In the early part of the new millennium, super-flexy sunshine stater Hayley made a name for herself in the Australian ranks with her gorgeous press to handstand pirouette beam mount and elegant floor choreography. After representing the country commendably in a number of meets held in the USA (that also featured the likes of Monette Russo), it was a shame to see her injured and retired before really hitting the big time.
You'll be pleased to know Hayley is still at it to this day, currently working with Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas as she has since 2009, with some modelling in the mix, too.
image credit: ModelMayhem.com
It's great to see that, be it some high-flying hoop and bar work or a simple onodi sequence on sand, Hayley can still wow a crowd!
Wow, that was spectacularly beautiful! She'd make a lovely contemporary dancer too. Just gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteHayley was/is one of the most physically gifted gymnasts I've seen. Some of her earlier videos (especially on beam) showcase her raw, natural talent.
ReplyDeleteGood on Hayley and she used to teach my daughter when she was younger, but I feel this forum needs to be put to better use. And better means getting the word out there about how Peggy is destroying Australian Gymnastics, Found out that Peggy's partner is the Vice President of Gymnastics Australia and that he was the major push behind her contract extension. Says to me a serious breach of conflict of interest, he has been on the board the whole time she has been head coach, make you wonder doesn't it. She needs to go and if the new CEO of GA reads this site listen to the people and get rid of Peggy. Let's get some transparency!!!
ReplyDeleteThat's hardley news about Peggy and the Peggy bashing has already been done to death. These posts are what should be avoided on the blog as the blame game gets old and boring. Peggy doesn't run clubs or hpc's, doesn't make selections on her own and doesn't coach individual gymnasts.
ReplyDeleteOh great. Bye-bye any chance of improving our world ranking. With Peggy still at the helm, will be lucky to even qualify a team for Rio.
ReplyDeleteNegative blame gaming is detrimental,although through constructive criticism I have to agree with anon 9.38.
ReplyDeleteWe may be fortunate & some of the head coach applicants to read this post & list their credentials!
It is difficult to believe considering the current state of gymnastics in some eastern block countries, there are no better alternatives worldwide than our current head coach.
Watching the Olympics online via the BBC coverage, the most telling was the interaction between Peggy and Larissa Miller after her bar routine.
It is sill online, http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/2012/live-video/p00w2tcb (frame 26) you may access free through http://www.unblock-us.com/.
TCG thought unblock gave her a virus,but I have been subscribing since the Olympics & can't speak highly enough. Their customer service fab & no, I am not affiliated in anyway.
Never click on any link for free tv content online for TV Fanatic or TV Fantastic, booby trapped & think where TCG's virus may have originated.
Oliver Vivien was retained as non traveling reserve IMO to counteract Peggy's psychological deficiencies. Peggy's handling of media prior to the games is also testament to this.
Gymnastics is, again IMO, 80% psychological and when you compare body language & interactions with other countries?
Our team was over-trained at camp prior,arrived too late,Lauren unnecessarily placed under pressure. The selection marred at best. The team looked & competed listless & overwrought, whilst other teams like Canada peaked.
We cannot afford another quad in the same light. The lack of response to 2012's favorite moments here, another indicator.
Peggy got lucky with Shannon Miller & IMO is not cut out for the job. If she were a football coach, her departure imminent.
To the CEO of GA: Please fix NSW's lack of HPC, fix QLD's current debacle, fix communications between elite coaches & parents, better utilize the AIS/Homebush and make a CONCERTED effort to find Australia the best Head Coach available.
Hard to recall the sport's "energy" or "climate" worse. Gene Schembri, a true visionary, you are missed.
Happy New Year to GA & AGB!
*Olivia
ReplyDeleteAccording to twitter, Olivia is Canberra bound to do some work.
ReplyDeleteQuick check of GA website, nothing!
Transparency? C o m m u n i c a t i o n? Apathy? Contempt?
