US CHAMPIONSHIPS

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES!

Last year, I was preparing to compete in the 2006 Visa Championships, and today I’m more than halfway through my first pregnancy. I think that my Florida buddy, Shayla Worley, said it best when she e-mailed me, “Gymnastics seem so much less important now after that news.” Shayla never ceases to surprise me with the things she says, and once again she’s proven to be wise beyond her years. Thanks Worley!

The 2007 Visa Championships have come and gone, and this is the first U.S. Championships that I haven’t attended in 15 YEARS!!!! I’ve viewed this year’s championships from a unique perspective through message boards, quick-hit coverage, YouTube videos (THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR FOOTAGE!), and the national broadcast serving as my experience rather than being on the floor or in the stands. Believe it or not, I had a lot of fun despite not being in San Jose.

This year’s competition was interesting due to injuries, the close proximity to the World Championships, the frequency of major errors, the status of some veterans, and the arrival of some newcomers. I was pleased to see that the cleanest gymnasts finished close to the top on both the men’s and women’s fields, but once again I was disappointed with the scant number of female competitors. From a fan’s perspective, it’s disappointing to not even have 20 athletes in the meet. Is it a reflection of the Elite Women’s Program? I don’t have the answer.

Overall, I think that the U.S. Team is sending a strong women’s team to Stuttgart and satisfactory men’s team. I believe that both teams will qualify to next year’s Olympic Games.

First off, I want to dispense a hearty congratulations to Shawn Johnson for continuing to plow through the competition. I applaud her coaches’ approach to her training and attitude, and perhaps the national team coordinator should take a page from Chow and Li’s book and “train smarter, not harder”. Only time will tell.

What makes Shawn’s dominance even more special is that she looks to be one of only a few girls out on the floor that appears to be having a great time. I’ve known “Peanut” (my nickname for Shawn) for several years, and I’m so happy to see her do so well. Shawn’s an animal lover, and she’s really a happy person, and I can’t say it enough, I’m really happy that she’s doing so well. GO PEANUT!

I met her in Iowa while doing a personal appearance at her gym, and I’ve known all along that she’s got the physical ability. But what I really love about her is that she would probably be just as happy with winning the National Championships as she would with walking puppies in the park or playing with some kittens and yarn.

I’m really happy for Alicia Sacramone for her efforts in San Jose. She showed everyone that the mold of the “home schooled one-dimensional gymnast” is obsolete. It blows my mind that Alicia is stepping into the “mother hen” role of the US team. I remensice back to the days when I was training with Mihai and Sylvia Brestyan back in 1997, and she was a 9-year old miniature gymnast. Stay healthy Alicia!

I mentioned Shayla Worley earlier, and I’m glad that she’s back in the mix. Last year, I remember sitting in the stands with her and seeing how disappointed she was, because she couldn’t compete due to injury. Now she’s a going to be a significant factor in the US team effort, and she’s back on the competitive floor where she’s most happy!

I really feel for University of Illinois gymnast, Justin Spring. His torn ACL was a real downer. Justin has steadily gained international attention for his dynamic performances, and it was disappointing to see him go down after such a strong effort on Day 2 of the men’s competition. His injury will have a direct impact on Team USA’s effort in Stuttgart. Mike was in close communication with both Justin and his coach in the days following the injury, and I’m happy to report that Justin has a detailed plan on how to make this injury work to his advantage. His spirits are up, and we all look ahead to his speedy recovery and return to the competitive scene. His gymnastics has always raised the eyebrows of the judges, competitors, and audience members.

Kudos to Paul and Morgan Hamm for completing their first competition since the Athens Games. There have been so many opinions about their comeback, both positive and negative, but I really commend them for finding the motivation to return to a sport that’s so challenging emotionally, physically, and politically. Perhaps I just see a little of my comeback effort in their return. They’ve accomplished so much in the sport and when one looks at all that they are up against (China’s home court advantage, the current physical demands of gymnastics, the political issues domestically and internationally, etc.) it’s amazing that they are willing to go “one more round” when there are seemingly more reasons favoring retirement. Mike spent a lot of time with Paul and Morgan this summer both inside and outside of the gym, and from what he says; some of their best gymnastics is yet to come. Good for them.

While the Hamms only gave us a glimpse (they only competed on 2 events a piece) of their gymnastics, they have big plans in the works with the introduction of a new men’s uniform and a new skill on floor exercise. Morgan’s “airflair” is sure to get some international attention. Even though gymnastics is getting harder, originality has seemed to plateau, but this “airflair” (which has its roots in breakdancing) seems to be a step in the right direction.

Morgan’s been working on this skill since September of 2006, and I’ve had the good fortune of seeing its progress through videos Morgan sent to Mike. Gymnastics needs to return to emphasizing creativity and artistry, and this skill does just that as it looks to another art form (breakdancing) to add a dimension to gymnastics. You can check out this and more at www.makingtheolympics.com

Even though it has been 11 years since the Atlanta Olympics, I’m not so certain that gymnastics has evolved, and I think that our friend Dwight Normile said it best when he stated, “Gymnastics is like television, in that there are more channels available, but less to watch”. I can’t help but think to myself, “How different gymnastics would look if compulsory routines were still a part of the sport.” I’m a gymnastics fan for life, and I think that’s why we need to have these thoughts.

With the 2008 Beijing Olympics less than a year away, I’m getting really excited!!!!! Just as their motto for The Games says, “We are ready!”, and I have no doubt that they mean it. Since my competitive days, I’ve always admired the Chinese athletes. Even though, I was discouraged from watching “the competition”, I remember not being able to resist watching the Chinese greats like Mo Huilan and Kui YuanYuan do some beautiful work. I can barely wait to see what the Chinese do in Beijing. I feel that they will finally earn what they’ve been capable of earning for decades.

Check out the Olympic theme song at http://en.beijing2008.cn/video/promotional/weareready/

If Team USA’s Women’s gymnastics team achieves success next year in China, it will be the result of a collective effort from the individual coaches’ and athletes’ hard work and smart planning. Success will not be the result of one person or small committee of people. I can say this with certainty.

I still receive a great deal of e-mails regarding my feelings about how my comeback ended last year, and while I was naturally upset for some time, I know (in the words of Paul Ziert) “that gymnastics is something you do, it is not who you are”. I’m learning the meaning of that each day, and with our baby on the way, it means even more to me, and I continue to pass that thought on to many gymnasts that I mentor.

Do I miss competitive gymnastics? Yes, because there is nothing like competing, but I’M REALLY HAPPY, and I don’t rely on USA Gymnastics to provide my happiness. USAG made it very clear that they do not need me, and I’ve accepted that, and I aim to enjoy and promote gymnastics on my terms without having to compete.

THE BABY’S KICKING!

Dominique