WAG USOC moves to revoke USAG...

[flipping_girls]

As for the upcoming devo/invite camp, Kim Riley will let us all know tomorrow after their meeting. As of right now I have no idea if camp will happen or not. We are supposed to leave on Saturday.

I wondered how this would impact Devo/DIC Camps, I know Lily has worked so hard to get there.

 

[mommyof1]

And what will happen to “pending” investigations through USAG safe sport? I guess they will fall through the cracks.

This is what I want to know. What happens to the pending investigations? And if there is no national organization governing competition at the grassroots, non-elite level, will it be left to individual gyms to conduct criminal background checks on coaches? What about safety training? Certification of judges? USAG is rotten to the core, but there needs to be an alternative structure put into place, run by a new generation of leaders.

Speaking of which, I heard that Miss Val is retiring from UCLA in 2019. Does anyone think the timing is more than a coincidence?

 

[FlippinLilysMom]

This is what I want to know. What happens to the pending investigations? And if there is no national organization governing competition at the grassroots, non-elite level, will it be left to individual gyms to conduct criminal background checks on coaches? What about safety training? Certification of judges? USAG is rotten to the core, but there needs to be an alternative structure put into place, run by a new generation of leaders.

Speaking of which, I heard that Miss Val is retiring from UCLA in 2019. Does anyone think the timing is more than a coincidence?

MIss Val has already stated that she has no interest in the position. She announced her retirement over the summer.

 

[skschlag]

This is what I want to know. What happens to the pending investigations? And if there is no national organization governing competition at the grassroots, non-elite level, will it be left to individual gyms to conduct criminal background checks on coaches? What about safety training? Certification of judges? USAG is rotten to the core, but there needs to be an alternative structure put into place, run by a new generation of leaders.

Speaking of which, I heard that Miss Val is retiring from UCLA in 2019. Does anyone think the timing is more than a coincidence?

Clubs should be conducting background checks on coaches already!

USAG will still be an organization and can do all of these things.

 

[Taxidriver]

Trampoline and Tumbling World Championships start tomorrow, with USA athletes competing in Russia. There are only 5 gymnastics disciplines with World Championships. This is the last one of the year. Wish the announcement could have waited 4 more days until their championship is complete. If USOC were waiting for Artistic World to be done before announcing so as not to distract them, doesn’t send the greatest message to the T&T athletes about how much USOC values them.

Sadly looks like USOC was only concerned with the discipline that brings them lots of medals at the olympics.

 

[gymmomx2]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I am assuming USOC is responsible for determining which governing body selects the elite teams to represent the country. If USAG is decertified, wouldn’t this just mean they don’t get to run the national teams. All other co,petitions and events could continue.

this is exactly my thought. They could keep going at least for this season. Now...whether people choose to stay with them for the next season is a whole other matter. The thing is, USAG has some good things, it's just the elite system and some of the staff that were terrible. The JO program - great. Excel - also great. I hope whatever organization springs up from this debacle is able to keep some of that, it would be a terrible waste to lose the JO program as a result.

 

[amiandjim]

this is exactly my thought. They could keep going at least for this season. Now...whether people choose to stay with them for the next season is a whole other matter. The thing is, USAG has some good things, it's just the elite system and some of the staff that were terrible. The JO program - great. Excel - also great. I hope whatever organization springs up from this debacle is able to keep some of that, it would be a terrible waste to lose the JO program as a result.

I disagree here. Do I think the Jo and Xcel programs are great in general? Sure. But if people think that abusive coaching practices only happen at the elite level, they are definitely incorrect. Just reading stories on here, you see that it’s happening in all levels....from level 2-3, all the way up! I’m not saying decertifying USAG is the answer, but we have got to have a governing body that protect little girls from this nonsense!

