USGF

TECHNICAL Journa-1

Official Technical Publication of ·the United States Gymnastics Federation

April, 1982

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Kathy Johnson, incorporating ballet drills into her warm up at the USA vs China Dual Meet in Los Angeles, March, 1982.

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UBGF TECHNICAL

Journal April, 1982

USGF Scientific and Technical Journal Publlshed Exclusively tor the USGF Professional Membership

Vol. 2, No. 2

Vol. 2, No. 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Successful Communication = Successful Gymnastics Performance, Keith P. Henschen ------------~age 4 Medical Problems in Ballet - A Round Table age 5 Nutritional Concerns for the Dancer, Marilyn S. Peterson age 8 Nutrition and Competitive Gymnastics, Michelle KlingsburY----------------- Page 10 Guest Opinion - Dr. James Campbell Page 10 Tsukahara Vault, Don Freeman, Mike Millidonis Page 11 Executive Committee Minutes Page 12

• Editorial - By Roger Counsil

THE ULTIMATE DIRECTION FOR THE USGF TECHNICAL JOURNAL

While still in its infancy, we are beginning to make some realizations and develop a definite philosophy concerning the USGF Technical Journal. We know that the Technical Journal is a much needed part of the USGF community when it is properly developed. The Technical Journal needs to serve many purposes that are not served by the USGF GYMNASTICS.

Philosophically the USGF GYMNASTICS is a general interest magazine which covers events in which the USA National Teams are involved and focuses on our athletes. The USGF Technical Journal, on the other hand , should serve the operational end of the USGF. What do I mean by operational? That is to say, the coaches, judges, and administrators who are concerned with making the USGF work smoothly as an org.anization. Regarding the coaches, the content of the Technical Journal should not only be technique as it relates to gymnastics skills but also articles drawn from sports science of a more general, philosophical nature so that coaches and trainers can have an underline body of knowledge that helps guide their coaching philosophies along proper avenues. Regarding the administrative end of the USGF, those people who serve on committees and who are concerned with the administration of the USGF, need to be informed regarding USGF policy. Many USGF committees develop policy through their meetings and the recommendations that each committee makes to the USGF Executive Committee. It is through the Technical Journal that the professional constituency of the USGF can be informed as policy is enacted upon by the Executive Committee

Furthering the credibility of our Technical Journal, we are creating an editorial board who will review the Sports Science portion of the Technical Journal. This editorial board will be comprised of members of the various Sports Science committees (i.e. Bio-mechanics, Sports Medicine, Sports Psychology, etc.). These people will evaluate the content that pertains to their field of expertise. The articles can be submitted from researchers from throughout the country. In addition to the Sports Science area, the Technical Journal will include Technical Gymnastics articles, submitted by our expert coaches in the sport.

In summary, the USGF Technical Journal can serve as one of our means of transferring informative technical and philosophical articles which will help all of us be more effective in the disposition of our responsibilities.

We feel that we are on the right track. We have many hurdles to clear yet before the Technical Journal is exactly the way it should be but we are working hard trying to broaden the base of sources for copy so that we can offer you a diversity of information within the framework presented. We hope that you as a member of the gymnastics community can cooperate with the managing editor of the Technical Journal, Debbie Forsten. And if you have areas of special interest, you will submit articles, pertaining .to all levels of gymnastics, for review for publication; so that the entire gymnastics community can benefit from the sharing of knowledge and experience.

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Unless expressly identified to the. contrary. all articles, statements and views printed herein are attributable solely to the author and the United States Gymnastics Federation expresses no opinion thereon and assumes no responsibiiity therefor.

Successful Communication = Successful Gymnastics Performance

By Keith P. Henschen •

Keith Henschen , Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Physical Education at the University of Utah

One phenomena which contributes to numerous problems within a gymnastics team is the area of communication. Communication is many faceted and can occur intentionally or very innocently. A coach may try extremely hard to have effective communication yet be unsuccessful ; while on the other hand, a coach may accidently convey the very impressions he wishes to eliminate. A perceptive coach will undoubtedly consider all the aspects of communication when establishing his overall program. Therefore, the real crux of the difficulty with the area of communication is the fact that it is ongoing. Rather than a phenomena which you can address once and be through with it, it is a problem which requires continuous attention.

Most coaches operate under the misguided premise that communication is for the most part verbal; but this assumption is only a half truth. A great deal of our interpersonal communication is through nonverbal behavior, body gestures, and tone of voice. These nonverbal messages definitely color what we say verbally. Verbal communication is used to convey the content portion of communication; however, it is not adequate for the relational aspects of communication. On the other hand , nonverbal communication conveys the relational aspects but is not precise in terms of the content. Therefore, integration of these two components of language is necessary but very difficu lt. In the process of interpreting verbal and nonverbal messages, information may be lost or distorted.

Communication, therefore, is far more complex than simply saying something . The receiver of the message must translate all the various ways in which the sender is communicating . At the same time, the receiver must be aware of his own interpretation system. Also, one must bear in mind that people communicate differently, in addition to communicating verbal ly. Simultaneously, a person can communicate with gestures, facial expressions, body posture and movements, tone of voice, and the manner in which a person dresses.

To date, this article has primarily addressed the area of individual communication; but what about team communication? When a team communicates effectively, it is like a finely tuned orchestra where the talents of individuals blend together in a great symphony. But very few gymnastics teams actually communicate effectively. When Charlie Brown and his friends gather on the mound, a symphony does not normally occur. Instead, the communicative confusion and discord seems more like the jangling disharmony of a junior high band warming up.

This illustration is of course humorous, but hopefully it also conveys an important point - communicat ion is essentia l for effective team functioning. It. must be planned for and is a necessary prerequisite for team coehesion.

