“The very symbol of the sport, the handstand, is indeed one of the most important fundamental elements in gymnastics. Although often viewed as an individual skill, the handstand shape is repeatedly seen in every event, every exercise, and virtually every movement sequence.” Dr Gerald S. George, Ph.D. “Championship Gymnastics. Biomechanical Techniques For Shaping Winners” 2010 [Read more…]
The Traits the WORST Leaders Have in Common.
The Traits the Worst Leaders Have in Common (so that you can avoid them!)
I have written before about what great leaders should be like.
- How they’re empathetic
- How they’re humble, yet driven
- How they’re transparent, ethical and inspiring
As USA Gymnastics looks for it’s next CEO I remind myself, “don’t let the perfect become the enemy of the good”. The President and CEO’s job is HUGE. There will be some great candidates who check many of the boxes we are looking for and could be great leaders. But what about the traits that make for poor leaders? I’ve been a traveling consultant for about 10 years. I’ve seen a variety of head coaches and club owners who are inspiring leaders and some who were cancerous. This has helped me determine the kind of leader I want to be today. I can draw on the lessons of the great leaders and learn from the negative experiences as well.
I work best when I am working FOR something and not just AGAINST something but ultimately, I believe I have to know how NOT to operate in order to be the most effective versions of myself.
Here are the most harmful habits and traits I strive to avoid.
1. Operating with a lack of trust and transparency
Dishonesty is cancerous and difficult to cloak.
Which is to say, it poisons morale and makes your coworkers dislike you. And poisoned morale, of course, disrupts productivity and hinders your gym’s overall capacity for operating effectively.
If you think you can keep your team inspired while being dishonest to them about what’s happening behind closed doors, think again.
All of your staff — top to bottom — can tell when you’re lying to them.
In fact, there’s rarely a reason not to be entirely transparent with your team, especially at a gym where we employ young and energetic people. No matter the situation, your team deserves to understand what sort of logic or procedural mechanisms drive the decision-making processes at your company.
Moreover, people simply appreciate knowing where the gym stands — it inspires them. If you are honest, they will want to help shoulder more of the load.
2. Only pushing your own ideas
Great leaders and coaches seek creative solutions to thorny problems everywhere they look.
Ineffective leaders, on the other hand, approach problem-solving processes much more myopically.
They suffer from what I call “not-invented-here-syndrome.” I’ve experienced this first hand at a gym I worked at early in my career. The head coach refused to listen to others, like me, who were lower on the proverbial totem pole. I do not know if they ever realized how toxic this was for morale. Our ideas may NOT have worked but I think they at least deserved to be listed to.
Club owners and head coaches who don’t identify good ideas when they’re presented to them — even from the lowest employee on the team — stunt morale, potential, and, ultimately, their gym’s bottom line.
3. Playing the blame game
If you are the gym owner or head coach- The buck has to stop with you. You’re the one in charge. Unbreakable accountability is a burden you have to bear.
As it happens, a certain unwillingness to hold yourself accountable is a surefire sign of a cowardly leader. The worst leaders never accept responsibility for blunders, churned customers, or bad competitions. Instead, they expend effort looking for others to blame.
This, simply put, is unproductive, not to mention damaging. As a practice, it disincentivizes employees from taking risks or coming up with creative solutions to problems because they fear being the subject of the boss’s scorn. FIX THE PROBLEM, NOT THE BLAME.
4. Not listening to your employees
Great coaches and gym owners understand that inspiration can come from every employee on staff.
Failing to understand this — or, worse, willfully ignoring it — is an indicator of a defective leader, and certainly of a leader who will NEVER achieve greatness. Discrediting those who work “below you” simply because they’re technically subordinates is a sign of ignorance, and makes it impossible to build a loyal, engaged, and faithful team.
As it happens, a loyal and inspired team is exactly what leaders are charged with cultivating.
5. Focusing on the now and short-changing the future
This trait, in particular, is difficult in today’s environment to correct. In the 24 hour news cycle — in which positive reports and news meant to please anxious members take precedence above all other goals — it can be seen as sort of anthemic.