 

[gymmomx2]

I disagree here. Do I think the Jo and Xcel programs are great in general? Sure. But if people think that abusive coaching practices only happen at the elite level, they are definitely incorrect. Just reading stories on here, you see that it’s happening in all levels....from level 2-3, all the way up! I’m not saying decertifying USAG is the answer, but we have got to have a governing body that protect little girls from this nonsense!

I think the abusive behaviour is a gym culture thing and not unique to USAG. It happens in all countries, in USAIGC gyms, in AAU gyms, in college gyms. Agree there needs to be an effort from the leading organization to change it.

 

[LJL07]

This is what I want to know. What happens to the pending investigations? And if there is no national organization governing competition at the grassroots, non-elite level, will it be left to individual gyms to conduct criminal background checks on coaches? What about safety training? Certification of judges? USAG is rotten to the core, but there needs to be an alternative structure put into place, run by a new generation of leaders.

Speaking of which, I heard that Miss Val is retiring from UCLA in 2019. Does anyone think the timing is more than a coincidence?

USAG isn’t even bothering to investigate the complaints pending anyways. It’s ridiculous. They sit on them for months with zero follow up. I’m sure they are swamped, but even so, to go for months with no action is absurd. So now I expect nothing will happen with pending investigations which is a real shame. I’m not sure how we will see a culture change in this sport any time soon.

 

[skschlag]

USAG isn’t even bothering to investigate the complaints pending anyways. It’s ridiculous. They sit on them for months with zero follow up. I’m sure they are swamped, but even so, to go for months with no action is absurd. So now I expect nothing will happen with pending investigations which is a real shame. I’m not sure how we will see a culture change in this sport any time soon.

I thought SafeSport was the investigating body......man..I was lost

 

[LJL07]

I disagree here. Do I think the Jo and Xcel programs are great in general? Sure. But if people think that abusive coaching practices only happen at the elite level, they are definitely incorrect. Just reading stories on here, you see that it’s happening in all levels....from level 2-3, all the way up! I’m not saying decertifying USAG is the answer, but we have got to have a governing body that protect little girls from this nonsense!

Good heavens, yes! The abuse at the compulsory levels we witnessed was insane. And these were young kids. I guess it’s small potatoes to USAG because it doesn’t involve elite or upper level programs.

 

[LJL07]

I thought SafeSport was the investigating body......man..I was lost

Well, now there is USAG safe sport. To say that I am unimpressed would be an understatement. They do appear to be following up with sexual abuse, but certainly not physical or emotional abuse.

 

[skschlag]

Well, now there is USAG safe sport. To say that I am unimpressed would be an understatement. They do appear to be following up with sexual abuse, but certainly not physical or emotional abuse.

I think it is SafeSport...and USAG is now a part of it.

 

[Empowered]

I disagree here. Do I think the Jo and Xcel programs are great in general? Sure. But if people think that abusive coaching practices only happen at the elite level, they are definitely incorrect. Just reading stories on here, you see that it’s happening in all levels....from level 2-3, all the way up! I’m not saying decertifying USAG is the answer, but we have got to have a governing body that protect little girls from this nonsense!

My daughter was never on the elite track and she was tormented nonetheless. And for the zillionth time for people who think Safesport within USAG is going to be some magic bullet, reporting offenses did nothing but earn my daughter a phone call from their legal department on behalf of Toby Stark to apologize, offer no comment beyond that, and remind us there was nothing they could do about any of it.

The move to decertify is USAG is the only answer. They've earned this with their continued incompetence and inept decision making abilities. They've learned nothing from the Nassar situation and continue to demonstrate that.

 

[LJL07]

My daughter was never on the elite track and she was tormented nonetheless. And for the zillionth time for people who think Safesport within USAG is going to be some magic bullet, reporting offenses did nothing but earn my daughter a phone call from their legal department on behalf of Toby Stark to apologize, offer no comment beyond that, and remind us there was nothing they could do about any of it.

The move to decertify is USAG is the only answer. They've earned this with their continued incompetence and inept decision making abilities. They've learned nothing from the Nassar situation and continue to demonstrate that.