A kinda gym class could travel to Karolyi's Ranch & there would be information pertaining abound.
This post does give me an idea. Sure there are many past gymnasts we are curious as to how their lives have evolved since leaving the sport. Over to the blogger!
I went on the GA website today to find out where/when Nationals are this year. Nothing on the calendar!!! Really GA??!!!
ReplyDeleteThey never learn!!!
I always think we never get enough info from GA but to be fair the office has only been opened this week and they are about to relocate and they are preparing for AYOF. I doubt nationals are on their mind. But if you're from wa or Vic the dates for nationals are in their websites and they are in Sydney
ReplyDeleteKeep calm & don't feet the trolls.
ReplyDeleteKeep calm & dont' FEED the trolls!
ReplyDeleteGA Nationals are in SYDNEY 7-18 July. At the State Sports Centre.
ReplyDeleteDraft nationals schedule atm
ReplyDeleteFri 12th - Tuesday 16th International stream
Tues 16th - Thurs 18th
National Stream
Overlap on Tuesday 16th with Levels in morning arvo and international stream finals in night
ANONYMOUS 8.11 Despite yourself, depict inconclusively a "troll" at this type of forum!
ReplyDelete8:11
ReplyDeleteKeep calm and learn to spell lol
Interesting comments, 3.18pm. Totally agree with what you are saying. I had heard that there were quite a lot of applicants for the Head Coach position, but with all the changes with the new CEO and staff changes I think they thought it best to leave Peggy as HC. I heard that her contract was only extended for 6 months.Interesting about WAIS advertising for a new coach , who has left?
ReplyDeletePeter abbot has left wais
ReplyDeleteReally??? Wow, he was a fantastic coach . Amazing bar coach by the sounds from the report from the clinc. He would be hard to replace I would imagine.Not good for the WAIS program I would think.
ReplyDeleteI just watched a video of Hayley at the WOGA competition - she looked great on beam. Did she trial for the Olympics in 04 or compete for Australian in other major competitions?
ReplyDeleteHayley was too young for 2004... she either made the team for 2005 Worlds, or was very close to it, but injury kept her out. Such a shame, she was a gorgeous gymnast!
ReplyDeletePeter Abbott's contract was not renewed because he didn't follow the GA and WAIS guidelines apparently - didn;t matter that he was the best bars coach in the country!
ReplyDeleteMaybe GA and WAIS guidelines need reviewing, Australia can't afford to lose good, passionate coaches. It's obvious thier " guidelines " are not working with our resent results in 2012. The new crop of WAIS Juniors are brilliant on bars and it's not from Nikolia's coaching as he has been preoccupied through 2012. Such a shame for the WA program . Surely these things could be worked through rather than lose a good coach from the women's program.
ReplyDeleteWho's going to get Peter Abbott now? Hope he can come to Vic!!
ReplyDeleteWishing Peter Abbott all the very best. There will be a program out there that will appreciate your passion for good gymnastics.Just hope you are not lost to gymnastics , MAG or WAG.
ReplyDeleteCastle hill pops up in google searches... is that an old club for him?
ReplyDeleteYes it is.
ReplyDeleteWhen we say 'GA and WAIS guidelines' is this in terms of the gym he coached or more admin style issues? His girls certainly have a distinct style on bars ie free hip hecht transitions that I could see not fitting in with that 'national direction' crap they spout - like when they're trying to discourage twisting dismounts on beam and double front salto dismounts on bars for example.
ReplyDeleteWould love to get a copy of these WAIS/GA guidelines that weren't 'followed.'
ReplyDeleteSeems as though theres a management issue in the west - Liz leaves, new head of gymnastics, Peter's contract not renewed and Nikolai still hanging around. Seems like not renewing Peter's contract may be a short sighted issue that potentially will come back to bite them in the bum. Nikolai can't hang around much longer - then what for Head Coach?
