In Moderation

Hello there.

Are you sitting comfortably? Good.


I have just gone and done a huge comment cull.

I simply cannot stress this enough -


PLEASE DO NOT, now or ever, use The Australian Gymnastics Blog comment space to discuss matters of perceived club politics, club movements, club membership numbers or gymnasts' personal issues involving decisions or discussions with coaches/families/program heads. This space was created for discussion and analysis, yes (and I know you all like the Anonymous function), but it is increasingly becoming a stop-off for gossip and club chatter.


PLEASE DO try and keep comments relevant to posts and appropriate for public viewing. If it is an unrelated observation or piece of news you want to bring to the public's attention please feel free to email me first or tweet it to me (link in the sidebar) and I will be sure to help you out, and determine which bits of it can be published.


If you have a question that you would like answered about the nature of the national program or a particular club program please do not ask it here, please address it to Gymnastics Australia or the necessary club (failing that, my Formspring account linked in the sidebar).


If you do want to have a space to chat freely about what you believe is going on within certain clubs or the GA inner sanctum, or to voice your dissatisfaction with a club or official, by all means start your own Facebook pages and invite others to join. If you're parents or club members, exchange email addresses if you haven't already and get talking. Start your own blog like I did. Launch a Twitter account to announce when you hear x-gymnast is moving clubs, or y-club has shut down. If it is a genuine major issue then don't hesitate to contact me and I can publicise it it for you. Hopefully the general content of this blog generated over 3 years of operation (and you can check back right through to my first ever posts) gives you an idea of the gymnastics matters I deal with, and that AGB's growing readership has come to, well, read.


I don't like deleting people's comments, believe me, but if I don't, we just get bogged down in back-and-forth discussions over who did what and when and where they've decided to do it next when that's not the kind of news or analysis this site prides itself on. I fully understand that it is difficult now because there isn't an Australian message board or similar outlet to assist with clearly delineated discussions. But please understand that you are dealing with (to all intents and purposes) an amateur reporter who has no national program affiliation or accreditation (yet!) and therefore no power in aiding your communications on club or program issues at large.




I do moderate discussions here and do it with the best intentions. I might not do it fantastically but I do my best to do it competently.

If any of this leaves a sour taste in your mouth then I am very sorry it brings you to a negative conclusion about this space. I hope you find somewhere that offers you the leniency you are seeking.


Thank you for your time and your readership.

~ Meredith

ozgymblog@gmail.com
www.twitter.com/ozgymblog
www.formspring.me/ausgymblog