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BONUS: Poster of Simone Biles, Women’s World Champion

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

CONTENTS Publisher Steve Penny Editor Scott Bregman Graphic Designer Jeannie Shaw

NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

FEATURES

10 Artistic World Championships

Led by gold medalists Simone Biles, all-around and floor, and McKayla Maroney, vault, the U.S. picked up a record 12 medals at the 2013 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium.

22 Rhythmic World Championships

USA GYMNASTICS BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair: Peter Vidmar Vice-Chair: Paul Parilla Secretary: Gary Anderson Treasurer: Jim Morris National Membership – Women: Tom Koll National Membership – Women: Kelli Hill National Membership – Men: Yoichi Tomita National Membership – Men: Tom Meadows National Membership – Rhythmic: Brooke Bushnell-Toohey National Membership – Trampoline & Tumbling: Peter Dodd National Membership – Acrobatic Gymnastics: Dr. Jay Binder Advisory Council: Mike Burns Advisory Council: Ron Ferris Advisory Council: Carole Ide Athlete Director – Women: Terin Humphrey Athlete Director – Men: John Roethlisberger Athlete Director – Rhythmic: Jessica Howard Athlete Director – Trampoline & Tumbling: Karl Heger Athlete Director – Acrobatic Gymanstics: Michael Rodrigues Public Sector: Bitsy Kelley Public Sector: Frank Marshall

Jazzy Kerber and Rebecca Sereda helped make U.S. rhythmic gymnastics history when they both qualified to the all-around finals at the 2013 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships, at Sports Palace in Kiev, Ukraine, marking the first time two U.S. gymnasts qualified to the all-around finals.

24 Gymnastics Festival in Harlem

More than 300 children from throughout the New York City metro area had the opportunity to learn gymnastics basics through the USA Gymnastics Fitness Zone and experience the power and benefits of sport and play at the Right To Play Gymnastics Festival in Harlem.

26 POSTER: World All-Around Champion Simone Biles! 28 Nutrition for the Junior Gymnast

During a gymnast’s adolescent years certain nutrients are crucial for growth and development, as well as sport performance. Learn how gymnasts can optimize key nutritional elements for this phase in their life and how-to develop a healthy relationship with food.

Young athletes deserve a safe environment to learn technique, develop their athletic skills and have fun. Know the questions that every parent should ask to ensure your children are safe from more than just a tumble off the equipment.

36 National Gymnastics Day – Show Us How You Play!

CHANGE OF ADDRESS AND SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES: In order to ensure uninterrupted delivery of magazine,

43 Stars and Stripes

Public Sector: Mary Lou Retton

notice of change of address should be made eight weeks in advance. For fastest service, please enclose your present mailing label. Direct all subscription mail to USA Gymnastics, 132 E. Washington St., Ste. 700, Indianapolis,

35 Questions to Ask Youth-Serving Organizations

More than 8,000 children were involved in programs and initiatives held by the 25 Member Clubs that received grants as part of their charitable activities for National Gymnastics Day. Check out how the event was celebrated across the country.

Public Sector: Jim Morris

2012 Olympian Steven Gluckstein won the men’s trampoline title while Deana Parris grabbed the women’s title at the 2013 Stars and Stripes Cup at Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Fla. The event served as the final selection event for trampoline and tumbling’s World Championships.

28 36

IN 46204. Unless expressly identified to the contrary, all articles, statements and views printed herein are attributed solely to the author and USA Gymnastics expresses no opinion and assumes no responsibility thereof.

On the cover: Photos of the USA’s World Championships medalists by John Cheng.

DEPARTMENTS 6 EDITORIAL 19 GYM UPDATE 40 EVENT SCHEDULE

48 FACES IN THE GYM 50 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING

USA GYMNASTICS is published bimonthly for $19.95 per year in the U.S., $32 per year in Canada or Mexico, and $45 per year in all other countries. USA GYMNASTICS is published by USA Gymnastics, 132 E. Washington St., Suite 700 Indianapolis, IN 46204 (317) 237–5050, www.usagym.org. USA Gymnastics is the sole national governing body for the sport of gymnastics. A not-for-profit organization, USA Gymnastics selects, trains and administers the U.S. Gymnastics Team, including the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team. Contributions and support are always welcome and are tax-deductible. ©2013 USA Gymnastics. All rights reserved. Printed by Sport Graphics, Inc., Indianapolis, IN, USA.

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013 USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

he two months since the 2013 P&G Gymnastics Championships have been filled with history making accomplishments for USA Gymnastics when both our artistic and rhythmic athletes excelled at the highest level of competition.

At the 2013 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, the United States earned the most medals ever at a single Worlds (three gold, six silver and three bronze). The 12 medals collected – the most by any country – beat the previous U.S. record of nine set at the 2005 World Championships. U.S. champion Simone Biles became the seventh U.S. woman and second consecutive to win the World all-around title. Simone also won the floor exercise gold medal, the silver medal on the vault and the bronze on the balance beam. Her performance was historic in another way: she became the first American woman to compete in every event final at the Worlds since Shannon Miller in 1991. 2012 Olympic champion McKayla Maroney became the first U.S. woman to defend her World vault title and the first to win two gold medals on the event, evidence of her incredible hard work to return to form after London. Fellow Fierce Five member Kyla Ross picked up three silver medals of her own: all-around, uneven bars and balance beam. The USA men combined for four medals – their most successful haul at an individual World Championships ever and the most medals for the program since 1979. Jake Dalton won the silver medal on the floor exercise, while his training partner, Steven Legendre, won the silver on the vault. 2012 U.S. champion John Orozco won the bronze medal on the parallel bars, and Brandon Wynn was the bronze medalist on the still rings. Sam Mikulak displayed the mark of a true sportsman. His sixth place finish in the all-around final was a sign of good things to come, and Alex Naddour registered two scores above 15, including on the pommel horse, during qualification. Coverage of the Worlds in the U.S. was unprecedented. Our partner Universal Sports provided nearly 10 hours of live coverage on television and the web, while NBC aired four hours of delayed coverage. Our dedicated website, USAGymWorlds. com, received more than 300,000 page views during the course of the event, and Worlds-specific videos received 1.7 million views on YouTube. USA Gymnastics also provided the webstream of the finals, along with live coverage of podium training and the qualification round, on USAGymWorlds.com. In addition to our great success in Antwerp, Jazzy Kerber and Rebecca Sereda made history of their own at the World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in early September in Kiev, Ukraine. The pair became the first duo to both qualify to the World individual all-around finals. The USA’s group team was also successful, recording their highest finish in the all-around since 2002. As this issue hits your mailboxes, the World Trampoline and Tumbling Championships are about to get underway in Sofia, Bulgaria. Have a great holiday season and good luck in your training for the 2014 season. See you in the gym,

Steve Penny President & CEO

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

THE MAGAZINE’S MISSION STATEMENT

USA Gymnastics, a bimonthly magazine, is a benefit of membership from USA Gymnastics. The mission of USA Gymnastics magazine is to communicate with gymnasts, parents, coaches, judges, volunteers, clubs and fans of the sport in order to promote the programs, people, events and services of USA Gymnastics.

VISION To inspire and enable our members to achieve excellence in the sport of gymnastics and in life.

THE ORGANIZATION’S MISSION The mission of USA Gymnastics is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of gymnastics.

