Dominique Moceanu: An American Champion

[QuietColours]

Dominique Moceanu: An American Champion
An Autobiography as told to Steve Woodward
Copyright 1996

Introduction by Bela Karolyi

• Wow! That's what I say every time I see Dominique Moceanu whip through her floor exercise and balance beam routine
• She sparkles
• Seeing a gymnast he's coached catapult to the top of the sport gives him pride
• True competitor, just like MLR and Nadia Comaneci
• Deserves to be national champion and the hope of the American team to medal in 1996

My Journey

• 1979- Father, Dimitry Moceanu, leaves Romania for the US. Mother Camelia joins him in 1981
• 1981- Dominique born, September 30 in Hollywood, CA
• 1983- Move to Highland Park, IL. Between 3 and 4 enrolled in first gymnastics class
• 1985- 45 day European vacation; father contacts Bela in Houston about enrolling her. Bela says to wait until she's 9 or 10
• 1987- August 24, sister Christina is born
• 1991- Moves to Houston for her 10th birthday. First session is Dec 19
• 1992- US National Championships, Jr Division- Silver on beam
• 1993- US National Championships, Jr Division- Messed up. 7th AA
• 1994- US National Championships, Jr Division- Gold: AA, floor, vault; Bronze: Beam, UB
• 1995- Reeses International Gymnastics Cup: Gold: UB, Bronze: BB
• 1995- American Classic: Gold: vault, Silver: AA (tie); Bronze: BB, FX
• 1995- VISA Challenge, Sr Division: Gold: AA, FX, Team; Silver: UB; Bronze: BB, Vault
• 1995- US National Championships, Sr. Division: Gold: AA; Silver: FX; Bronze:VT
• 1995- World Team Trials: Gold: AA
• 1995- World Championships, Sr Division: Silver: BB, Bronze: Team

Prologue: Four Magic Words

• Had just turned 10 years old and was living in Tampa, FL where her father owned a car dealership and her mother was a hair stylist
• Was watching gymnastics on TV. Had been doing gymnastics since she was 3 and loved watching her idols on TV
• Cheered for Betty Okino–always watched Betty, Kim, and Kerri
• They all lived in Houston and were coached by Bela Karolyi, who had turned out multiple champions
• "If only I could train with Bela…I want to be like Kim and Nadia…Someday I will."
• "Okay," said my father. "We will go."
• And that's how we moved to Houston when I was ten. That's how I came to Bela's

 

[QuietColours]

Chapter 1: I Think She Has It

• Gymnastics career didn't begin with Bela–it began before she was born
• Both parents were gymnasts. Dad was on the junior national team and Mom was in a youth program. They agreed their first child would be a gymnast or other kind of athlete. Her dad wanted his children to have the discipline and determination of an athlete
• In 1979, soon after they were married, her father moved to the US. Her mother followed a year later and Dominique was born in Hollywood on Sept 30, 1981
• Dominique feels American, not Romanian–she's always lived in America, gone to American schools, most of her friends are American
• Speak Romanian at home, helped her parents preserve their heritage. The combination of American life and Romanian heritage is a great combination
• At six months her dad had her hold on to a clothes line. Her mother spotted while he carefully let go. Dominique laughed and hung on for minutes. "I think she's has it, Camelia."
• The clothes line broke before she let go

Chapter 2: LaFleur's Gymnastics

• After she passed the clothesline test, her father called Bela Karolyi. He explained Dominique was only 3, but she was born to be a gymnast
• Bela was impressed with her father's faith in her but said she was too young for formal training and that he should enroll Dominique in a local gymnastics club. Call him back when Dominique was around 9
• Were now in Highland Park, Illinois, and she had her first gymnastics classes there. Two years later, they moved to Tampa and enrolled her at LaFleur's Gymnastics
• They had faith that someday she would be coached by Bela
• She had a normal life, but she'd been bitten by the gymnastics bug–she just wanted to hang around at LaFleur's and play. She liked learning new skills and having fun, and if she made mistakes it was no big deal. Her mom always told her everything was all right
• Owner and head coach Jeff LaFleur became a family friend, and she was very fond of him and Beth Hair, the beam coach. She always stayed after her regular class, especially on open gym night
• First competition was when she was 7. She didn't know what competing meant or how it was different from training. She showed up, waited her turn, watched the other gymnasts, and did her routine
• People applauded for her–that's when she was really hooked. She liked being in the limelight and wished she had done better
• Resolved to compete again and do her absolute best from then on

 

[RedBirdie]

Interesting, in this book she writes that her parents were married in 1979. In the later book, it's 1981.

 

[QuietColours]

Even in the other book, she waffles a bit about saying her parents were married in 1979 and then talks about the engagement ceremony that happened. I don't know enough about Romanian culture to know if an engagement is the major binding commitment, with the wedding more a formality finalizing things? But I'm justifying. I also believe in unreliable narrators.

 

[MaryClare]

I think they were likely married prior to her mother reuniting with her father in the US. It would make sense for immigration purposes. But some of the time line just doesn’t really add up. Also, giving up a profoundly disabled child for adoption is very….romanian. I don’t believe at all that they were facing such financial hardship that it would have been impossible to care for the child.

 

[QuietColours]

The other book says they were married in Greece in Jan 1981, and then went to the US from there were Dominique was born nine months later