WAG Maroney video

[duyetanh]

I would like to watch it. Can someone pm me the link, please?

 

[bogwoppit]

Google is your friend.

 

[munchkin3]

I found it was kinda hard to watch......the brainwashing that goes on with pain and injury and laziness is something my child has experienced first hand. It has taken him a long time to figure out what is real pain, and just how far he is supposed to go on his body.......he is still very much learning......

For my younger gymmie, I sometimes find myself making excuses to other parents because my DD took a day off!........to rest, and be a kid?........it's not going to make a big impact on her gymnastics career (she is definitely not going to the Olympics!)

She is an amazing young lady who has a lot of peaks to experience in her life!

 

[notthatmom]

I'm going to watch this video later since I'm at work right now, but I also just re-read little girls in pretty boxes...which I originally picked up in high school as a competitive figure skater (quickly realized it was a book about gymnastics with random tid bits of figure skating) it was an eye opener, and reading in there stories about a skating coach who actually taught at my rink, who everyone despised because the stories were true, I knew the book had to have a lot of truth to it in other aspects.
I think that book is why I chose the gym wwe are at for my DD, it's owned by two former Olympic gymnasts whose daughter was also an Olympian, other daughter now becoming international...that at least from the outside I could initially assume that their intentions are genuine, and from what I've seen so far, this gym is an extremely nurturing family environment. It says a lot that this is the gym that gymnasts and parents leave other gyms FOR and/or travel from far away to bring their kids to (I fortunately live 5 minutes away).
I also just started to read Dominique M's book, I'm about 1/4 of the way through, can't wait to read more.
But the more we as parents learn about and are aware of what CAN happen negatively, the easier it will be to find the signs of it and hopefully (at least try to) avoid it.


Holy run on sentences...but I hope I made sense.

 

[NewtoGym]

too bad no one is willing to speak out while still active in their elite career.

Margzetta Frazier did.

 

[NewtoGym]

I wonder if things would have been better for Maroney if she had stayed at Gym-Max?

 

[bogwoppit]

I wonder if things would have been better for Maroney if she had stayed at Gym-Max?

Good question. Howie seems like a very kind coach, as does his wife.

Interesting that Ross and Maroney retired within days of each other.

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

I was able to watch the video and i really wonder if a lot of her online behaviours following the Olympics until now are directly related to the psychological issues she seemed to be suffering from. Looking for the approval of others she was not receiving from her coaches?

I kind of took issue with her behaviour, but in the same way i took issue when Hannah Montana went back to Miley Cyrus. I think i just have a hard time personally seeing young girls' role models move on and out of that position.

I do recognize my daughter and her coaches and I in some of what she is saying about the injuries and pain she was going through. I think that perhaps i need to take more caution with my own daughter telling us she is hurting.

 

[suds]

As a parent watching the interview, it gave me chills – and intermittent nausea.

One of the mantras we repeat to our daughter is, “You alone are in charge of your own body. No one else is, not even a coach.” We tell her, if someone is making you do something that you are uncomfortable with (including at the gym), or if someone is treating you in a way that makes you uncomfortable (even a trusted coach, teammate, etc.) know that you are empowered to speak up. As your parents, we expect you to speak up –at a minimum to us.

It was interesting the first time we reminded her pointedly that she alone is in charge of her own body. She sighed a big sigh of relief and simply said, “Thank you.”

I think children need to be directly told this at various points – it seems to be not inherently understood by them. (Maybe they think that as parents we would automatically side with the coaches – I don’t know.)

We love her coaches, and her gym, and have tremendous faith in her current situation. Just creating several layers of safety and communication while trying to build the ever-important life skills through this vehicle called gymnastics.

We also periodically ask her if she would still feel comfortable talking to us if something does ever make her feel uncomfortable. She assures us she does.

This has been our approach. The knowledge that she has control over her own body has seemed to increase her happiness and confidence exponentially over the past few years.

 

[lovegymnastics22]

It's interesting to watch the episodes on Sydney Johnson-Scharpf on FloGymnastics (or whatever they are now called). I know nothing about that gym and I'm glad Sydney reached her dream of the National Team, but the relationship of mother/ daughter/ coach/ athlete in pushing through injury was as hard to watch as Maroney talking about her injuries/coaches.