CORE OBJECTIVES

n Build the base n Promote the sport n Achieve competitive success

USA GYMNASTICS SPONSORS AND SUPPLIERS

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

BILES, RO

’ WOMEN S

Photos by John Cheng.

imone Biles of Spring, Texas/Bannon’s Gymnastix, Inc., and Kyla Ross of Aliso Viejo, Calif./Gym-Max, swept the top two spots in the women’s all-around finals at the 2013 World Gymnastics Championships at the Antwerp (Belgium) Sports Palace. Biles won the all-around title with her 60.216 total, just ahead of teammate Ross, who tallied 59.332 points. This was just the third time in history that the USA has won the gold and silver all-around medals at the World Championships. “It hasn’t sunken in yet (that I am the World champion),” said Biles after the event. “I am sure it will eventually, but we still have

Simone BILES

Kyla ROSS

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

Simone BILES

OSS GO 1-2 IN

S ALL-AROUND finals so we can’t get too excited about it yet. But I know what I have done is a huge accomplishment and I am very happy.” Ross also was awarded the Longines Prize for Elegance, which is given to the most elegant gymnast as determined by a voting jury. Kohei Uchimura was the men’s recipient. “I think today was a really great competition, and I had a lot of fun out there, especially competing with Simone who is so much fun to have around,” said Ross. “I had solid routines, and I was happy to end up strong on floor and to win the Longines Award for Elegance. It was such an honor, and to be on the stage with Kohei was amazing. It is really nice that people associate my

gymnastics with elegance.” In the first rotation, Ross delivered a clean double-twisting Yurchenko, earning a 15.366. Biles was next and her powerful Amanar, a twoand-a-half twisting Yurchenko vault, garnered a 15.850. On the uneven bars, Ross performed an in-bar stalder half pirouette to straddled Jaeger and dismounted with a double layout for a 15.100. Biles’ bars routine included a piked Tkatchev to Pak salto and a stuck full twisting double back that scored 14.700. Biles and Ross were one-two after two rotations. On the balance beam, Biles was up first in the rotation. Her routine that featured a front aerial to split jump, tumbled a flip flop to layout step-out and dismount with two back

handsprings to a full-twisting double back earned a 14.433. Going last in the rotation, Ross was nearly perfect on the balance beam, moving effortlessly through a switch ring leap. She dismounted with a tucked double back and scored a 14.533 to move into the lead. In the final rotation on floor, Ross competed just before Biles. Her precise and elegant floor exercise included tumbling an Arabian double front to stag leap and a double tuck dismount, posting a 14.333. The last athlete on the floor, Biles performed a tucked double, double mount and a double layout half out, called the Biles, to the delight of the crowd. She scored a 15.233 and clinched the allaround title. continued...

WOMEN’S ALL-AROUND RESULTS 1. Simone Biles

Aliya MUSTAFINA

USA

60.216

13. Elsabeth Black

CAN

54.965

2. Kyla Ross

USA

59.332

14. Noemi Makra

HUN

54.766

3. Aliya Mustafina

RUS

58.856

15. Elisabeth Seitz

GER

53.665

4. Larisa Iordache

ROU

57.766

16. Anna Rodionova

RUS

53.298

5. Yao Jinnan

CHN

57.632

17. Ruby Harrold

GBR

53.199

6. Vanessa Ferrari

ITA

56.732

18. Gaelle Mys

BEL

52.956

7. Giulia Steingruber

SUI

56.699

19. Rebecca Tunney

GBR

52.865

8. Shang Chunsong

CHN

56.132

20. Noel van Klaveren

NED

51.965

9. Asuka Teramoto

CHN

55.532

21. Laura Waem

BEL

51.932

10. Victoria Moors

CAN

55.466

22. Ilaria Kaeslin

SUI

51.566

11. Carlotta Ferlito

ITA

55.399

23. Natsumi Sasada

JPN

51.065

12. Roxana Popa

ESP

55.366

24. Vasiliki Millousi

GRE

49.532

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

MIKULA

SIXTH IN

Photos by John Cheng.

eigning U.S. all-around champion Sam Mikulak of Newport Coast, Calif./University of Michigan, finished in sixth place in the men’s all-around finals at the at the 2013 World Gymnastics Championships at the Sports Palace in Antwerp, Belgium.

Japan’s Kohei Uchimura won the men’s all-around title for a record fourth consecutive time, with his teammate Ryohei Kato second, and Germany’s Fabian Hambuechen was third. Mikulak began his all-around competition on the floor, controlling his landings with ease as he performed a back oneand-a-half to double front and front double full to Rudi. He dismounted with a triple full to score 15.366. On pommel horse, he began with the skill named in his honor, a double scissor forward. Then, he swung smoothly through a triple Russian on the end, a Magyar to Sivado combination, and dismounted with a handstand pirouette, posting a 14.608. In rotation three, Mikulak earned a 14.775 on the still rings after executing a back uprise Maltese, kip to Maltese and a nearly stuck double-twisting, double back. He was solid again on the vault where his Kasamatsu one-and-a-half scored a 14.833. On the parallel bars, Mikulak performed

Sam MIKULAK

WOMEN’S ALL-AROUND RESULTS

1. Kohei Uchimura 2. Ryohei Kato 3. Fabian Hambuechen 4. Max Whitlock 5. Sergio Sasaki 6. Sam Mikulak 7. Daniel Purvis 8. Andrey Likhovitskiy 9. Lin Chaopan 10. Zhou Shixiong 11. Fabian Gonzalez 12. David Belyavskiy 13. Arnaud Willig 14. Bart Deurloo 15. Oleg Verniaiev 16. Pablo Braegger 17. Arthur Mariano 18. Casimir Schmidt 19. Gustavo Simoes 20. Nestor Abad 21. Angel Rivera 22. Minsoo Park 23. Oliver Hegi 24. Jossimar Moreno

JPN JPN GER GBR BRA USA GBR BLR CHN CHN ESP RUS FRA NED UKR SUI BRA NED POR ESP PUR KOR SUI COL

91.990 90.032 89.332 89.031 88.949 88.548 88.106 87.423 86.864 86.631 86.366 86.274 85.990 85.731 85.665 85.264 85.140 84.207 83.298 83.090 80.964 80.898 78.165 69.507

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

Kohi UCHIMURA

AK FINISHES

N THE WORLD two variations of a Suarez and capped off his routine with a back toss to Stutz to double pike for a 15.200 and third place going into the final event, the horizontal bar.

Kohi UCHIMURA

In the final rotation, Mikulak began with a flourish, catching the bar smoothly on two full-twisting Kovacs release moves but suffered a break on his full Takamoto. He scored a 13.766, earning an 88.548 for sixth. “People probably expect me to be upset, but I am actually pretty happy,” said Mikulak. “I gained a lot of experience at my first World Championships. I had a cool, calm ‘head’ during this meet. It was a good experience for me, but not the outcome I wanted.” continued...

Fabian HAMBUECHEN

Ryohei KATO

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

Photos by John Cheng.

cKayla Maroney of Long Beach, Calif./All Olympia Gymnastics Center, became the first U.S. woman to

McKayla MARONEY

Kyla

successfully defend her World vault title at ROSS the 2013 World Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium. Simone Biles of Spring, Texas/Bannon’s Gymnastix, Inc., won the gold medal on the floor exercise. In addition, Kyla Ross of Aliso Viejo, Calif./Gym-Max, and Jake Dalton of Reno, Nev./Team Hilton HHonors (University of Oklahoma), captured the uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise silver medals, respectively, and Brandon Wynn of Voorhees, N.J./Team Hilton HHonors (Ohio State University), claimed the still rings bronze. John Orozco of the Bronx, N.Y./Team Hilton HHonors (U.S. Olympic Training Center) won the parallel bars bronze medal. In the vault final, Maroney