Stages of Group Development

Any group, whether it is in the sports realm such as gymnastics or in any other situation, will experience certain stages as they develop. These stages have direct implicat ions upon the communication of a team. The coach who is

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aware of and understands these stages shou ld structure the team atmosphere so that they can occur naturally and then insert key communication principles at the appropriate times. All teams will follow this order of developmental stages:

FORMING

STORMING

NORMING

PERFORMING

It is of course imperative that the final stage of "performing" be reached just prior to the championship meets at the conclusion of each season. The successful gymnastics team will emerge as a more mature entity upon completion of these stages and thus perform to the best of their abilities.

Communication Tips

As was mentioned earlier, effective communication is no accident. It is planned and eventually achieved. As a team works its way through the four stages of development, a number of important concepts should be kept in mind by the coach to facilitate this progress.

These concepts can be considered as tips for communication between coaches and athletes.

General Communication Principles:

'1 . No one communication technique will meet all needs. 2. Confidence is basic and is a principle of communication.

'3. Actions speak louder than words in communication. 4. Each communication program needs to be tailored to fit the needs and

wants of the individual gymnast. 5. Planning for any major decisions should include planning for

communicating it to those who will be affected by it. 6. Generalized or "canned" communications cannot form the core of a good

communication program. '7. Establish good daily communication . 8. A person's ability to communicate tends to vary with his/ her own

understanding of the subject to be communicated. '9. A coach's effectiveness with communication tends to vary directly with his

belief in the importance and value of adequate communication. 10. Development of good communication relationships takes time.

Preparing for Communication:

1. Each communication problem presents a different situation and each problem can best be solved in terms of that particular situation.

'2. Communicate in terms of the gymnast's self interests and background. '3. Talking down to a gymnast usually produces a negative response. 4. A communication will be better accepted and understood if valid reasons

are provided for the particular viewpoint or fact that is being presented. '5. A variety of communication methods will help maintain the gymnast's

attention.

Transmitting the Communication:

' 1. Communicate in small doses. '2. Information to be retained for long periods should be repeated

periodically. '3. Communication should flow both ways between coaches and athfetes.

'Denotes very important concepts.

The previous listing is a suggestion of attitudes and principles which can eventually lead -to effective communication. The wise coach also realizes that there are a vast number of poor communication attitudes, habits and techniques which should be avoided if at all possible. These poor communication techniques are as follows:

1. Interrupting a gymnast with questions: this many times serves to side track the real issues.

2. Do not permit long silences: this usually breeds misconceptions. 3. Do not interpret a gymnast's words or feelings . All you can do is tell

him what you think he has told you. 4. Give advice but allow each individ ual to select a solution. 5. Place the responsibility of the problem on the gymnast - empathize

but do not sympathize. 6. Do not belittle, ridicule or argue. 7. Become sensitive to individual differences, do not treat all gymnasts

alike or remain indifferent.

USGF TECHNICAL JOURNAL

Conclusions

Initially a gymnastics coach should closely examine his attitude concerning each of his gymnasts. This is crucia l because how you fee l about an individual has a definite influence on your ability to hear what he is saying. You must also be able to convince the gymnast that you are not attempting to defend any particular position, but rather are considering all problems with an open mind. Show the athlete that you are genuinely interested in what he has to say. In addition, be attentive and take note of voice cues. Attempt to deve lop good listening ski ll s. Become aware of "feeling" words and listen to the gymnast's tone of voice. Listening is riot a natural skill - it must be perfected .

Communication does reveal a lot about people. As a perceptive " listener" one can hear not on ly what a person is verbally expressing but also what is being stated nonverbally. Since messages are sent and received on both verbal and nonverbal levels, effective interpersonal communication skills include communicating with congruent messages. Many times when incongruent messages are transmitted , the receiver can become confused as to what the message really is. For example, one can verbally say, " I care about you and if you need help come to me" and yet nonverbally say, "keep your distance, I am only interested in you if you win". lncongruency can distort communication and reduce one's effectiveness in interpersonal relationships . Being perceptive to messages being elicited can aid in these relationsh ips. It is important that coaches or others in leadership positions develop strong communication sk ills and be perceptive -to those around them.

This article has attempted to outline the various components or aspects of communication with which the coach must be cognizant. Nevertheless, there remains one aspect of communication which is still an intangible - YOU .

REFERENCES

Egan, Gerand . You and Me: The Skills of Communicating and Relating To Others. Monterey, California: Brooks/ Cole Publishing Company, 1977.

Fast, Julius. Body Language. New York: Pocket Books, 1971. Kemp, Gratton . Perspectiv.es on the Group Process. Boston : Houghton Mifflin

Company, 1964. Luft, Joseph. Group Processes. Palo Alto : Mayfield Publishing Company,

1970. Olmsted , Michael. The Small Group. New York : Random House, 1959. Shertzer, Bruce and Shelley Stone. Fundamentals of Group Counseling .

Boston : Houghton Mifflin Company, 1974.

II Note: The fundamentals of Dance play an increasingly importan t role in developmental stages of our sport at all levels. Therefore, the next two articles should be a valuable reference for our readership.

Medical Problems in Ballet

Reprinted from THE PHYSICIAN AND SPORTSMEDICINE, a McGraw - Hill publication

A Round Table

In brief: Although many problems in young ballet dancers are related to anatomical structure, these panelists point out that good early training is essential. For instance, turning out from the hip instead of the knee would prevent most knee injuries. Ironically, the best training is available to the dancers who need it the least-the professionals. The panelists also discuss back and foot problems, ankle injury, scoliosis, and diet. Dancers often avoid physicians because they ask them to stop dancing. Physicians should adopt the role of educator and develop rapport with dancers.

