Landing on My Feet: A Diary of Dreams by Kerri Strug

[cftmoonlight79]

I stop micro-managing how my girls warm-up floor by level 4. We practice the warm-up procedure and my only expectation is that they get to everything once. It's a bit rough to start, but after a few meets they get it down.

 

[KristyJ]

I smiled at Kerri's description of Forster not really knowing what he was doing - it had a strong sense of deja vu of his time as National Team Coordinator

Kerri's description did not improve my impression of Forster as a leader, either. "I'm sorry this isn't Karolyi's" does nothing to address a gymnast's concerns. It sounds like he never explained the reasoning behind how and why they did things as they did. I also note that after her time there Kerri did not list Colorado Aerials' gymnasts as serious contenders with others when recounting Olympic Trials, but did include Thompson. This seems to reflect an impression of their training.

 

[RedBirdie]

Kerri's description did not improve my impression of Forster as a leader, either. "I'm sorry this isn't Karolyi's" does nothing to address a gymnast's concerns. It sounds like he never explained the reasoning behind how and why they did things as they did. I also note that after her time there Kerri did not list Colorado Aerials' gymnasts as serious contenders with others when recounting Olympic Trials, but did include Thompson. This seems to reflect an impression of their training.

I wonder if that was just a familiarity thing. Kerri would have known Jennie for years at that point. They were at Karolyis and then Dynamo together, and Jennie had be hyped as the next big thing for years. Kerri was at CO Aerials for less than a year and their athletes certainly didn't have the Karolyi and Nunno hype machines behind them (no matter how much Tom tried to be The Next Bela or The Next Steve).

FWIW, I wouldn't have picked Jennie Thompson as a more likely contender than Kulikowski or even Powell going into Trials. They were all in that second tier together.

 

[KristyJ]

I wonder if that was just a familiarity thing. Kerri would have known Jennie for years at that point. They were at Karolyis and then Dynamo together, and Jennie had be hyped as the next big thing for years. Kerri was at CO Aerials for less than a year and their athletes certainly didn't have the Karolyi and Nunno hype machines behind them (no matter how much Tom tried to be The Next Bela or The Next Steve).

FWIW, I wouldn't have picked Jennie Thompson as a more likely contender than Kulikowski or even Powell going into Trials. They were all in that second tier together.

I agree with you on this-- I thought Kristy Powell had the best chance of all of those who didn't make it, back in 1996, though having recently watched some of the pre-trials meets I will admit Powell did undercook a lot of elements early in 1996.

 

[IratePanda]

I'd nearly forgotten that Boginskaya trained at Karolyi's before Atlanta. Looking back, it was nice to see her so happy and relaxed in '95-'96.

Strug really seemed to have a bond with the Karolyis at that point. I wonder if they really did mellow during their brief retirement, or if they were just trying to be on good behavior. FWIW, they did have some experience training older gymnasts--namely Comaneci before Moscow '80.

 

[QuietColours]

They certainly weren't mellower with Moceanu. Her parents also explicitly told them not to be relaxed with her though, from what I recall.

I've never been able to decide if it was good behavior, being able to respect accomplished athletes more (or athletes they knew to have workhorse tendancies), or having more respect for people who made it clear what the rules were.

 

[Puffin]

FWIW, they did have some experience training older gymnasts--namely Comaneci before Moscow '80.

I guess in 1980 - 18 was considered an "older gymnast"

 

[Big_rock_show]

I know this is beating a dead horse over the years, but there's always that "did Kerri have a choice to do that second vault?" debate that resurfaces every once in awhile.
From reading these summaries, it really doesn't sound like she did. She would have preferred to save her leg for AA. And it sounds like she relied solely on Bela to tell her what to do, what to think, how hard to push.
However, I remember from my (much lower level) competition days that I would have done a second vault in a heartbeat. I remember breaking two toes on beam and then slapping some tape on my foot so I could 'finish the meet', even if my coaches told me not to. It wasn't maybe my best quality as a gymnast, but I was stubborn as heck.

 

[phoenix7]

I know this is beating a dead horse over the years, but there's always that "did Kerri have a choice to do that second vault?" debate that resurfaces every once in awhile.
From reading these summaries, it really doesn't sound like she did. She would have preferred to save her leg for AA. And it sounds like she relied solely on Bela to tell her what to do, what to think, how hard to push.
However, I remember from my (much lower level) competition days that I would have done a second vault in a heartbeat. I remember breaking two toes on beam and then slapping some tape on my foot so I could 'finish the meet', even if my coaches told me not to. It wasn't maybe my best quality as a gymnast, but I was stubborn as heck.

Kerri Strug wouldn't have made AA without the second vault - she would have finished about .4 behind Dominique Moceanu. Moceanu was ahead going into that rotation, so even without calculations Strug would have guessed she hadn't done enough with her first vault, after she fell.

Not sure she didn't have a choice where the team was concerned, but from the rest of the book, I'd say she was always going to vault - she was well and truly conditioned to act that way.

