Know a Coach - Kim Zmeskal Burdette

What is there to say about Kim Zmeskal-Burdette that the average gymnastics enthusiast doesn't already know? She was the leader of the Karolyi Six Pack, the 1991 World All-Around Champion, and the USA's shining hope for AA gold in Barcelona. She was known for her power on floor and her solidity on beam--not to mention that gorgeous mount.

Zmeskal-Burdette isn't tumbling much herself these days--at least, not in the public eye. But as owner of Texas Dreams Gymnastics (along with husband Chris Burdette), who knows what skills she throws around when the athletes have all gone home? I like to think she still has a whipback series in her.

Maybe not. But who knows?

Zmeskal-Burdette was born in Houston, Texas on February 6, 1976. She trained as a gymnast under Bela Karolyi from a young age, in the very same gym as 1984 Olympic Champion and current Trivial Pursuit answer Mary Lou Retton. By the age of thirteen, Zmeskal-Burdette was a rising star, as well as U.S. Junior National Champion. Two years later, she shocked the world by becoming the first American woman to win the World Championship All-Around gold medal.

Most of us know this story, but we can rehash it briefly for those who don't. After a fantastic showing at Olympic Trials in 1992, Zmeskal-Burdette was named to the team and was expected to come home with some major hardware--including a possible All-Around gold medal. But a fall off the beam during compulsories on the first night of competition forced her to fight back hard to even earn a spot in the All Around--which she did. Zmeskal-Burdette helped the American team reach the podium in bronze medal position, but after a mistake during her floor routine in the All-Around, she ended up 10th.

It wasn't the dream, but for godsake, she had two major, uncharacteristic errors and STILL managed to come in tenth. Not. Too. Shabby.

Injuries put the kabosh on later attempts at a return to the Olympics, but at one time, Zmeskal-Burdette was considered a serious potential contender for the 2000 team--eight years after her first Olympics. She wanted to be the old lady on the team before being the old lady was cool.

Her talent and knowledge of the sport would not go to waste, however. In 2000, Kim married Chris Burdette, and together they opened Texas Dreams Gymnastics in Coppell, Texas in 2001. 

As a coach and gym owner, Zmeskal-Burdette has produced several elite-level athletes, including current Senior National Team member and Georgia recruit Chelsea Davis, and Junior National Team member Kennedy Baker. Chelsea Davis was also named to the 2011 World Championships team, although injury during training right before the competition left her off the floor.

The Burdettes are parents to three young children, two boys and one girl. Zmeskal-Burdette has often been mentioned by gymnatics enthusiasts as a possible eventual National Team Coordinator, a position currently held by her former coach's wife, Martha Karolyi.



http://gymnastics.about.com/od/famousgymnasts/ig/Where-Are-They-Now-/Update--Kim-Zmeskal.htm

http://www.gymnasticshalloffame.org/files/bio/k_zmeskal/k_zmeskal.html


http://www.ask.com/wiki/Kim_Zmeskal


http://www.gymnasticsonline.co.uk/html/kim_zmeskal_.html


http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/


http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/52134/biography_of_us_gymnast_kim_zmeskal.html?cat=14


http://www.texasdreamsgymnastics.com/

Know a Coach - Mary Lee Tracy

There is not a dedicated gymnastics fan who is not aware of MLT. Even as a kid during the Atlanta Games in 1996, I knew the names of only two coaches--Bela Karolyi and Mary Lee Tracy.

That's because 1996 was arguably MLT's most successful year as an elite gymnastics coach. She sent two athletes--Jaycie Phelps and Amanda Borden--to Atlanta from her Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy, and was named Assistant Coach during those Games, as well. It was in 1996 when MLT became a name in gymnastics to the casual viewer, but it was not by any means her debut as an important influence on the sport.

