WAG Maroney video

[bookworm]

Gymcastic just posted an hour long video interviewing Mykayla Maroney ...and she covers everything...her elite life, multiple injuries, what she thinks USAG does wrong in training the girls,the overtraining and underfeeding by coaches, how they were treated leading up to London and even when they got there....and how it made her feel then and now.

It's definitely worth the watch but be prepared to be sad......

 

[l.c.o]

I was skeptical to watch but it was soooo good. I just wanted to reach through the monitor and hug her.

 

[HoldThePhone]

I'm at the end of it now. Good for her for speaking up about a lot of things, I know as a parent it makes me sad!

 

[CameraShy]

I liked how open she was, although as a parent it made me sad to hear things like she mentioned still happening. I just wonder how much her coaches are going to appreciate her openness. I hope she can maintain a good relationship despite her sharing because it sounds like they are important to her.

 

[Presstohandstands]

So proud of makayla for speaking up. Very sad though

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

Can anyone care to elaborate on what she was talking about?

 

[AmandaLynn]

Can anyone care to elaborate on what she was talking about?

What part?

 

[GymGirl's Mom]

To not discuss it is to deny it, to validate it, and say it's ok. Proud of her. This is HER story. Glad she feels safe and secure in herself to share it. I am saddened to hear that this goes on, not surprised though. I'm happy that she is shedding light on it. Keeps us parents on our toes. Too many times we assume everyone who works with kids has the best interest of the kid at heart. It's sobering to hear they don't. That's why it's so important to keep your eyes and ears open. The elite dream (and Olympic Dream) is certainly not one to look at with rose colored glasses. Who cares if her coaches are mad, if they truely love her maybe this will spark change. If they truely care they will not be mad. Love her!

 

[bookworm]

I'm at the end of it now. Good for her for speaking up about a lot of things, I know as a parent it makes me sad!

I think it IS good that she spoke up...and that's the part that's sad too...that all this happens to kids doing Gymnastics from preteam to elite....I know I put my girls in the sport to enjoy themselves and if they did well, that was a bonus. "Mistreatment by coaches" at any level was never something that ever entered my mind ...and I'm sure it goes on in other sports as well but as one poster put it, it's sobering to read what an Olympic gold medalist has to say about her journey in the 2000 era...

The book "chalked up" by Jennifer Sey was thought by some to be sour grapes or not relevant to what goes on now but sadly, it doesn't seem like many lessons have been learned...

 

[sewgood]

Heartbreaking. <3 I just want to take her out for coffee and give her a big hug.

 

[Faith]

I haven't had chance to watch it yet but good for her. We need athletes like her to come forward and say what is wrong with the system to fix the system.

Greg Rutherford (British long jumper) hinted a while back that there were issues in British athletics but I suppose while he's still competing he doesn't want to rock the boat. Lisa Mason (British Gymnast) has also pointed to the differences between BG's support of her coming out of retirement and Romania's of Ponor. But it needs to be far more open, the athletes seem worried that they won't be selected if they criticise.

We're just at the edges of the whole elite/national squad thing and already I can see some politics..

 

[exgymnastmomx3]

Back in my day when I trained in an elite gym, what Mckayla speaks of was quite common. After Joan Ryan wrote "Pretty Girls in Little Boxes" and exposed gymnastics training as "child abuse" it raised eyebrows. After Christie Heinrich died from anorexia and her parents sued Al Fong and USGF, we hoped it would change. After Jennifer Sey and Dominique M. wrote their books they confirmed what we already knew-that it still went on. I'm so glad McKayla spoke up. Things are better,but Mckayla confirms what is no surprise to me having just come out of upper level gymnastics with 3 girls-the "abusive" style of gymnastics coaching is alive and well. Coaches complain that they don't want the parents involved. These stories are the reasons that the parents have to be involved!

 

[Seeker]

Too many times we assume everyone who works with kids has the best interest of the kid at heart. It's sobering to hear they don't.

Some coaches/teachers do for sure, but gyms that train kids at the Elite level are in a bit of a different category. The experience for the Elite kids can also be very different than those in the JO program.

Oftentimes, coaches have career aspirations tied to those athletes that will lead them into the elite ranks and/or keep them there. If Coaching is your profession and you have a desire to take it to that level, you have to have athletes with the same desire, a baseline level of the natural ability required for Elite, supportive parents with $$$, etc. It takes a lot of things coming together all at the right time to 'break in' to that level and then maintaining that can be very difficult. Stress and pressure isn't always handled with grace.

And let's be honest -- not all coaches with Elite desires have the coaching chutzpah to back it up. Clearly, Maroney's do, but even just going by the "pre-elite program" stories we've heard on CB shows how many issues there are among that population of gyms/coaches trying to break in to the Elite ranks. It sort of sets the stage for issues to crop up. I'm a banker and even I know that training 8-yr olds for 30-hours a week is a bad idea, but not everyone seems to have gotten that memo.

 

[motigymnasticsmom]

Where can I find the video?

 

[GymDad9.9]

Some coaches/teachers do for sure, but gyms that train kids at the Elite level are in a bit of a different category. The experience for the Elite kids can also be very different than those in the JO program.

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.

 

[bogwoppit]

Watching it now on gymnasticscoaching.com

I see USAG posted this on their FB. I wonder if they are trying to show that Mikayla loves Artur?

https://www.facebook.com/USAGymnast...27029627167/10152894916532168/?type=3&theater

 

[tomtnt]

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.

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

 

[tomtnt]

Watching is now on gymnasticscoaching.com

I see USAG posted this on their FB. I wonder if they are trying to show that Mikayla loves Artur?

https://www.facebook.com/USAGymnast...27029627167/10152894916532168/?type=3&theater

wow... tacky timing by USAG...

 

[bogwoppit]

wow... tacky timing by USAG...

Agreed.

 

[duyetanh]

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

I can't see that happening.