But great leaders prioritize and focus on projects and goals which will most benefit the company and are thus based in reality — not corporate hyperbole.
Prioritizing short-term goals risks long-term security.
6. Inconsistency
I have seen many coaches struggle with this. They change their plan too often. I tell them – it is often not about the PLAN – it is about the FOLLOW THROUGH.
Unfortunately, making a habit of that makes it difficult to achieve long-term goals. Strategy shifts must always be coordinated and well-thought out — not to mention transparent. The other coaches working with you should understand the logic informing the decisions you’re making, as well as the manner in which you’ve made them.
They have to believe that whatever decisions you’re making, you’re making for the betterment of the the team, the individual, the gym. It’s hard to remain confident in a leader who makes key decisions seemingly on a whim.
In fact, that sort of behavior only triggers confusion.
The central theme to all of these corporate failings is this: they erode trust and respect among your employees, and render you less effective as a leader in the long run.
At the end of the day, your employees and coworkers are your troops; they’re looking to be led. They need commanders they can depend on.
But in order to be that leader, you need to work consciously on developing the right sort of habits. Often, that starts with understanding how not to operate.
A TEAM Approach for The Future of USA Gymnastics.
It may be time for USA Gymnastics to consider a TEAM of individuals to become interim leaders until a permanent CEO can be found.
Who knows, maybe the new CEO and COO would be part of this team.
To be an effective leader you need to preach patience and planning. Very often, when I have rushed to make a decision the result is usually less than optimal. Being patient does not mean you are delaying or avoiding the inevitable. It is just waiting until you have the best information at hand. It is remembering the lesson of past mistakes and implementing a plan for the future.
The reality is that anyone WE (in the gymnastics world) would really want as CEO would have business interests, sit on Boards of companies, or possibly currently serving in congress. They would not be able to drop everything and start work at USA Gymnastics. It will take at least 6 months for them to divest their interests, sell shares or put things in a blind trust to be ready to accept a leadership role. This is not like applying for a job at Best Buy where you fill out your application on a Tuesday and can start a shift on Saturday. It is going to take time to find the right person. Give that person time to transition out of their current situation and into a leadership role at USA Gymnastics.
Rushing to get someone at the top is not going to help us.
Do I know someone who would be a great CEO? Yes. I know a few great candidates. Do I know a group of people who would make a great transition team? Yes.
To know what we want in the transition team we need to know what we would want for CEO. Please remember, these are my ideas, I am speaking for no one other than myself. Please feel free to share YOUR ideas in the comment section.
- Come from INSIDE the industry. They need to be able to speak our language.
- Be a great communicator for both INSIDE and OUTSIDE communications.
- Have a strong background in business and understand the complex financial situation USA Gymnastics is in.
- Have experience working with a Board of Directors.
- Be a team player. Not a bully. The National office is understaffed and I am sure morale is pretty low. They need someone they can rally behind.
- Be able to build alliances through out the sport (between NCAA, Suppliers, and different disciplines)
- Values Education. We need to continue to educate our professionals. Not just on safety and welfare but on technique and science.
- Be able to speak before US Congress, legal teams, and World Leaders.
- Work with Athletes, Professional Members and Club Owners to see our sport grow and become the gold standard in athlete safety.
- Be able to reach out to potential sponsors.
- Understand the true meaning of “Transparency” and “empowerment”
The transition team needs to start sooner rather than later. An added benefit of a TEAM approach is that it is easier to replace one member of a team instead of the head of the organization. The transition team will need to be diverse to fill all those needs. They need to be diplomats not bullies.
Strategic thinkers who will be able to implement short and long term plans. Build morale in the office and build confidence in the gymnastics community. Hire great minds, not just who is available and cheap. Work with the legal team and Board of Directors to navigate the legal issues facing USA Gymnastics. Work with Club Owners and Professional Members ensuring their voices are heard and that the organization reflects the needs of the membership.
Work with the survivors and their families. Help them find closure and have them help the federation move forward and put policies in place that would make us all safer.
