gymn Digest Sun, 10 Apr 94 Volume 2 : Issue 101

Today's Topics:
Canada
Goodwill Games Team (2 msgs)
Handstands..... (2 msgs)
NCAA Central Regional
NCAA Eastern Regionals
NCAA West Regional Results (Men)
Nunno on Today promo, Retton on Baywatch !!!!!!!
Nunno on Today promo.
Russian teams for Worlds
Selection procedures
Training sites?
USOC Athletes of the Month
USOC teleconference (Miller & Dawes)

This is a digest of the gymn@athena.mit.edu mailing list.

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Date: Fri, 08 Apr 94 13:03:07 EDT
From: <***@QUCDN.QueensU.CA>
Subject: Canada

Are there any Canadian subscribers out there? Specifically Ontarian? And also,
are you gymnasts?

Bryan

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Date: Fri, 08 Apr 1994 22:07:08 -0400 (EDT)
From: ***@delphi.com
Subject: Goodwill Games Team

In the interview posted with Miller and Dawes, Miller was asked to
comment about how the women's Goodwill Games Team will all be from the
same club (Dynamo).

I am assuming this means...Miller, Thompson, Meduna, Webster, and Maiers.
Can anyone confirm this? Also, does anyone know how this team was
selected? Why wouldn't Dawes or Borden want to compete? Tasha

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Date: Fri, 8 Apr 1994 22:09:54 -0500 (CDT)
From: <***@owlnet.rice.edu>
Subject: Goodwill Games Team

| From: ***@delphi.com
|
| I am assuming this means...Miller, Thompson, Meduna, Webster, and Maiers.
| Can anyone confirm this? Also, does anyone know how this team was
| selected? Why wouldn't Dawes or Borden want to compete? Tasha
|

I don't know if those are the five, but it sounds good.

I'm not sure why, but the jurisdiction of deciding the Goodwill Games
team was left up to the Selection Committee in the Women's Program,
instead of using a set of rules. In 1990, they took the top four
opt'ls from USAs. This time they just let the selection Committee
pick the five athletes.

In a separate msg I am posting various selection procedures published
in the March 1994 _Technique_.

Rachele

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Date: Fri, 8 Apr 94 10:59:34 PDT
From: ***@geoworks.com
Subject: Handstands.....

Glenn writes:
> 2. Correct form for a handstand. I asked my father (once again) and he
> suggested that I try a handstand and just get it down,. dont worry about
> form yet, a little arch or a little pike wont hurt in the beginning
> learning stages. After I have my balance, then I should go concentrate on
> correct form. But my question is, what exactly is correct form? I heard
> you might want a slight arch on the high bar or the p-bars, but straight
> body, head in line with you shoulders, on everything else. Is this right?
> Should I tilt my head up facing the same direction as my butt is, or
> should I keep it straight, or tilt it behind me?



Straight, straight, straight! You want a tight body line with your
head in a neutral position. This usually means that you look at the ground
only though your eyebrows (ears in line with your arms). Sure you could
learn a handstand arched with your head out, but it is much harder to
change than learn it right.
Different form will cause you to ballance different, so if you
learn it sloppy you will have to re-learn the ballance when correcting
your form.

Dave

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Date: Fri, 8 Apr 94 16:36:45 PDT
From: <***@cisco.com>
Subject: Handstands.....
Handstands should be done straight, with your head slightly up, so that
you can barely see your hands, but not nearly enough to push the rest of
your body in any particular direction. You DON'T want to tuck your chin to
your chest either, which is what some people do when you tell them not
to lift their head. Arms are straight too.

While you don't need to concentrate on form so much while you are learning
the handstand, you need to pay attention enough so that you don't learn it
completely wrong - it's possible to do a very stable, archy handstand (and
this even used to be in style), but this can be very hard to unlearn later.
An arched handstand is a move. A straight handstand is a fundamental.
That's why people don't do arched handstands anymore.

Note that controlling a handstand on floor, where your fingers are pointed
forward, is different than a handstand on P-bars, where your fingers are
pointed out. A handstand on rings is hard because you have to keep your
hands pointed in a particular direction, and keep them still, in addition
to everything else.

