Of course they do. Happens all the time…..
No idea. And based on Shilese Jones's recent post she is feeling pretty betrayed. Can't say I blame her. Tom stuck to his guns about taking people in all around order right up until he got to her name and then decided they just didn't need one more person. Especially given everything Shilese has been through that's got to sting. I really hope she makes it on the worlds team. I love her gymnastics.
I mean, didn’t they take one less alternate than expected even? Feels like a definite snub without further info.
Exactly. Forster was presented with Shilese or Riley, two world class gymnasts who have both given their entire childhoods to this sport and his answer was no one. He'd rather have no one than give one of those two extraordinary women an olympic experience, even if it was on the sidelines. I'd love to hear his explanation for why that was.
NO.
No, what you are talking about is roster management not team management. Yes, when Tom is putting together a national team roster from which he selects athletes to compete at worlds etc, it is perfectly reasonable to select girls based upon potential injuries etc. What I am talking about is team management for a specific game/competition/etc. The hawks didn't go out and acquire a point guard for the playoffs because trae young might get injured. The Bucs aren't putting Kyle Trask in to play the opening game over Tom Brady. They put their best team they have each and every time they step out on the field, floor, court.
So many Instagram posts starting with “devastated or shattered”. Honestly the whole thing just makes me feel sad about the sport. Kids basing their entire childhoods on the hopes to make 4 spots. What is left when they do not based on their social media makes me say the whole journey is perhaps not what it should be or even worth it. Hopefully Grace does not read anything cause that poor kid is being run through the ringer.
I never listened to them before, but checked out their latest. Almost every single thing they said was correct, in my view. Glad to see even relative kids can see how poor this choice was, and how bad Tom is at his job.
Tom already publicly stated he "chose" this team because this was the trials ranking.
OK, I hear you, but I also don't believe his job was only to input scores into a computer program. If that was the case, we also wouldn't need a selection committee.
I know, I have also felt sad and conflicted about this, especially when I think about parenting my own goal-oriented gymmie. I want to follow her lead and support her as much as possible. But I keep remembering something someone here wrote about making sure kids have several "circles"/outlets so they don't tie their identity to one thing. I think this is possible even for high level gymnasts, but takes lots of proactive work to create that. Hopefully college will be a positive experience for these girls.
In the history of time, no one has ever had their opinion changed on a message board. At best Tom is a brilliant strategist but poor external communicator. At worst he is a hapless figurehead with little backbone to stand up to a decision that was made. You can tell yourself a logical reason that justifies his actions and you are correct, it is a logical reason, but then he should have explained it and owned it. Otherwise, it is pure conjecture on our parts. I think we can all agree at least on that point