Simone BILES MEN’S FLOOR

McKayla MARONEY

M EN’S STILL RINGS

1. Kenzo Shirai

JPN 16.000

1. Arthur Zanetti

2. Jake Dalton

USA 15.600

2. Aleksandr Balandin RUS 15.733

3. Kohei Uchimura

JPN 15.500

3. Brandon Wynn

USA 15.666

4. Daniel Purvis

GBR 15.400

4. Liu Yang

CHN 15.633

5. Diego Hypolito BRA 15.366 Steven Legendre USA 15.366 7. Fabian Hambuechen GER 8. Scott Morgan

15.300

CAN 14.833

M EN’S POMMEL HORSE 1. Kohei Kameyama JPN 15.833 2. Max Whitlock Daniel Corral

GBR 15.633 MEX 15.633

4. Zhang Hongtao Alberto Busnari

CHN 15.600 ITA 15.600

BRA 15.800

5. Lambertus van Gelder NED 15.533 6. Samir Ait Said

FRA 15.500

7. Koji Yamamuro

JPN 15.433

8. Danny Rodrigues FRA 14.566 KOR 15.533

2. Steven Legendre USA 15.249 3. Kristian Thomas

GBR 15.233

4. Kenzo Shirai

JPN 15.133

6. Robert Seligman CRO 15.433

5. Sergio Sasaki

BRA 15.099

7. Matvei Petrov

6. Diego Hypolito

BRA 15.049

8. Prashanth Sellarthurai AUS 14.033

7. Daniel Berbecar

ROU 14.850

8. Oleg Vernaiev

UKR 14.449

RUS 15.416

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

M EN’S PARALLEL BARS

W OMEN’S VAULT

1. Lin Chaopan Kohei Uchimura

CHN 15.666 JPN 15.666

1. McKayla Maroney USA 15.724

1. Aliya Mustafina

RUS 14.900

3. John Orozco

USA 15.533

2. Simone Biles

USA 15.595

2. Kyla Ross

USA 14.833

4. You Hao

CHN 15.500

3. Hong Un Jong

PRK 15.483

3. Simone Biles

USA 14.333

15.233

4. Vanessa Ferrari

ITA

14.300

5. Oksana Chusovitina UZB 14.583

5. Carlotta Ferlito

ITA

14.283

6. Phan Thi Ha Thanh VIE

6. Shang Chunsong CHN 14.133

5. Epke Zonderland NED 15.300 6. Daniel Berbecar

ROU 15.000

7. Brandon Wynn

USA 14.266

8. Vasileios Tsolakidis GRE 9. Anton Fokin

13.433

UZB 12.466

M EN’S VAULT 1. Yang Hak Seon

Hong UN JONG

M EN’S HIGH BAR 1. Epke Zonderland NED 16.000 2. Fabian Hambuechen GER

15.933

3. Kohei Uchimura

JPN 15.633

4. Sam Mikulak

USA 15.566

5. Jossimar Moreno COL 15.466 6. Andreas Bretschneider GER

15.158

7. Ryohei Kato

JPN 15.025

8. Lin Chaopan

CHN 14.900

W OMEN’S BALANCE BEAM

4. Giulia Steingruber SUI

7. Yamilet Pena

14.299

DOM 13.966

8. Chantysha Netteb NED

6.950

7. Larisa Iordache

ROU 13.933

8. Anna Rodionova

RUS 13.100

W OMEN’S UNEVEN BARS

W OMEN’S FLOOR EXERCISE

1. Huang Huidan

CHN 15.400

1. Simone Biles

2. Kyla Ross

USA 15.266

2. Vanessa Ferrari

ITA

3. Aliya Mustafina

RUS 15.033

3. Larisa Iordache

ROU 14.600

4. Simone Biles

USA 14.716

4. Mai Murakami

JPN 14.466

5. Sophie Scheder

GER 14.683

6. Yao Jinnan

CHN 14.633

5. Giulia Steingruber SUI 14.333 Kyla Ross USA 14.333

7. Ruby Harrold

GBR 14.333

8. Rebecca Downie

GBR 13.800

USA 15.000 14.633

7. Sandra Izbasa

ROU 13.733

8. Elsabeth Black

CAN 13.566

Steven Legendre of Port Jefferson, N.Y./Team Hilton HHonors (University of Oklahoma), mounted with a front double full to double front and dismounted with a piked Arabian double front. His 15.366 tied him for fifth place with Diego Hypolito of Brazil.

Jake DALTON

was last up, and she nearly stuck her signature Amanar vault for a 15.966, with a 9.766 execution score. Her second vault, a Yurchenko half-on, front layout full off, earned a 15.483, which gave her a final average of 15.724 and the title. Biles also performed an Amanar as her first vault, scoring a 15.933. Biles executed a Yurchenko half-on to layout front half for her second vault and a 15.258, giving her a 15.595 average for the silver. This was the first 1-2 finish on the event for the USA. In the men’s floor exercise final, Dalton performed an Arabian double layout to begin his routine. With a stuck triple twisting dismount, Dalton pumped his fists as he left the podium. His 15.600 resulted in the silver medal, finishing behind Japan’s Kenzo Shirai. Also in the floor final,

On the uneven bars, Ross per for med an in-bar stalder Shaposhnikova to Pak salto mount and stuck her double layout dismount that earned a 15.266. Biles once again was Steven LEGENDRE solid, working smoothly through her routine that included a piked and straddled Tkatchev. She scored a 14.716. Ross was second behind China’s Huang Huidan. Russia’s Aliya Mustafina was third, with Biles in fourth. Wynn showed his signature strength moves on the still rings, including two inverted crosses and an Azarian Maltese. He also stuck his

Huang HUIDAN

full-twisting, double layout dismount, and his 15.666 secured the bronze medal, the second rings medal for the USA. Arthur Nabarrete Zanetti of Brazil was first, with second going to Russia’s Aleksandr Baladin. In the men’s vault final, Legendre performed two vaults — a handspring, double front with a half twist, a Dragulescu, for a 15.266, and a Tsukahara double pike, for a 15.233 — to earn a 15.249 average and the silver. Korea’s Yang Hak Seon won the vault title, with Kristian Thomas of Great Britain rounding out the top three. Ross continued her silver streak to three with the balance beam. With elegance and precision, Ross was nearly flawless. She performed a switch ring leap, a front flip to wolf

Aliya MUSTAFINA

Kyla ROSS

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

Photos by John Cheng.

John OROZCO

jump and an acrobatic series with confidence to score a 14.833. Biles delivered another hit routine for the Americans, working the beam with a front aerial to split jump and a back handspring, layout stepout series. Her 14.333 gave her the bronze medal. Mustafina won the title. Orozco began his parallel bars routine with a piked front flip to handstand. After executing a piked double salto between the bars, he stuck his dismount to post a

15.533 and take the bronze medal. Wynn, who scored a 14.266, had a solid routine other than an error on his Healy turn in, which put him in seventh place. First and second place went to China’s Lin Chaopan and Japan’s Kohei Uchimura, respectively. In the floor exercise final, Biles once again displayed her trademark tumbling that seems to hang in the upper deck. Her mount was a double-twisting, double back in the tucked position. Her high energy routine, performed to “Get Up,” tallied a 15.000 and the gold. Ross closed out her competition on floor, with perfect landings on her first two passes: an Arabian double front to stag leap and a full-twisting double back. She earned a 14.333 and sixth place. Italy’s Vanessa Ferrari was second, and Romania’s Larisa Iordache was third. Sam Mikulak of Newport Coast, Calif./ University of Michigan, who tweeted

Jake DALTON

Brandon WYNN

the morning of the final that he was looking for redemption on the high bar, was first up in the horizontal bar final. He delivered a clean routine, in which he executed four release elements that included two full-twisting double saltos over the bar. His 15.566 put him just shy of the medals in fourth. The Netherlands’ Epke Zonderland won the high bar title. Fabian Hambuechen of Germany took second, with Uchimura in third.

Steven LEGENDRE Brandon WYNN

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

John OROZCO

Brenna DOWELL

2013 U.S. all-around silver medalist Alex Naddour of Gilbert, Ariz./Team Hilton HHonors (USA Youth Fitness), also competed for Team USA at the 2013 World Championships. In the qualification round, Naddour earned two scores above 15: a 15.000 on the pommel horse and a 15.100 on the still rings. He finished 13th on both events.

Alex NADDOUR

Brenna Dowell of Odessa, Mo./Great American Gymnastics Express, who finished third at the 2013 P&G Gymnastics Championships, served as the women’s alternate.