Chops

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Date: Sun, 10 Apr 94 13:32:39 EDT
From: ***@aol.com
Subject: NCAA Central Regional

Results from the NCAA Central Regional:

1. Alabama 196.90
2. LSU 194.40
3. Michigan 193.60
4. Auburn 191.475
5.Minnesota 187.30
6. Missouri 185.075

All around:
1. Beth Wymer 39.6 (MIchigan)
2. Kim Kelly 39.55 (Bama)
3. Meredith Willard 39.475 (Bama)

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Date: Sun, 10 Apr 1994 00:36:14 -0400 (EDT)
From: <***@dorsai.dorsai.org>
Subject: NCAA Eastern Regionals

Ok just a brief note on the Eastern Regionals (Men) held at West Point.
The Big Ten prevailed and will send three teams to Lincoln Nebraska in
two weeks for the NCAA Gymnastics Championships.
Ohio State 282.?
Iowa 281.?
PENN STATE 279.0 !! (Surprise)

All in all I thought the meet was well run but not terribly exciting.
Unfortunatly there was not a great crowd. I don't know why. The Army
coaching staff and the entire organizing group did a fantastic job. The
meet ran like clockwork. 7pm start and it did. Last Routine done by 9:10.
In general (my humble opinion) NO ONE LOOKED REAL SHARP. I was disapointed.
282 should have been a much more exciting score. There were minor errors
on every event by every team. Penn State did a good job but still looked
sloppy in many places. I don't have the exact results (I did not feel
like waiting for the score sheets any longer.)but I'm sure someone will
post them. Dave Frank of Temple had a 9.9 ring set with 2 back uprise
maltese crosses and BEAUTIFUL handstand positions. Dismounted with a
tucked double back. What a letdown after a great routine. Army's Imad
Hawke also qualified for NCAA's on rings. Army's Steve Marshall
Qualified in the AA and James Lewis qualified on floor. Sorry I don't
have all the exact results.
I do wish the NCAA would use the FIG rules with a 9.0 base score
because there were gymnasts that could have done more but didn't because
they didn't have to. .5 does not seperate the gymnasts enough. I hope
the East looks better at NCAA's because I was not realy impressed with
any one at the East Regionals. I enjoyed the meet but I was hoping for
more!!! Again, sorry for the briefness of this report but it gives the
basic data from the meet.!
Bruce

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Date: Sun, 10 Apr 1994 12:37:04 -0700 (PDT)
From: <***@leland.Stanford.EDU>
Subject: NCAA West Regional Results (Men)

Results as listed in Sunday's S.F Examiner
(This is all they listed. I can probably get more in-depth results
Monday if no one else has.)

Team:

1. Nebraska 287.025
2. Stanford 284.65
3. Oklahoma 284.475
4. UCLA 283.15
5. California 280.325
6. New Mexico 274

AA
Steve McCain UCLA 58.225

FX
McCain UCLA 9.8

PH
Jason Bertram Cal 9.875

SR
Chris LeMorte UNM 9.925

VT
Tom Meadows OK 9.5

PB
Richard Grace NE 9.825

HB
Jason Christie NE 9.925


-Patrick

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Date: Fri, 8 Apr 94 8:15:26 PDT
From: ***@sol.metaware.com
Subject: Nunno on Today promo, Retton on Baywatch !!!!!!!

> Well it couldn't have been as surreal as seeing Mary Lou Retton guest
> star as herself on Baywatch.
>
> Clive.

No kidding! I NEVER watch that show, but was flipping through the stations...
and there she was! How strange!

--Robin

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Date: Fri, 08 Apr 94 09:28:51 PDT
From: ***@eworld.com
Subject: Nunno on Today promo.

Network folks are kind of insensitive about those things. Showing a gym coach
after a child abuse piece is about as intelligent as the Zest commercial NBC
aired during the miniseries Holocaust. Right after a scene depicting the
remains of gassed Jews being used for all sorts of German consumer products
(including having their fat rendered for soap,) the network cut to a
commercial of a kid in a bathtub holding up a bar of soap and saying "look
mom, no schmutz!"

If I were Nunno, I'd think twice before giving the networks another
opportunity like that....

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Date: Sat, 09 Apr 94 21:36:59 EDT
From: ***@aol.com
Subject: Russian teams for Worlds

Hi ...

We just heard results from the Stars of the World competition held in St.
Petersburg, Russia. Top three are:

MEN
1. Evgeny Shabaev/RUS
2. Alexei Voropaev/RUS
3. Alexei Nemov/RUS

WOMEN
1. Svetlana Khorkina/RUS
2. Dina Kochetkova/RUS
3. Oksana Fabrichnova/RUS

Teams are: Men--Shabaev, Voropaev, Nemov, Dimitri Vasilenko (alternate in
'93)
Women--Khorkina, Kochetkova, Fabrichnova, Elena Grosheva

On the injured list: Dimitri Karbonenko (broken shoulder), Natalia Bobrova
(broken arm--are these kids getting their calcium?), Ekaterina Vandisheva
(she's beautiful, and therefore always hurt).

Sergei Kharkov was second at their nationals earlier this year, but no
mention here. Guess he couldn't stay healthy two full seasons in a row.

Stay tuned,
Nancy

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Date: Fri, 8 Apr 1994 22:13:19 -0500 (CDT)
From: <***@owlnet.rice.edu>
Subject: Selection procedures

Men's Program Committee meeting (2/3/94)

--top seven men from USA Champs will be on the Dortmund Worlds team

--36 Seniors, 12 Juniors will be invited to the USA Championships.