Dr. Bergfeld: There is an increased interest in participation in ballet dancing in the United States. The National Endowment for the Arts reports that 37 dance companies were eligible for grants in 1965. In 1980 that figure had risen to 200.

USGF TECHNICAL JOURNAL

Medical problems in ballet dancers range from orthopedic abnormalit ies to nutritional disorders. Some are aggravated by using the wrong techniques. Many ballet problems occur in children because their skeletons aren 't mature. Dr. Micheli, what are some of the common problems in chi ldren studying ballet?

Children's Problems Dr. Micheli: We have seen somewhat different patterns of injury in child dancers as opposed to more advanced or adult professional dancers. Children have a much higher incidence of patellofemoral or extensor mechanism problems. This appears to be due to a number of causes, not the least of which may be poor training by ballet instructors. Anatomical factors also play a role. We seem to see a higher incidence of these problems in children who lack sufficient external rotation at the hip and in chi ldren with knock-knees. Ms. Clippinger: I am strongly opposed to forcing turnout in really you ng children . Teachers must emphasize femoral rotation from the hip rather than emphasizing the position of the feet . Many problems I've seen in very young ballet dancers have been related to this particular situation . Dr. Bergfeld: At what age should a ballerina or a female dancer consider going en pointe, Dr. Hamilton? Dr. Hamilton: Dance folklore used to say that the foot cou ld be injured by dancing en pointe before the bones had had sufficient time to grow. I'm not sure whether that's true or not, because I've never seen a foot that had been damaged by dancing en pointe too early, and I've seen some dancers who claim to have danced en pointe at the age of 31 /2 in South America. But 1 think that George Balanchine makes a good point . He feels that there's no reason to have children dance en pointe until they're strong enough and well trained enough to do something once they get up there. This usually takes about three or four years of training , so if they start at age 8, that works out to about the age of 11 , 12, or 13, when the foot is mostly grown anyway. Dr. Weiker: There's another interesting side to this . A former professional dancer who runs a local school in our area is extremely cautious about pointe, but several chi ldren from her school have come in with problems from going up on demipointe on their own without shoes, because they just can 't wait until she 's ready for them. They go around at home practicing as if they are in pointe shoes, and they develop hyperextension problems in the great toe. Dr. Bergfeld: Ms. Hudacek, what age did you go en pointe? Ms. Hudacek: I started dancing when I was 8 years old , and I began pointe classes at age 11 .

Spinal and Back Problems

Dr. Bergfeld: Dr. Weiker, back and spinal problems are common in ballet dancers. What are the most common spinal problems, and what causes them ? Dr. Weiker: The most common spinal problems in ballet are similar to those in other activities: minor sprains and strains. Ballet is a strenuous activity that requires a long warm-up and many rotational movements. Spondylolysis at L4-5 and the chronic low back pain that goes with it are the most common back problems. I think this is related to the marked hyperextension position for women. Men hyperextend in the lifts, especially if they get a little off balance and lift in a more hyperextended position . Ms. Clippinger: Also, when in a lordotic position with an anterior pelvic tilt, the dancer slightly slackens the tension on the iliofemoral ligament, and it's been hypothesized that this is one of the ways dancers can "cheat" to try to get more external rotation. This habit can start the use of many biomechanically dangerous positions. Dr. Michell: We have found that somet imes even dancers who have been properly trained and have attained a neutral back assume a lordotic posture when they begin movement. So we stress the importance of watching them during motion and dancing to assess what they're really doing with their backs. Dr. Hamilton: It's important to emphasize that stress fractures can occur in the spine. They're common in teenage dancers. Dancers who have unilateral back pain and.tenderness when they arabesque should have complete x-rays of the lower back to rule out a stress fracture of the pars interarticularis. If they're diagnosed early enough and treated properly, they will heal. If they're undiagnosed and not treated , they will often go on to fibrous union and spondylo lysis. Dr. Welker: When we see a teenager with this problem, we must find out if it is acute spondylolysis or pars defect, or if it is a chronic problem that is acutely symptomat ic. I believe this patient should have a bone scan to see if there is a hot area. If it is hot, which shows an acute problem, then we prescribe an aggressive treatment of protection. If the area is cold , which shows that it is an old , long-standing stress fracture with an acute symptom pattern , then we can treat it symptomatica lly. Dr. Bergfeld: Dr. Weiker, scoliosis is a common problem in ballet dancers. What is the relationship of scoliosis to ballet dancing? Dr. Welker: In the past there was no treatment available for progressive documented scoliosis that did not require discontinuing ballet, because the braces do not al low full ballet movement-although many activities can be done in them . Obviously, major surgical intervention would rule out formal ballet. We now have electrical systems, such as electrospinal instrumentation , which provide a possible treatment for progressive scoliosis by implantation .

