching Intensive”.

She combined a number of Canadian coach education courses into one package: Level 1 Technical, Level 1 Theory, First Aid, etc. New candidates could get everything they needed to start coaching after that one intensive course.

Some coaches opted into some sections, and out of others, as needed.

It was hosted by Phoenix Gymnastics in Vancouver, Canada.

Twyla hopes to organize another, even more intensive, package of courses late June, early July, 2008.

Contact Gymnastics BC for more information.

Valentin just started a new blog for The Gym Press.

I wish more coaches would do the same. Acrobatic coaches are much unrepresented in the blogosphere.

Gymnastics Coaching is BIG PICTURE. All things to all people. Most blogs are narrow focus. One club. One athlete. One coach. The narrower, the better, usually. Those have fewer readers, but readers who are very engaged.

If you’ve considered it, check a new tutorial on how blogs work:

WordPress is better than Blogger, in my opinion, though the two are similar. (This site is on WordPress.) Both are free.

There are so few acrobatic coaching blogs now that I can guarantee you will have readers.

The CCTV Dance Contest found some dazzling new stars … “Hand in Hand” performed by disabled dancers Ma Li and Zhai Xiaowei moved and inspired the audience in equal measure …

Click PLAY or watch the video on YouTube.

… Both the dancers had lost limbs as a result of car accidents. Ma Li lost her right arm and Zhai Xiaowei his left leg.

Their dance is about how people overcome life’s frustrations and enjoy the happiness of love.

Zhang Jigang, judge of the 4th CCTV Dance Competition, said, “I don’t expect the dance to be so dazzling. It’s not only about joining hands, but also care, support and help in the heart.” …

sezart.tv: Hand in Hand

Thanks Stu.

Related post: movie – “Lefty” starring Carol Johnston

Rettig’s Gymnastics is half way between New York City and the Pocono Mountains.

They are seeking full and part time instructors and coaches including Womans J.O. Program U.S.A.G. levels 4 – 10. Starting pay between $18.00 and $23.00 per hour depending on experience and versatility. Benefits include paid vacations, holidays and health insurance.

Email: djrettig @ cs.com

Starts tomorrow …

… they have invited the top 20 athletes and the top 10 teams of this year’s World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships to compete in Beijing.

As each of the associations of those best 20 athletes can only field one gymnast, so there will be a total of 16 gymnasts in the individual events and 10 teams in the group events. Among the 10 teams Italy and Japan will only take part in the group events. …

Press conference for rhythmic gymnastics event – 2007 Rhythmic Gymnastics International Invitational Tournament

official website

Jesus has got game.

They’re called Jesus Inspirational Sports Statues. Each features Jesus Christ engaged in one of 12 different sports, from soccer to track to gymnastics, with two children.

… The imported color statues, about 6 inches tall, have been a hit, … said Frank Pollicino of Nesconset, N.Y., who sells them and other goods on his Web site www.catholicshopper.com.

“These really have outsold everything that I do,” Pollicino said today from his Long Island store. “This is going to sit on a child’s dresser where normally you have images of God. I think it’s an inspiration to people.”

The Web site calls the statues “the perfect gift for every young Catholic athlete or coach. . . . a wonderful way to reinforce Jesus ‘as friend’ in everyday activities.”

Jesus statues got game / Inspirational figurines depict Christ as sports guru for kids

I hope no one is offended. That would be as silly as jailing a dedicated teacher for calling a Teddy Bear Mohammed.

There’s more, from another company. Jesus sports action figures:

source – WeAreFishermen.com