Elite Ad Hoc Committee meeting (1/16/94)

--16 Seniors and 8 Juniors to compete in the 1994 US Olympic Festival

--declined invitations to: Cottbus, World Stars, and Africa

--(passed) Recommendation to the Selection Committee that when
considering assignments for the international competitions and the
Hilton tri-meet, Budget dual-meet, and Goodwill Games, three age
divisions can be considered: true Seniors (15+), age-eligible Seniors
(13 and 14, will be 15 by Olympics), and Juniors (12 to 14).

--1995 Pan American Team Selection Procedures (as condensed by Rachele)

1. Am Classic in Feb 1995 will be Pan Am Trials
2. Competition will include comp. and opt. sessions
3. If Pan Am Games include Compulsories, selection will be by AA
total.
4. If Pan Am Games are Opt'l only, selection will be by Opt'l total.
5. Injury petitions will be accepted for consideration.
6. The team is officially 7 gymnasts.
7. Top three seniors and top three juniors (who are 14 by the end of
1995) will be competing members, 4th ranked senior is traveling
alternate.
8. In case of injury, alternates selected in rank order, Sr replace
Sr, Jr replace Jr.

--1994 Team World Champs (Dortmund) Selection Procedures

1. Top 16 gymnasts from US Champs will qualify to World Trials. Ties
for 16th not broken.
2. Injury petitions will be accepted for consideration (both to USAs
and to World Trials).
3. World Trials are Oct 21-23, site to be determined
4. AA total from Trials will count 100% for the World Team (ie no
factoring the USAs scores).
5. If one of the top two gymnasts from USAs is injured and that is
verified by an approved doctor, her USAs AA total will count
for her Worlds Trials total. If her score remains in the top
five, and she is cleared by a doctor, she will be placed on
the Worlds team.
6. Seven athletes constitute the official team.
7. Any athlete who wins an AA medal at the 1994 Ind. worlds will be
placed onto the Dortmund team if she performs (without being
judged or scored) eight events at the Trials.

(Man, that last one is awfully vague, isn't it? Sounds like a way to
guarantee a big name at the Trials so that they can sell more
tickets.)

Rachele

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Date: Fri, 8 Apr 1994 12:34:01 -0400 (EDT)
From: ***@sas.upenn.edu
Subject: Training sites?

I was wondering if anyone has a list of gym's in the Queens, NY or
Long Island, NY or Nassau County, NY etc.... area. Because I have searched
long and hard for a place to practice gymnastics over the summer, but
can't seem to find one. I live in Queens, NY so if anyone has any
information, I would greatly appreciate it. Or if anyone can give me
perhaps a phone number to call or anything of the sorts. Thnx.

Glenn

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Date: Fri, 8 Apr 1994 16:56:36 -0700 (MST)
From: ***@sosi.com
Subject: USOC Athletes of the Month

>From the USOC BBS...

Andy

----------------------------------------------------------


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 6, 1994

DAWES, GHAFFARI NAMED USOC'S SPORTSWOMAN AND
SPORTSMAN OF THE MONTH FOR MARCH

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Artistic gymnast Dominique Dawes won the
all-around event in three competitions and Greco-Roman wrestler Matt Ghaffari
won two Grand Prix events in March to earn the USOC SportsWoman and
SportsMan of the Month honor.
Dawes became the first woman to win both the McDonald's American Cup and
International Mixed Pairs competition since 1990, pairing with John
Roethlisberger. She also captured the American Classic Nationals/World
Championship trials, qualifying her for the 1994 World Championships in
Brisbane, Australia, April 19-24. A 17-year-old from Gaithersburg, Md.,
Dawes signed a letter-of-intent to compete for Stanford University in the
fall of 1995.
Ghaffari captured the German Grand Prix in Koblenz, Germany (March 26-27).
He became the first American to win this event, defeating Rene Schlekel of
Germany, (8-3); Andrei Grishin of Russia by ref. decision, 2-1, and
Adrian Aliante of Sweden (10-0) in the finals. Ghaffari's first-place
finish helped the U. S. place third overall in the 20-team tournament,
compiling 55 total team points, behind only
Germany (68) and Russia (57). He also won the Acropolis Grand Prix in Athens,
Greece (March 19-20), defeating Tunisia (6-0), Enev (3-0) and Pikilidis
of Greece (3-0), giving Ghaffari a 6-0 match record and two tournament
championships for March.
Ghaffari, who currently ranks first in the U.S. in Greco-Roman wrestling, is a
three-time national champion and will be going for his fourth title in
five years, when he competes at the 1994 U.S. Greco-Roman Championships
in Las Vegas, Nev., April 21-23.