USA USAGYMNASTICS GYMNASTICSNOVEMBER SEPTEMBER• •DECEMBER OCTOBER 2013

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

USA GYMNASTICS SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2013

he Stanford University men’s gymnastics team combined for an outstanding 3.445 grade point average to claim the College Gymnastics Association’s national academic team title. Defending champion College of William and Mary finished second with a 3.397 team grade point average while Temple University finished third. Springfield College and U.S. Naval Academy finished fourth and fifth, respectively. The University of Nebraska, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, University of Illinois-Champaign, and Pennsylvania State University rounded out the top 10. HONORABLE MENTION Ohio State University, U.S. Military Academy, Illinois–Chicago, University of Iowa, University of Oklahoma, and

THE CGA’S TOP 10 ACADEMIC TEAMS 1. Stanford 2. William and Mary 3. Temple 4. Springfield 5. Navy 6. Nebraska 7. Michigan 8. Minnesota 9. Illinois-Champaign 10. Penn State

3.445 3.397 3.352 3.304 3.169 3.164 3.147 3.115 3.111 3.068

U.S. Air Force Academy. The College Gymnastics Association has also honored 88 individual gymnasts as 2013 first team All-America Scholar-Athletes for attaining at least a 3.50 grade point average and

45 second team All-American Scholar-Athletes for attaining a grade point average between 3.2 and 3.499. Eight gymnasts have been designated first team Academic All-American Scholar-Athletes for all four years of their eligibility by the College Gymnastics Association: Alex Tighe, Brett Statman, and Taylor Branna from Temple, James Pezzino and Joseph Carlson from Springfield, Scott Rosenthal from Penn State, Gabe Alvarado from Stanford, and Gregory Fearnley from Army. 4.0 GRADE POINT AVERAGE Joshua Steves, Navy; Brett Statman, Temple; Nathan Fortunato, Minnesota; Taylor Brana, Temple; Quazi Caesar, Michigan; Assaf Zoor, Temple; Dylan Akers, Oklahoma; and Alexander Tighe, Temple. More Gym Update on page 47...

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The following Membership Statement has been adopted by the Board of Directors of USA Gymnastics: Membership in USA Gymnastics is a privilege granted by USA Gymnastics. That privilege can be withdrawn by USA Gymnastics at any time where a member’s conduct is determined to be inconsistent with the best interest of the sport of gymnastics and of the athletes we are servicing

The following former members are permanently ineligible for membership within USA Gymnastics. Based on an amendment of Article 10.16 to the USA Gymnastics Bylaws, beginning January 1, 2012, any individual who is declared ineligible will have the USA Gymnastics’ Bylaw, rule, regulation or policy that was violated and resulted in his/her expulsion listed next to his/her name.

Name *Ray Adams Julian Amaro Charles Theodore Bates James Bell Kristopher Berry Phillip Bishop Patrick Bogan Douglas Boger Joseph Bowers Shawn Bowlden Vince Brown Michael Cardamone Edward Trey Coniff James Craig III Thad Cypher Vannie Edwards Steven Elliott Anthony Engelke Matthew H. Erichsen Rick Feuerstein William Foster Joseph Fountain Roy Larry Gallagher Robert Allen (Bob) Garner Sean Gilham Timothy Glas Ricardo “Chico” Goddard Nathaniel Goodale Marcelo Guimaraes Vernor Gumila Paul Hagan

State Violation FL CA MN WA SC MI MD CA OH IL SC IL TX CO MI AR TX PA WA CA AL MD PA TN CA NE NY VT TX IL MI

Bylaw 9.02 (a) (iii)

Bylaw 9.01(c)

Bylaw 9.02 (a) (iii)

*Newly added.

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

Name Robert Dean Head Ted Hicks Michael Hinton Nicholas Hitchcock Robert Hoefer Frank Hohman, Jr. Milos Hroch Steven L. Infante Faye Lorraine aka Heather Kristian King Dana Koppendrayer Ronnie Lewis Jung Min Lim William McCabe Joel Mertes Jason Miguel Mesa Robert Mollock John S. Moore Gregory Muller William Munsinger Jeena Nilson Paul O’Neill Patrick Okopinski Marian Penev William M. Permenter Don Peters Timothy Picquelle David Pyles David Reiakvam Jeffrey Richards Rudy Rodriguez John H. Row

State Violation Name KY TN TN MI FL PA CA CT PA FL AR PA GA TX CA OR WV ID MN UT CA WI NY FL CA CA AZ CA FL CA DE

Code of Ethical Conduct II.D./II.F. Bylaw 9.02 (a) (iii) Code of Ethical Conduct II.H. Bylaw 9.02 (a) (iii)

Bylaw 9.02 (a) (iii)

Gabriel Salazar Mark Schiefelbein Robert Shawler Steve Shirley Steven Todd Siegel Blake Steven Starr Paul Summers Mark Swift Freddie Eugene Tafoya, Jr. Thomas Tellez Jay Thomas Jon Oliver Kenneth Thomas Phillip Thompson Brent Trottier Bruce Unger Jon Valdez Anthony Van Kirk Joel Velasquez David Paul Waage Chris Wagoner Jeremy Waldridge Russell Wallace Brooklyn Walters Steve Waples Donald Watts Mike West Jonathan White Lyf Christian Wildenberg Bill Witthar Joel Woodruff

State Violation TX TN CA MO CO UT OK FL CA NY Code of Ethical Conduct II.H. LA VA NC Bylaw 9.02 (a) (iii) WA TX Bylaw 9.02 (a) (iii) IL CA OR OR TX OR CT IN TX KY WA CA MN MO TX

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

Kerber and Sereda Mak The Two Are the First-Ever Duo to Qualif Photos by Tom Theobald

azzy Kerber of Highland Park, Ill./ North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, and Rebecca Sereda of Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, helped make U.S. rhythmic gymnastics history when they both qualified to the all-around finals at the 2013 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships, at

Sports Palace in Kiev, Ukraine, marking the first time two U.S. gymnasts qualified to the allaround finals. In the all-around finals, Kerber finished in 22nd place, with Sereda in 24th. Russia’s Yana Kudryavtseva won the all-around gold medal, posting total score of 73.866, followed by Ukraine’s Ganna Rizatdinova, 73.041, who earned

Rebecca Sereda

Jazzy Kerber

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

e History at Worlds

y to the All-Around Final for USA the silver medal. Belarus’ Melitina Staniout, 72.166, rounded out the top three and won the all-around bronze medal. In the all-around finals, Kerber earned a four-event total of 63.482. Her individual event scores were: 15.866, hoop; 15.666, ball; 15.850, clubs; and 16.100, ribbon. Sereda’s 60.998 included: 15.366, hoop; 16.266, ball; 14.250, clubs; and 15.116, ribbon. The group representing the United States also had a successful competition and posted scores of 15.600, 10 clubs, and 14.316, three balls/two ribbons, for a combined all-around total of 29.916 and 14th place. They recorded individual event placings of 12th, 10 clubs, and 15th, three balls/two ribbons. Their finishes are the highest for Team USA since 2002, where the U.S. group finished 13th in

the all-around and two ball/three rope competitions and 12th for the five ribbons event. The members of the U.S. Rhythmic Group Team, which trains at North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics in Deerfield, Ill., are: Sharon Dassouli, Northbrook, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics; Alisa Kano, New York, N.Y./Isadora; Natalie McGiffert, Topanga, Calif./Platinum Gymnastics; Monica Rokhman, Northbrook, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics; Jennifer Rokhman, Northbrook, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics; and Laura Tutunikov, Northbrook, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics.