As a coach, I have spent my career building people up. The mark of a good leader is that they work to make EVERYONE around them better. I believe in what USA Gymnastics can be. What it should be. I think we can find a team and a leader who can build it up. Not burn it down. Individuals who will replace the parts that are not working. Growth and Change are always difficult but necessary. USA Gymnastics has made far too many mistakes in it’s rush to find a fast solution. If we do not get this next one right- there is probably not going to be another chance.
Gymnastics IS GREAT- And we will make it EVEN BETTER
Once again we find gymnastics in the news. Those of us IN the industry – we are not helping ourselves when we post and share only negative news.
WE HAVE GREAT THINGS HAPPENING
- There are hundreds of clubs across the nation doing fundraisers for clubs damaged in Hurricane Michael.
- There are clinicians and coaches traveling throughout the world hosting clinics and training camps sharing the knowledge which we gained in the USA.
- Our Men’s and Women’s team are in Doha preparing for World Championships.
- Remember all the great things you are doing as a coach in the USA.
- Remember all the great things your club does giving back to the community.
- Remember that you are making a positive difference in the lives of children. A gymnast you have in class today may grow up to be a doctor that finds a cure for cancer. They will fail many times in their research but they learned about moving on from failure from you.
- A gymnast on your team who struggles through conditioning make grow up to be a fire fighter who rescues a larger adult because they learned perseverance from gymnastics.
- A gymnast on your team who barely makes it to practice on time because her life is so busy may grow up to be a world leader.
- That young coach who works for you who is so excited to learn and share their knowledge may one day become president of the federation.
Yes- we must own our failures.We must educate our community and do better, but we also must be proud of everything our gymnastics community has done , is doing and will do going forward! #GymnasticsStrong #GymnasticsProud #TogetherWeAreBetter.
Today- look forward to what we can do and Be proud of our accomplishments.
I have so much respect for each one of you. I thank you.
I am merely a reflection of your greatness.
Tony
It Takes THREE
As you know I have just returned from a rather lengthy work trip to Europe. My final stop was in the UK. I really enjoyed the pub culture. These pubs were not just places to meet and have a beer. They were parts of the community. They were set up to be comfortable and you did not feel rushed.
The 3rd place social theory.
In community building, the third place is the social surroundings separate from the two usual social environments of HOME (“first place”) and WORK (“second place”). Examples of third places would be environments such as churches, cafes, clubs, public libraries, or parks. In his influential book, The Great Good Place, Ray Oldenburg (1989, 1991) argues that third places are important for civil society, democracy, civic engagement, and establishing feelings of a sense of place.
In short, it takes 3 places to make your life complete.
Your Home
Your Work
That 3rd place.
Our Gyms have become the THIRD PLACE for many, if not MOST of our athletes.
In Business there is also the rule of 3. There must be a working partnership between 3 individuals or entities. At it’s simplest form you have the raw product, the manufacturer and the consumer. In an office it could be the Owner, the Manager, and the Program Director.
Each person must be competent and have the faith of the others for this to be a successful relationship where the whole is greater than the individual sum of its parts.
Each of us must be committed to maintaining the reputation of all of us. And all of us must be committed to maintaining the reputation of each of us.
—Jim Rohn
In our gyms we must have a working triad between the parent, the gymnast and the coach. Each building up and supporting the other.
Our industry has been in crisis for a while. Instead of looking to build up the other parts, we look to blame the other entities and tear them down. I believe that in USA Gymnastics the BEST IS YET TO COME. We have great things left to do in all disciplines.
This can only be achieved if we are working together for a common goal. Our strength is in our membership. The partnership between the ATHLETE, the COACH and the CLUB OWNER. Each party must strive for excellence while supporting each other.
USA Gymnastics should be about the ATHLETES first. The athletes should be protected by the federation, USOC, Safesport and every coach and club owner.
I find myself in a situation where I am involved in trying to start 2 different organizations. One for the CLUB OWNERS and one for ALL PRO MEMBERS.
The US Gymnastics Club Owners Association has the promise of being an important part of that triad. Of offering a guidance, protection and a voice for the club owners. Our experience in gymnastics has taught us that failure and set backs are part of the learning process. Each board member brings our own views into the mix and that diversity is our strength, not our weakness.