It began, in fact, in 1977. Tracy was a recent high school graduate and a Ben-Gal cheerleader (the cutesy name of the Cincinnati Bengals' cheerleaders). She had a foundation in tumbling from her experience as a high school cheerleader, and when an opportunity arose to turn that foundation into a coaching job at a Cincinnati gym, she took it. According to those who worked with her, including the gym's PR director Lynne Ruhl, MLT was a quick study and had a natural gift for learning and relaying as a teacher.

In 1983, at the age of only twenty-four, MLT seized the opportunity to buy the gym, despite her fear and misgivings. She believed it was the opportunity of a lifetime, and the Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy was born in a less-than-ideal storage shed-like facility. After some renovations, both Borden and Phelps earned their Olympic berths as students in the old facility. In 1997, however, Tracy turned her new success and, one can only guess, vastly expanded income, and purchased a much more appropriate facility in Fairfield, Ohio.

Training under MLT includes sharing her philosophical ideas, and she expects her instructors to follow suit. It's a controversial standpoint, but Tracy believes in it, and does not apologize for making Bible Study a part of her gymnastics coaching style.

“I like my style,” she said in an interview with the Cincinnati Enquirer in 2000. “My core philosophies aren't going to change.”

After Tracy's success in 1996, there were high expectation for her to place more gymnasts on the 2000 Sydney Olympics team. With several promising prospects, including Jennie Thompson and 1996 gold medalist Dominique Moceanu, these expectations were not unreasonable.

However, in the Olympic year, Moceanu, Thompson, and Sierra Sapunar all sat out trials with injuries that just weren't going to heal in time for the Games (Thompson actually retired completely; Sapunar went to college that fall). After a sub par showing at trials, Alyssa Beckerman was named as an alternate. Only Morgan White was actually named to the squad, but after suffering a broken foot, she was replaced by another alternate, Tasha Schweikert. With five promising hopefuls under her tutelage, CGA was completely unrepresented by any athlete in Sydney. Tracy did serve as Assistant Coach to the Olympic team for the second time, with Kelli Hill serving as head coach.

In a 2004 Cincinnati Enquirer interview, Tracy said, "That was definitely the period of my career where I was feeling doubt and wasn't sure it was worth it."

Since 2000, Tracy has coached numerous elite and eventual NCAA athletes to successful careers. Her athletes have represented the US on countless international assignments, including World Championships. CGA has not placed an Olympic Team member since 2000, including alternates, but Tracy is always stocked with a groups of talented elites ready to rise up in the ranks and fight for those few precious spots.

Currently, Tracy trains Cassie Whitcomb, an athlete known for her lovely, increasingly difficult bars work; Amanda Jetter, who recently took the silver medal in the all around at the 2010 Covergirl Classic; and several talented juniors, including Lexie Priessman, who took the all around title at the first ever Nastia Liukin Cup in 2010. She also took in a gymless Kayla Williams, 2009 World vault champion, though injury forced Kayla to retire from elite competition and focus on her upcoming NCAA career.

In addition to training top level athletes, MLT has a passion for charity work, including involvement with the Special Olympics, Children's Miracle Network, and recently Pantene's Beautiful Lengths program.

Mary Lee Tracy is one of the most recognizable and successful gymnastics coaches in the United States. Her methods and techniques have been called controversial, and there is often speculation among gym fans as to what training is really like at CGA. But despite a recent lull in international successes, Tracy continues to produce gifted athletes who frequently go on to have excellent NCAA careers, and many of them speak fondly of their time training under her at CGA.

In a 2008 interview with Inside Gymnastics, Jennie Thompson said, "Even though I learned many new gymnastics skills, made two World teams and a bunch of other stuff, I will always remember those years as the time in my life when I grew into the person I am today. Mary Lee taught me how to enjoy the process of both life and gymnastics."