Results

INDIVIDUAL ALL-AROUND 1. Yana Kudryavtseva

RUS

73.866

2. Ganna Rizatdinova

UKR 73.041

3. Melitina Staniout

BLR

4. Deng Senyue

CHN 70.374

72.166

5. Son Yeon Jae

KOR

70.332

6. Margarita Mamun

RUS

70.290

7. Alina Maksymenko

UKR

69.124

8. Varvara Filiou

GRE

68.282

9. Silviya Miteva

BUL

67.165

10. Neta Rivkin

ISR

66.907

11. Carolina Rodriguez

ESP

66.782

12. Kseniya Moustafaeva

FRA

65.716

13T. Lala Yusifova

AZE

65.532

13T. Jana Berezko-Marggrander GER

65.532

15. Katsiaryna Halkina

BLR

65.482

16. Marina Durunda

AZE

64.882

17. Alexandra Piscupescu

ROU 64.549

18. Djamila Rakhmatova

UZB

19. Natalia Garcia

ESP

63.957

20. Salome Phajava

GEO

63.907

64.474

21. Victoria Filanovsky

ISR

63.732

22. Jazzy Kerber

USA

63.482

23. Laura Jung

GER

62.190

24. Rebecca Sereda

USA

60.998

GROUP ALL-AROUND 1. Belarus

35.708

2. Italy

34.733

3. Russia

34.225

4. Spain

33.949

5. Bulgaria

32.933

6. China

32.583

7. Azerbaijan

31.832

8. Japan

31.649

9. Germany

31.558

10. Switzerland

30.866

11. Greece

30.699

12. Brazil

30.383

13. France

30.016

14. USA

29.916

15. Ukraine

29.266

16. Czech Republic

28.700

17. Israel

28.424

18. Korea

28.008

19. Uzbekistan

27.399

20. Finland

27.291

21. Poland

27.108

22. Kazakhstan

25.791

23. Portugal

25.649

24. Hungary

22.725

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

DOUGLAS, SACRAMONE AND HORTON JOIN FORCES FOR

ore than 300 children from throughout the New York City metro area had the opportunity to learn gymnastics basics through the USA Gymnastics Fitness Zone and experience the power and benefits of sport and play at the Right To Play Gymnastics Festival in Harlem, the official launch of the partnership of USA Gymnastics and Right To Play. 2012 Olympic all-around champion Gabrielle Douglas, 2008 Olympic horizontal bar silver-medalist Jonathan Horton and 2008 Olympic team silver-medalist Alicia Sacramone, along with legendary coach Bela Karolyi, were on hand to mingle with the children, sign autographs and participate in the official program. Held at the Harlem Armory, the festival also included gymnastics demonstrations and was a fundraiser for Right To Play. “Wow — what a launch!” said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. “Our combined efforts resulted in one of the best outreach events ever for USA Gymnastics. The message of this partnership has so

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

much potential to make a difference in the lives of kids throughout America. I am convinced we will inspire many young people as USA Gymnastics and Right to Play move forward together.” In addition to Douglas, Sacramone, Horton and Karolyi, John Macready, Deana Parris, Ryan Ward, Kiley Boynton, Rebecca Sereda, Josh Dixon, Paul Ruggeri and Danielle Mulligan were on hand for the event. USA Gymnastics and Right To Play, a global organization that uses sport and play programs to educate and empower children facing adversity, announced the partnership earlier this year. Douglas, Sacramone and Horton are serving as athlete ambassadors for Right To Play and co-chairs of National Gymnastics Day on September 21. Through special events, National Gymnastics Day, the Athlete Ambassador program and community outreach, the two organization’s mutual goal is to provide opportunities to children who would normally not have the chance to experience both gymnastics and the power of participating in sports.

2013 WORLD CHAMPION

WOMEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS

SIMONE BILES

Written by Melaina Bjorklund, UCCS Sport Nutrition Graduate Student Edited by Jennifer Gibson, MSc, RD, IOC Dip Sport Nutrition, USOC Sport Dietitian

uring a gymnast’s adolescent years (9–18 years), certain nutrients are crucial for growth and development, as well as sport performance. This article will focus specifically on how gymnasts can optimize key nutritional elements for this phase in their life and discuss developing a healthy relationship with food.

5 Nutrition M “ usts” for a Young Gymnast: 1. PROPER CALORIE BALANCE

A young gymnast’s body is physically and mentally maturing during the adolescent years. There can be serious negative consequences to restrictive dieting. Athletes on low calorie diets may be missing out on many of the critical nutrients needed for growth and development. This potential malnutrition can result in delayed development, low testosterone and estrogen levels, and poor overall performance, resulting from not having enough available energy. In addition, mentally, this starts a very unhealthy relationship with food and body image that can become problematic in the long run. Bottom line: Young gymnasts should be allowed to eat and grow in a normal pattern and develop into a weight that is beneficial for their performance in practice and competition.

2. CALCIUM & VITAMIN D

Calcium: Calcium is a mineral found in many food sources. Calcium helps the body maintain strong bones and other

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

important functions, such as muscle contraction, including the heartbeat, normal blood clotting, hormone and enzyme release, and nerve function. Vitamin D is just as important, if not more important, than Calcium. Without Vitamin D, you cannot absorb Calcium within the body. The most well known cause of Vitamin D deficiency is inadequate exposure to sunlight. Therefore, athletes that are involved in an indoor sport, like gymnastics, are at higher risk of Vitamin D deficiency or depletion than athletes that are involved in an outdoor sport. Talk to your doctor to see if a supplement is needed during the winter months. A Calcium and/or Vitamin D deficiency can negatively impact an athlete’s performance in many ways. If an athlete does not consume the proper amount of Calcium and Vitamin D during his or her growth stages, this can result in poor skeletal growth, underdevelopment, hormonal imbalances, and short stature for their age. For the athlete, this significantly increases their risk of stress fractures, broken bones, and overall injury.

Table 1. Calcium-containing foods and amounts

Food

Calcium (mg)

Calcium fortified milk (1 cup)

420 mg

Yogurt, low fat, plain (¾ cup)

300 mg

Calcium fortified orange juice (1 cup)

300 mg

Calcium fortified rice or soy beverage (non-dairy; 1 cup)

300 mg

Cheese, hard (1 oz)

240 mg

Cottage cheese (¾ cup)

120 mg

Kale (½ cup)

50 mg

for the Junior Gymnast Table 2. Vitamin D-containing foods and amounts

Food

Vitamin D (IU)

Wild salmon (3.5 oz)

981 IU

Salmon, canned, pink (3 oz)

530 IU

Farmed salmon (3.5 oz)

249 IU

Tuna, canned, light (3 oz)

200 IU

Ahi Tuna (3.5 oz)

164 IU

Milk (1 cup)

100 IU

Fortified rice or soy beverage (non-dairy; 1 cup)

100 IU

Bottom Line: Recommended intake per day for Calcium: • Children ages 4–8 years = 1000 mg • Children and teens ages 9–18 years = 1300 mg Recommended Intake per day for Vitamin D: • Children and teens ages 1–18 = 600 IU

3. IRON

Iron is an important mineral required for the body to maintain a diverse array of normal functions. Most importantly, iron, as part of the protein hemoglobin, carries oxygen from the lungs and delivers it to demanding tissues throughout the body. Iron also assists muscle tissue in storing

and utilizing oxygen. Iron needs are higher during adolescence to support growth of tissues. Gymnasts can be at high risk for iron issues if they are following a restrictive diet. Iron deficiency anemia can have a negative impact on an athlete’s performance in the following ways: fatigue, headache, loss of concentration, muscle weakness, light-headedness, and shortness of breath. Athletes training more than 4-5 times per week should have their blood tested once a year to check for their iron status. Table 3. Iron-containing foods and amounts

Foods

Iron (mg)

Fortified cereal (1 oz)

4.5 – 18.0 mg

Tofu, raw (½ cup)

6.7 mg

Power Bar, other fortified bars (1)

6.3 mg

Oatmeal, instant (1 packet)

6.3 mg

Lean beef steak (3.5 oz, ½ cup)

3.8 mg

Egg, whole/ poached

1.7 mg

Lean pork/ ham (3.5 oz, ½ cup)

1.5 mg

Tuna, cooked (3.5 oz, ½ cup)

1.1 mg

Bottom Line: Recommended intake per day for Iron: • Children 4-8 years = 10 mg • Males & Females 9-13 years = 8 mg • Males 14-18 years = 11 mg • Females 14-18 years = 15 mg

4. HYDRATION

Because young athletes may not have the proper development to regulate their temperature during exercise, hydration becomes a very important consideration. This means that young gymnasts are at higher risk for heat stroke and heat injury. This is why it is even more important that young gymnasts hydrate with the proper amounts of fluids several times per day (see timeline on page 30). Proper hydration helps with muscle function, concentration, digestion and regulation of body temperature. Remember, water, milk (or milk alternatives) and juice count toward your daily fluid intake. Focus on water and milk as your primary fluids! You can gauge your hydration status by listening to your body’s cues. Use your level Continued...

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

dysfunction, and low bone mineral density. One or all of these can cause major, and sometimes irreversible, damage to the body, which negatively impacts sport performance. If a female athlete presents with any or all of these signs, please refer to an interdisciplinary team of health care professionals for treatment.

of thirst and urine color as a guide. Your urine should resemble a clear to light yellow, or lemonade, color. Bottom Line: Recommended fluid intake/day: Drinking water and milk (or milk alternatives) are going to be your main and best sources of hydration. Daily adequate intake levels for fluids: • Children 4–8 years = ~7cups or 55oz • Males 9–18 years = ~10–13 cups or 80 – 100oz • Females 9–18 years = ~9cups or 74oz • Replace each pound of sweat lost in training with 12–16 oz fluid.

5. HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD:

Developing a healthy relationship with food is highly important, as

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

it will reflect on lifestyle and food choices made throughout an athlete’s life. 75% of your body is what you inherit. There is no amount of restriction or deprivation that will give you someone else’s body. Learn your best nutrition strategy by monitoring your food intake and recording your perceived level of success at training or competition, and adjust accordingly. Trial and error is in every athlete’s vocabulary! Because of the acrobatic and aesthetic nature of gymnastics, it is relatively common for a female gymnast to develop signs of the female athlete triad. The triad is an interrelationship of low energy availability (with or without an eating disorder), menstrual

Restriction and deprivation can lead to unhealthy eating habits and behaviors; therefore, learning to balance your diet is key for consistent weight control. Paying attention to your body’s cues is also a part of mindful eating. This allows you to feel when you are hungry, content, or full. Visit www.mypyramid.gov to learn about the different food groups, how to balance your diet, and the importance of eating the proper amount of food and nutrients for your level of physical activity within your sport. Visit www.mindfullyeating.org for more information on this concept. Bottom Line: Physical, mental, and emotional health must be achieved to

for the Junior Gymnast best nurture an athlete’s progressing performance in any sport. If you are not sure if you are eating right, get professional help with your nutrition! Visit www.scandpg.org to search for a certified sport dietitian in your area. Appreciate the one body you have and treat it with respect. If you plan to become an elite athlete and use your body as your job, you must take care of it during childhood, adolescence, and your adult years. References: 1. Angeline ME, Gee AO, Shindle M, Warren RF, Rodeo SA. The effects of vitamin d deficiency in athletes. Am J Sports Med. 2013;41:461.

2. Burke, Louise and Deakin, Vicki. Clinical Sports Nutrition, 4th ed. Australia: McGraw-Hill, 2010. 3. Maughan, RJ. Investigating the associations between hydration and exercise performance: methodology and limitations. Nutr Rev. 2012;70 Suppl 2:S128-31. 4. Nazim TG, Ackerman KE. The female athlete triad. Sports Health. 2012;4(4):302-11.

Washington: National Academy Press. 6. Sandstrom G, Borjesson M, Rodjer S. Iron deficiency in adolescent female athletes — is iron status affected by regular sporting activity? Clin J Sport Med. 2012;22(6):495-500. 7. Sawka MN, et al. Exercise and Fluid Replacement Position Stand. American College of Sports Medicine. 2007.

5. Otten, J. J., Hellwig, J. P., & Meyers, L. D. (2006). Dietary reference intakes: The essential guide to nutrient requirements.

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

QUESTIONS TO ASK

YOUTH-SERVING ORGANIZATIONS

rom the time they toddle in to the time they vault or handspring out, young athletes deserve a safe environment to learn technique, develop their athletic skills and have fun. Clubs without proper safeguards in place can unknowingly increase the risk for child sexual abuse. As a parent, there are a few questions you can ask your club to ensure your children are safe from more than just a tumble from the equipment:

interviews and reference checks for all Q3: ARE YOUR STAFF TRAINED TO RECstaff and volunteers provides a more com- OGNIZE SUSPICIOUS SITUATIONS AND prehensive screening process. BEHAVIORS, AND TO RESPOND APPROQ2: DO YOU HAVE WRITTEN STANDARDS PRIATELY IF SEXUAL ABUSE HAPPENS? All club staff and volunteers should OF BEHAVIOR FOR STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, AND OLDER YOUTH WHO SERVE be trained to report standard of behavior violations and suspicions or discovCHILDREN? Written standards of behavior that en- ery of abuse using a designated reporting courage athlete development and compet- process. Parents play an important role in keepitive spirit through methods such as praise and achievement-based rewards, while ing gymnasts safe from sexual misconduct prohibiting risky behaviors such as iso- and inappropriate behavior. Familiarize lated, one-on-one interactions and favor- yourself with your gym’s policies, proceitism, are important and can be enforced dures and protocols, and raise any quesby both staff and parents. These standards tions you have. Visit www.D2L.org to should be posted and easily accessible by learn more.

Q1: WHAT IS YOUR EMPLOYEE AND VOLUNTEER SCREENING PROCESS? On its own, a simple criminal background check is not an adequate screening tool because most offenders have not been caught or convicted. Supplementing a staff, parents, and gymnasts. criminal background check with in-person

Darkness to Light is an educational partner of USA Gymnastics We Care and Clubs Care Campaign.

USA GYMNASTICS SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2013

ll gymnasts, coaches, gymnastics clubs and fans were invited to show us how they play on Saturday, September 21, 2013, as well as take photos and share them on the USA Gymnastics Facebook page. National Gymnastics Day celebrates the sport with events promoting fitness and charity. USA Gymnastics is proud to partner with Member Clubs across the country to highlight the impact of a healthy lifestyle through gymnastics for kids. NUMBER OF PHOTOS POSTED ON FACEBOOK: SOCIAL CELEBRATION SUCCESS! 937 photos were submitted on the USA Gymnastics Facebook page. There were over 1,200 uses of the hashtag #NGD2013 on Twitter and 1,910 on Instagram. The NGD post on Facebook was shared more than 700 times and seen by more than 250,000 people. USA Gymnastics and Right To Play partnered to bring gymnastics and the

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

opportunity to play to children across the United States. Right To Play and USA Gymnastics share the mission of positioning sport and play as pathways for educating children and youth to overcome adversity in disadvantaged communities. Gym clubs across the country hosted events to promote the sport and the power of play. THE FOLLOWING USA GYMNASTICS MEMBER CLUBS RECEIVED A GRANT TO SUPPORT THE MISSION OF RIGHT TO PLAY ON NATIONAL GYMNASTICS DAY:

• Elmhurst Gymnastics Center, Elmhurst, Ill. • Falcon Gymnastics and Fitness, Belle Vernon, Pa. • Freehold Gymnastics Club, Freehold, N.J. • Gedderts’ Twistars USA, Dimondale, Mich. • Glasgow Community Center, Natural Bridge Station, Va. • Gymnastics Magic Sports Center, Las Cruces, N.M. • Hart Gymnastics Academy, King, N.C. • Head Over Heels Inc., Rutland, Vt. • Inspire Athletics, Elkhart, Ind.

• Berks East Gymnastics, Parker Ford, Pa. • Broadway Gymnastics School, Los Angeles • Central Coast Gymnastics Sports Center, Inc., San Luis Obispo, Calif. • Elite Sports Complex, Downers Grove, Ill.

Continued...

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

• Jana’s Gymnastics, Plymouth, Ind.

• Vancouver Elite Gymnastics Academy, Camas, W.Va.

• Jump Start Gymnastics, Peoria, Ill.

• Wendy Hilliard Foundation, New York, N.Y.

• North Bay Athletic Association, Vallejo, Calif.

• West Virginia Gymnastics Training Center, Morgantown, W.Va.

• Piney Woods Gymnastics Training Center, Longview, Texas

• Wrights Gymnastics, Greenwood, Ind.

• Pinnacles Gymnastics, Sandy, Utah

Grants are awarded to fund National Gymnastics Day activities assisting needy children. Apply to receive funding for your outreach in 2014 at usagym.org/ngd!

• Renaissance Gymnastics, East Providence, R.I. • South Bay Family YMCA, Chula Vista, Calif. • Superior Gymnastics, Morrisville, N.C.