Spinal and Back Problems

The dancers can go about their normal activities during the day and use the unit at night. If the patient won't accept that, then the choice is to give up ballet or gamble that the scoliosis will stop at a point that they can live with and continue in their dancing career. Dr. Michell: There's been some recent interest in managing scoliosis with part­time braces, particularly with children who are active in dance and sports. This is important because we've seen a higher incidence of scoliosis in people who dance, particularly ballet dancers. With younger children, we've recently been trying 12-hours-a-day bracing along with a specific exercise program for the back that produces effects much like one might attain with electrical stimulation of the same muscles. We have followed the patients carefully, and I've been pleased at this point with this part-time use of bracing in this population. Dr. Sammarco: We have one set of men and one set of young women twin dancers who have 20° to 25° scoliotic curves, which is the upper limit of the normal range, and they have mature spines. If a physician close to scoliosis examinations looks astutely at such dancers during class, he might see asymmetry of the spine or perhaps a dropped shoulder. But dancers are so controlled and highly motivated that they overcome these things. Dr. Weiker: I didn't mean to imply that scoliosis would keep the dancer from dancing . I was worried that the ideal treatment for the long-term result might interfere with their dancing rather than the scoliosis interfering with it. Ms. Clippinger: I've been interested in the possibility of using ballet as part of the treatment program for some very minor cases of scoliosis. It's difficult to keep track of, but one dancer has decreased her scoliosis in the last three years from 11 ° to 7°. Dance may be a valuable.adjunct because of its potential to increase spinal flexibility , distraction, and strength. Dr. Bergfeld: Dr. Weiker, what are your feelings about the etiology of scoliosis in relation to leg-length discrepancies? Dr. Weiker: There are a lot of short-legged people walking around who do not have scoliosis, and I'm not convinced that a 1/2-or 3/4-in . leg-length discrepancy will precipitate any structural scoliosis. Dr. Michell: I agree with Or. Weiker. One very good study in Great Britain showed that leg-length discrepancy alone did not cause structural scoliosis of the lower back.I Certainly it can be an associated condition , but this is not a real concern in the athletic population.

Knee Problems Dr. Bergfeld: Problems about the knee joint are common in ballet. Most of these are related to overuse resulting in tendinitis about the patellofemoral mechanism, both on the proximal aspect of the patellofemoral joint at the inferior pole of the patella and patellar tendon. In the skeletally immature person, we find an apophysitis at the tibial tubercle-Osgood-Schlatter disease-from an imbalance or increase of the muscle pull at the tendon inserti.on. The turnout position in ballet increases stress about the knee joint, especially 1n the ballet dancer who has an anatomical abnormality, or who is not designed anatomically to turn herfeet out. We normally have 10° of femoral anteversion , which puts the foot straight ahead. The ideal ballet dancer would have 0° of anteversion or retroversion. The foot and the ankle partially compensate for this anatomical limitation, but the knee joint takes up much of the slack with external rotation at the femoral tibia joint. Extensive external rotation causes secondary stress of the iigamentous structures about the knee and shear forces across the menisci . This can cause tears of the meniscus and tendinitis of the musculature about the knee, in particular the popliteal tendon . Other common problems about the knee joint are related to the alignment of the patella and the femure. These patellofemoral stress syndromes may cause pain about the anterior knee joint, both with and without malalignment. With more maialignment, there may be lateral subluxations or actual dislocation of the patella. Dr .. Sammarco: Ballet dancers have a way of getting into the fifth position , wh1c~. was described by Justin Howse of the Royal Ballet as "screwing the knee. The men plant the foot and then straighten up, putting a tremendous external torque on the collateral ligaments and menisci. This creates problems such as shearing tears of the meniscus. On the other hand , the female dancers have what can only be described as a stork walk, kind of walking back and forth to set the feet in that fifth position very close together. Moving into the fifth position in this way, particularly at the barre, also puts significant rotational stress on the knee. Dr. Bergfeld: We've heard the ballet dancer described as walking in a ten-past­ten position . Ms. Hudacek: In early training the dancer should be taught that the turnout comes from the hips, and the hips shou ld be placed first before the feet . Otherwise, it will cause knee problems. Ms. Clippinger: If the rotation isn·t at the hips, then tremendous rotational torques occur at the knees and feet , and often a locking back of the knees (genu recurvatum) is used to try to stabilize and balance the dancer. There is a tendency to lose balance, so there is also often excessive grabbing of muscles to stabilize, which can also cause overuse or malalignment problems. As we study biomechanics, it's becoming more apparent how different joints in a

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kinematic chain can take more or less of the stress. If correct musculature and mechanics are used so that greater motion and stability occur at the pelvis vs the knee, a tremendous amount of stress can be taken off of the knee. Dr. Michell: I would like to reemphasize the importance of preventing this cond1t1on 1n the first place, because we have been disappointed in our ability to surgically manage ballet dancers with patellofemoral injuries and chondromalacia. Three or four of our patients have wanted to continue in dance but have been el iminated because of chondromalacic changes that probably could have been prevented with proper technique and early training . Dr. Bergfeld: Unfortunately, the best instruction is provided forthe people who probably need it the least-professional dancers. Children are exposed to dancing teachers of all degrees of quality and may be taught poor techniques and develop lifetime problems. Dr. Weiker: We cannot prevent the problems, but we need to find them early. As more people become interested and work with dancers, we can establish a paUern where people come in sooner for evaluation. We work in a unique setting where people frequently do come in early, and I'm impressed with the number of children at 12, 13, and 14 who have symptons that a good limited range-of-motion exercise program can help. Progressive resistance with their quadriceps from 30° to full extension can bring about a dramatic improvement. At the same time we talk to them about their positioning. Even if we see more advanced older teenagers and professional dancers early, they may not respond to an exercise program. Then we may get results with a lateral retinacular release or something of that nature to control the problem before real degenerative changes occur. Ms. Molnar: Sometimes it's advantageous to do a ballet barre lying horizontally on the floor so that the dancers' lower extremities are completely nonweight­bearing and they can learn how to use the hips, knees, and feet correctly. This way they can concentrate on turning the hip joint out and stretching the correct soft-tissue structures. Dr. Sammarco: We studied a group of young dancers in their developing years and found that a dancer does not decrease anteversion or increase her retroversion of the hips beyond age 11. Young dancers who begin at age 6 or? can develop such turnout. But the bony shape of the neck, shaft, or relationship in the femur does not change after age 11. We found this through anthropometric and x- ray studies of the hips themselves. Any changes that occur after the age of 11 or 12 are from stretching the ligaments and the anterior capsule about the hip, and the more you stretch, the more problems you may create. Ms. Clippinger: My experience has been very different. I have seen dramatic increases in turnout and a decrease in knee symptoms in dancers of all ages. Many different muscles can be used to cause turnout with dramatically different results . For example, in a demipiie, an emphasis on using the deep outward rotators for turnout , abdominals to prevent an anterior pelvic tilt , and adductors (eccentrically) to control hip movement can increase range of motion , decrease knee torsional stresses, and decrease patellar compressional forces exaggerated by overusing the quadriceps and gluteals, which results in poor alignment. I do not deny that there are structural limitations; however, most of the dancers I've seen with knee problems have not reached their physiological limits of turnout but instead are victims of improper technique.