The US Elite Coaches Association is trying to get the US Professional Gymnastics Coaches Association off the ground. This will hopefully complete the triad.
I was in a bar recently (big surprise) arguing over what the hardest skill was to learn in gymnastics. As this was an educated group of professionals we all were focused on the important basic skills.
- The Kip
- The Roundoff
- The Hurdle
- Handstand
Each skill (and a few more) were all a good argument. I was more of an observer (mostly because this was in Italy and the conversation was going a bit faster than I could keep up). They asked me what my opinion was.
My response, “L’abilità più difficile? Pazienza.”
I will save you the Google Translation. “THE HARDEST SKILL? PATIENCE”.
Our end of the bar got quiet. Everyone nodded their head.
I believe in these organization. I believe in the reason they were founded and I believe in the people who took action.
It will take time and patience for us to forge a clear paths.
These organizations could be the base of our future. Each working in the best interests of their constituents while supporting each other.
Master Clinic. Civitavecchia, Italy
My Notes.
Differences between Italian Gymnastics Clubs and US Gymnastics Clubs.
- Our business are Private.
- We must keep at least 3 people happy to have them continue. The gymnast, the mom and the dad.
- We try to keep the girls in the gym for as many years as possible.
- American Gyms are VERY busy. We use every cm of space.
- School comes first. Very few clubs “home school”
I miei appunti.
Differenze tra club di ginnastica italiana e club di ginnastica americana.
I nostri affari sono privati.
Dobbiamo mantenere almeno 3 persone contente di averle. La ginnasta, la mamma e il papà.
Cerchiamo di tenere le ragazze in palestra per il maggior numero di anni possibile.
Le palestre americane sono MOLTO impegnate. Usiamo ogni cm di spazio.
La scuola viene prima di tutto. Pochissimi club “scuola domestica”
2. Most girls go to University. This is a big goal for many gymnasts. Only a small % will compete Nationally and even fewer Internationally.
Many MANY gymnasts in the USA. 12 make National Team. Maybe 10 compete Internationally each year
La maggior parte delle ragazze va all’università. Questo è un grande obiettivo per molte ginnaste. Solo una piccola percentuale competerà a livello nazionale e ancora meno a livello internazionale.
Forse Ginnaste da 200,ooo negli Stati Uniti. 12 fanno la squadra nazionale. Forse 10 gareggiano a livello internazionale ogni anno
3. Become Failure tolerant. It is part of the process. You cannot make a correction with out the possibility of making another mistake.
- Praise them when they try
- Catch them doing something right.
- Praise publicly- punish privately.
Diventa tollerante ai guasti. Fa parte del processo. Non è possibile effettuare una correzione senza la possibilità di commettere un altro errore.
Lodali quando ci provano
Prenderli a fare qualcosa di giusto.
Lode pubblicamente – punisci privatamente.
What Gymnasts want from a coach-
- Trust them
- Protect them
- Listen to Them
Keep your RULES simple
1- be on time
2- work HARDER than your hardest working gymnast (coach)
3- Coach the kid you are working with. (Focus on what YOU are doing)
4- Don’t come to me with a problem with out a potential solution
5- EVERYONE leaves with a smile
Cosa vogliono le ginnaste da un allenatore
Fidati di loro
Proteggili
Ascoltali
Mantieni le tue REGOLE semplici
1- essere in tempo
2- lavorare più duro della tua ginnasta di lavoro più dura (allenatore)
3- Allena il ragazzo con cui lavori. (Concentrati su ciò che stai facendo)
4- Non venire da me con un problema senza una potenziale soluzione
5- TUTTI lascia con un sorriso
In the USA we have Many many competitions.
1. Competitions must be fun
2. Learn to compete. Learn to WIN and to LOSE
3. Most competition seasons align with school year. This gives us summer to train skills and keeps the girls in the gym for summer.
4. Respect for competitors.
Negli Stati Uniti abbiamo molte competizioni.
