USA Gymnastics

USA Gymnastics
Abbreviation USAG
Motto Begin Here. Go Anywhere.[1]
Formation 1963 (1963)
Type 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization
Purpose Sport governing body
Headquarters Indianapolis, Indiana
Membership
more than 174,000 (more than 148,000 competing athletes)[1]
CEO
 open
Main organ
 Board of Directors
Parent organization
 International Federation of Gymnastics (from October 1970)
Staff
more than 60[1]
Website www.usagym.org

United States of America Gymnastics (USA Gymnastics or USAG) is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. Established in 1963 as the U.S. Gymnastics Federation (USGF),[1] USA Gymnastics is responsible for selecting and training national teams for the Olympic Games and World Championships. The mission of USA Gymnastics is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of gymnastics.[1] In 2016 Valery Liukin, a former Soviet Olympic medalist and owner of World Olympic Gymnastics Academy, replaced Marta Karolyi as USA Gymnastics women's national team coordinator.

The programs governed by USAG are:

The Women's Artistic program—comprising the events vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise—is by far the most well known to the public, with several nationally televised competitions each year. Events in the Men's Artistic program include floor exercise, pommel horse, still rings, vault, parallel bars, and horizontal bar.

Women's Artistic programs

Elite Program

The Elite Program consists of regional and national training programs and competitions designed for athletes aspiring to represent the United States in international competition. Athletes participate at Developmental, Open, Pre-Elite, and National Team training camps. Only athletes at the National Team level are called "elite gymnasts".[2] There are two Elite groups: Junior Elite (ages 11-15) and Senior Elite (ages 16+).

In 2016 Valery Liukin, a former Soviet Olympic medalist and owner of World Olympic Gymnastics Academy, replaced Marta Karolyi as USA Gymnastics women's national team coordinator.[3]

Annual elite-level competitions include the American Cup, U.S. Classic, and U.S. Championships, as well as multiple National Qualifying Meets throughout the year.[4] Junior and Senior National Teams are selected based on performance at the U.S. Championships. These athletes then compete at the World Championships. In Olympic years, elite gymnasts compete at the Summer Olympics.

In order to get to Elite, a gymnast must pass both the elite compulsory and optional qualifiers. In elite compulsory qualifiers, gymnasts compete a basic routine to make sure that the gymnast has all the basics like twists, handsprings, jumps, leaps, kips to cast handstand, giants, turns, and more. In elite optionals, the difficult skills of the gymnast are evaluated, like pak saltos, releases, complex dismounts, multiple tucks/twists, double layouts, twisting vaults, and more.

Talent Opportunity Program

The Talent Opportunity Program (TOPs) seeks to identify talented female gymnasts aged 7–10 for further training up to the elite level. It consists of state and regional evaluations followed by a national test of physical abilities and basic gymnastics skills in October of each year, culminating in a national training camp in December.[5]

Olympics Hopefuls program

The Olympics Hopefuls program (HOPEs) is a program to identify talented gymnasts and train them to an advanced level. It's basically an advanced version of TOPs, for gymnasts between ages 8-12. In order to qualify for HOPEs, a gymnast must pass both the elite compulsory and optional qualifiers, and get a certain minimum score. HOPEs Elite gymnasts compete at elite meets, but not as a Junior Elite.

Junior Olympic Program

The Junior Olympic Program provides training, evaluation, and competition opportunities to allow developing gymnasts to safely advance at their own pace through specific skill levels. Most competitive gymnasts advance through this system.

As of August 1, 2013, the levels are as follows.[6]

  • Developmental levels 1–2: the most fundamental skills performed in a non-competitive, achievement-oriented environment
  • Compulsory levels 3-5: progressively difficult skills performed competitively as standardized routines (all gymnasts at a given level perform the same routines)
  • Optional levels 6-10: progressively difficult skills performed competitively in original routines

Skills are grouped by degree of difficulty and given the letter ratings A–E, with A denoting the easiest skills. Levels 6–8 have difficulty restrictions, in that a gymnast competing at one of these levels may not attempt skills above a certain level of difficulty (for example, level 6 and 7 gymnasts may only include A and B skills in their routines). Levels 9 and 10 have no such difficulty restrictions, although level 9 gymnasts may include only one D or E skill in any single routine.[7]

In addition to demonstrating the necessary skills, gymnasts must reach a minimum age to advance to the next level. For example, level 8 and 9 gymnasts must be at least 8 years old; level 10 gymnasts must be at least 9 years old. Regardless of age, all beginning gymnasts enter the program at level 1 and may advance through more than one level per year. Competitions for gymnasts at level 7 culminate in State Championships, level 8 at Regional Championships, level 9 at Eastern or Western Championships, and level 10 at Junior Olympic National Championships.[8]

Prior to August 1, 2013, the developmental levels were numbered 1–4, the compulsory levels 5–6, and the optional levels 7–10. The old levels 1 and 2 have been combined into the new level 1; level 7 has been split into the new levels 6 and 7; and the numbering of levels 3–6 have each been shifted down one level for the new system.[7]

