THE OFFICIAL TECHNICAL PUBLICATION OF THE UNITED STATES GYMNASTICS FEDERATION

APRIL,1985

' . ~;'\ , I , ,. , , , , , , ,

Vol. 5, No.1

Aspects of The Kip Catch

-P.4

, , ,." ",,-'

Psychological Burnout In High Level Athletes

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Inside This Issue

4-6

8-11

Aspects of the Kip Catch

Conservation of Angular Momentum

14-17 Psychological Burnout In High-Level Athletes

Depa rtments

18-19 USGF Eligibility Code

By Bill Sands Univ. of Utah

By Hardy Fink Univ. of British Columbia

By David A. Feigley Ph.D. Rutgers Univ.

20 Women's Qualifying Procedures for Championships of the USA

21 1985 Men's Team Qualifying Procedures

23 Calendar of Events

2

Cover Illustration by Jim Stephenson taken from "The Biomechanics of Women's Gymnastics" Prentice Hall 1980 By Gerald S. George Ph.D.

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Vol. 5, No.1

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EducationJSafety Editor Dr. Gerald George

Production Michael G. Botkin

USGF Member Organizations

Amateur A thletic Union; American Sokol Organiza tion; American Turners; Associa tion fo r Intercollegiate A thletics for Women; Na tional Associa tion for Gi rl s and Women's Sports; Na tional. Assoc. o f College Gymnastics Coaches; NACCC-Women; Nil- tiona l Assoc. of Women Gymnas tics Judges; NCAA; National Federation of Sta te High School Assoc.; National Gymnastics Judges Assoc.; Na tiona l High School Gymnastics Coaches Assoc.; National Jewish Wel­fare Boa rd; Na tiona l Junior College Athletic Assoc. ; United Slates Assoc. of Independent Gymnastics Clubs; Un ited States Gymnas tics Safety Assoc.; Young Men's Christia n Assoc.; Elite Coaches Assoc.; Me n's El ite Coaches Assoc.; Women's Eli te COelehes Assoc.

United States Gymnastics Federation Board of Directors: Executive Director, Mike jacki. Athlete Representatives: Na ncy Ma rshall; Brent Simmons; La rr)' Gera rd; Tom Beach; Lydia Bree; Kathy john ­son; Diane Bijesse; Tim Lafleur. Amateur Athletic Union: jerry Hard y. American Sokol Organiza­tion: Nor m a Za bka. American Turners: Harry Warnke n . Members at Large: Sue Ammerman and Linda C he ncinski . NCAA Gymnastics Coaches­Men: Rus ty Mitchell , Uni versity of New Mexico. NCAA Gymnastics Coaches-Women: judy Ave­ne r, Pen n State Univers ity. National Association for Girls and Women in Sports: Dr. Mimi Murra y, S pring fi e ld Co ll ege. National Association of Women's Gymnastics .Judges : Da le Brow n . NCAA: Sylvia Moore, Oregon Sta te Uni ve rsity; Greg Marsden, Uni versity aT Utah; jerry M iles, ' j, NCAA; Wayne Young, Brigham Young Uni ve rs ity. NAIA: Bo nnie Morrow. NHSGCA: Jo hn Brin k­worth . National Federation of State High School Athletic Assoc.: Sharon Wilch; Susa n True . Na­tional jewish Welfare Board: Courtn ey Shanken . NJCAA: Da ve Rowlands, Truman Coll ege; Arlene Crossman, Linn Benton College. NGJA:M ike Mil­id onis . USAIGC: Ed Knepper. Men 's Elite Coaches Assoc.: j im Howa rd , Uni ve rs ity of Ne­braska . USECA for Women: Roe Kreutzer; Steve W hitlock. Young Men's Christian Assoc.: Bud Wi lkinso n . Jr. Boy's Gym. Coaches Assoc.: Robert Cowan. President: Mike Dona hue.

Associate Content Editors SPORTS MEDICI NE COMMITTEE Merrill A. Ritter, M.D. SAFETY COMMITTEE Dr. Marc Rabinoff EDUCATION COMMITTEE Dr. Ga rland O'Quinn BIOMECHANICS COMMITTEE Dr. Marlene Adrian, Director SPORTS PSYCHOLOG Y COMMITTEE Dr. Keith H en sche n. Ph .D . EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY COMMITTEE Dr. Pat Eisenman, Ph.D.

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Technique 3

Aspects of the Kip Catch 1988 Compulsory Women's Uneven Parallel Bars

T

By Bill Sands University of Utah

Salt Lake City

he prec ision and ampl itude o f the compulsory exercise wi ll in large part determine the final score. My limited experience has shown that one of the most o ften neg lected ski ll s on the uneven bars is

th e backswing of th e ki p catch . The backswing of the kip catch shou ld be quite high for proper amp li tude. Whi le perhaps more pragmatic , the increased height of the backswing , in this particular compulsory , can greatly aid the swing of the pendular kip on the high bar. Th e cast that follows the pendular kip will then receive the benefits of obtaining a large amount of swi ng prior to the cast. Since other communications have described the g li de and kip act ions this project wi ll refer on ly to those fac tors assoc iated w ith enhanc in g th e backswing of th e kip ca tch.

Methods The compul so ry exercise was filmed in sect ions during the

Elite Coaches Association Nat iona l Symposium in Tu cson, Arizona during June of 1984. The gymn ast depicted here is Lisa Wittwer who shows exemp lary exec ution, technique, and virtuosi ty . Th e compulsory was sti ll re lati ve ly new at the time of the filming and L isa was perform ing on ly sec tions during training . In this case th e gymnast was performing the section starting from the glide kip and continui~g through to the handstand pirouette on the high bar. The kip catch for th is analysis was extracted from the film of this secti on.

At the time of the filmin g this gymnast we ighed 45 .45 kg (100 Ib) and was 157 .5 cm tall (5 ft 2 in) . The film was shot at 80 frames per second from a pos ition in lin e with th e rea r uprights 10.4 m (34 tt ) from the cente r of the bars. The came ra was 2.3 m (7.5 tt ) from th e fl oor to the ax is o f the film plane. The 400 ASA black and white reversal film was exposed at F1 .4 . A conical timer to determine film speed , and a reference meter distance were placed in th e field of view of the camera. The AMF bars were set at regulation height and max imum widt h.

Fo llowing processing , the f i lm was d ig itized and analyzed by two dimensional kinemati cs using a Numonics Digibit d igitizer and TRS-80 Model IV microcomputer. The center of mass was determined by th e model developed by Kjeldsen for female gymnasts (Pl agenh oef , 1971), and ca lcu lated by th e meth od described by Hay (1973). Software for the compu ter analys is was developed by the investigator.

T Results and Discussion

he nna lysis begins with the highest frame at the end of th e glide portion of th e glide kip. Th e first phase o f the skill is depicted in Figure 1. The gymnast is moving from left to right and Figure 1

shows the portion of th e sw in g whi le the gymnast f lexes at the hip and brings the feet nea r to the bar prior to the hip extens ion and pull phase . The most noteworthy parts of thi s phase a re shown by th e descent of the to rso whil e th e legs are swing in g toward th e bar.

4

Legs Swinging Toward the l3ar FIGURE 1

~_fu' ,

(Showing Every Second Frarre)

Torso Desccndi !1g

'--~~~~~-----'-------.--~-----.-~------'-------'

Phase two, the hip extension or pull phase, is shown in Figure 2. Figure 2 begins w ith the first frame of the ex tens ion and ends with the first fram e of the re lease . It is important to note that at release the hips and torso are not fully extended and the shou lders are be low the low bar. This wou ld indicate that the upswing act ions during the latter part of this phase are every exp losive. Th e gymnast's ea rl y release , with the body still flexed forward and legs in a high position , wi ll later serve to enhance the backswing.

FIGURE 2

Release Frarre~~ (Showing Every Second Frane)

L.,.; rLow Bar

~ "'c:-=-:-:- Belease Frame

~

Technique

"

Figure 3 shows phase 3, the release phase. This phase begins w ith the first frame of rel ease and ends with the first f rame o f regrasp. Note the position of the body at th e regrasp of the high bar with feet sti ll under th e low bar. The fin al frame posit ion provides the gymnast w ith a high startin g pos iti on to proceed into the backswing. Moreover, the gymnast has not reached full hip extens ion by the regrasp fram e. The retent ion of some pike in the hips w ill also help the gymnast in th e backswing by al low in g her th e opportu nity to swing her legs bac k forcefully from the hip .

fIGlHlE]

(Showing Every Second Frarre)

\-. Regrasp FranE (Note the feel StU] lUlder the low hal')

[~~~~~~.--~.--~~,-.---- --~- -

Figure 4 shows the backswing phase. The gymnast has grasped th e hi g h bar and is sw ingin g backwa rd in preparat ion for the pendular kip that follows. Note that th e gymnast is not swingin g in a pure pendulum sin ce th e shoulders do not follow th e same ran ge o f swing as the rest of th e body. The "enhanced " pendular action of the backswing is perform ed largely by a viol ent hi p ex tension that is set up or initiated by retention of some fo rward hip flex ion during th e release and earl y reg rasp phases. Th e retained pike during

FlGlJllE 4

(Showi ng E\'ery Frarre )

Top of Backs\ving

Rearasp

~~

(Note Density of Torso Lines)

~----~-----~--'

Technique

th e ear ly regrasp phase is used to help th e gymnast apply th e vio lent hip ex tens ion over a large distance during th e latter portions o f the backswing. The most intense acti on of th e vio lent hip extens ion can be seen directly below th e high bar where the density of th e torso lines of th e stick figure are th e greatest. On completi on of the hip extension th e gymnast Si mpl y rides the backswing to maximum height while attempt ing to arch more. The in creased arch serves to raise th e legs hi gher and encou rage th e body to sw ing bac kward as we ll as up. Th e heig ht o f th e backswing se rves to en hance the rear end of the pendulum so th at the forward swing into th e pendular kip wil l also be large.

B eyo nd the graphic representation o f the body during the execu tion of th e ski ll , furth er ev idence ex ists to co nfirm th e hypothesis that the violent hi p extension is responsibl e for supe rior technique.

Figure 5 shows the stick figures of seve ral se lected fram es an d th e path of the center of mass super imposed over them, represented by the thick curved line . The right most portion of the path of th e center of mass shows th e upward portion of the backswing. One can see that the lin e is nearl y straight due to the enh anced pendular swing o f the body, ie. the sw in g of the body primarily from the should ers to the feet. Moreover, the heights of the pea ks of th e center of mass during th e release and latter reg rasp phases show that the center of mass is higher during the end of the reg ras p phase than du r ing the release phase. Thi s would be impossible if the gymnast we re rel y ing on a true pendular swin g alone. The vio lent hip ex tensio n enhances the backswing so that th e body actually sw ings to a higher point than its starting position.