 

[phoenix7]

I'd nearly forgotten that Boginskaya trained at Karolyi's before Atlanta. Looking back, it was nice to see her so happy and relaxed in '95-'96.

Strug really seemed to have a bond with the Karolyis at that point. I wonder if they really did mellow during their brief retirement, or if they were just trying to be on good behavior. FWIW, they did have some experience training older gymnasts--namely Comaneci before Moscow '80.

According to "Nadia Comaneci and the Secret Police", the Karolyis' role preparing her for 1980 Olympics was greatly exaggerated. She was not allowed to travel with her own coach because the Romanian government saw Bela Karolyi + Nadia as the brand.

Would people be interested in a summary of that book (full version)? I'd like to do one if so. I'm really enjoying this one and the others posted.

 

[IratePanda]

I guess in 1980 - 18 was considered an "older gymnast"

Yes, it was--even though four of the six Soviet Olympians were over 19. The Romanians and East Germans had some very young gymnasts.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Kerri Strug wouldn't have made AA without the second vault - she would have finished about .4 behind Dominique Moceanu. Moceanu was ahead going into that rotation, so even without calculations Strug would have guessed she hadn't done enough.

Not sure she didn't have a choice where the team was concerned, but from the rest of the book, I'd say she was always going to vault - she was well and truly conditioned to act that way.

Yeah, Kerri was well out of the AA after the first vault and I imagine she knew it. She and Dawes were pretty much neck and neck after 7 events, with Miller and Moceanu well ahead. The latter possibly would've been top in the AA standings with a hit vault, Kerri probably didn't expect to catch her.

Not sure if Bela had much to do with it in the moment either. He wasn't anywhere near her in the Dome and she surely can't have heard anything he might have said. Would have to be more the ingrained coaching stuff.

 

[RAFIKI]

Would people be interested in a summary of that book (full version)? I'd like to do one if so. I'm really enjoying this one and the others posted.

Definitely. I’m enjoying the discussions these book summaries are stimulating.

 

[QuietColours]

Yeah, Kerri was well out of the AA after the first vault and I imagine she knew it. She and Dawes were pretty much neck and neck after 7 events, with Miller and Moceanu well ahead. The latter possibly would've been top in the AA standings with a hit vault, Kerri probably didn't expect to catch her.

Not sure if Bela had much to do with it in the moment either. He wasn't anywhere near her in the Dome and she surely can't have heard anything he might have said. Would have to be more the ingrained coaching stuff.

Kerri says Moceanu took her spot when she had to pull out of the AA final, and she claims she could hear Bela. Who knows if it was just thinking she heard him because of all the hours of coaching or if she was so tuned into his voice that she could hear him.

As for taking the second vault, I'm pretty sure she would always have done it. She was so conditioned to push through the pain and injuries, to finish the workout or competition, and she was clearly aware of how whatever she did would look. I think there was choice there, but it would have taken extreme strength and self awareness to make it. And I think it's pretty clear that Kerri and Martha both thought they needed the second vault to win.

Even at 32, competing for the first time, I subluxed an elbow fairly severely on floor and went on to do vault and bars. Only level 6 routines, but I couldn't straighten it when I wasn't on the apparatuses. Or for several days after, it hurt like hell. But I could do more while I was actually competing, and the drive to finish the meet was strong even when I knew my scores counted for nothing with my level 8 team and I had no coach pushing me to do anything.

 

[RedBirdie]

Moceanu finished 4th because of her falls on vault. It went Miller, Dawes, Strug, Moceanu.

IIRC, Strug also qualified to vault and floor finals. Miller was 2-per'ed from vault, and Dawes from floor. Strug's withdrawal put them in finals. Miller biffed vault, but Dawes went on to win bronze.

 

[rlayt]

The video I saw implied that she looked at him and he nodded for her to go again.

Yeah, Kerri was well out of the AA after the first vault and I imagine she knew it. She and Dawes were pretty much neck and neck after 7 events, with Miller and Moceanu well ahead. The latter possibly would've been top in the AA standings with a hit vault, Kerri probably didn't expect to catch her.

Not sure if Bela had much to do with it in the moment either. He wasn't anywhere near her in the Dome and she surely can't have heard anything he might have said. Would have to be more the ingrained coaching stuff.

 

[Passion]

Distance between Kerri and Bela in Atlanta:

I had to splice some screen shots together for this 2nd one because they weren't both in the shot. When the camera pans to where Bela is it starts tilting down towards the ground so they don't line up perfectly.

From this video at 1:36:55

 

[QuietColours]

Can anyone make out what Bela says to her when they're carrying her out?

 

[Passion]

I hear "Kerri! What's Wrong? What's the problem? Which one?"

 

[dweiss324]

I don't think she should have been forced to compete the second vault, but from her account, it's clear she was gonna do it regardless, thought she needed to, didn't even think she was seriously injured after the second vault let alone before (just a numb leg with a foot you can't feel), and she just wanted the AA opportunity so badly... There's very little from her perspective that suggests she felt coerced at all. Or that bela could do anything to stop her.