Ah well whatever the outcome, some gym somewhere in the world will be gaining an unbelievably good MG or WG coach - and I reckon athletes will follow if its not international.
Why would twisting beam dismounts and double fronts off bars be discouraged?
ReplyDeleteYes, Peter Abbott is a very good technical coach, he worked closely with Peggy & Jo on the IDP & IDEAL skills program. Peggy used him as head clinician at the past 3 or 4 IDP camps I attended, as he had his gymnasts taking a more international approach to skill selection. I think it was an internal WAIS issue as to why he was let go.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with Anon 11.33Am. Nikolai is not getting any younger. When you are over 60? Perhaps you don't have the same level of patience, fitness,stamina etc. I would have thought this would have been his last Olympics? A mentoring role maybe? Time for younger blood and new ideas for the next quad? That change would make more sense than letting go a coach that was 1. Australian 2.Enthusiastic 3. Dedicated to his gymnasts 3. Is a good motivator and positive influence.Seems such a shame for the program that has been one of the best programs in Australia.
ReplyDeleteIt's absolutely disgraceful that red tape could result in losing a top-notch coach. Pathetic. Whoever is/was responsible for that happening needs to take a long walk off a short pier!
ReplyDeleteHead coaches Lu Shanzhen of CHN is 73, Marta Karolyi USA is 70, Andre Rodeoenko RUS is 73, Octavian Belu is 69. So Nicolai Lapchine being 60 is young compared to them, what are you talking about, "old"?
ReplyDeleteHe is older than 60... Totally different programs..... Australia really can't be compared to these countries. Look at thier success. Martine George and Nikolai Lapchine are very good coaches who have many awards under thier belt. ... But with our recent results at the Olympics and the way things are changing through out all the programs and GA, maybe a change at WAIS is not a bad thing for the next quad. They have been doing it the same way for sooo many years. A good shake up all around is not a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteWAIS has, arguably, the best program in the country. If it aint broke, why fix it?? I believe that our recent results at London were largely due to poor choices by Peggy and the selection committee. If we want to improve on those results, we need to get rid of them and support our great coaches.
ReplyDeleteI second that... WAIS has been one of, if not the, strongest program in Aus for a while now. Im sure the decision they made about Peter Abbott wasnt made lightly and must have been for the best. After all this time they probably know what they are doing.
ReplyDeleteIf not, at least another programme (hopefully one in Vic or EVEN BETTER one in NSW) may get some of Peters expertise!!
Any news on plans for NSW?
ReplyDeleteI remember reading a little while ago that Liz Chetkovich had spent some time there? Peter moving to NSW would be great!
Very nice post, i love it
ReplyDeleteThere are big plans for Epping afoot!
ReplyDeleteAnon 7.01am
ReplyDeleteDo tell!! I am yet to hear.
Well, if you were at Epping, you would know. We're very pleased to be there. :-)
ReplyDeleteTrue @ Anonymous 7:14 yesterday
ReplyDeleteHowever what I think you'll find is that (especially in the case of Karolyi) these are head coaches at the National level and, like Peggy, take on more of a coordinating role. They do not coach their own personal athletes. Nikolai is not this. So your response in pointing out ages of head "coaches" is irrelevant to the case in point.
If it ain't broke don't fix it....... Would agree with that comment if Liz was still at the helm. Liz was Program Manager during most of WAIS's succesul years. She did have a year out in 2011 , but was still in constant contact I believe. So it will be interesting to see how they go with Martine George now doing both jobs, already things are changing and sometimes that is good, but I still can't understand why you would get rid of a good Male coach like Peter Abott, no matter what the differences were. I believe it was a total shock to the parents, so it wasn't obvious in the gym.
ReplyDeleteThe Russian coaches can be extremely difficult to work with, they don't know what guidelines are! They are not always team players and often are paired with an Aussie partner because the Aussie is the one who does all the background work! So if they can put up with that, why not put effort into working through differences for the sake of keeping a good coach . Good coaches are hard to come by, especially males and Aussie .I could imagine the parents would feel a bit betrayed.