1. Le competizioni devono essere divertenti
2. Impara a competere. Impara a vincere e perdere
3. La maggior parte delle stagioni di competizione si allinea con l’anno scolastico. Questo ci dà l’estate per allenare le abilità e mantiene le ragazze in palestra per l’estate.
4. Rispetto per i concorrenti.
Typical Groups Hours/ wk
- Pre competitive team. 4-5 year olds. 4-6
- Level 3. 6-8
- Level 4. 8-12
- Level 5/6. “TOPS” (+2-4 hrs/wk). 12-14
- Level 7/8. Developmental Team (20+). 14-16
- Level 9. 16-28
- Level 10. 16-28
International 28+
Physical Preparation (conditioning) is an event.
IF YOUR GYMNASTS ARE OFTEN LATE AND OFTEN LEAVE EARLY OR HAVE MANY EXCUSES- CHANGE WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
EVERY GROUP YOU HAVE IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT. EVERY GYMNAST WITHIN YOUR GROUP WILL BE DIFFERENT. STOP TREATING THEM THE SAME.
WITH GIRLS- IT’S A RACE TO INTRODUCE THEM TO AS MANY SKILLS AS POSSIBLE BEFORE AGE 13.
- AT 13 MORE SCHOOL. MORE FEAR. MORE STRESS. LESS TIME.
La preparazione fisica (condizionamento) è un evento.
SE I TUOI GINOMMETI SONO SPESI TARDI E SPESSO LASCIANO IN ANTICIPO O HANNO MOLTE SCUSE – CAMBIAMO COSA STAI FACENDO.
OGNI GRUPPO AVETE DIVENTARE DIVERSO. OGNI GINNASTICA NEL TUO GRUPPO SARÀ DIVERSA. SMETTERE DI TRATTARLI LO STESSO.
CON LE RAGAZZE – È UNA CORSA PER INTRODURLE COME MOLTE COMPETENZE COME POSSIBILE PRIMA DELL’ANNO 13.
AL 13 PIÙ SCUOLA. PIÙ PAURA. PIÙ STRESS. MENO TEMPO.
Physical Preparation for Gymnastics. Prepare the body, prepare the mind.
Small changes to conditioning to make it more sports specific
TELL THE WHAT THEY ARE CONDITIONING FOR!
KORBETT- HOW MANY PLACES CAN YOU DO ITY? 3x 5 in 3 different places
Stuck landings. In different places
30 second handstand 3 different places
Inverted V toe raises
1/2 leg lift and go to weak side
Fingertip pull up
Handstand shape- wall bars- pirouettes
Leg lift pike through- different grips.
Hanging pirouettes
Hanging pirouettes w/ pull up
P. Bar dip and walk
Hollow Press Circuit
Beam hands push up
Across floor warm up
Everyday warm up on Bars.
5 skills.
- Kip
- Cast Handstand
- In bar skill (clear hip, toe hand etc)
- Giant
- Flyaway
Floor Bars
- 30 seconds every grip
- 15 seconds invert grip
- 10 seconds each hand each grip
LECTURES
- Twisting, Teach It Right The First Time.
- Yurchenko Vaulting
- A Few Favorite Yurchenko Drills
- Yurchenko Blocking
- Other Drills, Shared by my friend Gerson Ramirez
- Developing A Plan for Bars
- 5 skills at Bars
It Is a Journey.
We cannot let the perfect become the enemy of the good. (I got torn apart on FB the other day for posting that statement. From someone who doesn’t know me. I have thick skin so I can handle it but it still hurt. It did get me thinking.)
We are waiting for a messiah. Someone to swoop in and lead. The perfect person does not exist and the perfect organization will have some weaker or flawed individuals. We cannot afford to let the PERFECT become the enemy of the GOOD. Real change is necessary for USA Gymnastics to grow. That process will have some hiccups and set backs. Kerry Perry came in and tried to do a good job and failed. Let’s learn from it and move on. There are a few organizations that are trying to help lead the change. The US Gymnastics Club Owners Association and The US Professional Gymnastic Coaches Association to name a two. They will not be perfect. They face an up hill battle and will have to make some difficult choices. But they are at least trying to make the sport a better experience for ALL those involved.
