Paul Hamm: Did He Deserve Gymnastics Gold in 2004?Written by Murray Hughes
What’s controversy all about?In 2004 Olympics, an all-star group of athletes from around world gathered together to compete for titles in gymnastics. In spirit of competition, there are always tensions between analysts and spokespersons about whether or not athletes deserve medals they receive. Sometimes, judges are found to be at fault for controversy, and other times fiasco is trumped up by uneducated speculation. In this case, Paul Hamm stir was due to an ancillary error.: judges mistakenly set his rival’s starting score at 9.9 rather than 10.0. Many believe that it is this error that cost Yang Tae Young, South Korean rival of Paul Hamm, all-around gold medal in gymnastics. Gymnastics judging is not a science. This is proven again and again. There is no mathematical way of measuring gymnastics routines -- in fact, gymnastics is perhaps one of most subjective sports of all. No goals are involved, as in soccer - no hoops like in basketball; no bullseyes are involved, as in archery; one does not go for distance or height, as in pole vaulting or shot put. In gymnastics, an athlete is judged on form, scored on perfection. It is exceedingly difficult to do so accurately, as there are no vectors that can be calculated to see if someone grasps hold of parallel bars incorrectly or lands with a wobble. If you have ever been to a gymnastics competition, you probably understand that panels look at execution for their scoring: something that is full of twists and turns and is poorly executed will score lower than something that is simpler but perfectly executed. The criteria for measuring this aspect of gymnastics include stability and landings -- whether or not he or she wavered in element’s terminus, or held position for less than three seconds at end of routine, or took an extra step or stumbled. This does indeed lead to criticism of judges’ abilities to do their job, and leads also to mistakes in scoring. Why does Paul Hamm deserve gold? Paul Hamm, like any other athlete, is and was not a part of politics of game. He was there to compete, and indeed, he was there to win. This is goal of thousands of Olympic hopefuls around world -- to go to games and to show their skill at sport they love best. In all actuality, no athlete should have to deal with things Paul Hamm was forced through. It is entirely understandable that he should refuse to give up his medal -- gold is certainly not tainted; it was his and his alone. The mistakes of judges are not his to bear. He is an incredible gymnast, indeed.
| | 5 Tips For Motivating Your Gymnast – A Basic OverviewWritten by Murray Hughes
For every gymnast, there is a different motivational need. This is same in anything, really -- we all have different ways in which we are given confidence in ourselves, no matter what we do. Whether we write or draw, sing or dance, we all need encouragement. Indeed, gymnasts need encouragement in their sport more than many, because they are actually attempting to train their bodies and their minds in order to move correctly, to be able to take strain of sport. As a parent of a gymnast, there are many ways in which you can motivate your child. Some of them might work. Some of them might not. Find what is most comfortable for you and your gymnast and stick with it. It’s easier for you both that way.Show Interest First and foremost, in order to motivate a child--most certainly a gymnast--you need to show interest in what they are doing. If he or she feels as though you are uninterested in sport as a whole, then they may become discouraged all together. How do you show interest, even if gymnastics aren’t your absolute favorite sport in world? Actually, it’s pretty easy. First, you can warm up with them before they train. Join in with their stretches or their jogging, if you can. It feels good and it sets an example. If you don’t want to run around with them, then you can ask them about their days at practice. What did they do? What did they learn? Many young gymnasts will jump at chance to teach their parents something. It gives them sense that you have things to learn from them, and all around, it is a wholesome feeling. Finally, it’s a good idea to attend at least one of their practices every once in a while. Make effort. It will be worthwhile for everyone concerned. Also, good communication with coaches can be established there, which can certainly be beneficial. Education Education about sport is a great way to motivate your young gymnast! For enthusiast, this should be an easy matter. Just take care not to overwhelm your child with too much information at once. There is no dearth of exciting information out there about gymnastics, from types of maneuvers that can be made in many variations of sport: rings, vaulting, parallel bars, and so on., to salaries of professional gymnastics specialists in circuses and theatrical shows, to accomplishments of gymnasts around globe. This can certainly foster interest. If indeed it does, then encourage them to pursue it! Positive Feedback When your child is involved with gymnastics, it is always good to offer them positive feedback, no matter what they do. Instead of pointing out flaws directly, you should give them praise for what they did correctly in their drills or in their competitions. Don’t allow them to get down about doing things incorrectly or incompletely -- instead, keep their spirits up by telling them to repeat what they did correctly before. This is usually used in conjunction with constructive criticism, and it generally works best out of all of motivational methods for most people. For some, it can be somewhat irritating; some actually prefer honest criticism so that they can improve by knowing what they did wrong. For majority, it is heartening to hear someone say, “Well, this was really impressive…”
|