If it was a surprise to the parents then I dare say its an administration issue. Obviously if the parents/athletes were surprised, then there's no issue with the coaching.
ReplyDeleteWhat I wanna know is, when did all this happen? End of 2012? Are the WA girls at AYOF? Surely if there is no coaching issue then they could've at least kept the coach on till after AYOF. Can't imagine this would be aiding the girls preparation for the comp. No matter what sport is you don't sack a coach mid season. What the hell is going on over there!!!! Ultimately I feel sorry for the girls.
As a parent of one of he girls I feel totally betrayed and lied to. Peter was a fantastic coach and a great person. WAIS are cutting off their nose to spite their face, all because Nikolai chose not to retire and therefore made Peter's position untenable
ReplyDeleteIt probably won't affect the girls that are away at AYOF as far as coaching goes, they will probably be coached by Martine George and Nikolai, it would more the girls that are left behind when they will travel etc. as there are no coaches, Male coaches more so, in the gym that can do what Peter's role was I would imagine. But like always, it's a select few that get the best deal, every one else is along for the ride.
ReplyDeleteI would imagine that Peter would've been involved in the preparation of girls going to AYOF. So whether or not he travels with them to AYOF (yes the girls left behind will suffer) the preparation of the girls going will have been compromised depending on the timing of Peter's dismissal.
ReplyDeleteA few weeks before Xmas I believe. He would have coached them more or less fully for the past 4-5 months while the others were away and preoccupied with 2 seniors going to Olympics. So he was a huge part of thier preparation for this event.
ReplyDeleteI think it is telling that the WAIS juniors look so good in a year where the senior coaches have been absent and focused elsewhere!
ReplyDeleteMaybe some one felt threatened with that????
ReplyDeletePolitics in sport sucks.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree.......But with state ofAustralian gymnastics, surely we can't afford to have ego's and politics get in the way.
ReplyDeleteEspecially when kids are involved!
ReplyDeleteThe AYOF site says the girls will compete Day 1 team and Day 2 AA and APP. Does this mean all girls will compete both days?
ReplyDeleteHow do they do All Around and Apparatus in one session?
ReplyDeleteThe same way they do at nationals up to level 10 - scores count for AA and apparatus results I would imagine.
ReplyDeleteThere is call for concern about the state of gymnastics in Australia at the moment. It's wonderful that our Juniors are having thier turn in the spotlight but amid all this there is little direction happening with everything else " Gymnastics". GA have just moved office, new staff, same old HC dictating the same old thing, no calander up, our Seniors lacking direction, Programs sacking good coaches, coaches on 3month extensions wondering about thier future. Meanwhile all other Nations are moving on and upwards. I think we have lost the plot a bit.....
ReplyDeleteSo what is Olivia's role exactly? She went to camp to do reporting ? But no reports from camp, very little about anything else that is going on with regards to AYOF on GA site, Facebook or twitter except a few photos. So that's really working, having a special Athlete attend to report on things and then no reports! But what else do we expect from GA ,same ol' thing!
ReplyDeleteI would like to know more about the new skills direction. It kind of makes sense, but why discourage some skills such as double fronts off bars? We certainly need a plan regarding our relative lack of difficulty, but I would have thought this involved building up skills rather than discouraging them. I also hope to see an Australian gymnast do a Shap half on bars - we're about 3 years behind the rest of the world there.
ReplyDeletetotally agree with Jan 17 12:29pm.