It is about the journey. Our sport is ever evolving. Look at the equipment we use today compared to what we as coaches competed on. The common coaching practices of today are going to look archaic in a few short years.
We must learn from our past successes and failures. We cannot hide from it. We need a team of great minds to come up with great ideas. Ideas to help us get back up.
It’s time we did something great.
I may be a dreamer but nothing great was ever accomplished with out it first being a dream.
- I believe that we still have great things to do. We can still have our New Deal or our Great Society.
- I believe we can continue with the success in the women’s program while protecting the athletes promising- NEVER AGAIN.
- I believe we can continue to grow the Trampoline and Tumbling program through out the USA
- I believe we can continue to improve the Men’s program as we support and protect NCAA programs.
- I believe that we can build a National Team Training Center for all disciplines that will make us all proud.
- I believe that we can form a partnership with athletes using their energy, enthusiasm and experience to help us on this journey.
A Thought About USA Gymnastics CEO
Somehow I have become an “elder statesman” in the sport of gymnastics. Since Kerry Perry’s resignation as CEO of USA Gymnastics I have had countless messages from friends and colleagues inside and out of the gymnastics industry.
Questions range from:
- “where do we go from here?”
- “who will be the next CEO?”
- “is gymnastics going to survive?”
- “She only lasted 9 months. Why would anyone want this job?”
and statements like
- “I’m surprised Perry made it that long”
- “There should be congressional oversight of gymnastics”
- “Now maybe we can heal our sport”
- “She only lasted 9 months. You Don’t want that job.” (this is from my father who knows nothing about gymnastics)
I am sure there are many great candidates for the CEO’s position. In the meantime I put my faith in the Board of Directors.
Answering some of the questions. I fully believe that GYMNASTICS will survive. Will USA Gymnastics survive? Most likely. There are some great people in the National Office who seemingly have held the federation together with tape and super glue but there will need to be some real and substantial changes. Possibly the next CEO is already someone who works in the National Office.
We can only go in one direction. Forward. We need to admit we made (and will make) mistakes. We must do what we can to rectify those mistakes. Learn from them and move on. More people have to be involved in the conversation. Athletes, Club Owners, Coaches and Administrators. When we put too much power into one persons hand it has a tendency to corrupt. Power Corrupts.
A New Way To Look At It.
I had a conversation the other day with someone who said, “Doesn’t it seem like this job is just TOO BIG for any one person?”
Sometime we do things a certain way because that is the way it has always been done. Read FOLDING TOWELS . Yes, someone needs to be “the Boss” but that person should be able to bring in their own management team. A team to help handle all the various critical responsibilities from athlete advocacy to club support and succoring sponsors. In my humble opinion there are just too many critical responsibilities and when we ask one person to do them all we are doomed to mediocrity.
A note on the call for Congressional Oversight of the Gymnastics Federation.
Although I do not like the bureaucracy that would be involved, I do not see that this would harm our sport. (just a thought).
Tony
My Dream About USA Gymnastics
I’ve had this reoccurring dream/nightmare where I take the job as CEO/President of USA gymnastics.
It is my first day, I go into the office there is one desk with 11 phones on it I and must do EVERYTHING! Membership, Marketing, Sanctions, Events, Rules and Policies, Safety and Education for ALL DISCIPLINES.
I usually wake up in a sweat, chuckle, take a deep breath and try to fall back a sleep.
The reality of USA Gymnastics is that there are some great people in the National Office. There are some great people on the Board of Directors and some great volunteers in all States, Regions and disciplines through out the country. It takes everyone to keep the ship sailing.
What do all these people have in common? They have answered a call to serve. They have a sense of duty and they may feel it a moral obligation to help the sport they love.
I have been involved in gymnastics my entire life. As a competitor, a coach, a club owner, an educator and an administrator. I have seen USA Gymnastics grow. I have seen mistakes and missteps and I have seen major victories.