Sources:

http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2000/02/20/spt_tracy_trains.html

http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/06/01/spt_sptsgym1a.html

http://www.insidegymnastics.com/content/show/newsarticle.aspx?articleid=290&zoneid=1

http://www.usaproject2012.com/9/mary-lee-tracy.html

http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/pages/post.html?PostID=1326&prog=h

http://cincinnatigymnastics.com/?page_id=37

http://www.nytimes.com/2000/08/18/sports/olympics-injured-moceanu-forced-out-of-competition.html?n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/M/Moceanu,%20Dominique

http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2000/06/16/spt_injury_ends_gymnasts.html

http://www.shanfan.com/bios/whitebio.html

http://www2.usa-gymnastics.org/bios/athletebios.php?id=047907

Know a Coach - Marvin Sharp

Marvin Sharp

This one has been a challenge. There is a significant dearth of information available about Sharp outside of his basic coaching background. As in, personal information is scarce. Even still, I won't be deterred, because I have a few hours to kill and I'm lame. Off we go.

According to Marvin Sharp's bio on SharpsGym.com, the coach of current National Champion Bridget Sloan was born in Newport, Oregon "a long time ago..." Search as I have, I was unable to find Sharp's exact birthday, so if anyone can find this for me and provide a source, I'll let them pick the next coach for this feature. I did find out that he graduated from college in 1989, so he's roughly 42. We'll say "early to mid forties."

Despite his questionable age (vampire? immortal?), Sharp began coaching in Oregon in the late eighties at the National Academy of Artistic Gymnastics. In 1988, he was put in the position of Junior Elite Head Coach. From there, he gym-hopped for a few years, finally settling in Indiana in 1994 as the head coach at the Indy School of Gymnastics.

For seven years, he remained head coach and at times, gym manager, of the successful program. But when the program began to crumble and it became clear that an earlier agreement that he would eventually take over ownership of the gym would not come to fruition, Sharp packed up and opened Sharp's Gymnastics Academy in 2001. He didn't leave empty handed, however; five coaches and over fifty team members followed him, and the dream was born.

[click here and scroll down for pictures of Sharp's under construction]

Sharp's vision for his new gymnastics school was one of a place that would promote fun, safety and health in all situations. He wanted a facility in which top level athletes could train, but the littlest gymnasts could thrive in a warm environment, too.

"I want SGA to be a positive place to workout, while offering the highest level of gymnastics training available. I believe in a preventative style of training. We use rehabilitation and training exercises to help prevent injuries. We also spend time emphasizing good nutritional habits. I know our athletes are some of the most physically fit in the USA." - Marvin Sharp

Sharp credits much of his philosophy on coaching to his collegiate studies in child psychology and coaching. He believes that the knowledge gained through his college education prepared him to teach without instilling the fear that's become such a stereotype (in many cases, for good reason) in gymnastics. Everything he does circles back to that original mission - safety, fun and health.

A celebrated coach at both the national and international levels, Sharp has only recently stepped into the spotlight in a major way. He's often been overshadowed by some of the more sensational names in gymnastics coaching, but his successes and years of dedication have finally paid off and the accolades are many.

In addition to numerous titles and awards, Sharp holds a Master of Sports Science and is the Education Chairman for USA Gymnastics Indiana. While most noted for his success as coach of 2008 Olympic Team Silver Medalist and current National Champion Bridget Sloan, Sharp has coached athletes who have gone on to compete at UCLA, Utah and Alabama, to name a few. A few months after the Olympics, he also welcomed Sloan's teammate and co-silver medalist from the 2008 Beijing squad, Samantha Peszek, to Sharp's after her long-time coach moved home to China.

On a separate but related note, Sharp also fancies himself a gymnastics photographer, a little known but very cool fact. You can see his work here.


Sources:

http://www.sharpsgym.com/sharp.html

http://www.insidegymnastics.com/content/show/newsarticle.aspx?a=625&z=1&page=2

http://www.sharpsgym.com/story.html

http://www.usolympiccollection.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59:bridgetsloan&catid=35:team-rings-news&Itemid=55

http://www.sharpsgym.com/sharpsimages.html

http://www.oregonquarterly.com/summer2009/class_notes.php

http://www.sharpsboosters.org/

Know a Coach - Valeri Liukin

For the first installment of "Know a Coach," I'm going to begin with the current most prominent name in gymnastics coaching. Although it can be argued (successfully) that the Liukins are saturating gymnastics coverage these days, I think Valeri's topical relevance makes him a logical first pick.