 

[Seeker]

I'm not sure you watched Maroney's video but I cannot see how anyone can condone an elite coach's concerted extreme emotional, physical, nutritional, social deprivation of an elite athlete, entrusted in their care, in the name of personal (and athlete) success, glory, Gold, entry to a higher professional level, what have you. Such a line of defense that because it is elite level, it is to be tolerated should have no place in this day and age where we know how much better an individual functions and performs when all aspects of their being are in greater balance.

I admire Maroney's candor; I empathize with her travails, and hope her "coming out" does a greater good and service in helping athletes of all stripes and their families in their pursuit of success and fulfillment on their respective playing fields.

Of course I watched it and I didn't indicate "condoning" anything. Where did I say that?

I simply pointed out that the experience of Elites may be far different than other athletes at the same gym. No where in my post did I say "and that's totally fine". It is not.

 

[Presstohandstands]

Where can I find the video?

I watched the video from GymCastic YouTube channel

 

[BachFlyer]

I am going to watch this later. For those who already have, do you think that it might be something our older gymmies should see? I want to ask before I watch, because I know that once I see it I'll have a hard time processing the emotional part of it and won't be able to decide.

 

[bookworm]

I am going to watch this later. For those who already have, do you think that it might be something our older gymmies should see? I want to ask before I watch, because I know that once I see it I'll have a hard time processing the emotional part of it and won't be able to decide.

I think a lot of older girls will probably watch it on their own as news of the interview coming out has been bouncing around for a while...I don't think anything she says will be a "big reveal" to anyone in and around the sport... the fact that it happens despite multiple books ( by Sey, moceanu and others) and documentary (the Parkettes one years back by CNN) means we still haven't been shocked enough to act ....and I can tell you, what happens in club pales in comparison to what happens in NCAA sports....

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

Interesting that Ross and Maroney retired within days of each other.

Correction: publicly announced their retirement within days of each other

Generally your gymnasts with the personality to do well in Elite are likely to be the ones who will try to deal/endure with the negativity. They are so driven and goal orientated individuals they are often perfectionists who aim to please, what you end up with is gymnasts who appear to be emotionless robots at times. I think sometimes a gymnasts success is more despite the coaches influence outside of their technical knowledge.

I think that is why I enjoy Simone, it appears that she has personality and it is not being crushed, I do wonder if she would have got to her current place in another gym?

 

[Presstohandstands]

I am going to watch this later. For those who already have, do you think that it might be something our older gymmies should see? I want to ask before I watch, because I know that once I see it I'll have a hard time processing the emotional part of it and won't be able to decide.

I'm fifteen and I watched it, I don't think it was to much to handle but was very sad

 

[Tbrov]

I am going to watch this later. For those who already have, do you think that it might be something our older gymmies should see? I want to ask before I watch, because I know that once I see it I'll have a hard time processing the emotional part of it and won't be able to decide.

I plan on watching it again with my two daughters tonight. It brings up a lot of ideas that should be discussed and reinforced. The part that gave me the worst chills was the description of the coach withholding affection, and the way it flipped roles so that McKayla was telling her coach she'd be OK instead of the other way around. Yuck. And I know SO MANY coaches and parents who punish their athletes by withholding.

Edited to add my girls are 14 and 16.

 

[GymmieC]

Okay. I watched the video. I don't see anything out of the ordinary, and I'm I know a bit of a prude, but the only thing I questioned was her attire. I guess I am not wanting to accept that she is growing up.
But about what she mentioned. Did anyone here think elite training at Olympic level is in any way all flowers and roses. The abuse or lack of care unfortunately is the norm when you look at that level of gymnastics. I am not condoning it by any means, bUT I didn't hear anything that I could say, "Wow! I don't believe that!" It comes with the territory. It's awful to say that but take a hard look. It is very true. If a parent, and there are many, are Pushing that Olympic dream, be very careful about what you wish for. You just might get it and tons more that you never wanted.
Simone has an extraordinary experience with her coach I'm sure. That is not the norm. I think what would make a world of difference is if USA gymnastics mandated that all coaches take courses in child psychology. Yeah! Like that is going to happen. The child isn't the child but the Product.

 

[exgymnastmomx3]

....and I can tell you, what happens in club pales in comparison to what happens in NCAA sports....
Thank you for bringing this up, Bookworm. I completely agree. I agree so wholeheartedly that I had to do more than to just hit the like button. I do not think that most people want to believe this statement, though.

 

[GymmieC]

What do you mean. I am intrigued. Is college worse? I've heard stories.