Tom Forster added to USAG selection committee

[MaryClare]

Utter insanity and the first sign that panic is setting in. This is a bad as Romania rehiring Forminte

https://static.usagym.org/PDFs/Women/minutes/iec/111425.pdf

 

[JaJa]

Utter insanity and the first sign that panic is setting in. This is a bad as Romania rehiring Forminte

https://static.usagym.org/PDFs/Women/minutes/iec/111425.pdf

I can not think of one reason to justify this selection. The post Marta era brought many challenges to USA Gymnastics. They just have not been handled well.

 

[irichluck21]

Ew

 

[Puffin]

Tom Forster? Has he even read the latest COP?

 

[hmmmm]

would it hurt to put a FIG judge on the committee who isn't a coach or associated with an elite club

 

[RedBirdie]

I believe he replaces Alicia Sacramone. It was always slightly suspect that two members of the high performance team were on the selection committee.

Which is not to say I particularly like this choice. But the ASC Charter very narrowly defines who is eligible for this third seat:

• The High Performance Lead is appointed by the IEC annually.
• The Athlete Representative is appointed by the Athlete’s Council.
• The Athlete Selection Committee Representative is appointed by the IEC annually and must fulfill the following criteria:
i. Must have World Championship and/or Olympic experience as an athlete, coach, or judge.
ii. Not affiliated – not currently competing, judging, or coaching in the U.S. Elite Program during the appointed year.
iii. Must be available to attend all Selection Camps and Qualifying competitions as outlined in the Selection Procedures or as deemed necessary.

you can read the full charter here:

https://static.usagym.org/PDFs/About%20USA%20Gymnastics/Governance/charters/w_selection.pdf

 

[MaryClare]

Tom Forster? Has he even read the latest COP?

Did he even read the one that was relevant to the quad he was in charge for?

 

[Puffin]

Did he even read the one that was relevant to the quad he was in charge for?

Doubtful!

I think it was a one of his first competitions as team coach (possibly junior worlds) where he was whining about not realizing that dance elements were important. Will it be back to selecting teams in AA order?

He also had no clues about the rules for qualifying for the 2020 Olympics - although it allowed Jade Carey to take advantage. Come to think about it Brian Carey would be a much better choice .... is Jade planning a run for 2028?

 

[irichluck21]

Brian Carey is still working as an assistant coach at Oregon State, so he is unavailable most of the year.
Jade is currently an volunteer student coach in grad school. At the moment she't not looking at elite, but has announced no plans for LA 28 or retiring for that matter. I would say don't rule it out, especially given the need US will likely have for vault and floor, depending on what Biles does and the others.

I do think we will have multiple national and former national team members coming back for LA. Whether it is long term like announcing for this summer or last minute late 2027 push.

 

[Denn]

I do think we will have multiple national and former national team members coming back for LA. Whether it is long term like announcing for this summer or last minute late 2027 push.

Including Gabrielle Douglas!

(Is she even training anymore or did she give up?)

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Including Gabrielle Douglas!

(Is she even training anymore or did she give up?)

For the team or the selection committee, that is the question...

 

[Passion]

Tom Forster chose 4 major teams in his run as NTC. 2018 Worlds, 2019 Worlds, 2019 Jr Worlds, and the Tokyo Olympics.

The 2018 World team was not AA order. Ragan Smith was 5th AA at World Trials, Kara Eaker in 6th was named to the competing team instead.

The 2019 World team was not AA order, MyKayla Skinner was 4th AA at World Trials, Grace McCallum in 6th was named to the competing team instead.

2019 Junior Worlds was chosen by AA order. Junior Worlds uses a 3-3-2 format, where an AA score is required to compete in any individual EF.

Tokyo Olympics was chosen by AA order. If Forster had gone with the highest scoring team, Skinner would have been named to the main team. The biggest issue with this team selection was the Selection Committee naming only 4 alternates when they were allotted 5.

 

[Passion]

USAG legally had no choice but to allow the Careys to attempt to secure a nominative spot at the Olympics.

However after they had locked down the nominative spot, Brian Carey still planned to have Jade compete AA both nights of Trials in a bid for her to place high enough to be named to the main team, thereby throwing away an Olympic berth for Team USA and only having 5 total WAG compete in Tokyo instead of using all 6 spots they had qualified. He had to be talked out of it.

 

[RedBirdie]

Passion, any chance you have the result from those two world trials camps? I don't doubt your memory at all, just curious to see the scores alongside scores from nationals.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

USAG legally had no choice but to allow the Careys to attempt to secure a nominative spot at the Olympics.

However after they had locked down the nominative spot, Brian Carey still planned to have Jade compete AA both nights of Trials in a bid for her to place high enough to be named to the main team, thereby throwing away an Olympic berth for Team USA and only having 5 total WAG compete in Tokyo instead of using all 6 spots they had qualified. He had to be talked out of it.

It's an interesting thought experiment to ponder whether, knowing what we do now, people might accept the principle of sacrificing a spot to bolster the team. Back when we all thought the US would win by a distance, it seemed preposterous.

 

[CameliasFingerpaint]

It's an interesting thought experiment to ponder whether, knowing what we do now, people might accept the principle of sacrificing a spot to bolster the team. Back when we all thought the US would win by a distance, it seemed preposterous.

Yeah, in retrospect it would have been better for Jade to be on that 4 person team instead of Grace.

Would Skinner still have gotten the +1?

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Yeah, in retrospect it would have been better for Jade to be on that 4 person team instead of Grace.

Would Skinner still have gotten the +1?

Her individual medal prospects were better, so she made more sense for an individual spot pick. Whether that would've been the decision, who can say? Tom always seemed to like Grace.

 

[CameliasFingerpaint]

I found Grace to be so mediocre and weirdly overhyped (those upgrades that everyone talked about that obviously were never going to materialize), but man was I thankful she kept Skinner off the main team.