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

SAVE THE DATE FOR 2014 September 20, 2014

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

EVENT SCHEDULE

2013 NOVEMBER

AUGUST

6 – 10

Future Stars Champs/Coaches Wrkshp. (M) Colorado Springs, CO

1–3

Region 6 Congress

Providence, RI

7 – 10

World Championships (TT)

Sofia, Bulgaria

8 – 10

Region 2 Congress

Everett, WA

14 – 17

World Age Group Competition (TT)

Sofia, Bulgaria

15 – 17

Region 1 Congress

Santa Clara, CA

26 – 30

Jr. Int’l. Cup/Abierto Mexicano Gymnastics (W) Acapulco, Mexico

16 – 28

Youth Olympic Games

Nanjing, China

21 – 23

USA Gymnastics National Congress

Pittsburgh, PA

21 – 24

P&G Gymnastics Championships

Pittsburgh, PA

30 – Dec. 1 Stuttgart World Cup (M/W)

Stuttgart, Germany

DECEMBER 4 – 7

TOPs A Camp (W)

Glasgow World Cup (M/W)

8 – 12

TOPs B Camp (W)

Huntsville, TX

SEPTEMBER

Glasgow, Great Britain

12 – 14

Region 5 Congress

Huntsville, TX

21 – 28

World Championships (R)

JULY

FEBRUARY Winter Cup Challenge (M)

Nastia Liukin Cup

Izmir, Turkey

2015

2014 20 – 22

Columbus, OH

Las Vegas, NV Greensboro, NC

MARCH

10 – 26

AT&T American Cup

Greensboro, NC

21 – 22

USA Gymnastics Men’s Collegiate Champs. Annapolis, MD

Toronto, Canada

AUGUST 13 – 16

XVII Pan American Games

P&G Gymnastics Championships (M/W)

Indianpolis, IN

SEPTEMBER 7 – 13

World Championships (R)

Stuttgart, Germany

APRIL 10 – 12

Men’s NCAA Championships

Ann Arbor, MI

18 – 20

Women’s NCAA Championships

Birmingham, AL

30 – May 4 Level 9 Eastern Championships

Bradenton, FL

30 – May 4 Level 9 Western Championships

Boise, ID

NOVEMBER 25 – 28

World Championships (TT)

2016

MAY 7 – 11

JO Nationals (W)

Jackson, MS

AUGUST 6 – 20

JUNE 13 – 15

Region 4 Congress

Coralville, IA

20 – 22

Region 3 Congress

Frisco, TX

20 – 22

Region 8 Congress

Tampa, FL

Odense, Denmark

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

Olympic Games

Rio de Janeiro

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

GLUCKSTEIN AND PARRIS GRAB TITLES AT THE

Olympian Steven Gluckstein of Atlantic Highlands, N.J./ETA, won the men’s trampoline title at the 2013 Stars and Stripes Cup at Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Fla. The senior champions in the event were: trampoline — Deana Parris of Burtonsville, Md./Fairland Gymnastics, and Gluckstein; double mini-trampoline — Kristle Lowell of Three Rivers, Mich./Branch Gymnastics, and Austin White of Newport Coast, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics; and tumbling – Cheyenne Kelley of Broken Arrow, Okla./ Oklahoma Extreme Tumbling, and Austin Nacey of Braidwood, Ill./TwistStars Tumbling and Trampoline LTD. For trampoline, Gluckstein posted the highest twoday mark for the men with 215.100. Logan Dooley of Lake Forest, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics, came in second at 210.270. Alexi Shostak of Lafayette, La./ Trampoline and Tumbling Express, completed the top three, posting a 208.135. Parris won the title with a total of 187.505, finishing ahead of Charlotte Drury of Laguna Niguel, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics, who was second with 184.485 points, and Shaylee Dunavin of Amarillo, Texas/All-American, who was third at 174.532. In double-mini, Lowell took top honors with a two-routine total of 138.900. Erin Jauch of Crystal Lake, Ill./Fox Valley Tumbling and Trampoline, was second at 138.300, followed by Tristan Van Natta of Pendleton, Ind./Geist Sports Academy, at 134.000.

For the men, White took the title with a total of 78.400. Nacey claimed second place at 77.100, and Ryan Roberts of Ramona, Calif./ So Cal TTC, rounded out the top three at 73.500. For tumbling, Kelley captured the title with 62.000 points, and Danielle Lacoste of St. Martinville, La./High Flyers T and T, was next at 60.400. Nacey easily won the title with 70.300. Alex Renkert of Indianapolis, Ind./ Geist Sports Academy, was second with 64.000, and Jackson Tyson of Greensboro, N.C./Flip Force Gymnastics LLC, came in third at 59.800. Hunter Brewster and Alexi Shostak, both of Lafayette, La./Trampoline and Tumbling Express, won the men’s synchro title handily, posting a total score of 129.100. Noah Orr of Phoenix, Ariz./Air Sports Unlimited, and Mitchell Dewey of Walker, Mich./For the Kidz Gymnastics and Trampoline, were second with 113.900 points, followed by Jeffrey and Steven Gluckstein at 102.400.

Steven GLUCKSTEIN

Deana PARRIS

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

ROSS WINS

LONGINES PRIZE FOR ELEGANCE

he Longines Prize for Elegance 2013 was awarded to the United States’ Kyla Ross and for the second time to four-time World all-around champion, Kohei Uchimura of Japan. The aim of this prize is to honor the two gymnasts who have displayed the most charisma, charm and above all elegance — one of Longines’ key values — during their performances. “It was such a honor to win the Prize of Elegance,” Ross said. “I’ve always been more of an artistic gymnast — it’s something that I’ve really been working on these last few months.” Both gymnasts charmed the panel of judges, made up of International Gymnastics Federation President Bruno Grandi, Philip Boy, former German gymnast and winner of the Prize in 2010, Walter von Känel, president of Longines and Elisabeth Ieronimo, regional sales manager Longines. Members of the jury have presented the winners with a trophy, a Longines watch and a check for $5,000. Olympic gold medalists Shawn Johnson, 2007, and Carly Patterson, 2003, have previously won the award. Set up in 1997, the Longines Prize for Elegance is aimed at honoring the most elegant and charismatic gymnasts. Apart from purely technical considerations, the criteria are based rather on grace, harmonious movement and emotion during the performances.

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

FACES IN THE GYM Kendall Dascher

Mt. Pleasant, Iowa

Kendall, 11, is from the YWCA of Burlington in Burlington, Iowa. She is a Level 4 competitive gymnast, whose favorite event is the uneven bars.

Sarah Wilson Berkley, Mass.

Sarah, 13, is a level 5 gymnast and trains at Gym Hutt Gymnastics in Lakeville, Mass. She took fourth on beam at the 2013 Massachusetts Level 5 State Meet.

Jeanelle Vigil

Artesia, Calif.

Jeannelle is an 8 year-old, Level 6 gymnast at PDA USA in Santa Fe Springs, Calif. She’s been doing gymnastics for 4 years and loves it. She was the State floor champion in 2011 and 2012.

Anna Sousa

McKinney, Texas

Anna, 10 is a Level 5 Texas All-Around state champion with a score of 38.9. She was a gold medalist on floor, 9.75, and beam, 9.8. She also finished third on bars and vault. She currently trains at Metroplex Gymnastics in Allen, Texas, with coaches Tammy DeGuzman and Debbie Bonds.

American Gymnastics San Francisco, Calif.

American Gymnastics’ Level 3 team at the 2013 Judges Cup with coach Emmanuelle Martin. Back row: Isabella Anthony, Emma Chu, Karina Lamoreux, Lucy Peek, Sophia Mendoza, Karina Barillas; Front row: Elysia Lee, Kaya Lauriault-Bronez. Not pictured: Mimoh Lee and coach Stephanie Vezilj.

Emily Smith

Aleah Kehn

Fredericksburg, Pa.

Beaverdale, Pa.

Emily, 10, trains at Artistic Sports Academy Plus in Harrisburg, Pa. She competed as a Level 7 in 2012, when she earned her highest all-around, beam and bars scores ever.

Aleah, 14, is a Level 7 gymnast, who competed at the State Games of America held in Hershey Pa. She won vault, bars, floor and all-around titles. She trains at Uzelac Gymnastics in Johnstown, Pa.

Alina Shkurikhina Shrewsbury, Mass.

Alina, 9, is a Level 4 rhythmic gymnast from Fitness Elite in Needham, Mass. At the U.S. Rhythmic Championships in Orlando, she finished first in the hoop, floor and all-around. Alina is coached by Yulia Kisseleva.

Michael Fisher Overbrook Hills, Pa.

Michael, 11, started gymnastics last September and ended the season finishing second in the state of Pennsylvania for Level 4. He trains at Upper Merion Dance and Gymnastics Center.