YEP. USAG has been sitting on their butts doing nothing for over two months with a multi person complaint about physical and emotional abuse that affected over 20 girls in three years with fairly serious ramifications. I wouldn’t expect the investigation to be complete in two months time, but they did not so much as lift a pinky to call any of the families and gather more information. Each time we would follow up, the investigator would say, “oh I’m going to make calls next week,” and then nothing. Mark Busby wrote back and said they are “expediting” the matter, and then again nothing. So I expect this will all get dropped. The place is still in operation abusing 7&8 year olds and telling them not to tell their parents what goes on at gym at home. So I guess in another year there will be a brand new group who can come forward and complain and get zero response. I am very angry about this!!

 

[John]

Cynical post apologies but I think some truth lies below.

This is a very difficult time. Local gymnastics will continue with or without organizational backing. Each gym owner has relationships with other gym owners and judges. Meets will be put together and to the average competitive gymnast, things will not seem different. (money will be made) Judges will judge meets using their judging talents and knowledge and medals will be awarded. ( money will be made) For elite path athletes, this will be a hard time but they too will continue to train and improve. (think money) Their physical and mental safety is more important than anything else. (need a new caring NGB) This is America and as much as I love it I acknowledge we have our problems. (think money) With that said money drives everything in the US and money will drive the progress of all aspects of gymnastics, gymnastics will continue. Hopefully, an organization will rise that can keep profit as a low item on their list of priorities.

 

[JMACAZ]

Trampoline and Tumbling World Championships start tomorrow, with USA athletes competing in Russia. There are only 5 gymnastics disciplines with World Championships. This is the last one of the year. Wish the announcement could have waited 4 more days until their championship is complete. If USOC were waiting for Artistic World to be done before announcing so as not to distract them, doesn’t send the greatest message to the T&T athletes about how much USOC values them.

I 100% agree with this. We have team members there now and World Age members leaving on Sat. Once again T&T has been devalued. Such a shame......

 

[TumbleTimes4]

The question that I want answered is who is going to run this new NGB? I think it will be next to impossible to have a completely fresh crop of leaders not in any way associated with USAG. The community is still too small. And to be honest, I don’t think that everyone who works/ed for USAG should be blacklisted. There are a lot of good people that work for them, particularly at the grassroots level. Tom Forster I think deserves to keep his position. I think most people have been pleased with the job he has done and the new environment he seems to have created.

 

[raenndrops]

The question that I want answered is who is going to run this new NGB? I think it will be next to impossible to have a completely fresh crop of leaders not in any way associated with USAG. The community is still too small. And to be honest, I don’t think that everyone who works/ed for USAG should be blacklisted. There are a lot of good people that work for them, particularly at the grassroots level. Tom Forster I think deserves to keep his position. I think most people have been pleased with the job he has done and the new environment he seems to have created.

And I like Claudia Kretschmer ... she has done a great job with Xcel.

 

[suds]

What an epic mess this is. A dangerous mess, created by adults, that surrounds vulnerable children.

I would like to see the technical expertise of experienced coaches retained and supported. This technical expertise group (coaches) needs to report to an administrative governing body that is not predicated on economic exploitation of children. A new, enlightened, business model is tantamount with a new philosophy for the governing body. I believe the new administrators need to come from outside the sport. The experienced technical experts must report to, and be held accountable by, the administrators who hold a different worldview. Hopefully this would help mitigate the “Win at all cost” mentality.

A new, different, version of “Safe Sport” for gymnastics needs to exist. It must be completely separate, administratively and financially, from both the technical experts (coaches) and the governing body (administrators). An independent entity would be positioned to build trust of athletes by ensuring that there won’t be negative repercussions for reporting safety / abuse concerns. This separate entity can then unabashedly advocate for the athletes’ well-being at all times.

"There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children."
- Nelson Mandela