Tendinitis Dr. Bergfeld: Dr. Calabrese, would you comment on the role of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication for treating tendinitis? Dr. Calabrese: Two facts should be remembered with the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. One, all drugs of this class, including salicylates, are both analgesic and anti-inflammatory. They must be used in anti-inflammatory doses for the treatment of any inflammatory condition, even if it is self-limiting, such as tendinitis. With salicylates, we're talking about 2.5 gm a day, which is equivalent to approximately eight aspirin tablets. Nonsteroidal drugs such as the propionic acid derivatives must be used in full strength doses, depending on the drug.

The second principle applies to the individual patient response-the mean response to a drug in the patient population does not equal the individual response. A patient may respond much more readily to one drug than another. You must be flexible and be able to switch your drugs. Unfortunately, in the acute injury you do not have a very long grace period to do thi~ This applies more to chronic injuries.

Ankle Problems Dr. Bergfeld: Dr. Hamilton, would you comment on the common problems about the ankle joint? Dr. Hamilton: The ankle is very important in the dancer. It has to have a tremendous range of motion to accomodate for both the plie and the releve and also take a tremendous amount of force passed through a relatively small area. The _problems that develop are due to the extreme range of motion that-is required in the joint. Anterior impingement syndromes are very common with the buildup of bone spurs in the front of the ankle, especially in older male dance.rs. The posterior impingement syndrome is extremely common , especially when the os trigonum or extra bone is present in the posterior lateral

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aspect of the ankle joint. This can limit the ability to releve completely onto a full pointe or demipointe position . The flexor hallucis long us tendon is prone to the formation of tendinitis where it goes through a fibroosseous tunnel in the posterior medial side of the ankle. This can trigger partial tears of the tendon or even complete freezing of the tendon within its sheath in extreme cases. And last of all, ankle sprains are the most common acute injuries in ballet dancers. They range from mild to moderate to severe and need appropriate treatment.

Foot Problems Dr. Bergfeld: Dr. Sammarco, would you identify the common problems of the forefoot and midfoot in ballet dancers? Dr. Sammarco: We found at least two dozen different conditions when we examined the feet of 600 dancers who attended our clinic. It is difficult to say which is the most common foot problem, because there are so many. Most of them do not prevent a dancer from dancing in rehearsal, classes, or on stage. Soft-tissue problems such as corns, calluses, and early bunion formation that have become symptomatic can be treated conservatively.

Other common problems may occur after being laid off and then returning after not having worked out for several weeks. Such injuries are chronic strains, or early and acute strains due to lack of a warm-up. Dancers should warm up 15 to 20 minutes before the beginning of the class even when in top condition . They should all go through exercises at the barre. And the foot and the ankle are certainly no exception.

Additional significant problems are these stress and overuse problems in the foot. A stress fracture can cause a front-line dancer to slowly become uncoordinated and limp, particularly if it occurs in the sesamoid. Such a condition can cause difficulty for several years until a diagnosis is made by appropriate x-rays and examination , and treatment is instituted. Stress fractures of the metatarsals are common in dancers. Acute fractures of metatarsals are less common but equally debilitating. It's interesting to note, however, that a dancer with an acute fracture in the foot may continue to the end of the performance. Dancers are just so highly motivated and goal oriented that they are willing to sacrifice with great pain for their art, even to the point of dancing on a broken foot. Dr. Bergfeld: Dr. Sammarco, what preventive measures can a dancer take for calluses and malalignment problems of the foot? Dr. Sammarco: oi course the best treatment is preventive treatment. To minimize corns and calluses, a tender area of the foot should be padded . Modern dancers can't put tape under the ball of the foot unless they also use

· rosin beneath it , and if they do that, they create the same friction problem, which causes the same callus. Modern dancers or ballet dancers rosin the end of a shoe to make it stickier and thus increase friction.

The foot can be layered with a single thickness of micropore tape over a corn or callus. This decreases the friction between the skin and the shoe. There is less heat created from friction and shear on soft tissue and therefore not so much burning within the foot. Donut-shaped padding is very important for soft corns.

I have found that it is necessary to discuss hygiene with dancers. Those areas must be kept clean. Dancers should wash their feet between rehearsals. Some dancers dance all day and take a shower afterward, but they're grinding dirt into a wound. Abscesses can then form easily, and the dancers may simply ignore the pain until they are unable to dance. At that point they have a deep abscess of the foot, which could have easily been prevented with basic hygiene and proper foam padding between the toes. Ms. Molnar: Calluses on the bottom of the foot are often caused by biomechanical problems with weight-bearing, and sometimes small 1/8-in. pads can shift the weight off. Usually it's the head of the second metatarsal that bears more weight, especially in someone with a cavus foot. Usually right before the person goes on stage she shows me a huge hole in the back of her heel or on the dorsum of the first metatarsophalangeal joint, and although we try everything to protect it with donut pads, 2nd Skin, or new skin, half the time she can't get her foot into the shoe. Some of these problems can also be prevented. Dr. Bergfeld: Dr. Sammarco, I'd like you to comment on the possibilities of building support into and perhaps modifying the dancing shoe. Is it possible to do what we commonly do with runners? Dr. Sammarco: It can be done, but there is a question of whether or not a dancer will accept it. Dancers are tradition-oriented, so the question is really more philosophical than it is practical or theoretical. The traditional shoe has no right or left point. You can make a new shoe in any shape or form you wish , but the dancer won 't wear it. She prefers that satin shoe with a perfect toe. The shoes are mass produced, but unless they're made of the right materials and look "proper" and have a proper feel, the dancer won't use them . Changing the shank and stiffness of the vamp is difficult, because there's a minimum of material in that part of the shoe. Even in the pointe of the shoe, the dancer needs an area for the proprioceptive feedback between her toes and the floor.