;r I

Cent e r of ~hss

FIGlJllE 5

(Showing Selected Franes and ( peak of Regrasp Phase Center of Mass)

Figure 6 shows three Single frames offering further ev idence of the viol en t hip extension an d the enhanced pendulum . Figure 6a shows the gymnast directly under the high bar. The lines drawn off th e figure of th e gymnast are resultant ve loc ity vectors of each body part. These vectors represent the direction of the body part while the length of the line depicts its ve locity. Note that the foot , ankle, knee, and hip all have obvious vectors showing movement rearward. Interestingl y , with the exce ption of the center o f

(Aspects of the Kip Catch continued on page 6)

5

mass and head , the vectors above the hips show no movement. This indicates that the lower body has accelerated and the upper body has compensated to maintain a constant angular momentum by decelerating to zero . In terestingly , the head is even moving forward . Figure 6b shows a simi lar condition later in the backswing. The final frame in Figure 6c shows that the lower body has decelerated and all the body parts are now moving at nearly equal speed and direction .

Head is lIDving Forward ~

FIGURE 6a

Cemer o f Mass Hip

(Note t be vectors showing Knee lIDV8rent of lower body landmarks)

F inally, Graphs 1 and 2 offer more evidence of the vio lent hip extension during the reg rasp phase. The Angles of Joints , Graph 1, depicts the acute angle of the hip in degrees per frame. Note that

there is a pronounced upward " bump" in the line during the central portion of the reg rasp phase ; this is the hip extension. Graph 2 shows the resultant velocity of the foot during the skill. There is a very pronounced increase in velocity of th e foot during the central portion of the reg rasp phase .

Conclusion

I believe that one of the easier deductions to receive in the 1988 compulsory uneven bar routine is for lack of amp litude during the backswing of the kip catch. The technique demonstrated by Lisa is quite emp lary and

most gymnasts shou ld attempt to model their execution of the ski ll along the lines of the technique demonstrated by her.

--- "'\ f~- - .-.-'~~'.-~<--.---~ \, / . l'bte this area

\\.\ /t ... of hip ·~,cte~~i~~ ....

\ / ..... . \.:: .. ' ...

GRAPH 1

Angl e of the Hip

Return Swing Pull or Rel ease Regrasp Hip

Extens. ..I Franes

"'''''''.llJ

6

Torso_ Cen t er

FIGURE 6b

( ~bverrent of t be lD\\er Body Landrmrks)

~IGURE6C

(End of the Back Swing )

- ~

Note that the lo""r body vectors are very nearly the 53m3 length and direction

~

Moreover, the higher backswing of the kip catch will enhance the ease w ith which the gymnast performs the succeeding element , the pendular kip. Since the pendular kip is followed directly by a cast with no connecting front hip circ le the gymnast must perform this skil l very efficient ly . Fai lure to ( achieve the handstand after the pendular kip and cast may be directly related to the inability of the gymnast to swing the pendular kip efficiently . Increasing the height of the swings not only serves the gymnast in terms of amplitude , it al so causes the suceed ing skills to be performed with greater ease and confidence .

References Hay. J .G . (1973) . Biomec hanics o f spo rt s tec hn iques. Englewood Cli ffs, NJ :

Prent ice Hall. Plagenhoef , S. (1971). Patt ern s of hum an motion: a c inematograph ica l

analysis. Englewood Cl iffs, NJ : Prent ice Hall.

Return Swing Pull o r Release Hip

Regrasp

GRAPH 2

Velocity Q,! t he Foot l

i Extens .

Note this large I i ncrease in speed I

./ -\ I~ I / '\ / -.. + .. ----... ~j \ J

'.! I " w"",J..l!illJ.ll!WJllll!Jlll!W'k "U!J' lLL'U!JlI.L"lwllll'lWlLLmlwWllllll.LU!JlI.LU!JJ.ll!WlI.LlI.LlI.LlI.L'''Llli'lwlll

FrlJjJ''"''.1ll

slllJll.Llll!WlWlLLUllll!Ullll!WllllWllllJJ!.'''"" ' ,

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7

Conservation Of Angular Momentum

• • .And Its Application To Gymnastics

By Hardy Fink

T here are numerous principles that have application to athletics and whose understanding can be used to enhance perform­

ance. One of the most frequently appearing yet most poorly understood of these concepts is the principle of the conservation of angular momentum . Any athlete who wishes to rotate about some axis in any manner is concerned­although maybe not consciously-with this concept. For any ath lete who becomes airborne during the course of his endeavours , effective utilization of the principle of the conservation of angular momentum is vital. Athletes of most sports become at l east i liO l tre llidlii y ai ' Du llle de vdrious iillies and could therefore benefit by an understanding of the mechanical principles that app ly . For divers , jumpers, gymnasts and trampolinists, the essence of whose sport is unsupported flight , an understanding of the principles is not only beneficial but essential.

It srlould be stressed , however, that the principles of the conservation of angular momentum is also useful for an understanding of supported and suspended angular motion as occurs during normal swing on most gymnastics events. The conservation principle does not quite apply for many of these cases because of considerab le frictional and other forces that may act at the point of support. Another difficulty is that the principle axis of rotation may no longer pass through the center of gravity. These difficulties do not, how­ever, deny the usefulness of the concept to such movements.

The principles of the conservation of angular momentum is given by the angular analogue of Newton's First Law of Motion . It may be stated as follows:

A rotating body will continue to turn about its axis of rotation with constant angular momentum , unless an external couple or eccentric force is exerted upon it. (Hay, p. 154)

Interpreted th is law states that the angular momentum of a body can be altered only by externally app lied forces

8

that do not act through the center of gravity. Thus, it is apparent that the angular momentum that an unsupported person acquires during " take-off " cannot be altered by that person , just as the path of his center of gravity cannot be altered by him after take-off .

The picture is not as bleak as it seems however . Although the angu l ar momentum cannot be altered , a gymnast is not powerless. There are two aspects to angular momentum and one of these can be altered to effect a desired change in the other.

It is useful first to define momentum and then to extend that definition to gain an understanding of angular momentum. Momentum , essen tially , is a property of any moving body that has mass. It is proportional to the ve locity of ii.e ~vciy din"; ~ ;,e I l ra5~ v~ ~: i e body alld i5

stated mathematically as: Momentum = mass x velocity

Mass shou Id be considered as a measure of the inertia of a body; that is, the tendency that a body has to resist any change in its state of rest or of motion. In angular terms the velocity becomes angular velocity which is defined as the angular distance (in degrees or radians) moved through per unit time . Th e angular measure of in er tia ­corresponding to mass in the linear case-is known as the moment of inertia and can be viewed as a measure of how the mass of a body is distributed about the axis of rotation. Angular momentum, then , is mathematically represented as:

angular momentum = moment of inertia x angu lar ve locity

It is important to realize that the angular terms really have no meaning unless the axis of rotation is specified. The moment of inertia , for instance , is actual ly defined with respect to the axis of rotation . A full discussion of axes is beyond the scope of this discussion . Suff ice it to say that , usually it is convenient to consider an unsupported rotating movement as rotating abou t an axis of momentum passing through the center of gravity. A gymnast performing a double somersau lt , or any other freely rotating movement would be considered to be rotating about an axis passing through his center of gravity.

I t is difficult for a performing gymnast to think in terms of his angular momentum or even his moment of inertia . However, he

readily recognizes a change in his angular ve locity- the speed with which he rotate s. Thi s aspect-angular velocity-is , of course , what a gymnast usually wishes to alter , but it is obvious (since the angular momentum must remain constant) that angular ve locity cannot be altered without a correspond­ing change in the moment of inertia . As a matter of fact , once airborne, the gymnast can increase hi s angu lar ve locity only by descreasing his moment of inertia and vice versa . Since the moment of inertia is proportional to the distribution of mass about the axis of ,otatio " , it 10110,,3 ~I,a~ Eli,gu lai .GICGit, can be altered only by a redistribution of this mass . Th e moment of inertia increases as the mass is moved further from the axis (in unsupported flight , the center of grav ity) and decreases as the mass approaches the axis. Effect ive ly , this means that a gymnast can increase his "speed of rotation " by pulling his body parts closer to the axis of rotation (tucking) and decrease his angular velocity by placing his body parts further from the axis of rotation (extend ing). Thi s of course requires that some angular velocity exist to begin with .

During the process of becoming air­borne the gymnast is concerned with either acquiring a certain amount of angular momentum about one or more of his three principal axes or avoiding angular momentum altogether. In order to obtain angular momentum during the take-off phase , an eccentric force must be appl ied to the body; that is, a force that does not pass directly through the cen ter of gravity as this will cause only translation and no rotation . For example , a force applied behind the center of gravity will cause forward rotation and one applied in front of the cen ter of gravity will cause backward rotation . Forces can also be applied to cause twisting (rotation about the longitud inal axis) or sideward rotat ion. The quantity of angular momentum the body is given initially depends on:

1. The magnitude of the applied

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fo rce. A large force w i II have a greater effect th an a small one.

2. The di rec ti on of th e app lied force . 3. The du rati on of th e ap plied force.

Within cer tain phys iolog ica l limits, the longer a fo rce can act the more ef fec ti ve it wi ll be.

4. The po in t of appli cati on o f the force . The further f ro m the axis of rotation that the fo rce is appli ed the more effec ti ve it w ill be.

Th e moment of in erti a of the body at ta ke-off is also of import ance. If the angul ar momentum imparted by a force is the sa me it is obvious that a body th at beg in s w ith a large moment o f inerti a has mo re po t enti a l f o r dec reas in g it s moment o f inerti a and thu s in creas in g angul ar ve loc ity . As a matte r o f fact, Dyso n states that in re lati on to the transverse ax is (so mersa ulting) , a to tall y ex tended pos iti on has about three and one-half times the moment of in erti a of a ti ghtl y tuc ked pos iti on. It fo llows th at th e angul ar ve loc ity ca n be in c reased by as much as three and one-half tim es merely by tu ckin g. For move ments where hi gh angu lar ve loc iti es are essen ti al (ie. the gymn ast's quest fo r one ext ra tw ist o r one more somersau lt) , it is wise to max imi ze the mo ment o f in erti a when th e eccent ric fo rces are ap plied during th e take-off phase. In multi p le some r­saults, fo r instance , it is best to beg in rotatin g in as full y st re tched a pos iti on as the movement all ows . O ur sport is such that in so mersa ulting movements we demand height as we ll as ro tati on. Thi s deni es the poss ib ility o f max imizin g eccent ric thru st. In these cases , how­eve r, one can happil y sac rifi ce so me in iti al an gul ar momentum fo r height. In­creased height is th e o nl y factor that ca n inc rease one's time in the air and thus o ne's tim e to utilize on e's angul ar momentum .

