Tom Forster resigns

irichluck21 · Mar 4, 2022

JaJa said:
Yes, of course. You are absolutely right.

UNLESS, as HPD Carey would completely recluse himself from selecting the team and obstain from any voting.
That said, still a conflict of interest because he will be making line ups. Should Jade anchor floor, even if she is the best for that slot, there is still that underlining tone of conflict.

JaJa · Mar 4, 2022

Yea, I agree with you. Conflict too hard to avoid. Appearance of conflict impossible to avoid. It’s too bad though because he may be the best candidate otherwise.

Doug1233 · Mar 4, 2022

irichluck21 said:
recluse himself from selecting the team and obstain from any voting.

aren’t these the main two functions of the HPC?

tsarinajen · Mar 4, 2022

Wasn’t Maggie actively appealing her ban trying to argue she wasn’t a psycho? I don’t think she could argue the reformed card.

By all accounts I’ve seen, and if it’s not accurate please correct me, when Valeri was running the junior program before taking over for Martha, they all spoke highly of him. Isn’t Valeri coaching Konnor though? Isn’t that a conflict? Or is that a he’d move on.

If being a Soviet athlete or worked under or with a Soviet coach is a disqualification, we have a short list of potential candidates and it’ll be even smaller after Safe Sport.

Just an idea, what about a performance director, then have a separate PR person? Not everyone who is qualified for the first wants the crap from the second.

RedBirdie · Mar 4, 2022

Yes, Valeri is actively coaching Konnor, along with some other elites. Him being groomed to take over the NTC role after Marta is one of the reasons he stopped coaching elites previously.

rlayt · Mar 4, 2022

tsarinajen said:
Just an idea, what about a performance director, then have a separate PR person? Not everyone who is qualified for the first wants the crap from the second.

That was proposed here before. I think it’s a good idea.

JaJa · Mar 4, 2022

tsarinajen said:
Just an idea, what about a performance director, then have a separate PR person? Not everyone who is qualified for the first wants the crap from the second.

Its a great idea.

irichluck21 · Mar 5, 2022

tsarinajen said:
Just an idea, what about a performance director, then have a separate PR person? Not everyone who is qualified for the first wants the crap from the second.

They already have this in place.
Annie Heffernon who is the vice president of the women’s program is the PR person and its part of her role as VP of the program.
The HPD will always have to do interviews just like NCAA coaches will always have to do interviews. Tom was just so horrible at it and went off on his own tangents instead of USAG talking points. There were so many interviews where he just talked out of his ass completely.

Tom has always been horrible at interviews, even going back to the 90s when he was a personal coach.

Doug1233 · Mar 5, 2022

They don’t need a HPC.

They need: (1) a committee of high performance coaches, with an independent chair and an athlete rep; (2) a selection committee (of Brevet judges only), and (3) a media person who can write up the minutes of each committee and communicate the decisions of each committee with the media as needed. Kinda like a Jen Psaki press secretary type.

ETA: The selection committee (of Brevets) should attend the HPC committees and give impartial independent judging advice and guidance, when asked.

Denn · Mar 5, 2022

I actually came here to write almost the same thing. I do think there needs to be a director BUT that job doesn’t need to be a coaching job. I’d rather a judge do that job.

irichluck21 · Mar 10, 2022

Valeri is no longer being considered for HPD per Jessica.

irichluck21 · Mar 10, 2022

blake · Mar 10, 2022

Alongside his pisspoor management of the Brazilian NT, this is pretty damning.

"Wofford also said that Liukin forced her to continue practicing at a 2011 U.S. national team training camp despite the young gymnast having a fever and diarrhea. He allegedly accused her of “being a wimp and faking” and made her “show the trainer my diarrhea after I went one time in front of everyone.”

“Valeri always said I was lazy, he said that I’m fat, I’m useless and I’m not ever going to amount to anything in life and I believed all of it,” said Megan Marenghi, who overdosed twice and attempted suicide after she said a feeling of worthlessness continued to fester following her time training with Liukin. “I thought he was right. I amounted to nothing. Why am I still here?”

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10028606-us-gymnastics-coach-valeri-liukin-investigated-for-alleged-verbal-mental-abuse

JaJa · Mar 10, 2022

irichluck21 said:
Valeri is no longer being considered for HPD per Jessica

Amazing he got as far as he did in the process

JaJa · Mar 10, 2022

So, who is being seriously considered for the position at this point? I actually think it’s really important to have someone who will be the face of USA Gymnastics.