Medical Problems Dr. Bergfeld: With dancers being traditionalists, what is their attitude toward classic medical care? To whom does a dancer first turn when he or she develops a problem? Ms. Hudacek: To be honest, the first person we turn to is not a physician. It's

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not due to lack of respect, but because a doctor will usually tell you to stay off your feet , no matter what the problem is. In the past, we were always told to rest. You couldn't dance, and that's out of the question. So as a result, we first turned to chiropractors and masseurs. When nothing else will do, we'll go to a physician. It's actually the last resort. Dr. Bergfeld: I'd like Dr. Calabrese to comment on the medical problems that the dancer faces or creates. Dr. Calabrese: Most of the medical problems are not unique to this group of artists and athletes, such as endocrine problems in the women. In addition many problems in ballet dancers appear to be related to nutritional factors because of the demands for them to be extremely lean.

I'd like to reemphasize what Ms. Hudacek said: It's actually the administration of health care to these people that is the main medical problem. We must develop a rapport with them so they know that someone is available to talk with about their problems to make sure that they are not serious. There's a high incidence of self-medication, trading medicines, and fad medications, with the resulting side effects. Dr. Bergfeld: Ms. Hudacek, how can we convince a dancer to eat a proper diet? Ms. Hudacek: We would like to be educated about the kinds of foods that provide the most nutritional value but still allow us to maintain the low weight we need to perform. If we can combine the two to get maximum nutrition and energy and still be rail thin, we would follow the guidelines. Dr. Bergfeld: Just as in preventing musculoskeletal problems, education and taking the time and interest in the dancer and treating him as a special person are important. Ms. Clippinger: An important consideration here is that even though dance is very rigorous in terms of hours, it is not aerobic. There may be some value in putting aerobic exercise into a person's regimen, because it can help the dancer to stay thin by primarily decreasing percent fat vs depleting glycogen stores and decreasing lean body mass. Dr. Micheli: Our experience with professional female ballet dancers in Boston has been very different. We have found a very high level of aerobic fitness in these dancers and have attributed it to their training in classes and rehearsals. Although actual performances may be limited in duration, the dancers had very surprising levels of aerobic fitness. Ms. Molnar: Also some of the kids in the corps are on stage the whole 45 to 50 minutes jumping up and down, running in circles, running crisscross, etc, which lends itself to aerobic fitness.

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Kathy Johnson, going through ballet drills at the Beam, as a part of her warmup.

Physical Therapy Dr. Bergfeld: Ms. Molnar, would you comment on the physical therapy techniques and modalities you use that are unique to the dancers or to your program? Ms Molnar: I often use mobilization , massage, and manipulative techniques. Distraction is one, which is a separation of two articular surfaces. This is always done when the joint is most relaxed, and it's very useful in reducing weight bearing on the joint surfaces, in reducing pressure on intra-articular structures, and in stretching out joint capsules and adhesions and helping

7

Physical Therapy reduce dislocations.

Another type of mobilization is nonthrust art iculations, which are gentle oscil lations of the joint within the limit of accessory motions or an oscillation or stretch of the joint at the end of its accessory range. It's very useful in elongating connective tissues and in firing cutaneous muscular and joint mechanoreceptors. I very often use these mobilizations around the spine and in the foot , especial ly in long axis traction of the first metatarsophalangeal joint, in posterior impingement syndrome, and betwen the talocalcaneal joint.

I also use a lot of stretching techniques for posterior and anterior muscle groups, localized muscle tightness, and I advocate static stretching of the muscle groups involved with a minimum of a 30-second hold repeated four or five times. I strongly believe this should be done before and after class, after workout , or after performance, and that the muscle groups should be isolated . The two-joint muscles and the monoarticular muscles should both be stretched if they're involved around this area.

The types of massages that I use are generally deep frictions or cross-fiber manipulations, which are strokes that apply pressure across the muscle fibers, which is particularly good for the erector spinae group, and Cyriax's transverse friction massage, where your finger and the skin act as one and you restore the mobility to the tendon or the ligament by moving it across the bone or across the tendon sheath in its natural fashion of movement. The most useful modalities have been ultrasound, transcutaneous electrical neurostimulation, and exercise.

Conclusion Medical problems can begin in young ballet dancers if they are not taught

correct techniques. In this discussion of spinal, knee, ankle, and foot problems, there is a common theme of prevention through proper technique. When dancers develop medical problems, they are often afraid to seek medical help because physicians have told them to stop dancing , which they find unacceptable. Therefore, it is essential for physicians to educate and develop a rapport with dancers.