It is useful at thi s po int to loo k at several other examples in which the princ ipl e o f the co nse rvati on of angul ar momentum appli es in gymn asti cs.

Co nse rvati on of angul ar momentum is manifest in a ll twi sting and somer­sau ltin g m ove m ents. Th e f o rw a rd somersa ult in tumblin g is a case in po int.

The hurdl e step all ows the gymnast to pl ace hi s feet in front of hi s center of g ravi ty and thereby chec k hi s forwa rd momentum . Thi s c hec kin g provid es rotati on (topplin g) about the feet as the body wa nts to continue in its fo rwa rd moti on. Th e arm acti o n also con tributes to the ro tati on and th e fin al ex tension of the legs at take-off occurs as the body is t ilted slightl y forward . The res ultant verti ca l fo rce acts slightly behind the ce nter of g rav ity and ca uses considera­ble rotati on. At the moment o f take-o ff

(Conservation of Angular Momentum con­tinued on page 10)

Technique

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9

the gymnast is tota ll y stretch ed to max imize h is moment of inertia . H is angu lar veloc ity is small at th is point but there is cons id erabl e poten ti a l for increasing it. By th e time he reac hes his maximum height his body is complete ly tucked and the speed of rotat ion is at its greatest. In preparation for land in g the moment o f inertia is again increased and the angul ar ve locity reduced.

Th e princip le remains the same for any so mersau lting action . One begins w ith a large amou nt of inertia and then decreases it to give an appropr iate amount o f rotation. Twisting movements also follow the same princip le. Twisting , as the term is normall y used , is merely " somersau lting " about a different ax is.

When hanging onto a bar (th e ax is of rotation ) with the hands and ro tating one can increase the angu lar ve locity about the bar by decreasing th e moment o f in erti a with respect to the bar . In g iant swi ng s, this always invo lves th e bringing of th e cen ter o f gravity c loser to the bar during the up phase by bending at the hips and the decreasing of the trunk­shoulder angl e. Beginners are o ft en seen bending knees and arms to assure completion of the giant swing by further increasi ng their angular ve locity in thi s way. On the down phase it is important to max imize the moment of inertia in order to increase angul ar mome ntum . The force of gravity constantly increases th e angular ve locity during th e down phase and for this effe ct to be maximal th e cen ter of gravity should be as far as possible from the bar. This comb inat ion of maxmimized moment o f inerti a and maximized angular ve locity resul ts in the greatest poss ibl e angular momen tum and co nsequentl y requires ve ry little body adjustment on the up phase. Such giant swings are , of course , aesthetica ll y most p leasing as we ll.

Th e principle of the conservation of angular momentum may be used to pre­vent or , in so me cases, to reverse undesired rotation of the body. The principle requires that the to tal angula r momentum of the body or of any sys tem free of ex terna l forces remain constant in each direction. It is therefore possible to redu ce the angular momentum of th e trunk by increas in g th e angular momentum of th e extremities as long as th e sum (the total) is unchanged.

For example , a person who beg ins to toppl e gains angular momentum. A person who topples backward w ill reflexly ki ck a leg up and rotate his arms in th e direction of his fal l. Since the limbs move in the same direction as the fall , th ereby esse nt ia ll y increasing th e angular momentum of the system, the trunk must respon d in a manner th at will conserve the total quantity of ang ular momentum . It fo llows that th e trunk wil l s low down or possibl y reve rse th e direc­tion o f rotation. Two sim plified ex plana-

10

tions , but bo th qui te adequate refer to th is as " action-reaction " or th e " conf ini ng the angular momenum of the body to the limbs".

In gymnast ics we see occas iona l instan ces of the foregoing at wo rk. In vau lts th at are ou t o f cont ro l because of forward r o t atio n a gym n as t will character isti ca ll y rotate his arms in th e direction o f the undes ired rotation. Durin g the after-f li ght phase of a hecht vau lt the arm s usually com pl ete two forward rotations to ass ist backward rotation or to partially prevent forward rota tion of the trunk . A gymnast having difficulty in completin g a back layout somersau lt is often we ll advised to rotate hi s arms forcefu ll y downward (forwa rd) after th e take-o ff. To keep th e angular momentum of the total body unchanged the trunk-leg seg ment wi ll respond by ro tating more qui ckl y backwards. On the balance beam a s id ewa rd s loss of balance can be partially cou nteracted by rotating the arms in the direction of the imbalan ce.

It should be noted th at the altering o f the trunk angu lar momentum in thi s manner is accomplished most effec­ti ve ly if done quick ly (max imum angular velocity) and with straight and large limbs (maximum moment of in ert ia w ith res pect to the axis o f rotat ion) . Together th ese maxim ize the angular momentum of th e limbs and require th e tru nk to make a maximal response in order to conserve the or igina l to tal body angular momentum .

It is also possible to think in terms o f th e angular momentum of one body part being tran sfer red to the entire body (even though thi s exp lanation may not be fully acceptable). In esse nce, the idea is not different from that of con fining the angular momentum of th e body to the limbs although lin ear momentum may also playa part. Here a rapidly moving body part (thi s always invo lves rotation) or limb is sudden ly sto pped . In gymnastics thi s action is seen in al l of the numerous kip type of movements. Since th e angular mom entum of the sys tem mu st remain cons tant the angular momen tum of the stopped body part is tran sferred to the whole body. This transfer can on ly occur if some part of the body is in contact with an external object otherwise the "act ion-reaction " law will alter the effects. Since external contact exists so me of the transfer of momentum resu lts in a linear shift of the center of gravity which , after all , is as much the purpose o f a kip as is the transfer of th e leg ang ul ar momentum to the trunk .

The singl e bar kip will serve as a useful examp le.

T he kip acti on is done from a deepl y piked position . Th e hips are ex tended quickly and with stra ight legs to maximize

angu lar momentum. For an effective transfer o f momentum to occur th e leg s must be stop ped quickly. Th is assures th at the legs have minim al residua l angular momen tum as early as possible during the trans fer phase and th at alm ost all of the monentum has been transferred . Th e place at whi ch the legs are stopped determines the direction in whic h the center of grav ity will be sh ifted . Here the legs stop sligh tl y above the bar and the cente r o f g ravi ty is shifted upward to the bar. Th e upper bod y al so ac quires some angu lar mom entum and ro tates about th e bar to co mpl ete the kip.

In initi ating a somersault on th e fl oo r the angular momentum of the arm s is transfer red to the body. To effect a vert ica l shift only of th e center of gravity the arms must be stopped at th e hor izonta l during take-off since the sh ift occurs at a tangent to the arc descri bed by th e arm as it stops . Th e arms should swi ng quick ly and straight and be stopped quickly. The same considera ­ti ons app ly to th e back somersault.

A ve ry interes ting phenomenon which seems to contradict the principle of the conserv ation of angular monentum is th e righting reflex of a cat. It is possib le to drop a cat, back first , and fo r the cat to land on its feet completing a 1800 twi st without any ex ternal forces being appl ied . Similari ly, skilled trampolinists ca n perform a limited twi st in the air without initiating that twi st from the trampo line bed-but they rarely do so .

Und er these circumstances th e principle of th e co nservation o f angu lar monentum is not transgressed: It ca nnot bel In fact th e total body angul ar mom en tum remains zero.

Bas ica ll y , th e answer li es in th e reducing o f the moment of inert ia in one body part whi le maximizing it in another signifi can t body part with respect to the sa me axis of ro tat ion . As th e ca t begins to fall it w ill pike and bring its front paws c lose to its head. The moment of inertia o f the upper body about a longitudina l axis through the upper body is th ereby minimized whi le that of the lower body about the same ax is is maxi mized . The cat wi ll th en twist its upper body through 180 0. To m a intain th e ang ul a r momentum of the body at zero the lower body must twi st in the opposite direction (action -reaction ). However , because of th e grea ter moment of in ert ia, it will rotate through a much smaller angle (only abo ut 5 0 ). In o ther words, since the angu lar ve loc ity of the lower body is considerab ly less than that of th e upper body , it wi ll turn through a small er angl e in the same tim e.

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r\

To comp lete th e rotation , the ca t then brings its lower body close to the longitudina l ax is through that part of the body and tw ists abou t it. Now it is the moment of inerti a of the upper body that is larg e with respect to th e ax is. Th e upper bod y w ill , therefore , rotate on ly slightly in th e oppos ite directi on. On complet ion of the twist the cat is in an ex t ended and arched pos iti o n . It remains onl y to pike in order to come to a proper landing position . Some have suggested that th e cat also makes correct ive motions wit h its tail during the final stages.

In cases of thi s type it is important to realize that the angular momentum of one body part is always eq ual to an opposite angula r momen tum of another body part. In thi s way th e total angular momen tum of the body remains at zero .

The application of thi s " tri ck " to athletics is not so common . However, w ith training and in events such as tramp o linin g and div in g , w h ere su ffi c ient time is ava ilable, it is possible for a man to initiate a twi st in th e air . In thi s regard it is interest in g that Leigh and Ban gerter stud yi ng twisting backward and forward so mersau lts in diving and trampolining found that the twi st was inva ri ab ly initi ated on th e spri ngin g medium contrary to the beliefs (deter­min ed by questionnaire) o f "expe rt " coac hes.

If a twist is initiated in th e air it is always fac ilitated if the person start s in a piked or arched positi on. Generally an arched position is less effective beca use of norm al limitati ons to sp ine fl ex ion . Neve rthe less , Eaves states that , for small amounts of fl ex ion, sp inal fl ex ion resu lts in a more efficient twist mecha ni sm th an hip fl ex ion . In any case , for most events , it is more effective to initiate th e twist from the ground or the supporting surface and to hide that fact from the judges by starting in a full y stretch ed position ; thi s being necessary both mechanically and aesthetically.

It is obv ious from th e forego ing discussion that the concept of the conservation of angul ar momentum has ex ten sive application in gymnastics. Gymnasti cs coaches would do well to recognize and apply thi s principle where appropri ate and to study further its far reac hing implications.

References 1. Biesterfeldt , H ., ··Sa lto mec hanics I: Moment of

inertia "· Gymnast , March , 1975 . 2. Byers N .. et. al. ··On the origin of angular

momentum in twist dives. ·· Journal of Physical Education , Volume 43 , July, 1951

3. Calkin , G . ··Some praclical aspects of theo relical biomechanics in gymnast ics ,·· Gymnastic News , May/June, 1979.