* U S O C *

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Date: Fri, 8 Apr 1994 17:07:51 -0700 (MST)
From: ***@sosi.com
Subject: USOC teleconference (Miller & Dawes)

More USOC stuff.

Andy

------------------------------------------------

Teleconference Call - April 7, 1994
The April Teleconference call announced the April SportsMan
andSportsWoman of the Month Awards. Artistic gymnast Dominique
Dawes and Greco-Roman wrestler Matt Ghaffari were this month's
recipients. Dawes won both the McDonald's American Cup and the
International Mixed Pairs competition. Ghaffari became the first
American to win the German Grand Prix in Koblenz, Germany. Others
on the call were U.S. Women's Hockey Coach, Karen Kay with team
member Cammi Granato, gymnast, Shannon Miller, and Gary Alexander, USOC
Olympic Festival Director. The call was moderated by USOC Public
Information and Media Relations Assistant Director J. Michael Wilson.

[Karen Kay and Cammi Granato interview deleted. <snip>]

SHANNON MILLER AND DOMINIQUE DAWES
Shannon: I am really excited about going to Worlds. I haven't
been in a lot of competitions this year. I am hoping this is
going to be a good one. I think the team will do well.
Question: Can you compare the World Competition to the Olympics?
And what would it mean to win that World title?
Shannon: World competition seems tougher because all the
countries can compete in it not just selected ones. But I think
that you just have to hit your routines and do well. And as for
winning it, I think that would be great. That is what I am
shooting for. I hope to do well and hit my routines. It would be
really great for gymnastics because no one from the United States
has won two world championships.
Question: Going into this competition as the reining world
champion, have you set any goals for yourself this year and going
into the 1996 Olympics?
Shannon: My two goals in major competitions are going to be this
world championships and after the Goodwill Games.
Question: What will it mean for you to win back to back world
championships?
Shannon: It would be really exciting because I have been training
hard and I have put some new skills in my routine. I will be
doing those in the competition. I just hope to do well.
Question: Can you give us a physical status report on yourself?
Shannon: I have had the regular aches and pains, but I think they
will all be healed up before the competition.
Question: Can you comment on when you first met Larissa Fontaine
and what she adds to the U.S. team?
Shannon: I think Larissa is going to be great in competing with
us. She has a lot of new skills in her routine. I think she will
do really well.
Question: Could you comment on winning the USOC Athlete of the
Month Award?
Dominique: I feel good about winning that award.
Question: What kind of goals have you set for yourself going into
the world championships?
Dominique: Mostly I've just tried my best to keep my routines
clean and add in some more difficulty. But I am just trying my
best to stay positive.
Question: How much does the world championship title mean?
Dominique: World championship title would mean a lot to me. But
right now I'm just staying focused and positive.
Question: Have either of you set goals to prepare for the Olympic
Games in Atlanta how important are they as far as competition over
the next few years preparing for that?
Dominique: Right now I'm not focusing on 1996 Olympics, I am just
taking my competitions one year at a time.
Shannon: Right now '96 is in the back of my mind, but mostly I am
just thinking about the competitions that are coming up.
Questions: Are there any particular events that you are
concentrating on?
Dominique: No, I am concentrating on all four of my events. And
try my best to keep them clean and hit them.
Shannon: The same.
Question: Do you have pretty good awareness of who else is out
there terms of their difficulty? How much scouting goes into goes
into your own preparation for an event like this?
Shannon: We really haven't been looking around. I'm not sure
what gymnasts will be competing in this competition. I prefer it
to be that way.
Question: So there's no hot rivalry or big show downs?
Shannon: No.
Dominique: It doesn't matter at all. We need to concentrate on
ourselves. We try to train to do the best that we can and not to
try to beat someone else.
Question: Five girls are going to the Goodwill Games are from you
club. Is that rare? What do you think about that?
Shannon: Yes, it is pretty rare that they are all form the same
club. I think it is going to be a great opportunity for the
juniors that are going. It will be a chance for them to compete
away from home and outside the United States. I think it is going
to be really fun.
Question: Why did you decide to continue with gymnastics after
the Olympics in '92 and are you glad you did? Why did you keep
on?
Shannon: Because it is still fun for me and there is still skills
out there that I want to learn how to do. I wasn't ready to give
up the sport. I am glad that I made that decision because I am
looking forward '96 and competing in the U.S.
Question: What is the skill that you would most like to master
that you don't have at the moment?
Shannon: There is no one particular skill. There are different
skills on every event that I would still like to learn. I have a
new vault, and a new skill on bars for Australia.
Question: Have either one of you been to Australia?
Shannon: No.
Dominique: I was there when I was 12 for my first international
competition.

[Gary Alexander interview also deleted]

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End of gymn Digest
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