Konnor McClain to WOGA

[choclatechip45]

Sure, but if you are National Team Coordinator you have to publicly talk about it. If he stayed in that position it would have been a huge distraction.

 

[rlayt]

I’ve chatted online with another parent who took their daughter to over 10 Development Camps. They also had good things to say about Valeryi. This parent reported Valeryi had said things were not done right in the older times. And the parent had never heard a bad word from any of the kids their daughter’s age that he had contact with.

I’m going to reserve judgment on what kind of coach he is now.

 

[Sasha]

I don’t like the way they dismissed allegations by previous gymnasts. That said, these people have direct experience with Valeri and it doesn’t surprise me that they put more weight on their own experience than on what others have said. I think that most of us work that way.

 

[choclatechip45]

Didn’t Valeri make some racist comments when he was the head coach of the Brazil team? I remember it was in an interview. I only knew about it because Gymcastic covered it and reading the interview it was not great…

 

[Doug1233]

insists weighing at the gym ended quite a while ago

This whole “weighing” thing is so stupid. Water and muscle are not “bad” weight. I remember someone saying Nastia used to go in the sauna with two sweatshirts on to reduce her water weight. So fucking pointless.

If they’re measuring anything, it should be body fat %. Is it just as damaging to replace one number with another number? Albeit that the second figure is much more accurately tied to their ability to perform safely than the first figure? Will gymnasts then just obsess over their bf%?

 

[RedBirdie]

Will gymnasts then just obsess over their bf%?

Yes. And more to the point, coaches and parents with absolutely develop an unhealthy and all consuming obsession over that number.

 

[rlayt]

It’s best to explain the pros and cons of more weight and muscle vs less. Health education for athletes and their families when underage are involved should include nutrition too. THEN let them manage weight on their own. If the athletes have problems in their conditioning exercises address that not weight. That’s the way I see it.

 

[Doug1233]

But surely if you’re going to obsess over a number, it’s better to obsess over a number that is more indicative of safety, well-being and performance?

Of course, you’d like no one to obsess over any number, but gymnasts are all Type A and it’s better to focus on body fat than weight.

The coach could say “I want you in the range of A% and B%; And no lower than A.” The weight becomes irrelevant. It turns into a discussion about strength to weight ratio - which is directly proportional to gymnastics.

Maybe I’m thinking too rationally over an issue that has a lot of emotional baggage attached to it.

 

[Doug1233]

And body fat % would reflect on their conditioning.

If they lose muscle because they’re being lazy - body fat % will go up even if weight stays the same.

 

[rlayt]

Have a nutritionist who works with athletes help them figure their ideal range. Let them and their parents be responsible for what they eat. They have to be responsible and able or they wouldn’t be high level athletes.

Start nutrition and exercise education early. The school education is woefully inadequate for regular people. If they are going to get to upper levels they have the right character and ability to manage that.

 

[MaryClare]

I think there is a danger here that any or all weight management is seen as a negative. In reality, it’s an absolute necessity for elite gymnasts.

Whilst not the only attribute, probably the most significant one for artistic gymnasts is strength to weight ratio in the top percentile. We know this is something that is harder to maintain in pubescent and post pubescent female athletes. It is anecdotally, probably the biggest reason for retirements from elite level gymnastics.

Every top gymnastics nation has a history of bad practice in this department. Whether it be submitting gymnasts to environments and practices that were damaging to their physical and mental health or sheer incompetence through implementing useless methods ie sweating it out in the sauna. There is also still a widespread belief that by training harder, a gymnast can minimise the impact of puberty. No, seriously. Coaches do believe this.

Pretending weight doesn’t matter does no one any favours.

 

[Passion]

From @insidegym (IG2) Instagram:


We’ve heard you talk a lot about how the new training environment has helped you physically and mentally. Can you pinpoint what exactly you feel is working better for you?
I’d say the atmosphere and having elite teammates now it definitely helps a lot to have people going through the same thing. The coaching is also such a different change for me because they’re always so positive. Even though practice is so hard sometimes, they’re always positive and hype us up! I had never been to a meet with Anna [Liukin] before but she’s the nicest person ever and she just calms you down so much. Same with Valeri. There’s just so much positivity all the time!

What’s the dynamic like with Anna and Valeri in the gym?
They definitely have different personalities! Anna is more goofy and Valeri is more on the serious side be he cracks jokes sometimes. They balance each other out pretty well!

Is there a piece of advice or any words from your dad that you’re going to carry with you for the rest of your career?
Oh gosh, he told me so much stuff… The last thing he ever texted me was “You’re full of greatness. I love you.” He also said, “You’re one of the best in the worlds, so start acting like it.”

Aside from the Amanar on vault, are there any upgrades we can expect to see from you as the season progresses?
I’m really trying hard for my floor upgrades; my first pass and maybe my third pass. Someone tweeted it actually. Like, ‘When is Konner going to to do the WOGA signature pass?’ So that is coming soon.

What would feel like success for you when you look back on this year?
I don’t really have high goals for myself this year yet. My brain is so scattered right now! [Laughs] But I want to win medals at the World Championships. That is the final goal for this year.

Honoring her Dad - The Story Behind the Leo -
Anna told us to write down any ideas we had on a piece of paper. So our team was talking about it and what colors we’d want and everything. They knew I had designed my other leos so they were like, ‘You know what? You should just do it.’ So I asked them for color ideas and drew three different leos on a piece of paper and gave it to Anna. A couple months later she came back and was like, ‘This is the leo. Do you like it?’ And I was like, ‘That’s really pretty!’ And she was like, ‘I gave them your design.’ None of us thought she was actually going to listen to us! [Laughs] Anna gave me the patch (with my dad’s initials) after practice that week to put on the back of my leo. It’s really special to me because it feels like there is a piece of my dad with me! I plan to put it on all my leos for the next couple of years.

 

[MaryClare]

She seems really happy there, I hope it will turn out to be the right move for her.

It’s interesting that different gyms/coaches can work well for one gymnast but not for another

 

[irichluck21]

It’s the same for teachers and students.

 

[Doug1233]

What is the WOGA signature pass? front 1/1 to front 2/1? front lay to double front?

 

[RedBirdie]

Back in 2003 it was the stunning combination of 2 1/4 twist immediate jump 3/4.

 

[RAFIKI]

Otherwise known as the Vise.

 

[MaryClare]

That’s a blast from the past, next we know someone will expect her choreography to include reaching for the cookies

 

[Doug1233]

Distinctly remember Tim, with a stinking cold, saying “mmm a little short on that…!”

 

[YurchenkoLoop]

1.5 + front 2.0