Tom Forster added to USAG selection committee

[Aizheng]

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.

To me, this is at least a mischaracterization.
In the two world teams, he chose “the team” to be Top 6 AA and publicly stated that the alternates had not been decided.

He then apparently used podium training to decide on the alternates, and I have no idea what criteria he used there. It was not top 5 AA from trials, but to me, that does not change the fact that he chose top AA for every team he could choose (and even justified Grace’s selection with the “integrity of the process”).

 

[MaryClare]

I also feel like the criteria for athlete rep needs to be more selective than simply former senior national team member. With the greatest of respect, DeZiel just doesn’t have the experience of what it’s like as an athlete to be involved in a selection process that is potentially life changing

 

[RichardL]

The endless litigation of Skinner vs McCallum is so funny to me. Maybe we can do Atler vs Dawes next just as a palate cleanser.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

The endless litigation of Skinner vs McCallum is so funny to me. Maybe we can do Atler vs Dawes next just as a palate cleanser.

You know, I don't remember ever seeing a proper set to over that one. Lots of discussion about how things went tits up for Atler, but not about her v Dawes. Was it something that was being argued over much at the time?

If anyone would like to start something now, I'll watch with great interest and take notes!

 

[Hatsumomo]

I'm with ArnoldRimmer. I've never seen an argument about Atler vs. Dawes and I'm intrigued.

 

[RedBirdie]

The gymnternet was so much smaller back in 2000. Even if it was something argued over, there just wasn't really the critical mass of people.

Besides, we were mostly still too busy relitigating the 1992 AA finals to worry about Atler vs. Dawes.

 

[rlayt]

We haven’t had a good talk about the vault settings in 2000 in a while.

 

[MaryClare]

We haven’t had a good talk about the vault settings in 2000 in a while.

I only recently learned that the vault wasn’t set “wrong” but rather the documents provided to staff hadn’t been updated to reflect the new height setting for women’s vault

 

[Hatsumomo]

I only recently learned that the vault wasn’t set “wrong” but rather the documents provided to staff hadn’t been updated to reflect the new height setting for women’s vault

That might be worse and it totally tracks.

 

[QuietColours]

Uncle Tim on it: https://www.gymnastics-history.com/...t-debacle-and-the-apparatus-norms-hypothesis/

 

[rlayt]

One of the biggest blunders the Women’s Technical Committee ever made. Not implementing the fail safe check. Has Jackie Fie herself ever made a statement ?

 

[irichluck21]

It was wild that Tim and Elfi kept harping up "VAULTER" we need a vaulter.
Then Dawes was chosen for a FTY and 1.5 combination as a "vault specialist", whose total was DROPPED from team finals.
Granted her 9.700 bars and 9.475 beam were keepers, the 9.700 tied with Dantzscher for 3rd on the team for bars and the 9.475 on beam was 2nd on the team.

Too bad about Moceanu injuring herself. She had her 1 .5 back and was vaulting HS front layout half vaults again. So 9.8/9.9 sv would have put her in line for favorite for the team. Such a shame. A 1998 GWG Moceanu would have been a lock for Sydney.

I still would have gambled on Atler for vault and beam- despite the debacle at Trials.

Potentially used Maloney, Dantzscher, Chow, Ray in AA in TQ/TF. White on UB/BB/FX. Atler just for VT.
If Atler was looking good on beam and floor leading up to the Olympics and did well in podium. I would have had Chow, Maloney, Ray= AA. White/Schwikert=UB/BB, Atler=VT/BB/FX, Dantzscher=VT/UB/FX

VT: Dantzscher, Maloney, Chow, Ray, Atler
UB: Maloney, Schwikert, Dantzscher, Chow, Ray
BB: Schwikert, Chow, Atler, Maloney, Ray
FX: Dantzscher, Chow, Ray, Maloney, Atler

If not it could have easily been 4 all arounders with Atler vaulting and Schwikert doing UB/BB/FX.

 

[RedBirdie]

I'm all for relitigating the 2000 team selection, but let's make a new thread for it

 

[RichardL]

I didn't mean to open a can of worms, but I'd be happy to contribute to a thread about this, since I very much do remember being a part of the online debate at the time! (and I love @irichluck21 's analysis here)