It seems like every other social media post or news article is something knocking USA Gymnastics. An organization and a sport which I love. I do not think that there is ONE PERSON at USA Gymnastics or in the entire gymnastics community who thinks that we should continue status quo. Of course there needs to be changes. Real and significant changes have already happened. The next CEO/President will need to continue to make the sport safe for all participants while continuing to excel at the international level. As well as addressing issues where some programs under perform.
I do not think it is a stretch of the imagination to think that if, after the 2020 Olympics, the USA does not do well many people will be calling for changes from the top down. Fondly remembering the days when Marta was national team coordinator and Steve Penny was CEO.
We need to be careful we do not overcorrect. In March I wrote, It’s Time To Move Forward, I preached patience and planning. We need to remember what USA Gymnastics stands for. What is it’s purpose.
WHAT WE STAND FOR.
I believe we, in the gymnastic community, share common goals for GYMNASTICS and USA Gymnastics. We are about creating not destroying. We are about making those around us better.
- once again become the countries premier NGB in Safety and Education
- Increased enrollment in our gyms.
- Access to educational resources that will make each of us better coaches.
- Access to information to help us spot and stop abuse.
- Increased visibility of our sport at all levels. NCAA, JO, etc.
and of course- - Continued victories at the international level through all disciplines.
Answer that call to serve when it comes. Get off the sidelines.
And make sure you THANK those who do.
Vote of No Confidence
Vote of NO CONFIDENCE
Dear Gymnastics Community and Board of Directors
We, the undersigned coaches of the gymnastics industry and professional members in good standing with USA Gymnastics, have regretfully composed this letter to express our dissatisfaction with the current President Ms. Kerry Perry. Unfortunately, circumstances have left us no other recourse.
This letter is an expression of our “Vote of No Confidence” in Ms. Perry and her ability to run our federation. We understand the severity of this decision and did not arrive at it hastily. We have lost all trust, faith, and confidence in Ms. Perry’s ability to make decision for or lead USA Gymnastics.
USA Gymnastics has, for the most part, been a federation to be proud of, one where decisions were made on a collaborative basis with the best interest of all in mind. Supporting organizations and groups have always relied on USA Gymnastics to display experienced great vision from our current leaders, and where athletes, judges and coaches were given the respect and support needed to achieve our goals.
Throughout the past months, we have had concerns regarding Ms. Perry’s leadership specifically regarding trust, collaboration, decision making, vision, her lack of communication. We also believe that Ms. Perry failed to abide by the mission statement, “Win medals, Grow the Sport, Increase Visibility for the Sport, Lead and Serve the Sport”. All athletes, judges and coaches will succeed in a climate that sustains a passion for fairness. Athletes succeed best when the gymnastics federation maintains a strong partnership with the total membership at all levels. As coaches, we no longer have a voice.
Perry has not created a better gymnastics environment, but instead has created a toxic environment for both coaches and athletes. Without the recognition of mistakes or the willingness to listen to outside entities or her own trained competent coach members, there is no hope for changing or improvement and thus no way forward.
We feel she has a lack of attention to, preparation for, or appropriate prioritizing of, the requirements and interests of our entire membership body, as well as a failure to recognize and respect the expertise of the educational professionals in the membership.
We feel she has inconsistency in application of rules and an ongoing lack of respect toward many of the coaches and organizations that make up the USA Gymnastics Board of Directors. A federation cannot be run successful with a one-way avenue of communication. Even when input is sought, there is a failure to follow through or a total disregard for the communication in the first place. Ideas of many; when communication occurs, it is too often delayed and incomplete. There’s just an overall feeling of we as coaches are losing ground all the time. We need a different, more solid leadership, we need a firm direction to head towards. The moral is just too low and feel it is time for a change.
For these reasons stated, we the undersigned are voting “No Confidence” in Ms. Perry and hope and believe that you as a USA Gymnastics professional member and role model will make the right decision and chose what is in the best interest for the industry including the athletes, coaches and judges of all disciplines and vote no confidence as well.
Together, as professional members, we can make positive change.
US Elite Coaches Association for Women’s Gymnastics
Established 1976