4. Dyson . G. The Mechanics of Athletics . London : University of London Press, 1970.

5. Eaves, G . Diving: The Mechanics of Spring­board and Firmboard Techniques , New York : A.S . Barn es & Co .. 1969 .

(References continued on page 23)

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11

Psychological Burnout 0

In High-Level Athletes Editor's Note: This artic le first appeared in the October 1984 ed it ion of The Physician and Sports medic i ne magazine published by McGraw-Hil i. Inc. T he editorial staff of Techn ique would like to thank McGraw-H il i. Inc. for all owing us to repr int this arti c le.

By David A. Feigley, Ph.D. Department of Leisure Sciences

Rutgers University

ABSTRACT

p sycho logical burnout causes many high-level ath letes to quit their sport before they ach ieve their potent i a l .

Energe t ic pe rf ection ists who are strong ly influenced by others and who lack assertive interpersonal ski lls are part icularly susceptible to burnout. D emo ti vat i ng f ac t ors in c lu de t h e chang ing nature of feedback (because the athlete is refining skills rather than learning new ones) , the increasing need for personal au tonomy , and increasing awareness of the physica l, competitive , and socia l consequences of intense participat ion . The onset of symptoms is gradua l but predictable and avoidab le if high-risk personal charactel' ist ics and demotivating factors are identi f ied .

Psychological burnout is a major prob lem confront ing many hig h- level ath letes and their coaches. Athletes , particu larly female athletes , often retire from their sport dur ing their midteens , long before they have reached their physica l and psycho logica l prime. ' T he losses created by this high ear ly attrition rate are great in terms o f unfulfil led human potentia l and a lowe red quali ty of our nat iona l team programs. T hese losses are especially unfortunate be­cause psychologica l burnout does not appear to be inevitab le. Outstanding ath letes have competed in virtual ly every sport until their skil ls have dimin ished with age , not psycho logica l staleness.

DEFINING BURNOUT

N ot everyone retires from a sport because of negative psycho log ica l factors . Often athl etes move on to other

sports and activ it ies because they

J4

believe that they can achieve more or enjoy more. Such chang es are more appropriately described as growth , not burnout. On the othel' hand . wh en athletes are more repelled by their former activities than attracted to new activit ies, the concept of burnout be­comes more applicab le. especially when those former activities had been a long­term source of joy , involvement. and personal satisifact ion.

The most systematic studies of burn ­out have come from researchers of job stress. Many of their findings appear to be d irec tl y applicab le to burnout in young athletes. The circumstances of job stress and athletic stress show remarkable parallels , even when compa risons invo lve chi ldren as yo ung as 10. Sage? and Leonard" compared organized youth sports programs with bureaucratic management organiza­ti ons and found many startl ing sim il ari­ties. As Sage? noted , one of the highest compliments that a coach can give an athlete is that he or she is a hard worker .

Burnout has been characterized as a "condition produced by working too hard for too long in a high-pressured situation ,"" and it is accompanied by "a progress ive loss of ideal ism, energy , and purpose "~' that is often paral leled by a feeling of being locked into a rout ine . The individua l disp lays a pattern of " physical and emotiona l ex haus t ion invo lving the deve lopment of negat ive self-concepts and negative attitudes towards work , life, and other people '" Burnout appea rs to be a progressive dis­order, although some symptoms may manifest themselves quite suddenly , part icular ly in the late stages.6

In the early stages , the indiv idua l experiences a growing state of fatigue , increased irritability, and loss of enthus iasm. He or she shows phys ica l distress inc lud ing minor body aches , stomach upsets , headaches , and over­eating or undereating . The person has growing fee l ings of incompetence, fragmen tati on , ali enat ion, and often an unvoiced anger and frustration that things are not the way they shou ld be.

By the intermediate stages , the indiv idual has become withdrawn and si lent even when direct ly spoken to .

Answers. when given . are frequently sul len and angry . Often the athlete be littles the be li ef that he or she cou ld be successful. Physical symptoms inc lude prolonged colds. shortness of breath . shallow breathing patt erns. se vere fatigue . and weigh t gains or losses produced by excessive eating behaviors .

The advanced stages of burnout are evidenced by the athlete becoming con­vinced that he or she is just not good enough . Cynici sm. al ienation . and with­drawal have become so incisive that the individua l often becomes obnoxious to others . Escap ist be havior is common. and the individual has an almost to tal lack of energy regarding the perceived demands of the tasks. At this stage , it is not uncommon for the ath lete to under­go sudden and dramat ic changes in values and beliefs ' The O lympic goal for which one has trained for years sudden ly is seen as attainab le only w ith the right coach and the r ight team and influential Judges or officials .

SUSCEPTIBLE PERSONALITIES

NOt everyone who works long and hard under pressure exper iences burnout. Solu­t ions lie . in part . in early

recognition of peop le who are particularly susceptible. Shank " ident ified several characteristics that distingu ish peop le who like ly to develop burnout.

T he first cluster o f t raits relate to per­fect ion ism. Perfect ionists set hi g h (sometimes unrealistic) standards for themselves and others and are general ly overachievers who invest more t ime and e f fo r t t h an necessa ry. Suscept i b le athletes are often guided by a strong interna l ized set of " shoulds " and "oughts. " T hey often express a st rong need to be in con t ro l of a situa tion , not so much because of a need to dominate others but more because of an attitude that says, " If I want it done right , I'll have to do it myself. " Coup led w ith this perfect ion ism is a h igh energy level. T he individua l is always active, often attack­ing several tasks at once . T his person rare ly sets prior ities concerning these tasks and thus lacks a mechan ism for

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rationing and allocating energy among tasks.

High-ri sk individuals tend to be oth er­oriented: They have a strong need to be lik ed and admired and are often extremely sensitive to criticism . They are often generous to everyone but th em­se lves . They frequently over-ident ify w ith and internalize the hurts of others. They often take on a rescuer ro le, offering help where it has not been requested . These other-oriented peop le frequently al'e motivated by social and interpersonal rewards rather th an by impersonal external reinforcers such as money or material possession s.

Finall y, susceptible burnout victims lack assertive interpersonal skill s. Such individuals often find it difficult to say no or to express negative feelings ­especial ly anger-without experiencing strong feelings of gui lt. Th ey may actuall y be quite articulate but are reluctant to act assertively because they confuse assertiveness with aggressive­ness.

I ronically , these quiet , concerned , energetiC perfection ists exhi bit those very characteristics that coaches often find most desirable. As Shank 6 pOints out , the essential point is not persaude these people to curtai l their intense invo lvement, " but rath er to incorporate balance and perspective into li ving. " While dedication to a sport is essentia l for high-level success, if one 's focus is tool narrow, too intense, or too pro­longed at too ear ly an age, the likelihood of burnout increases dramatically.

COMBATING DEMOTIVATORS

B urn out is more than a internal fire that consumes the ath lete's motivation . Often burnout can be traced to spec ific env iron­

mental demotivators that develop as a result of intense participation . Many of these demotivators occur predictably, and as awareness of these factors grows, practical steps can be taken to sustain and nurture the athlete 's motivation . There are severa l sources of demotiva­tion relevant to high-level ath letes.

Feedback and the Law of Diminishing Returns . Perhaps the most potent source of demotivation is the changed nature of the feedback that advanced athletes receive about performance. Young , intermediate ath letes experience obvious improvements after moderate investments of training time and effort; but at higher ski ll levels, this feedback changes in both quantity and quality. Learning procedes in smaller , less obvious steps , often coming only after sUbstant ial effort on the part of the elite ath lete (figure 1). Furthermore, elite at hl etes often work at improving consistency and making detailed, fine improvements of previously learned

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skills rather than learning new ski ll s. Feedback about such gradual improve­ment is often subtle, providing less exci tement and awareness that learning is , in fact , occurring . These subt le improvements are essential for the athlete to compete at the elite level. How­ever, if the athlete perceives that I ittle is being learned , boredom and loss of enthusiasm wi ll follow.

How can this inevitable problem of diminishing returns be combated? One way is to heighten the athlete 's aware­ness of subtle improve ments . For example, consistency charts can be used to make certain that the ath lete notes that improveme nts have occurred. Second , the coach ca n acknowledge that those improvements are important and praiseworthy. The ath lete 's name can be placed on a record board or the coach can praise the accompli shment in the same way that the learning of a new skil l is praised. Third , and perhaps most important , the coach and the ath lete should jO intly agree that such detailed improvements are , in fact , clearly stated and mutually accepted goals. To per­form an already-learned ski ll in a higher, better, faster , or more consistent manner when such an improvement is a spec ified , mutually agreed-on goal is an extremely effective technique t o increase the athlete 's awareness of a significant progress . Without such mutual planning , the coach may know that performing higher and faster is a major goal, but the athlete may have an entirely different perception . What the coach perceives as progress may be sheer drudgery to the ath lete unless those goals have been mutually emphasized and agreed on. This relates c losely to th e next major area of concern.

Increased Need for Self-Determina­tion. With increased maturity comes the need for increased autonomy. With the teenage years, but by no means restri cted to this period , comes the desire to make decisions for oneself. The sensitive adult can gradual ly help an ath lete develop more contro l by involving him or her in the decision­making process.

The traditional coach ing model has the coach as the leader and the ath lete as th e follow er with littl e or no intermingling of the roles. Today, suc h a model is no longer desirable, accepta­ble, or workable . I think that coaches who systematica lly develop a sense of independence and responsibi lity in their athletes are most likely to counteract physocological burnout of both their athletes and themselves. Motivation is highest and sustained the longest when the individual has substantial input and control over determining his or her goals as well as the procedures for attaining them '" This fact does not mean that the

coach relinquishes all control. (The coach 's motivation must be nurtured also l) Coaches must use the ir experi­ence, wisdom , and perspectives to help ath letes make informed choices that lead to those mutually agreed-on goals.

Perceived contro l is crucial in sustain­ing motivation in sports such as gymnastics where fear is a major demotivator during the learning of high risk skil ls. For examp le , athletes who are afraid to try a skil l frequently are con­fronted with a second fear due to a demanding often irate coach who insists that the gymnast "go for it or else. " One fear is confronted with another. I f the wrath of the coach (or the athlete 's fear of losing face) outweighs the fear of the sk ill , perhaps the risky move will be attempted. Often , however, the ath lete is locked into a no-win situation where no decision is made and thus no attempt is initiated . If such a c ircumstance occurs regularly , it detracts substantially from the enjoyment of the activity and fosters the athlete 's perception that he or she is powerless to improve the situation. Per­ceived helplessness leads directly to feeling s of anger, followed by depres­sion and apathy, al l of which are primary character istics of pshycological burn­out. An alternative approach , designed to foster feelings of se lf- con trol , emphasizes the athlete 's inputasa major factor determining the number and the nature of the progressions as well as the rate of progress through those progres­sions.

