*sniffle*
If you haven't checked out the UK documentary about the 2008 British women's team selection for Beijing, "Gymnast", DO IT NOW. Part 3 is particularly moving.
I'M NOT CRYING I JUST HAVE SOMETHING IN MY EYE. STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3 (got your tissues ready?)
That was an amazing clip to watch!So true to what life is like in an Elite Gymnast's home. Full of up's and down's and sacrifices.Felt for Laura but it can happen to any of them at any time and I think it is important for all to understand that and be prepared. A shame she is no longer training.Would have liked to see the reserves get a mention, they work just as hard to stay ready for action.Very well put together and I think all girls training towards Olympics should watch it.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like E. Little and Peggy had a big shout off the other day about her bars. Now Little is not so much of a lock. I hope they come to terms before worlds.
ReplyDeleteCould you add a direct link please?
ReplyDeleteTo the shout off?
ReplyDeleteLOL
ReplyDeleteEmily isn't much of a shouter so I'd say it would have been pretty one sided. I don't think she was ever a lock she needs to prove herself like all the others. That said Peggy would have high expectations and Emily at her best would certainly be a lock.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FbSailf5VwSc&h=FAQDAGXox
ReplyDeleteI heard verification didn't go well accross the whole group of Seniors, so don't think EL would have been the only one to cop it from Peggy. Perhaps they all need to lift a bit.
ReplyDeleteyou heard wrong, the verification actually went quite well, were you there? i was. there was not a shout off, what ever that is, with emily little, she hit her routine. it would be good if people could support our team and not bag them everytime you get on this blog. the girls are working as hard as they can, granted we have had some injuries, who hasn't, but what they need is some support, that will bring a better result, rather than all these doubters, what a drag. unless you are contributing to the team, you really need to support. armchair experts are just so common.
ReplyDeleteHey well, good for Emily if there was a 'shout off'!
ReplyDeletePrashanth won gold on Pommel at World Uni Games.. hopefully he can repeat at Worlds and get a spot in the Olympics!
ReplyDelete@12.17. Sure you were. And I'm currently standing on the moon.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the links. I really enjoyed watching that.
ReplyDeleteAnon @12.17, I agree with YOU. It really bothers me that there are so many fair-weather "fans".
ReplyDeleteTo me a fan is someone who supports their team especially during the tough times, like injury.
These girls are in general doing everything asked of them by their coaches and medical staff. They are trying their best. they train 30+ hours a week pretty much for the love of it. There is no money, no endorsements, no fame, few future career prospects, and sometimes not even remote possibilities of making teams, let alone medals.
Yet they continue to train.
If people want to have a positive impact on retention of our junior and senior gymnasts, how about finding ways to support and encourage them? This is something we can ALL do, it is something that is in our power, unlike changing the code.
This doesn't mean pretending everything is brilliant when it isn't. But really -- how about finding CONSTRUCTIVE ways to improve things, instead of just bagging everything and everyone?
I agree, this is a tough sport when healthy.
ReplyDeleteWhen girls are injured they are often left behind and not overly encouraged by their coaches. They need support and lots of it when returning to training. coaches need to help the girls to get their skills back and their confidence.
We need all our Juniors and seniors to stay and be nurtured and looked after.
It is becoming evident that we need to broaden our buckets and become reliant on more than a select few.
My God this is not a sport I would want to be involved in as a gymnast. They get enough heartache from their coaches they don't need it from their so called fans.
I get the sense that most of the negative comments on here come from a select few people associated with the sport/clubs/parents rather than fans.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like these people use this forum to action their personal vendettas rather than discussing the sport in a way that is critical but not demeaning or insulting to the girls.
There is no real reason for actual fans to have such venom aimed at certain athletes. What's it to them? All true fans want is for the team to perform as strongly as possible.
I agree that people should consider what is constructive and what is not, but some of these comments are on the verge of suggesting that anyone who is not closely involved with the sport has no right to comment unless it is along the lines of 'yay team!'