Would you like to be included in USA Gymnastics or the USA Gymnastics website for Faces in the Gym? Send a photo and a paragraph of information to: publications@usagym. org and we’ll select gymnasts to publish in each issue of the magazine and a few more to post on the website at www.usagym.org/faces

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013

CLASSIFIEDS POSITION AVAILABLE Opportunity for Experienced OPTIONALS/AND OR COMPULSORY COACH: Gymnastics at the Courts, located in Valparaiso, Indiana is 8 miles from Lake Michigan beaches and 50 miles from Chicago. Our coaches have succeeded by inspiring confidence, self-discipline, and team work in our competitive teams and have produced state champions, regional, and national qualifiers. Our rapidly growing program requires an additional optionals coach and a compulsory coach who is knowledgeable, inspiring, and driven to succeed. Our 16,000 sq. ft. facility has all new equipment. Salary is negotiable. Contact Mark Bengel - Mark@thecourtsofnwi.com. 219-465-1111. QUEEN CITY GYMNASTICS NEEDS COACHES: Queen City Gymnastics is looking for experienced, enthusiastic, professional coaches to join our accomplished and growing GIRLS COMPETITIVE TEAM. Full- and part-time positions are available from Levels 1–10 at our 108,000 sf facility (45,000 sf dedicated to gymnastics) in Cincinnati, Ohio. A minimum of two years coaching experience is required. For more details please contact Trevor at 513-489-7575 or tohara@ kidsfirstsports.com.

FOR SALE GK RISK-FREE PROGRAM: Get with the program! It’s better than ever, with a terrific assortment of NEW styles and fabrics and incomparable sales potential. Plus, it’s easier than ever to order, sell and return your RISK-FREE garments. We offer customized packages for your pro shop, meets and summer camp. You only pay for what you’ve sold and may return the rest, there is absolutely NO RISK! If you haven’t tried us lately, it’s time you started earning extra profits with our RISK-FREE merchandise. Call 1-800-345-4087 for more information on how you can get started today! Email: customerservice@gkelite.com. ARTISTIKTM RHYTHMIKTM gymnastics scoring and score tracking for parents and gymnasts of any competitive level, women and men. A hassle-free, no-setup-required app with a breakthrough Swipe and Touch to ScoreTM scoring interface. Start scoring the moment you run the app. Grant placements, view meet winners per event, view your results history, share your scorecard with one tap, rotate to view the leader board per event and tweet it. Requirements: Compatible with iPhone®, iPod touch, and iPad®. Requires iOS 4.3 or later. Optimized for iPhone 5. http://synthesissoftware.wordpress.com. SCORE MASTER – Scorekeeping software interfaced to many different score boards: EliteScore, BetaBrites, TV’s & Projectors. Download team rosters from the USA Gymnastics website. Features include: random draws, create rotations, assign #’s, the most comprehensive reporting and results can go directly to your website. Supports: womens/mens, individual/team, artistic/rhythmic/trampoline, compulsory/optional. Download a FREE demo at www. Score-Master.com. PERSONALIZED MEDAL/RIBBON HOLDERS: Visit www. mymedalholder.com to design you holder. Tons of colors & designs. The perfect gift for any athlete or room decoration. Proudly

USA GYMNASTICS SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2013

display your medals or ibbons. Also great for leos, hats, bags, ect. Order early for the holidays. Please have all orders in by December 4, 2013 at the latest for Christmas delivery. Check out our Facebook page on our website for sample photos/colors. LOOKING FOR A UNIQUE GIFT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON? Check out Klick’z for your grip bag and tote bag needs. The girls love the fun easy-open design and huge variety of fabric colors. Visit the Klick’z web page and personalize your bag. Each bag has the option of bling or embroidery, so add your daughter’s name, nickname or team name to her bag today. DEADLINE FOR CUSTOM BAGS IS DECEMBER 13, 2013. www.myklickzbag.com www.facebook.com/klickz 480788-2249

FUNDRAISING NEED A FUNDRAISER? How about 1200 thread count Sheet Fundraiser? Since everyone needs linen, this has been a very successful fundraiser. You’ll make large profits by selling a great product at a great price. Here are a few success stories: Jasper Middle School Band (Jasper, GA) raised $4000+, Georgia All-Star Gymnastics (Woodstock, GA) to date have raised over $6000 and River Ridge Cheerleaders (Canton, GA) raised $9,450 in 3 weeks. Your customers will be impressed and coming back for more! Satisfaction guaranteed! NO start up costs! Get started today, email Mary at marysmonogramming@gmail.com or call 770-893-8842.

EDUCATION GYMCERT COACHES TRAINING PROGRAM: GymCert’s Training manuals, Safety Awareness Posters, article downloads & Online Certification for Recreational & Competitive Gymnastics Instructors Levels 1 through Level 6. GymCert offers Boys 1 & Girls Spanish Level 1. GymCert is a MUST for staff training; cuts lesson planning time significantly; use to coordinate class progressions & skill training methods; quick & easy reference guide including Lesson Planning Forms & Class Evaluation Forms. Available February; NEW UPDATED “Skills & Drills” for 2013–2020 Compulsory Routines! The GymCert manuals provide concise instruction, clear illustrations, & several coaching, spotting & safety tips. Group discounts! Order at www.gymcert.com or direct by calling 407-444-5669 EST. GYMNASTICS; YOUR BEST MEET EVER! (NEW BOOK) Gymnastics; Your Best Meet Ever! was written to help Beginning & Intermediate level gymnasts focus on making each competition the BEST possible. Great book as a reference for all gymnasts. Fears are a major cause of poor performance. If the gymnast is able to face each fear & take specific action to minimize its effect on her performance, she will take a giant step toward winning in both gym & life! Preparation is the base that supports the ability to adapt to new & changing comp. scenarios! Author, Rita Brown; 2-Time Olympic Coach – Available at amazon.com. SKYPE ONLINE SPORTS COUNSELING FOR GYMNASTS Many gymnasts benefit from sports counseling to help them lay a foundation for success. By helping them overcome fears in areas

such as learning new skills, moving to new levels, falling during meets and failing, I help them learn how to practice and to compete successfully. Developing skills for relaxation, visualization, positive self talk and goal setting can also be invaluable to both young and older gymnasts. As a Licensed Therapist counseling with gymnasts from Level 5 thru Elite and College, I have developed techniques to encourage gymnasts to develop healthy self esteem, feel successful, be encouraged to reach their potential and have fun with gymnastics. Skype online counseling works will with gymnasts because they can meet in the comfort of their home, fitting easily into their schedule. Call Dan Hicks, LPC for a FREE consultation at 714-222-4395 or go to www.lastingimpactcounseling.com to sign up for a Skype session. NATIONAL UNIVERSITY VIRTUAL HIGH SCHOOL (NUVHS) offers the premier high school online learning experience for athletes. With more than 100 online high school courses including advanced placement and online SAT Prep, we provide athletes the opportunity to achieve academic excellence through an active, engaging and cooperative learning environment. Our courses are taught by highly qualified teachers and our online format is fully interactive and accessible 24/7 with flexible start and end dates. Students are able to enroll anytime on a full or part-time basis and can complete a full semester high school course in as few as four or as many as 16 weeks. NUVHS is accredited by WASC and AdvanceEd and approved by NCAA and NAIA. Additionally, NUVHS has been approved by UC “a-g” as an online provider. Call 866-366-8847 for enrollment information or visit www.nuvhs.org.

PARENTS OF GYMNASTS RAISE YOUR DAUGHTER’S GYMNASTICS SCORES & CONFIDENCE. Do you need help understanding what the gymnastics judge is looking for in your daughter’s gymnastics routines? Visit www.JudgeGymnast.com. Here to help your child be successful by helping both you and her understand what the gymnastics judge is looking for and how the judge arrives at the score. JudgeGymnast.com will provide valuable feedback on you child’s gymnastics routines so she can make adjustments to raise her score. Why guess at what she needs to work on? Register for free at www.JudgeGymnast.com.

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD, go to www.usagym.org/classifieds for all the details or call Scott Bregman at 317-829-5650.

USA GYMNASTICS NOVEMBER • DECEMBER 2013