Understanding and responding to an athlete 's need for self-determinism does not deny that athletes often need and even seek out an authority model. Some­times an ath lete works through adversity because of the tough , unyielding coach. At times , conflict and confrontation bring out the best in an athlete. However, coaches who adhere inflexibility to harsh techniques should understand that many athletes succeed in spite of such author itarian approaches, not be­cause of them. Strictness and demands are not the defining character istics of authoritiarianism. Inflexibi lity is what sets authoritarian ism apart from authority and discipline. I strongly believe that the inflexible use of authori­tarian methods is a major contributor to psychological burnout. Successful elite coaches can vary their coaching style depending on the demands of a situa­tion. They are sensitive to the implica­tions of each coaching style for the behaviors and motivations of their ath letes.

Increased Awareness of the Physical Consequences of Participation. With increasing years of participation comes an in creased awareness of the physical

(Psychological Burnout continued on page 16)

15

consequences of participation . Older ath letes are more likely to have experi­ence, and therefore , be wary of , the consequences of physica l injuries. The hourse of rehabilitation , the loss of progress because of lost training , the pain of the injury itself , and the anx iety of performing s kill s associated with previous injuries are only a few of the demotivating aspec ts of tr aumatic injuries.

At a more subtle leve l, the constant physical aches and pains endured at the elite level are su bstantia ll y harsher than those experienced during the first few years of an athlete 's career when the ski ll s were easier and the training less demanding. Continued training in the face of pain , especia ll y th e pain from overuse syndrome, can do much to demotivate athletes. The joy of sport can be replaced by the daily grind when everyth ing hurts.

The locker room slogan "No pain , no ga in" has just enough truth in it to be dangerous ly misinterpreted by both coaches and ath letes. Such an attitude can be used to justify continued training in spite of painful warning signals of impending problems or injuries that need rest for recuperation. Driving one­se lf through cardiovascu lar condition­in g or st reng th drills may be beneficial , but working on a partially sprained ank le or ignoring the symptoms of tendinitis is harmful.

Perhaps a lesson can be learned from the experiences of elite marathoners. Or iginally , coaches and runners be lieved that the best way to endure a marathon was to dissociate one 's aware­ness from the pain and stress of running long distances. Ignoring the pain by focusing on some thin g e lse was advocated as a good psychological technique. However, int erv iews with successfu l marathoners revealed that the best runners did just the opposite 9

These runners heightened their aware­ness of their bod ies' responses to stress and close ly monitored their physica l sensa ti ons so that they cou ld constantly readjust their pace and runn in g sty les to cope with immense stresses of the marathon. Th e idea is not to develop a hypochondriac-like attitude but rather to sensitize the athletes to warning signals so that they can make adj ust­ments before minor problems become chronic or major because of neglect or lack of awareness.

Furthermore, coaches shou ld serious ly re-evaluate whether they over­work advanced and elite ath letes. Train­in g four to seven hours a day may positively affect ski ll acqu isiti on in the short run but undermine the athlete's enjoyment of participating. It is possible that reducing the number of hours trained per day might lead to higher performance leve ls if ath letes' careers

16

were prolonged by years . For example , the oldest elite gymnast in the United States trains the fewest days . Her work­outs are intense , purposeful , and focused ; but they have become much less physically grinding as she matured (personal communicat ion with the coach of Kathy Johnson, August , 1982).

Increased Awareness of the Competi­tive Consequences of Participation. With increasing experience and skill come an ability to more realistically evaluate the likelihood for success in competition . Since success is relative to one 's goals, the coach and the athlete must be aware of the interaction between goal setting and motivation. Establishing clear, focused goals is important for directing and sustaining motivation . However, if those goals are too narrowly defined or too few in number, serious long-term demotivating effects can resu lt.

Competition indicates that some athletes will not make the Olympic or national teams . Their youthful , naive enthusiasm to be an Olympian is replaced by a realistic appra isal of who is lik ely to make the team . If they find that they are unlikely to make it , their enthus iasm is likely to wane in direct proportion to the degree to w hi ch that goa l is their on ly goal. This enthu siasm cannot be rekindled by the coach 's encouragement alone. When goals are extreme ly high and narrow, motivation will be sustained only if the athlete believes there is a rea li stic chance to achieve those goals in the foreseeable future. For most gymnasts such goals are not likely . For example , 3163 gymnasts compete at the advanced and el ite levels during the pre-Olympic year (persona l communicat ion with C. Grace , USGF National Office , April , 1983). Thus, the probability of being one of the seven gymnasts who made the team was 0.0022 (7/ 3, 163).

However, even making the team does not seem to enhance the likelihood that an ath lete will continue to participate. For example, the attrition rate for the USGF Women 's National Team after international competitions is phenomenonally high. It averages 76 percent across the four year Olympiad and 77 percent across the year between the Pan American Games and the Olympics (tab le 1) . The dimension of achieving vs. failing at the goal does not seem to have as much impact on continued participation as does the narrowness of the goal.

Broader goals, coupled with more focus on the participation process , might blunt the demotivating effect of goals that are too narrow. Some alterna­tive goals are obvious and concrete. Earning a col lege scholarsh ip , compet in g in meets which provide the opportunity to travel , and representing

th e high school team . More abstract goal s include enjoying the act of performing , providing a model for younger gymnasts , cr eating and designing personal competitive routines , and developing self­confidence and poise. Coaches often view these latter goals as a means to an end rather than an end in themselves. I believe that if coac hes would counsel their athletes to perceive the process of sport as part of their personal goals , the athlete 's enjoyment of the sport could be decidedly enhanced . Again , mutual goal setting could define and emphasize goals to which athletes might otherwise be oblivious

Another aspect of the increased awareness of competit ive consequences is the " looking over your shoulder" syndrome. Even during the midteens , a genuine generation gap can exist in ski ll leve ls. Older gymnasts often see younger gymnasts learning intricate skills that the older gymnast may have little chance of learning. This awareness can be demotivating. Furthermore, the generation gap may be exaggerated if the older competitor has been sidelined because of injury or illness .

Severa l strategies can minimize these potential threats. Whenever possib le, avo id direct compa risons or competition within the training situation. If compari­sons must be made , place a premium on maturity ski ll s and use the older athletes as an example of correct body position , elegance, consistency, or whatever is applicable. Second , the o lder athletes can assist in areas where experience is an asset: Coping with fear, dealing with peer pressures , preparing for competi­tion , and team morale. Thi rd, all athletes can be taught to avoid making compari­sons in wh ich their weaknesses are com­pared with the streng th s of oth ers. This type of se lf-defeat in g comparison is characteristic of perfectionists and high achievers . Finally , acknowledge that there are times when the older athletes have earned the right to be privileged . For example , they can be given key roles in exhibitions and demonstrations, and they may not have to compete in head­to-head compet itions with younger teammates for a place on the traveling squad.

Increased Awareness of the Social Consequences of Participation. With increasing age and maturity, athletes deve lop an increased awareness of other social activities. Their interests become more complex and diversified ; and conflicts may develop between their desire to train and the desire to participate in other activities.

There are two aspects-objective and su bjective-of the restrictions placed on the socia l involvements of ath letes train­ing in high-level prog rams. For examp le, the objective restrictions of time limita-

Technique

tions and schedu lii lg con flicts are a substantial problem when an ath lete trai ns four to seven hou rs a day five to six days a week on a year-round schedule. Socializing with friends after school may be almost eliminated by such an intense training regimen. Even athletic friends may be left behind as the elite ath lete progresses through the skill levels at a more rapid rate. Close friendships with other elite athletes are often difficult to maintain because, by definition , they are few and far between .

Objective restrictions can be partially dea lt with by rearranging training schedules. For example, in one elite pro­gram the older athletes train in the early afternoon and the younger ch ildren train later on Frid ays. Thi s frees Friday evenings for social act ivit ies for the older athletes. Since the younger athletes have no schoo l on the next day, the later hours on a Frid ay are not too demanding. Social occasions can also be given a higher priority during the off season. Both parents and ath letes shou Id be alerted to the need for such diversity.

Subjec ti ve restrictions are somet imes more difficult to resolve. The perception that one is somehow losing out on what others can have can be quite demotivating . What you cannot have often becomes even more desirable . One approach to this " forbidden fruit " problem is to combat the perception that elite-level sport and enjoyable soc ial life are mutually exc lu sive. Although restric­tions exist, the choice is rarel y all or non e. Th e attitude that success requires dedication to the point o f sacrificing

Amount of Learni ng

everything else is a stereotype. The fact that some athletes perce ive involvement in sports as lead ing to a better social life and more friends attests to the fact that the problem may be more one of attitude than of actual restrictions .

p CONCLUSIONS

sycholog ical burnout is major factor in the attrition of high­level ath letes , but it need not be an inevitable consequence

of intense participation . Early diagnosis of the symptoms , accurate identification of susceptible personalities , and increased awareness of demot ivat in g env ironmenta l influences can lead to effect ive preve ntion and correction of th is disorder. This can save ath letes who would otherwise be dr iven from the sports they love long before they achieve their full potent ial.

REFERENCES

Seefeldt VD . G ill iam T , Blievernicht D , et al: Scope of youth sports programs in the state of Michigan . in Smoll FL . Smith RE (eds ): Phychological Perspecti ves in Youth Sports. New York City. John Wiley & Sons Inc. 1978.

2. Sage GH : American values and sport: formation of a bureaucratic personality . JOPER 1978 : 49 (April ) 42-44 .

3. Leonard WM II : A Sociological Perspecti ve of Sport. Minneapolis. Burgess. 1980 . pp 41-43

4. Maslach C: Understanding burnout: def ini­tional issues in ana l yzing complex phenomenon. in Paine WS (ed) : Job Stress and Burnout: Research. Theory. and Intervention Perspectives. Beverly Hills. CA. Sage Publica ­tions Inc , 1982 . pp 29-40.

5 Freudenberger HJ . Richelson G: Burnout: How to Beat the H igh Cost of Success. New York City : Bantam , 1981

Figure 1

6. Shank PA: Anatomy of burnout. Parks Recrea­t ion 1983: 17 (March ): 52-58.

7. Carro l l JF . White W L: T heo ry bui ld ing : Integrating i ndiv idua l and environmental factors wit h in an ecolog ical framework , in Paine WS (ed ): Job Stress and Burnout: Research . Theory and Intervention Perspec­ti ves. Beverl y H ills, CA , Sage Publications Inc, 1982 . pp 41-60.