Moderator John A. Bergfeld, MD, is head of the section of sports medicine, department of orthopedic surgery, at the Cleveland Clinic. He is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Participants

William G. Hamilton, MD, is an associate attending orthopedic surgeon at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center; orthopedic surgeon for the New York City Ballet and the School of American Ballet; and orthopedic consultant for the American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, and the Dance Theatre of Harlem in New York City. Lyle J. Micheli, MD, is director of the division of sports medicine at Children's Hospital Medical Center , an instructor in orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School , and company physician for the Boston Ballet. He is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. Karen Clippinger is the dance kinesiologist at the Sports Medicine Clinic in Seattle, and she is professionally affiliated with the Bill Evans Dance Company and the Pacific Northwest Ballet Company. Garron G. Weiker, MD, is administrative head of the section of sports medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, consultant for the Cleveland Ballet, and team physician for the Cleveland Force indoor soccer team . He is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine. Leigh Ann Hudacek is a member of the Cleveland Ballet. G. James Sammarco, MD, FACS, is an associate clinical professor in the department of orthopedic surgery and senior consultant to the foot and ankle reconstruction clinic for the department of orthopedic surgery at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Marika Molnar, MA, is a registered physical therapist in private practice, and she is the physical therapist for the New York City Ballet. Leonard H. Calabrese, DO, is in the department of rheumatic and immunologic disease at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation , and he is the medical and nutritional consu ltant to the Cleveland Ballet.

Reference

1. James JI : Scoliosis. Edinburgh , Churchi ll Livingstone, 1976

8

commentary

Nutritional Concerns For the Dancer Marilyn S. Peterson, MS, RD

Reprinted from THE PHYSICIAN AND SPORTSMEDICINE, a McGraw - Hill publication

Ms. Peterson is a nutritional consultant for three dance companies and for the development committee for women 's track and field for the US Olympic Committee. She is the .author of The Athlete's · Cookbook and a member of the American College of Sports Medicine. She has a private practice in nutritional counseling at the Sports Medicine Clinic in Seattle.

It takes on ly one analytical observat ion of dancing to question the type of diet that provides the female dancer with the power her performance demands but stil l presents her as the sleek , slim, delicate interpreter of our fantasies. To display this image, dancers must restrict food intake during their entire dancing careers. In fact, most female dancers practice emaciation to meet dance expectations. This is not a problem for male dancers, who are relatively few in number and whose dance images represent skill and strength.

Female dancers who come from tall, lean families, who have eaten sparsely but well, and who have incorporated aerobic activity with dance simply do not have to worry about diet and maintaining the dancer's slender image. However, for each one of these, there are "barres full" of normally developing females who, without parental or medical guidance, put themselves in a risky health position by trying to achieve that slender look . An immature dancer who is up to her leggings in discipline will have difficulty accepting proper nutritional support that shows her how to eat well on 1,200 calories a day. There are easier ways to be thin , and other dancers will tell her how.

Dancers do not consider lean body mass and all the other physiological principles we have serious ly considered in the last 20 years or so. They're basically concerned with gross weight, regardless of body composition. They ask only, "What wil l I look like on stage?

Dancers have a highly technical skill to perform, and they spend years developing the muscles and body type that dance demands. Their main concern is for strength , balance, and flexibility , but not for high caloric support or high V02 max as in other sports. The iron status is probably not a worry to the extent that it is with runners . Dancers' main considerations are maintaining general health and a low body weight. The low body weight is needed both to look good on stage and to be light enough to be lifted by male dancers.

Clinical evaluation of any dancer's diet is rare. Dancers usually get advice on weig ht control from other dancers, so the usual sound nutritional guidelines given to other young women of the same age have little, if any, impact on dancers. Dancers who do not exhibit this slender image cannot continue, and the desire for this look seems to be the so le cause of a myriad of eating disorders. For many women , this look is unachievable. Trying to attain this look may compromise growth ,1 ·long-term performance, self-identity, and healing.

Case Reports I have counseled many dancers and have found them to be a special group .

Although a strictly scientific approach may not always work , I have found that understanding them as individuals and gaining their confidence are often effect ive. The examples in this article represent a few of the more common problems in dancers: binge eating, binge eating followed by forced vomiting , and the sad lack of correct nutritional information.

Case 1. A young dancer lived with our family for a month to lose weight. She was 64 in. tall , weighed 129 lb, with 18% total body fat, and her wrist circumference· was 6 1/2 in., which puts her in the upper percentile for a large frame. This was her last year as a student in theater and dance . She was strong, healthy, flexible, and capable of terrific endurance. However, she hated her body and was continually skipping meals to achieve her ideal body image. This is not an unusual pattern for a 19-year-old, but it is not practical for an athlete training for a specific event. She ignored her genetic predisposition and seemed unaware of her superb skills and abilities to involve the audience with her artistic performance. Instead she would fast and then eventually binge eat. While she lived with our family , we tried to revise her distorted body image and make her aware of her exceptional ath letic ability.

Case 2. The company manager requested nutritional counseling for a 21-year-old dancer with three years of professional experience. She recently rep laced the principal dancer and was given the major roles of the season. However, she was unable to last physically through class work , and she felt she was unable to perform . She was noticeably dehydrated, her skin was dry and

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blemished, and her salivary glands were extremely enlarged. She kept her coat on and complained of the cold . She was not weighed but said her weight was in the 80s, which was probably about 15% to 20% below normal for her height and frame size. She was depressed, anxious, and highly critical of any comments regarding diet. She said that she had vomited after every meal as long as she had been with the company. She believed that her weight problem was hopeless and said she "was on a self-destruction pattern without control." She said that if she did not vomit , she would·gain weight, the other dancers would think she was fat, and she would lose her roles . She needed immediate phsychotherapy and medical attention for malnutrition.