Valeri Liukin

Valeri Liukin was born in Aktyubinsk, Kazakhstan on December 17th, 1966. He began his gymnastics training at seven years old, and at sixteen, he left his parents' home to train in Moscow.

Valeri's decorated career was propelled by his performance at the 1987 European Championships, where he became the first gymnast to compete a triple back somersault. The skill is named after him in the code of points, and launched him into gymnastics history.

See the skill below; it's his first pass. It's not flawless, but DAMN he gets some air. Amazing. According to the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame, the Liukin is still considered the hardest skill ever performed by a gymnast. I'm sure someone could debate that, but I'm not going to try.




Liukin went on to compete at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, falling short of the all-around gold by a mere tenth of a point. That tenth can come down to the very tiniest of form errors or mistakes - a mini-step on a landing; a handstand on the highbar that doesn't quite hit; a flight element that could have been a tad higher. In essence, it's the difference between gold and silver, the itty-bitty details that quantitate perfection.

Valeri met his lovely wife, World Champion rhythmic gymnast Anna Kochneva, in 1987, and the pair of genetically gifted gymnasts married in December of 1988. A mere ten months later, they welcomed daughter Anastasia into the world.

Despite the formation of his young new family, Valeri continued competing through the 1991 World Championships, where he took bronze in the all-around. In 1992, Valeri, Anna and little Nastia moved to the United States in pursuit of a better life. They first settled in New Orleans, but found the atmosphere incompatible with their goals of establishing a successful gymnastics school. Along with friend (and future subject of Know a Coach), Yevgeny Marchenko, Valeri flew to Plano, Texas to explore the possibility of setting up shop out west.

Once Valeri and Yevgeny decided that Plano was the right setting for their venture, it became a matter of funding. Valeri sold some property, but the capital wasn't enough. So when an opportunity came along to win $15,000 in a costumed gymnastics event, the resourceful Liukin went for it. Fifteen grand later, the Liukins and Marchenko were ready to get the gym off the ground.

The family lived modestly while Valeri and Yevgeny remodeled an old supermarket on Parker Road. On February 1st, 1994, WOGA opened its doors and history was made.

Liukin's and Yevgeny's dream now boasts three separate locations—the original, in Plano, as well as gyms in Dallas and Frisco. The two coaches and their staffs have produced two Olympic Champions (Carly Patterson in 2004; Nastia Liukin in 2008), and currently have three athletes on the Senior International Elite Team and three on the Junior International Elite Team.

While incredibly successful now, Liukin is a man who paid his dues. A ground-breaking and decorated gymnast, Valeri rose from humble beginnings to international renown on multiple fronts. Both his great talent as a gymnast and his skills as a coach have defined his place in gymnastics history, even as he continues to write his part of that story.



Sources:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/olympics/nastia/stories/080308dnsponastia.41c367e.html

http://www.ighof.com/honorees/honorees_liukin.html

http://www.mahalo.com/valeri-liukin

http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=621/news/newsid=133390.html

http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/home/nationalteams/women.php

Know a Coach

I'm planning to add a new segment to the blog called "Know a Coach." There are so many fantastic coaches out there, working with some of the world's best athletes, but only a few big names ever really become household names. And even most of those are only within gymnastics households.

I am going to start with the currently working and relevant coaches, researching them as thoroughly as possible, and posting one blog per week with a new coach to "know." I decided to start with today's coaches because those are the names we're hearing the most right now, and for my own interest and that of my readers, I think it makes sense to familiarize ourselves with them first. Later, I'd like to dive into some of the coaches of yore, from the ones who are long gone to the ones who have retired but their relevance remains.

I'd like to get the first piece of the segment up by this weekend. Check back or follow me on Blogger or Twitter for updates.