US Classic Session 2 thread

[Laura722]

Shilese is pretty much in charge of her own training too, so I’m not sure I would give credit to her current coaches.

 

[Memphisgym]

Shilese is pretty much in charge of her own training too, so I’m not sure I would give credit to her current coaches.

Coaching someone who is very independent also takes skill. You have to know when and how to push in so that they won't shut you out.

 

[Big_rock_show]

I expected more toughness from Gabby as a competitor. Especially after all the work she put in to training.

 

[tempest]

^^ I agree
HAs she put anything out about what happened? Did she injure herself?

 

[JaJa]

^^ I agree
HAs she put anything out about what happened? Did she injure herself?

There did not appear to be any physical injury.

 

[rlayt]

She looked very upset when the camera was on her. I assumed it was a type of mental/confidence issue. She sounded in the past like she suffers from mental health issues like Simone and some of us.

 

[Aeris]

Ultimately, you could take Simone Shilese Jade and Suni to the Olympics and barring injury, you’d still win. The 5th is gonna be that built in AA alternate who can squeeze a few tenths out on top of that Key Four.

Thats why I don’t think Trinity has a shot (although she will always be the fifth in my heart).

I think Trinity still has a chance. She needs to bring back the 1.5 Yurchenko, maybe add an extra 1/2 twist to the BB dismount, and nail all of her routines. 56 in the AA and positioning herself as 3rd best in the country on BB looks doable. Even though she had 2 falls, her routine at Classic showed many areas of improvement compared to Winter Cup. I just wish she would take out the Double Wolf, it's too squatty and flaily and isn't worth the .1 D-score increase. The rest of the routine has gorgeous lines and good flow.

She can sneakily score huge on UB too if her practice routines start translating to competition. The 8.6E at Classic was good but she should easily be into the 9's if she stops the fussy grip adjustments during the opening pirouette sequence and sticks the dismount.

 

[ucrgirl]

Here's how many routines each of them have competed and hit in quals and finals.

Jordan TF: 7/8
Skye TF: 1/2

Jordan Quals: 6/8
Skye Quals: 3/5

If we look at this through the lens of who you'd want in a clutch position in an olympic/world team final that can step in anywhere, Jordan has one of the strongest track records and has competed more TF routines than everyone competing currently other than Simone, Gabby and Shilese. Of the others, only Suni has experience in an Olympic team final.

Thanks for this. I had a vague impression that Jordan had had significantly more team final success but couldn't bring the number to mind. The number of hits in team final is far more important. Jordan has also managed at least one hit in event finals. If Skye is lights out (8/8 or 7/8) in the next two meets, I might be persuaded that this year would be different, but I'd be pretty nervous during her routines.

Even Simone has missed some, but we care far more about the hits. (I count her 1.5 Yurchenko as a miss although it was pretty good under the circumstances.)

I know your post wasn't addressing Suni, but this is a good time to mention that I do trust her on beam in team final. She has competed under pressure a lot and I would be confident that she would have a decent shot at a good performance. (Anyone can fall at the Olympics, but it would surprise me if Suni came off beam.)

 

[makam]

Went back and watched Jordan's bb and fx. No wolf turn in beam is a good call and her fx wolf turn was improved (still not good, but better). I couldn't hear her music well enough to hear what the objectionable part was. I also don't know what they were going for with that leo. But aside from being slightly short on some of her tumbling passes and a not great l hop thing, it was very solid and comfortable looking. Bb was also very steady looking. And the camera angle made the side somi look almost nice.

 

[Jmanda86]

Thanks for this. I had a vague impression that Jordan had had significantly more team final success but couldn't bring the number to mind. The number of hits in team final is far more important. Jordan has also managed at least one hit in event finals. If Skye is lights out (8/8 or 7/8) in the next two meets, I might be persuaded that this year would be different, but I'd be pretty nervous during her routines.

And I think Jordan overall is a different gymnast confidence wise after NCAA. 2021 Jordan shocked us all really given her prior track record of not being able to put a meet together.

 

[Puffin]

I expected more toughness from Gabby as a competitor. Especially after all the work she put in to training.

I actually thought she was was quitting after the 2nd fall. But she came back - did a couple of skills and dismounted so low D and missing some CR

 

[Laura722]

Tiana's floor was very pretty:

 

[ucrgirl]

Agreed. Suni's ticket is not yet punched.

There's definitely room for someone with a stellar bar routine to get the 4th or 5th spot, albeit it might be Jordan whose spot that person would take. A team of Simone, Shilese, Jade, Suni beam and AN Other great bars would be pretty good.

However... that person doesn't have much time to emerge! And the top 4 from last night plus Suni just for beam would be a very good lineup.

Well when Grace gets those bars upgrade finalized, she would be perfect. Plus, she was working on a Cheng.

 

[Laura722]

Shilese's coach is doing a Q&A on Twitter. Here is what she said regarding feedback from the national training staff:

 

[dweiss324]

That's unreal. "Here's where you're losing tenths, but it's up to you if you care enough to work on them", is what I would say to someone I'd be about to fire. "Id like to have your gymnast on the team but it's up to you to implement the changes I'm recommending".

And it still doesn't explain the inexplicable skill choices. "Hey, you, that's not gonna fly, change it". "No". Like, what????

Don't coaches want their gymnasts to score well? Don't national level coordinators want their teams to perform to the best of their ability? Isn't it also in the best interest of the athletes to have that level of transparency??

 

[RedBirdie]

I mean, that's how its been for 20+ years now. The national team staff gives you recommendations, they can't force coaches to do anything.

 

[dweiss324]

If I were a part of USAG, I'd be questioning who that benefits. There's clearly a balance that's missing.

 

[david]

I wonder how it sets us up for 2028 if we take only returning Olympians and a mature Jones? Can you foresee any of them sticking around for 2028? Never say never as Simone has proven, but giving some young gymnast a chance might be good for the future of the program. I hope at least some of the 2028 aspirants attend as spectators for the experience and institutional knowledge.

Good point and it would be valuable to get at least one 2028 aspirant on this team. At this point none are standing out but so much could change between now and the end of Olympic trials in terms of whose still standing, whose hitting, and rank order.

 

[Laura722]

Shilese hasn't ruled out competing in the next quad, according to her coach.

 

[lovegymnasts]

I started saving four years ago for the LA Olympics. I want Simone to go for a fourth Olympics sooooo bad!