Inside USA Gymnastics

Steve Penny
July/August 2005

This summer promises to be an exciting one for gymnastics fans! Hightlighted by the Visa Championships coming to Indianapolis August 10-13, gymnastics enthusiasts will have an opportunity to view our young and talented rising stars. New champions will be crowned for Women, Men, Ryhthmic, and Acrobatic Gymnastics. Watch as frontrunners for 2008 begin the quest to make their mark to answer the question "Who's Next?"

Don't miss the 41st annual National Congress and Trade Show. Conducted over a three day span August 10-13, over 130 educational sessions will be offered with topics covering business, preschool, sports sciences, all six disciplines and more. Activities are plentiful with offerings at the Exhibition Hall, Congress Dance Oarty, Business Conference; and the Hall of Fame Luncheon honoring 2005 inductees Harry Bjerke, Amy Chow, Dominique Dawes, Kelli Hill, Jenifer Lovell Moreno, John Roethlisberger, and Chaiey Umphrey.

The women's new Junior Olympic Compulsory routines have recently debuted at National Compulsory Workshops in Louisville and Reno, in addition to several Regional Workshops. Met with overwhelming enthusiasm, the more than 4,000 members who took advantage of this unique opportunity learned the few routines firsthand via active participation. Special congratulations to Chairman Tom Koll and the entire Women's Junior Olympic Program Committee for the dedication and passion in which they created the foundation for female athletes. Also, congratulations go out to the Women's Technical Committee for their assistance in the development of the J.O. Code of Points and conducting several Technical Symposiums. Additionally, July marks the rollout of the new USA Gymnastics women's Judging Accreditation Program, with the first judges tests administratered at the National NAWGJ Symposium.

The World Games, featuring over 3,000 athletes from 80 countries competing in 30+ non-Olympic sports, will take place July 14-24 in Duisburg, Germany. USA is sending a strong delegation with athletes competing in Rhythmic, Trampoline and Tumbling, and Acrobatic Gymnastics.

Don't forget to mark your calendars for August 6 when we once again celebrate National Gymnastics Day. Led by co-chairs Bela Karolyi and Mary Lou Retton, USA Gymnastics has once again partnered with the Children's Miracle Network for our seventh annual National Gymnastics Day fundraising efforts. For more information, visit http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/events/2005/ngd/

We hope you see one or more of USA Gymnastics' exciting events or take advantage of the many educational opportunities this summer.

Sincerely,

Steve Penny
President

This article is reprinted from the July/August 2005 USA Gymnastics magazine, Vol. 34, No. 4.

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