8. Singer RN : Ach ievement mot ivation. JOPER 1979: 50 (February) 37-38 .

9. Morgan WP . Pollack ML: Psyc h ological character izat ion of the elite distance runner . Ann NY Acad Sci 1977 : 301 (October) 382-403 .

TABLE 1 ATTR ITION RATES OF EL ITE FEMALE

GYMNASTS AFTER MAJOR COMPETITIONS'

OLYMPIAD YEARS

1960-1964 1964-1968 1968- 1972 1972-1976 1976-1980 1980-1984

MEAN

PAN-AMERICAN YEAR TO OLYMPIC YEAR

1963-1964 1967- 1968 1971- 1972 1975- 1976 1979- 1980

MEAN

ATTRITION RATE (%)

83 83 67 83

100 50' .

77

67 67 67 83

100

77

'Source: Richard Mulv ilhill. director of the National Academy of Artistic Gymnastics. Eugene. Oregon .

. ·Interestingly . the lowest attrition rate invo lved the 1980 Olympic Team which was selected but not permitted to compete because of the boycott ordered by President Carter . The mean . if th is Olympiad is not included , is 83%.

small, but important

B gal" 10 ,,,/ocm,,,, ~

I

I relativel y long time

I i- relatively rapid improvement

I I ___ J ,

relatively short time

Training Time

Figure 1. The classic theorteticallearning curve in which the amount of learning is plott ed as a fu nction of the amount of t raini ng time. Beginner or intermediate athletes are often at point A on the learning curve. With moderate amounts of training . They show relative rapid gains in learning . The elite athlete is much more likely to be at point B. where the learning curve has flattened out. Additional improvement. while possible and necessary, will require substan tially more training time.

Technique 17

April 1985*

ELIGIBILITY CODE OF THE U.S. GYMNASTICS FEDERATION

PREAMBLE

The United States Gymnas­tics Federation ("USGF") is the sole national governing body for ama teu r gymnas­tics in the United Sta tes (36

USC § 391 et seq .). As such, the USGF is charged wi th the responsibility for (1) assisting gymnasts to prepare fo r and becom e eligible to compete in am­ateur athle tic competition at a ll levels, including national, international and Olympic competition, and (2) certify­ing the ehgibility of gymnasts to com­pete in such events. In furth erance of that responsibility, the USGF adopts the following Eligibility Code.

The purpose of the Eligibility Code is to es tablish rules to be followed by any gymnas t wishing to remain eli­gible to compete in events conducted , sponsored ; sa nctioned o r approved by the USG F. The Elig ibility Cod e is a lso intended to re fl ec t a nd be cons is tent w ith th e eli gibility rul es es ta bli s h e d by th e Inte rn a ti o n a l Gymnas tics Federa tion (" FIG" ), the Inte rn a ti on a l Olympic Committee ("IOC") and the United States Olym­pic Committee ("USOC").

In co mpli an ce w ith th e req u ire­me nts of fed era l law th e Eli g ibility Code: (1) is not more res trictive than the eligibility code of the FIG, and (2) recognizes that any ama teur spor ts organiza tion w hich conducts athletic competition, participa tion in w hich is restricted to a specific class of amateur athle tes (such as high school stud ents and college students) has exclusive ju­risdiction over such competition . The gymnast is ca utioned , therefore, tha t compliance with the rules of the Eli ­gibility Code may not be relied upon to p ro tect his or her e ligibility to com-· pete in events sa nctioned by orga ni ­za ti o n s s u ch as co ll ege a nd hi g h schoo l a thle tic associa tion s. Q ues­ti ons regarding th e e li g ibility s tan ­dards of those organ iza tions should be addressed directly to those orga­niza tions.

RULES AND GUIDELINES I. AMATEURISM

A. An amateur gymnas t is one wh o tra in s and p e rfo rm s with o ut sea rching fo r or accepting personal fi­nancial reward or material benefit in

18

connection with his or her sports par­ticipation . (FIG Rule of Eligibility 1. 6, IOC Rule 26)

II . FINANCIAL AND MATE­RIAL BENEFITS A. Any gymnast taking part in

a competition or other event for w hich he or she is paid, loses immediately his or her amateur sta tus. (FIG Sta t­utes, Art. 38)

B. No gymn as t may give au­th o rity to or a ll ow a p ro fess ion a l agent to represent the gymnast in ne­gotiations regarding his or her partic­ipation in competition . No gymnast may give authority to or allow anyone to represent the gymnas t in negotia­tions regarding receipt of money in exc h a n ge for p ar ti c ip a ti o n in competition .

C. No gymnast may accept, di­rectly or indi rec tly, a ny money or other considera tion for expenses or loss of earnings, except that during the prepara tion for gymnastics com­petition conducted, sponsored, sanc­ti o n ed o r a pp rove d b y th e lO C, USOc, FIG or USGF, or the competi­tion itself, a gymnast may receive the following types of financial and ma­terial benefits, provided such support is received th rough the USGF:

1. Board and lodgi ng expenses. 2. Transportation expenses. 3. Sportswea r and sports equip­

ment. 4. Pocket money in an amount per

day to be fi xed by the USGF. 5. Ex p e n ses for m e di ca l trea t­

men t, ph ys io thera py, medica l services and medicine.

6. Expenses for training facilities or ins truction .

7. Premiums for insurance . 8. Educa tional expenses . 9. Compensa ti on to cover finan­

cial loss resulting fro m a gym­nas t' s absence fro m wo rk or bas ic occup a ti o n in o rd e r to tra in for or par ti cipa te in an event co ndu cted , spon sored , sa nctioned or a pproved by the IOC, USOc, FIG or USGF. A gymnas t may not receive such " broken time payments" in an amount in excess of w hat the gy mnas t wo uld o the rwise re ­ceive from an employer during the sa me period. (FIG Statutes,

Article 38; FIG Rule of Eligibility 1. 7)

10. Municipal, s ta te and fe d era l taxes. D. A gymnas t may be an em­

ployee paid by a sports orga nization, including but not limited to employ­ment as a counselor or instructor, pro­vided any compensation received by the gymnast (1) is not in re turn for his or her athletic perfo rmance and (2) is not excessively out of proportion to th e pay ment n orm ally rece ive d fo r like work in that area of the country. (FIG Rule of Eligibility 1. 7.2. B)

III. SCHOLARSHIPSIDEVELOP­MENTFUNDS A. A gy mn as t m ay acce pt

scholarships a) given to support his or her preparation for and participa tion in gymnas tics compe titions approved o r sa n cti on e d b y th e USGF, or b) granted on the basis of and ful fi llment of scholas tic obligations.

IV. AWARDS, GIFTS, UNIFORMS A. In any competitive event, a

gy mn as t m ay no t acce pt m one tary p rizes, and any other prizes or awards rece ive d m ay no t exceed th e maxi­mum valu e designated by the USGF. (FIG Statutes, Art. 38)

B. A gymnast may receive uni­fo rms, travel apparel and accesso ries fro m the USGF, FIG, IOC or USOc. Uniform s, a ppa re l and accessor ies donated to entrants in USGF events by sponsors are also allowable insofa r as they are presented to a ll entra nts and carry personalized markings to specify the event. A gymnas t may no t convert into cash any award , gift or uni form received from th e USGF, FIG, IOC, USOC or competition sponsor.

V. ADVERTISING & PROMO­TION A. A gymnast may not au tho­

rize any individual or o rga niza tion to use th e gy mn as t' s p e rso n , na m e, li keness, picture or sports perform­ance in such a way that his or her po­sition or reputation as a gymnas t is u se d to ad ve rti se or pro m o te a n y commercia l service, activity or enter­pri se unl ess th e USGF has ente red into a co nt rac t fo r sp on so rs hip or equi pment making that individu al or organiza tion a USGF sponsor. A gym-

Technique

nas t may enter into a n agreement with a USGF sponsor for the use of a gymnast's person , nam e, liken ess, picture or performance in advertising o r promo ti o n provided that agree­ment complies with the terms of the USGF Sponsorship Program. (FIG Rule of Eligibility 1.8; IOC By-Law to Rule 26)

B. Agymnast may permit his or her name, photograph or personal ap­pearance to be used for news reports or to publicize a competition or exhi­bition conducted, sponsored, sanc­tion ed or approve d by th e USGF, provided such use is no t also direc tly associated w ith commercial advertis­ing in a manner inconsistent with the USGF Sponsorship Progra m .

VI. DRUGS A. Th e u se of a n y drugs ap­

pearing on the IOC's li s t of prohibited drugs is s trictly forbidden . Any gym­nast who, a t any competition con­ducted , spon sored, sa nctioned or approved by the USGF, (1) refu ses to submit to a medical examination de­signed to detect the use of such drugs, (2) refuses to sign a sta tement repre­senting that he or she has not used such drugs, or (3) uses such drugs shall be disqualified from competition pending an inves tiga tion by the USGF Eligibility Com mittee. (FIG Rul e of Eligibility 1.8; IOC Rule 29)

VII. PROFESSIONALISM A. A gy mn as t m ay not be o r

have been a professional in any sport or have signed a contract for that pu r­pose. (FIG Rule of Eligibility 1. 8: IOC By-Law to Rule 26)

B. A gy mna s t may not be or have been a professional coach in any sport. (FIG Rule of Eligibility 1.8)

C. A gymnas t may not know­in gly take part in a co mpe titi on or o th er even t w ith profess ional gy m­na sts. (FIG Statutes, Art. 38)

VIII. MEMBERSHIP A. A gymnast may not partici­

pate in any event conducted , spon­sored, sa nctioned or approved by the USGF unless he or she is a member in good standing with th e USGF.

B. A gymnast may not compe te against any other gymnast he or she knows to be ine ligible to compete un­der USGF rules .

IX. ELIGIBILITY COMMITTEE A. There shall be a Committee

on Eligibility consis ting of the Execu ­tive Director of the USGF and an even number of additiona l members num­bering not less than 4 w ho shall be

Technique

appointed by the Executive Director and approved by the Executive Com­mittee of the Board of Directors. At least '/4 of the members of the Com­mittee on Eligibility shall be a thle te represen ta ti ves.

B. The Committee on Eligibility shall be charged with the responsibil­ityof:

1. Overseeing compliance with the rules of eligibility as defined by IOC, USOC, FIG and USGF.

2. Recommending to the Executive Committee of the Board of Direc­tors of the USGF revisions of the Eligibility Code.

3. Res p ondin g to inquiries from gymnasts, or their coaches, par­ents or representatives, concern­ing the Eligibility Code.