ReplyDeleteI think coaches should teach the skills that they wish to teach to gymnasts based on their knowledge of the gymnasts abilities. If we all push in a certain direction then we don't have other options for when the code changes and that direction is not valued by the code any more.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with 6:06 above. It seems WG in Australia are all doing the same thing. Look at the coaches of each state and look at what the girls are doing - each girl from the same state will have the same routine based on what that coach can coach. There is no individuality, the coaches don't coach to the gymnasts strengths - just their own. Peter has done amazing things coaching and no doubt his individuality towards girls routines and skills was probably frowned upon
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with the above comments. Not all girls are the same, thier should more coaching towards the gymnasts strengths, body type , injury prevention etc. not all girls can do the same repetitions. I think that's where we went wrong before the Olympics. All girls I think are expected to adhere to the same program yet not all girls cope the same. Example: Emily is a totally different body type to say Georgia Rose Brown. One is small and powerful and perhaps can take the pounding, the other tall, flexible and maybe not able to cope with the same repetitions. Some girls need more " fuel" in thier diets to get through daily training, yet they are all expected to keep to a certain diet. I think our girls were burnt out by the time they got to London, injured and sore. If they could have taylored more to the Individual rather than pushing them as a group for 6 weeks, maybe they may have performed better. To many coaches say its my way or the highway! Yes, thier needs to be a certain structure to follow but don't expect every girl to be able to cope with the same skills set out in the program.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with 7:03 anon. Australia is never going to produce an AA world champion, so we should concentrate on apparatus specialities - Peter's bars coaching was geared towards that - he seems to be the only one in GA with a realistic world view - WAIS has it all wrong - and they're cutting off their nose to spite their face!
ReplyDeleteI may be way off beam here (no pun intended!), but don't most coaches coach according to the athlete?
ReplyDeleteI know that my young IDP gymnast has had her particular strengths identified and is already up-training up to 3 IDP levels for those areas. Similarly, the other girls are working on higher level skills in their areas of strength. Is this not common?? These are 2020 and beyond gymnasts.
Comments here make it sound like in other programs everyone gets the same old same old...
I, too, would have thought (well, at least hoped) that high-level coaches would tailor training to individual gymnasts. Does this not happen in most case?
ReplyDeleteIt does I think to a degree, different gymnasts are taught different skills depending on thier strengths etc. I think it is more the intensity of the training and different body types etc that is the problem. They are all expected to perform the same number of routines and sets and push to the limits regardless of body type, weakness, strengths. I think that is where it needs to be more tailored. Perhaps we might have less injuries at the high end.Its a tough sport on the body, you can be the most talented gymnast in the world but injury can keep you from reaching your potential .
ReplyDeletePeggy has set a national direction for international gymnastics in Australia hense why skills such as double front off bars and twisting from beam are not encouraged (except if you have phenomenal twisting abilities like Paige James from WAIS who twists off beam) as there are higher deductions etc and also for safety.
ReplyDeleteAlso you would find most coaches coach to the gymnasts strengths but again with the direction that Peggy has in place it can often look like the gymnasts have all the same skills/ program - which we have to keep in mind is being set with world trends as much as possible.
Nothing like following world trends! Would it be too much to ask for us to set some trends?
DeleteAnyone at AYOF got some info for us?
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ReplyDeleteEach gymnast is different. There can't be 1 program for everyone. Someone who is great at double front dismounts for example cant just swap to full outs just because it's the 'national program'. Peggy is crazy if she thinks that would work. Obviously it hasn't in the past.
ReplyDeleteHere's my take on The Couch Gymnast:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/brigid.c.mccarthy
So what is going on at Epping? NSW IDP programs have had some shifts I believe? What's so special about Epping now? Apart from how well they did at national clubs that is?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteAfter looking at the Chinese girls on bars - WAIS have done a criminal thing getting rid of Peter Abbott - he's the only coach in Australia who has any idea about trends in World gymnastics
ReplyDeleteAnonymous January 19 is perhaps a little harsh however not stupid uniformed and amateur as anonymous January 20 believes. Whilst Peter may not be "the only coach" it IS quite clear that the current Australian team coaching staff don't seem to understand the direction of world gymnastics. Peter definitely does. Perhaps you yourself are a little amateur.
ReplyDelete