As a 'fan' who enjoys proper discussion on this sport, I would just like to point out that there are people out there who take an interest and are capable of discussing things in an objective and respectful manner.
On the same note, anyone associated with the athletes who reads here should probably be aware that at times there will be critique of athletes but it is not personal.
It would be good if we could get a balance here where fans keep in mind that athletes and parents may be reading and consider their comments accordingly, while at the same time people who are sensitive to the comments and feel compelled to accuse others of insulting the girls also consider whether there are in fact an unreasonable or offensive comments, rather than just ones they don't personally agree with.
This blog has festered to now having contributors turn on one another. Go for it people. I will get my fix elsewhere. It has all become a bit yawn ville!
ReplyDeleteI am so bored with people telling others what/how to post.
ReplyDeleteEVERY DISCUSSION always turns into the same freaking argument of "please don't say bad stuff about the athletes" "why not we need to be honest" drama.
HOW BORING! Seriously!
How about a better idea.....let's stop telling each other what to do! (and it's both sided- the pro aus gym side and the aus-needs-2-get-it's-butt-into-gear side.)
Why not allow someone to raise their point, and if you don't agree, then discuss/argue your point. But DON'T TELL SOMEONE THAT THEY SHOULDN'T POST WHAT/HOW THEY DID!!
It's mez's job to moderate. Not yours. Not mine (although I KNOW I am being a hypocrite here!!)
So leave the censorship to mez. If you don't like what is posted, don't read it! Or start your own blog.
And yes, I know that I should take my own advice here(!!) but every time a good discussion starts, so does the "thought policing" and I am so tired of it! It's why so many have left this blog.
Let's get back to discussing gym, not telling each other what to do!
Totally agree w thought police!
ReplyDeleteCan anyone tell me why the higher level IDP girls do not have more competitions (IDP 6 and up)? Saw another post mention wet n wild, that would be great if the elite girls had a comp like that, some fun but still extra competition experience. Is it risk of injury concern? Surely the more comp experience the better?
How do we get out elite junior girls looking like this:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.examiner.com/gymnastics-in-national/quick-hits-women-s-podium-training-at-the-2011-u-s-championships
Seriously even just reading the TEXT made me excited!
additional comps are challenging because:
ReplyDeletea) too many comps = injuries; and
b) not enough qualified judges are available to run full panels
We hear so much about high dv scores. What about the execution. High dv's are not much good if the gymnast cannot execute them correctly, surely this must also impact on scores.How many of our gymnasts with high difficulty have sloppy execution.Let's start thinking about the scores as a whole.
ReplyDeleteWe hear so much about high dv scores. What about the execution. High dv's are not much good if the gymnast cannot execute them correctly, surely this must also impact on scores.How many of our gymnasts with high difficulty have sloppy execution.Let's start thinking about the scores as a whole.
ReplyDeleteThe IDP girls are busy gaining new skills and having IDEAL testing and control tests. If they had a longer competition season then there would be less time to focus on learning new skills as more time would be taken up repeating their routines in practice.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the above comment however if the girls have falls, etc because of nerves and inexperience, how else do you address this??? What do our gymnasts think? This can still lead to injuries.I am sure the Canadians and Americans have substantially more comps and they seem to do pretty darn fine, judging from the quality of routines in the Visa Championships. Granted we have a much smaller pool of gymnasts due to population, so we endure a higher ratio if Injuries occur, but in many other countries, like the U.S., girls are not 'streamed out' from such a young age, so in effect we are making an already small talent pool even
ReplyDeletesmaller. Anyway.....Go Aussies, hope we rock at Worlds:) Good luck to all at the next trial!
I loved that documentary. Thanks so much for letting us all know about it.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-FsX7GIJc
ReplyDeleteRebecca Bross at Nationals.
Bad fall.
It was an extremely distressing moment to watch and probably more distressing for those watching it unfold live (of course, not to mention for Rebecca herself).
ReplyDeleteWishing her a speedy recovery.