Xcel Program

The Xcel Program provides training and competition experience for gymnasts outside of the traditional Junior Olympic program. Its stated purpose is "to provide gymnasts of varying abilities and commitment levels, the opportunity for a rewarding gymnastics experience." Participants compete in individual and team competitions in Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond divisions, based on age and ability level.[9]

National teams

Sex abuse scandal

In 2018, Larry Nassar pleaded guilty to sexually abusing female athletes, including Olympic gold medalists Aly Raisman and Jordyn Wieber. Following his sentencing, the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) threatened to decertify USA Gymnastics unless the entire board resigned. USA Gymnastics complied and all 21 board members resigned on January 26.[10] Nassar was national team doctor through four Olympic cycles.[11] Olympic medalist McKayla Maroney has filed a lawsuit alleging the USA Gymnastics paid her to keep silent about Nassar's abuse.[11] Gymnasts have called for those who protected Nassar, including the USOC and USA Gymnastics, to be held accountable for their actions.[12]

In 2016, a former federal prosecutor issues a report at USA Gymnastics request outlining 70 recommendations for reforming the organization's policies regarding sexual misconduct. These recommendations included removing the "athlete representative" from the Olympic selection committee so athletes would be less afraid to report abuses.[11][13]

USA Gymnastics also cut ties with the Karolyi Ranch in the wake of the scandal, after several gymnasts said they had been abused by Nassar on the premises. The ranch, operated by Bela Karolyi and former national team coordinator Marta Karolyi had been the official US Women's National Team Training Center since 2001.[11]

Board of directors

USA Gymnastics is governed by a Board of Directors that includes several famous former gymnasts. Among these are Chairman Paul Parilla; Athlete Directors Michael Rodrigues, John Roethlisberger, and Kim Zmeskal; and Public Sector Director Mary Lou Retton, Cathy Rigby, and David Benck.[14]

President and CEO Steve Penny resigned in March 2017, as the organization faced multiple lawsuits for its handling of sexual abuse complaints against one of its former physicians.[15] Chief Operating Officer Ron Galimore was designated by the Board of Directors as the interim president until Kerry Perry was hired as USA Gymnastics' president and chief executive officer as of role December 1, 2017. On January 27, 2018, it was reported that the remaining 18 board of directors will resign as a direct result of the USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal.[16] On September 4 Kerry Perry resigned.[17] This came after USOC CEO Sarah Hirshland called for a change in USAG leadership[18] and the United States Elite Coaches Association called for a vote of no confidence in Perry.[19]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "About USA Gymnastics". USA Gymnastics. Retrieved 2013-07-27.
  2. ↑ "Women's Program Overview". USA Gymnastics. Retrieved 2013-07-27.
  3. ↑ Zaccardi, Nick (2016-09-16). "Valeri Liukin named USA Gymnastics women's national team coordinator". OlympicTalk. Retrieved 2018-01-28.
  4. ↑ "USA Gymnastics Women's Elite Calendar" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. Retrieved 2013-07-27.
  5. ↑ "TOPs Program Overview". USA Gymnastics. Retrieved 2013-07-27.
  6. ↑ "2013-2021 Junior Olympic Compulsory Program". USA Gymnastics. Retrieved 2013-07-27.
  7. 1 2 "Structure and Mobility chart for the Women's Junior Olympic Program for entering the 2013-2014 season" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. Retrieved 2013-07-27.
  8. ↑ "Junior Olympic Program Overview". USA Gymnastics. Retrieved 2013-07-27.
  9. ↑ "Xcel Program" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. Retrieved 2013-07-27.
  10. ↑ "Entire US gymnastics board to quit over Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal". The Independent. 2018-01-26. Retrieved 2018-01-28.
  11. 1 2 3 4 CNN, Jason Hanna. "The fallout from Larry Nassar's sexual abuse is just beginning". CNN. Retrieved 2018-01-28.
  12. ↑ "USA Gymnastics board resigning amid sexual abuse scandal". Reuters. 2018-01-27. Retrieved 2018-01-28.
  13. ↑ Report to USA Gymanstics on Proposed Policy and Procedural Changes
  14. ↑ "USA Gymnastics Board of Directors". USA Gymnastics. Retrieved 2013-07-27.
  15. ↑ Almasy, Steve (16 March 2017). "USA Gymnastics CEO resigns amid ex-team doctor's sexual abuse scandal". CNN.com. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
  16. ↑ "USA Gymnastics board of directors to resign under pressure | KSL.com". Retrieved 2018-01-28.
  17. ↑ "Letter to Membership from USA Gymnastics Board Chair Karen Golz". USA Gymnastics. September 4, 2018.
  18. ↑ "USOC chief says it's time to consider USA Gymnastics CEO change as controversy continues". USA Today. August 31, 2018.
  19. ↑ "USA Gymnastics Is Imploding". Deadspin. September 2, 2018.
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