WAG The ugly side of college gymnastics

[tomtnt]

I know the topic of gymnast abuse has come up in the past and we have some parents who have witnessed firsthand..... check out this craziness at penn state. The comments are even crazier:

http://www.collegian.psu.edu/featur...al&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

 

[profmom]

Pretty awful.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

 

[SeaActually]

Just WOW. The eating disorders are particularly disturbing, not to mention the training through injuries. I wonder if this will prompt girls at other schools to come forward. And will it deter athletes from committing to PSU?

 

[Presstohandstands]

Just WOW. The eating disorders are particularly disturbing, not to mention the training through injuries. I wonder if this will prompt girls at other schools to come forward. And will it deter athletes from committing to PSU?

Well I can't see how this could be good publicity

 

[bookworm]

Just WOW. The eating disorders are particularly disturbing, not to mention the training through injuries. I wonder if this will prompt girls at other schools to come forward. And will it deter athletes from committing to PSU?

It should...

 

[gymcoach1]

I have two friends who have left this school. One a walk on one had a full ride. There's more people and stories than this article even touches on.

 

[duyetanh]

Wasn't this already posted on another thread?

 

[SeaActually]

Wasn't this already posted on another thread?

This was on the NCAA walk on sticky thread

http://thetab.com/us/pennstate/2016/03/16/quit-gynmnastics-walking-team-3760

 

[GymDad9.9]

Wasn't this already posted on another thread?

No, this is a new story, another individual, another revelation.

 

[duyetanh]

I now know I read the same story on another thread...because it is exactly the same.
Eta: it doesnt really mstter that it is posted twice...it's disgusting and horrifying.

 

[bookworm]

I have two friends who have left this school. One a walk on one had a full ride. There's more people and stories than this article even touches on.

But according to a few commenters on the article ( especially one named Kassidy), ALL these people "couldn't hack college gym" .."sour grapes" etc....rubbish! And Penn St isn't the only horror story out there but surprisingly ( or maybe not) , the administration is ignoring these people too! By the time you get to NCAA level, you can more than "hack it"...

 

[GymnastMomX2]

horrible.

 

[wandrewsjr]

But according to a few commenters on the article ( especially one named Kassidy), ALL these people "couldn't hack college gym" .."sour grapes" etc....rubbish! And Penn St isn't the only horror story out there but surprisingly ( or maybe not) , the administration is ignoring these people too! By the time you get to NCAA level, you can more than "hack it"...

I am surprised that the turnover rate on the team has not caused the administration to act. There are programs out there(Stanford comes to mind), that can go 15 years without losing an athlete. For an entire class of 8 PSU athletes, for NONE of them to make it to senior year with the team is a huge red flag. Even if the administration is inclined to believe coaches over athletes, that alone should cause admin to act.

 

[Ali'sMom]

But according to a few commenters on the article ( especially one named Kassidy), ALL these people "couldn't hack college gym" .."sour grapes" etc....rubbish! And Penn St isn't the only horror story out there but surprisingly ( or maybe not) , the administration is ignoring these people too! By the time you get to NCAA level, you can more than "hack it"...

I couldn't help but keep reading all of Kassidy's comments. Sounds like she would defend the Thompsons against anything and everything.

 

[GymDad9.9]

I am surprised that the turnover rate on the team has not caused the administration to act. There are programs out there(Stanford comes to mind), that can go 15 years without losing an athlete. For an entire class of 8 PSU athletes, for NONE of them to make it to senior year with the team is a huge red flag. Even if the administration is inclined to believe coaches over athletes, that alone should cause admin to act.

Two words for how Penn State handles these matters...Jerry Sandusky

 

[profmom]

They need a new AD who is willing to clean house from top to bottom, donors and boosters be damned.

 

[ayyyrial]

I would believe this of PSU, and of multiple college programs. We like to think all of that got left in the 90s, but it's still there.

 

[gymgal]

No, this is a new story, another individual, another revelation.

Actually, it was posted on another NCAA thread but it is buried several pages deep and not really related to the original topic. So it is good that this has its own thread. Important topic to keep in the spotlight.

As I said in the other thread, I think you are seeing disparity in how people view this because they come from different backgrounds and are shaped by what they might consider questionable tactics vs. unethical practices, vs abuse. I personally feel they crossed the line and certainly the school has not handled this properly with no apparent impartial investigation. There are certainly enough corroborating allegations from several gymnasts and at least one coach to warrant a proper investigation and if not from the school, then from the NCAA. Having said that, we all know this kind of "coaching" goes on across the country in middle/high school and college football programs and people tend to be far more accepting of it.

 

[bookworm]

They need a new AD who is willing to clean house from top to bottom, donors and boosters be damned.

Their current AD Barbour is the same one who was at Cal in the days of the Cari DuBois debacle...so I'm not expecting much...