4. Investiga ting alleged violations of the Eligibility Code and rec­omme ndin g to th e Exec uti ve Committee sanctions to be im­posed for violations of the Code.

X. ENFORCEMENT A. The Elig ibility Committee

shall act on an y complaint a llegin g that a gymnast has viola ted the Eligi­bilityCode provided the complaint (1) is in writing, (2) is signed by the per­son or persons filing th e complaint, and (3) alleges conduct w hich does in fa ct violate the Eligibility Code.

B. Upon receipt of a complaint, the Eligibility Committee shall notify the named gym nast in wri ting by cer­tified mail of the alleged violation and appoint one of its members to conduct an in vestiga tion of th e und erlyin g facts. That in ves tigation shall at leas t include an interview (or a ttempted in­terview) wi th the gymnast, the per­son or persons filing the complaint, and other persons who may have di­rect kn ow ledge of th e a lle ge d violation .

C. A wri tten summary of the in­ves tigation and the Committee mem­bers' conclusion as to w hether there is reasonable ca use to believe the a l­leged violation occurred will be sent to the gymnast and each member of the Eligibility Committee.

1. In th e eve nt th e Committee member concludes that reason ­able ca use does not exist, no fur­ther action will be taken on the complaint unl ess a majority o f the membership of the Eligibility Committee vo te to conduct fur­ther in ves tiga tion .

2. In th e eve nt th e Co mmittee member concludes that reason­able ca use does exist the gym-

nas t w ill be asked to provide a written response to th e com­plaint and the evidence as sum­mari ze d in th e Co mmittee member's report. In addition the gymnast may request a hearing before the Eligibility Committee. No less than 10 days prior to his or h er ap p ea ran ce b e fore th e Committee, the gy mnas t sha ll receive a wri tten copy of the pro­cedures to be followed durin g the hea rin g . Those procedures shall include the right to be rep­resented by another, present wit­nesses and cross exam ine any adverse witnesses. D. At the conclusion of its in­

vestigation the Eligibility Committee will prepare written findings of fact and, in ins tances where a violation is found, recommend sanctions in the form of: reprimand, restriction of par­ticipation, probation, suspension or loss of eligibility.

E. A determination by the Eli­gibility Committee that a gym nast has violated the Eligibility Code will be re­viewed by the USGF Executive Com­mittee. After review of the entire record in the case, the Executive Com­mittee may reverse or affirm the Eli­gibility Committee's determination . If th e Executive Committee affirms a finding of a violation, it may (1) in­struct the Executive Director to im­pose the sa nction recommended by the Eligibility Committee or any other less severe sa n ction, or (2) request that the Eligibility Committee recon­sider its recommended sanction .

XI. REINSTATEMENT A. An athlete declared ineligi­

ble by the USGF may apply for rein­statement to amateur status by filing a petition for reinstatement with the USGF Executive Committee . A peti­tion for reinstatement (1) may not be filed within six months of the time a gymnast has first been declared in­eligible, and (2) must include a con­cise statement of the circumstances supporting petition.

B. A petition for reinstatement sh a ll be referred by th e Executive Committee to the Eligibility Commit­tee for process ing in a manner similar to the processing of complaints .

'The USGF Eligibility Code is subject to change . Please consult USA Gymnastics for notification of revisions in the Eligibility Code.

19

Women's Qualifying Procedures 1985 Championships of the USA

I. Qualification-Championships of the USA (Seniors) A. All athletes must be registered

athlete members with the USGF prior to competition.

B. Zone Meets 1. To be eligible to compete in a

Zone Meet, the gymnast must have scored 70.00 or higher in the Junior Olympic (Class I) Re­gionals, East/West Champion­ships or Junior Olympic Nationals or by petition.

2. Qualifying score to the American Classic is 72 .00 using Competi­tion III Rules.

3. Scores are counted 50% Compul­sory and 50% Optional.

4. Seniors who scored 72 .00 or higher at the 1984 Champion­ships of the USA or Olympic Team Trials may by-pass Zone Meets.

C. American Classic 1. The American Classic is sched­

uled for May 9-11, 1985, site to be determined.

2. Gymnasts scoring 72.00 or higher at a Zone Meet are eligible to compete at the American Classic.

3. The top twenty-four (24) in all around ranking will qualify to Championships of the USA.

4. All around ranking will be deter­mined from the combined Com­pulsory-Optional session. Scores will be counted 60% Compulsory and 40 % Optional to qualify to Championships of the USA.

5. No injury petitions will be ac­cepted for the American Classic.

C. Championships of the USA 1. Championships of the USA are

scheduled for June 6-9, 1985 in Jacksonville, Florida.

2. The top twenty-four (24) in all around ranking will qualify to Championships of the USA, plus eight (8) from the 1984 Olympic Team. Olympic Team members must enter by May 1,1985. Olym­pic Team positions which are not used will be filled in rank order from the American Classic up to 32 places.

3. All around ranking will be deter-

20

mined from the combined Com­pulsory-Optional session. Scores will be counted 60% Compulsory and 40% Optional.

4. For Individual Event Finals there will be no new life. Scores to be carried from Compulsory­Optional session. Scores to count 50 % Compulsory and 50 % Optional.

5. Injury petitions will be accepted for review by the WI PC if a gym­nast can reasonably show, through past meet results, that if she had been able to compete she would have qualified. Any ap­proved petitions will not replace the 32 places .

II. Qualification-USA Champion­ships (Juniors/Children) A. All athletes must be registered

athlete members with the USGF prior to competition.

B. Zone Meets 1. To be eligible to compete in a

Zone Meet, the gymnast must have scored 70.00 or higher in the Junior Olympic (Class I) Re­gionals, East/West Champion­ships or Junior Olympic Nationals or by petition.

2. Qualifying score to Classics is 70.00 for Juniors and 35.00 for Children, using Competition II Rules.

3. Scores are counted 50% Compul­sory and 50% Optional for Jun­iors. Children is Optional Only.

4. Juniors may not by-pass Zone Meets. Children who scored 35.00 at 1984 Championships who are still in the Children's Di­vision may by-pass Zone Meets.

C. American Classic and US Clas­sic Qualifying Meets

1. Juniors/Children will qualify to USA Championships from the American Classic to be held on May 9-11,1985 and the US Classic to be held on August 22-24,1985.

2. Juniors scoring 70 .00 or higher at a Zone Meet are eligible to com­pete in the Classics . Children scoring 35.00 or higher at a Zone

Meet are eligible to compete in the Classics.

3. Juniors-Qualify to USA Championships a . Top eight (8) from American

Classic b. Top eight (8) from US Classic

4. Children-Qualify to USA Championships a. Top twelve (12) from Ameri­

can Classic b. Top twelve (12) from US

Classic 5. All around ranking for Juniors

will be determined from the com­bined Compulsory-Optional ses­sion. Scores will be counted 60% Compulsory and 40% Optional to qualify to USA Champion­ships. For Children scores will be counted 20% for PSF Testing and 80% Optional to qualify for USA Cham pionshi ps.

6. No injury petitions will be ac­cepted for Classics.

C. USA Championships (Juniors/ Children)

1. USA Championships are tenta­tively scheduled for September 12-15, 1985 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

2. Juniors-Eligible to compete at USA Championships a. Top eight (8) from American

Classic b . Top eight (8) from US Classic

3. Children-Eligible to compete at USA Championships a . Top twelve (12) from Ameri­

can Classic b. Top twelve (12) from US

Classic 4. All around ranking for Juniors

will be determined from the com­bined Compulsory-Optional ses­sion . Scores will be counted 60% Compulsory and 40% Optional.

5. For Individual Event Finals there will be no new life. Scores to be carried from Compulsory­Optional session. Scores to count 50 % Compulsory and 50 % Optional.

6. Injury petitions will be accepted for review by the WI PC if a gym­nast can reasonably show, through past meet results, that if she had been able to compete she would have qualified.

Technique

1985 Men's Team Selection Procedures I. Championships of the USA­

Qualification A. The 1985 Championships of

the USA are scheduled for June 6-9, 1985 in Jacksonville, Florida.

B. Athletes will qualify to the USA Championships from four (4) qualifying meets to be held on May 3-4, 1985. Exception: Those who score 110 in an approved meet other than the Regional Qualifying Meet are au­tomatically qualified. The Men's Pro­gram Administrator, Robert Cowan and the Chairman of the Men's Pro­gram Committee, Fred Roethlisberger will certify qualification meets. Certi­fication requires that all athletes be registered with the USGF prior to competition, that at least two (2) Na­tional certified judges are used per event, that Competition III rules are used, that at least three (3) different clubs or programs are entered, that Compulsories and Optionals are on separate days and that the event must be sanctioned at least six (6) weeks in advance. All qualification scores will be sent to the Men's Program Admin­istrator, Robert Cowan and Cheryl Grace , USGF Director of Special Events . The Men's Program Commit­tee shall select the sites of the quali­fication meets. Announcements of qualifying meet bids and proposals should be directed to Cheryl Grace at the USGF.

e. For Compulsories and Option­als in the Championships of the USA there shall be seventy-two (72) gym­nasts. There will be two (2) sessions of thirty-six (36) gymnasts each by random draw from the Compulsories. For Optionals, the gymnasts will be seeded into two (2) groups, with the highest thirty-six (36) competing in the later session. In case of a tie for 36th, the higher event Compulsory score shall compete in the second ses­sion. Competitive numbers will be as­signed at random.

D. All qualifying meets to Na­tionals must be under Competition III Rules.

E. All-Around ranking will be determined from the combined Com­pulsory-Optional session . There will be an Individual Event Finals with eight (8) gymnasts per event. Scores from the Compulsory and Optional rounds will carry into the Finals .

F. The National Team shall be the top twen ty-four (24) from the first

Technique

Compulsory and Optional session. Ties will not be broken .

G. In case of an injury, a gymnast can be petitioned on to the National Team by the Men's Program Commit­tee, after approval of the USGF Exec­utive Director.

H. Petitions to the Champion­ships of the USA will be accepted and should be sent to the Men's Program Administrator for review with the Chairman of the Men ' s Program Committee . II. World University Games­

Qualification A. The National Sports Festival

wi ll be the World Universi ty Team Trials IF approved by the USOe. If ap­proved, the top twelve (12) Senior gymnasts from Championships of the USA in rank order who are eligible for World University Games, will com­pete in a Trials situation.

