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

[QuietColours]

It's an interesting question. If Martha had told her, "You aren't going again, we won," would Kerri have been obedient or tried for the AA? I think she would have done it if Martha had even told her, "You don't need to go again, we won." But if it had been phrased as an order? How much Kerri's desire for the AA and an individual medal have weighed against a direct order from her coach? And what if it were Bela, not Martha?

 

[Passion]

I think if Moceanu had hit both vaults and it was completely obvious to everyone that they had already won, Kerri would still vault again to try for AA and VT finals.

 

[KristyJ]

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.

I once popped a hip slightly out and back in and got a good footlong scrape with a glancing fall from the beam, and still got up and did my dismount. And I remember congratulating myself for being tough. The 90s just had that ethos to it, for better or worse.

 

[Big_rock_show]

I once popped a hip slightly out and back in and got a good footlong scrape with a glancing fall from the beam, and still got up and did my dismount. And I remember congratulating myself for being tough. The 90s just had that ethos to it, for better or worse.

1000% a 90's ethos

It's an interesting question. If Martha had told her, "You aren't going again, we won," would Kerri have been obedient or tried for the AA? I think she would have done it if Martha had even told her, "You don't need to go again, we won." But if it had been phrased as an order? How much Kerri's desire for the AA and an individual medal have weighed against a direct order from her coach? And what if it were Bela, not Martha?

Good point!!

 

[QuietColours]

Chapter 13: "You very honestly made me believe that I can accomplish anything if that's what is in my heart"

• Didn't sleep that night. The thrill of winning gold and the pain in her ankle never subsided
• Before making the vault and realizing the effects it had on so many people, she had based her life on training and planning for the future–there was always something in the future pushing her forward
• Got up and dressed and someone brought her the Atlanta paper. She read some other papers and saw some other tv–everything was about her and the vault.
• It was a head-spinning experience. It made her proud to think she'd had a positive influence on all the little girls bouncing around their homes. It was humbling. And it felt very strange to be getting all the attention when she didn't feel she'd done anything particularly special
• It was also sad–she didn't want the vault to end her Olympic Games. She had qualified for the AA final, floor, and vault finals, but she could hardly walk
• Initial diagnosis was a 3rd degree lateral sprain, but she already knew it was more. The entire inside portion of her left leg and foot were already black and blue, from the arch to about halfway up the shin. More tests would reveal extensive ligament and tendon damage
• As she went to help film The Today Show, all she knew was she'd keep her leg elevated and iced as much as she could and hope that she could compete in some finals
• Sat in a recliner with her leg elevated, doing several talk show interviews
• Told the trainers to try anything to get her well enough to compete
• Emotionally torn between the high of hitting the vault and the frustration of injuring her ankle
• Teammates went to practice; she stayed back to continue icing her ankle. Press continued to call, but the most important thing to her was getting well. Didn't initially realize how overwhelming the press would become
• Received a phone call from President Clinton, who asked for a picture with her at the White House
• Went to workout the next day. The ankle wasn't improved at all, but she tried some walkovers. Bela told her it wasn't going to happen–she said she knew.
• When she saw her mom, she cried because she hadn't achieved all her goals. Her mother told her sometimes you can't reach all your goals and have to be grateful for what you've accomplished.
• She was getting piles of letters and small gifts in the mail
• She watched the AA from the sky box, while Moceanu took her place. Shannon was 8th, Moceanu 9th, Dawes 17th. Afterwards, the whole team met privately with the president
• Her family walked around the Olympic Central Park that night. An hour after they left, the bomb went off. Kerri's ankle injury didn't seem so significant anymore
• Nothing could have prepared her for the opportunities people were offering her now. Kerri hates being unprepared. The money being offered was enough to pay for college and establish a foundation for her life. Money alone wouldn't sway her, but there was also the idea that she could affect the sport in a positive way.
• Amy and Kerri were the only amateurs on the team, and the whole team was receiving a lot of offers; they were being pressured to turn pro so they could accept as a group. Kerri knew she didn't want to put off attending UCLA at all.
• Finding a way to get her ankle better was still Kerri's highest priority. Spent most of her workout time lying on her back with it hooked up to various machines
• Had to withdraw from the vault and floor finals–floor was especially disappointing, because she had qualified with the highest combined score and thought she could have won gold
• Team continued to ask about her turning pro. She kept hearing that they had won the medal as a team, so they should move on to the other opportunities as a team
• Parents were trying to sort through the information from agents. They chose for Kerri to go pro, represented by Leigh Steinberg, because he was straightforward and answered all their questions. They made it clear they didn't want to compromise their integrity, and he told them about charitable organizations his clients were involved in
• Got to formally say goodbye to fans at the gala
• Told a sportswriter she had ruined her chance to get some pictures with the Dream Team; the next thing she knew the entire team was invited to meet them
• Won the Olympic Spirit award with Carl Lewis
• Got to go to the closing ceremonies. Her teammates did not go–they took an early flight to NY for The David Letterman Show. Kerri had already promised to do The Tonight Show and that she'd appear there first, so she couldn't do Letterman with the team. It was an incredible spectacle that made up for everything she had missed
• Regrets nothing about her gymnastics career
• Tucson had a parade for her
• Became somewhat estranged from her team when she joined a rival gymnastics tour to what they were doing, chosen because it allowed her to do school during the week and shows on the weekends.
• The media said she was being placed above her teammates. In every interview, she says that the gold was won as a team. Started her ESPY speech by thanking her teammates
• Thought the bond they had formed in Atlanta would never change. In DC to meet the president, Kerri had to leave for a People cover photo shoot. When she got back, all her teammates were in her room saying they needed to talk. They went on to express frustration over the team being forgotten. She promised them she would continue to always mention it was a team gold. Eventually they cleared the air. They'd been as close as sisters, and sometimes even sisters have to work things out. Now they're close again, and she's rejoining her Olympic teammates on the tour, performing without affecting her school schedule. She is proud to be part of the magnificent, historic team.
• Has been able to meet terrific people and experience the highs ad the bizarre (letters and requests, including wedding invitations from strangers and people asking if they can carry her like Bela)
• Able to help a lot of people, such as doing Special Olympics, Children's Miracle Network, March of Dimes, and other charities
• Father had to have angioplasty December 1996–he came through the procedure well
• When she was competing, she worried too much about the things that were coming up in her life. In the big picture, those things mean little. She still looks ahead and plans, but she has multiple goals and plans are flexible
• Trying to find a boyfriend
• Hoping to travel to Sydney for the 2000 games–she's always wanted to see Australia. Leaves the door open on competing

 

[RedBirdie]

I once popped a hip slightly out and back in and got a good footlong scrape with a glancing fall from the beam, and still got up and did my dismount. And I remember congratulating myself for being tough. The 90s just had that ethos to it, for better or worse.

Nike had a whole ad campaign about it. No pain, no gain. And we all happily bought into it.

 

[QuietColours]

I'd argue that it's still a very prevalent mindset in the world of sports and athletics. Maybe not by absolutely everyone the way that it was, but still extremely common

 

[phoenix7]

I'd argue that it's still a very prevalent mindset in the world of sports and athletics. Maybe not by absolutely everyone the way that it was, but still extremely common

Yes. Most gymnasts, much of the time, are still pushing through the pain, surely? It's just that Kerri Strug did so very visibly at the most dramatic moment possible. Usually, we wouldn't know.

I think the disconnect where neither Kerri nor the team thought she'd done anything that special while media and politicians went wild is just about how unusually public this pain was