B. The Compulsory and Op­tional exercises will decide the Team . The highest four (4) gymnasts plus one (1) non-competing team member will comprise the team.

e. The National Sports Festival is scheduled for July 26-August 4, 1985 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

D. Injury/illness petitions should be sent to the Men ' s Program Administra tor.

E. If the National Sports Festival is NOT World University Games

Trial s, then Senior National Team members from Championships of the USA will be selected in rank order. III. World Championships Trials

A. The World Championships Trials are scheduled for September 26-29, 1985 at a site to be determined.

B. The National Team (24 mem­bers) selected at Championships of the USA will participate in the World Championships Trials.

e. Injury/illness petitions should be sent to the Men's Program Admin­istrator for consideration by the Men's Program Committee.

D . If a petitioned gymnast into fi­nal Trials should place within the Na­tional Team ranking , he will be added. No team member from Cham­pionships will be dropped.

E. Team Selection 1. The all around scores from the

1985 World Championship Trials will be the sole determining fac­tor in making the World Cham­pionships Team. The top six (6) will be the competing team and 7th place will be the non-

~ b competmg team mem er. 2. No athlete will petition on to the

World Championships Team. 3. Final Trials will be Competition

III. 4. Replacement of a team member

will occur only in the event of a serious injury.

1985 Senior National Team Women's Selection Procedures

The Senior National Team will con­sist of the top ten (10) gymnasts from the 1985 Championships of the USA and the top ten (10) gymnasts from the 1985 US Classics, plus any petitioned gymnasts.

1. The final National Team ranking is determined from the World Cham­pionship Team Trials .

2. If a National Team Member (from Championships or US Classic) is not in the World Championship Team Trials, she will remain on the National Team un-ranked. For Example: a. A gymnast who places in the top

ten (10) at Championships of the USA, but is injured and does not compete in the World

Championship Team Trials. She is a member of the National Team by virtue of the Champi­onships of the USA.

b. A gymnast who was not in the top ten (10) at Championships of the USA or US Classic but is al­lowed to replace another gym­nast a t World Championship Team Trials; if she places in the top twenty (20) at World Cham­pionship Team Trials, she is a National Team Member. (Oth­erwise she is not.)

c. A gymnast who is petitioned into World Championship Team Trials and places in the top twenty (20) at World Champi­onship Team Trials is a National Team Member.

21

22

NOTICE!!! The USGF Membership Program Is Moving To Indianapolis, Indiana May I, 1985

Bayly, Martin & Fay Insurance . Agency of San Antonio, Texas will no longer handle the USGF . Membership. They will continue to administer the insurance program for the USGF. .

Please direct all Please direct all Insurance related questi~ns to:

. Membership related

. . !

Vernon Southerland · ,

Bayly, Martin & ~ay Insurance 1-800-531-7224 ' .

questions . to: . Jan Claire ., .

. 1099 North Meridian : Suite 380 . '

Indianapolis, . Indiana 46204

.' " ]-800~345~4719 . . \ . . .,._;.{.,-. ".'~:~;,)J~·~'~:'~-~:~;'~~i~~!£(~~j!i;7:~~·~_;:_~·::7::~« ::.~;

Technique

•

•

)

~AI..NDAR.

APRIL

20-21 Macabiah Game Tria ls Rockville, MD (M/W)

26-28 Rhythmic Championships Pisca taway, Nj of the USA

27-28 Second Elite Zone Meet Various Si tes (W: c,j,S)

MAY 4-5 Class I Eastern Champion- Staten Island,

ships (W) Y

4-5 Class I Western Champion- Mountain View, ships (W) CA

17-19 junior Olympic Nationals Boca Raton , FL (W)

9-11 American Classic Na tionals Colorado (W: c,),S)

'10-11 'Bulgarian Invitational (R)

"*25 South Korean junior Invi tationa l

25-26 Brother Cup (R)

JUNE 3-7 USGF Nationa l

Gymnastics Coaching Seminar McDona ld's

6-9 Championships of the USA (MIW: Sr Only)

17-21 USGF Nationa l Gymnastics Coaching Seminar

19-23 Gra nd Prix Rome

20-22 Junior Boys Nationals

23-29 Junior Boys National Tra in -ing Camp

23- RSG Age Group Develop-july 7 ment Training Camp

"28-30 "USSR vs. USA (R)

References (from page 11)

Springs, CO

Sofia, Bulgaria

Seoul, Korea

japan

Stroudsburg, P A

Jacksonville, FL

Sa lt Lake Ci ty, UT

Rome, Ita ly

Columbus, Ohio

Columbus, O hio

Colorado Springs, CO

Minneapolis, M

6. Frohlic h , C. "Physics of somersaulting and twisting ," Scientific American , March , 1980.

7. George , C . Biomechanics of Women ' s Gymnastics , Engl ewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall Inc., 1980.

8. Hay , J . The Biomechanics of Sports Technique, Englewood C li ffs, N.J.: Prentice Ha ll Inc ., 1973.

9. Kane, T . and Sc her, M. "A dynamical exp lana­tion of the falling cat phenomenon,"' In!. J , of Solids and Structures, 5:663, 1969.

10. Le igh , L. and Bangerter, B. "A cinematograph ic a n alysis comparing techniques and mechan ics of selected forward and backward twisting somersau lts in competitive diving and rebound tumbling ," Pap er p resented to research section of AAHPER , March 13, 1967.

11. Schmidt , D. A Scientific Approach to Women 's Gymnastics , Salt Lake City: Brighton Pub. Co, 1980.

Technique

UNITED STATES GYMNASTICS FEDERATION

1985 PROPOSED SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

(Dates & Events subject to change or cancellation)

Updated: March 12, 1985

JULY SEPTEMBER '2-10 'USA vs. China (MIW) TBA 9-16 "Mexico Invita tiona l (R; )) Mexico Ci ty,

Mexico "TBA "junior Boys European TBA

Tour 12-15 USGF Na tional Congress Salt Lake City, UT

8-12 USGF Nationa l Norman, OK Gymnastics Coaching 13-14 junior/Chi ldren USA Sal t Lake City, Seminar Cham·pionships (W) UT

14-26 Grassroo ts Development TBA 23- " RSG World Champion- Colorado Camp Or. Boys) Oct 6 ships Training Camp Springs, CO

15-25 12th Maccal>iah Games Israel 26-29 World Champions hips TBA (M/W/R) Team Trials (MIW: 5)

20-21 World University Games TBA 28-29 7th In t' I Tournament in Catane, Sicily Trials- Women Only City of Catane (W)

22- OCTOBER National Sports Festiva l Baton Rouge,

Aug4 (M/W/R) Rhythmic World LA 10-13 Rhythmic World Va lladolid, Spain Championships Tria ls and Championships World University Games Trials (Men) at Na tional 25-31 FIG Congress Montreal,

Sports Festival Canada NOVEMBER

27-29 Third Elite Zone Meet TBA 3-10 World Championships Montreal , (W: c,),S) (M/W) Canada

AUGUST TBA 'Chunichi Cup (MIW) japan

5-15 "RSG Elite Deve lopment 4-12 junior Boys Development TBA Colorado Training Camp Springs, CO Camp

10-1i Fourth Elite Zone Meet Va rious Sites DECEMBER

(W: c,),S) TBA 'Coca-Cola Invitational London, Tournament (MIW) England

19-23 USGF Na tional Cable, WI Gym nastics Coaching 6-8 'DTB Poka l Cup/Swiss Germany/

Cup (MIW) Switzerland 22-24 U.S. Classic Nationals Atlanta , GA

(W: c,),S) 13-15 Brussels International Brussels, Gym nastics Cup (MIW) Belgium

24- Worl d University Games Kobe, Japan Sept 4 (M/W) 26-31 Jr. Boys Na tional Testing TBA

& Training Camp 31- Junior Mens & Womens Japan Sept 3 Competi tion (MIW)

, -Tentative (R)-Rhythmic

TBA-To be announced (C)-Children " -Proposed event OJ-Junior (M)-Men (51- Senior (W)-Women

1985 McDonald's Chatnpionships of USA

Men and Women Jacksonville, Florida June 6-9

The 1985 McDonald's Championships of the USA for Men and Women offers gymnastics excite­ment, head-to-head competition at its finest. As a direct result, the 1985-86 USGF National Team will be selected.

hosted by the US Gymnastics Federation

23

1985 USGF National Gymnastics Coaching Seminars

FEATURING: There is a limited registration on a first come first serve basis

• These National seminars are part of the USGF's new educational coaching series and will serve as the basis of our forthcoming National Coaches Certification Program!

• Experts in sports medicine, biomechanics , exercise physiology and sports psychology will present "what research tells the coach " from the practical gymnastics standpoint!

• Leading International and Elite coaches and gymnasts will present lecture-demonstrations on the latest movement techniques and teach ing methods in gymnastics!

• Three (3) hours undergraduate/graduate credit can be earned by participating in anyone of these seminars!

REGISTRATION FORM Date of Application ____ _

NAME CIRCLE ONE: MALE/FEMALE

ADDRESS _ _ ____ _ _ ________ TELEPHONE ~(_~) _ _ _ _

CITy ________ STATE _______ ZIP _________ _

ORGANIZATION REPRESENTED _ _______ TELEPHONE -'---( _--'-___ _

SEMINAR DATES AND LOCATIONS Please check applicable box:

D June 3-7, 1985 International Gymnastics Camp, Stroudsburg, PA. D June 17-21, 1985 University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT. D July 8-12, 1985 University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK. D August 19-23, 1985 Tsukara Camp, Cable, WI.

PAYMENT METHOD* $20 Discount for USGF professional members! Please check applicable box:

o $110.00 No Credit/No Lodging & Meals Enclosed is my check for $ ____ _

o $150.00 3 Hrs. Credit/No Lodging & Meals (circle one: Deposit/ Full Amount) o $260.00 No Credit/Lodging & Meals made payable to: o $300.00 3 Hrs. Credit/Lodging & Meals United States Gymnastics Federation.

Lodging request must be received by May 17, 1985 Return to: *NOTE: A minimum nonrefundable deposit of $50 must accompany this registration form. The remaining balance will be due the first day of the seminar.

Department of Education and Safety United States Gymnastics Federation 1099 North Meridian-Suite 380 Indianapolis, IN 46204

Featured Clinicians DON PETERS

1984 Women's Olympic Gymnastics Coach

Coach of Kathy Johnson, Pam Bileck and Michelle Dusserre

ABlE GROSSFELD Former Olympian

1984 Olympic Gymnastics Coach

International Coach

I I'

SCOTT CROUSE

Member of the U.S. National Gymnastics Coaching Staff for Women

Coach of Numerous National and International Competitors

BELA KAROLYI

International Coach

Coach of Nadia Comaneci , Mary Lou Retton and Julianne McNamara

GREG WEISS U.S. National Elite Coach

Former Olympian

International Judge