We fo llowed the usual course of nutritional care programs, which is to give diet instruction, discuss the outcomes of related food behaviors, and set achievable goals and commitments acceptable to the patient and the dietician . This dancer's immdiate needs were to increase fluids and cover dietary requirements. Recommended levels of f luids began at 1,000 ml and increased to 2,400 ml. Centrum and Ensure were recommended as food supplements. (Cent rum has a wide range of vitamins and minerals within normal limits of the recommended daily allowance and Ensure requires little digestion , leaves little residue so she would not feel ful l, has many acceptable flavors, and is convenient both to drink and keep in a dance bag.) A scaled diet beginning with 800 calories and increasing to 1,500 calories was also prescribed from foods she enjoyed.

She understood the consequences of bulimarexia, because she was experiencing them. She also believed that she would not need to vomit if she were not exposed to the demands of dancing. She wanted to withdraw from dance, go home to her parents, and keep in touch by phone. She kept her phone appointments, which were actually more like support conversations. Within six months she had stopped regular vomiting , gained about 20 lb, and returned to the company. Her vomiting pattern returned immediately. After devoting many years to dance, she decided to retire from performing. She was still very interested in dance, enjoyed her dance friends, and considered teaching. She needs contact with people who will provide stability, sound advice, and continuous emotional support . A therapist was recommended, but this is too expensive for an unemployed dancer.

Case 3. The principal dancer of a fine company was 30 years old , 64 in . tall , weighed 117 lb, was the mother of a 4-year-old daughter, and had been dancing her entire life. Her first appointment was for weight-loss information. With all of her commitments to her home and to dance, we recommended a 900-ca lorie a day diet. She would lose approximately 8 lb in the two weeks before the company went on a road trip . This still seemed like a lot of food to her. We explained that the diet was low-fat, low-sugar, and salt-restrictive, and alcohol was eliminated. She was a cooperative, friendly patient , and she agreed to do aerobic exercises and even allowed us to estimate her total body fat with calipers (21%).

On her return visit, she had gained weight and admitted to night eating and binging. She was panicked that she would lose her dance roles , since she had been forewarned that this would happen if she did not lose weight.

One week before the trip the dancer and her daughter moved into our home to eliminate all contact with food preparation . In five days on a diet of 600 calories a day that included breakfast, several snacks, and a small dinner, she lost 4 lb. This would have been an outstanding success in any other situation . She left on the trip but was not allowed to dance. She was hum il iated , threatened, and extremely unhappy. Several days later she slashed her wrists . She was hospitalized and is now undergoing phsychotherapy. She is still considering a dance-related career in teaching.

Treatment Obviously, there are many factors to be considered in these cases, but two

talented dancers will not be dancing anymore. Many questions and comments arise after cases ·such as these, because they involve everyone: The dance instructors feel terrib le; the board is horrified; fel low dancers feel sympathetic but helpless; and the patrons and public get garbled snatches of the diagnoses. Should th is delicate image be redefined? Who is responsible for solving these problems, and why have they been neglected?

The primary responsibi lity for the dancer's health still belongs to the phys ician, but there are some rather straightforward suggestions for every consultant who works with dancers. The body's first need is for energy. It takes calories to cover growth needs, tissue repair, and six to eight hours of dance daily. (At least 30 calories a pound per day are needed during fast growth and 15 calories a pound thereafter.) Most young professional dancers need approximately 2,000 ca lories a day. Without this they do not dance, grow, or function in the outside world as well. To maintain the look their profession demands, they, just like any other dedicated athlete with the same demands, must make a lifelong commitment to sound eating habits. There will always be the problems of making food more portable, increasing the variety, missing meals, knowing what to eat on the road , watching fluid intake, and inc reasing carbohydrates.

The first step in counseling dancers is gathering information about the individual. Where are they in the growth process? What are they trying to do with their bodies? Are they prevented from eating normally? Are they receptive to scientifically accepted nutritional information? Is the dancer here because

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Susan Cable and junior gymnast, Russell Lacy demonstrate a dance warmup used at the Jr. Boys Training Camp.

she was referred by a coach, teacher, or physician , or did she come on her own?

After answering these questions, I determine the dancer's ideal body weight by taking the wrist circumference of the dominant side and comparing it to the height to approximate the frame size. I use the Metropolitan Life Insurance standards , because they have lower weights for the frame size. (This is normal weight that will be accepted as the " ideal body weight" by dancers.)

Then I either take skinfold measurements at four sites (triceps, biceps, subscapular, and iliac crest), or use a growth grid to show the dancer that there is information to use for determining her ideal body weight. If the dancer agrees at this point, I take a diet history and ask questions when appropriate: When, where, and what does she eat? How much and when does she sleep? What is her food budget? Does she take any vitamin and/or mineral supplements? Does she have any specific food problems? Has her weight changed in the last five years?

I find that many problems can be solved by simple answers: menus, general nutritional information, food preparation tips , etc. However, behavior problems are hard to solve and often require the support of all disciplines in the clinic.

"' Q.

For weight control , we recommend improved nutrition and a slight loss per week . Dancers need to structure a time to eat three meals and perhaps two snacks each day. The low-calorie food can be increased , but this should not consist of only nonfood items such as artificial sugar, brewer's yeast, and sugarless pop. Replacements for fats , salad dressing, sweets, and salty foods should be investigated . Aerobic exercise such as swimming , biking, or walking to class can be included every day. Diet records , monitoring weight , and nutritional education all help develop healthy eating habits. I give diet recommendations based on those from the National Dairy Council.

Discussion Situations such as case 1 are not exclusive to dancers. Any athlete who must

conform to weight specifications or body typing such as the gymnast, figure skater, wrestler , or cross-country participant, may have aversions to eating. In situations where food problems cause low body weight , sudden weight loss, anorexia, amenorrhea, anemia, depression , apathy, or inability to heal, a dietician should be consulted . But this usually doesn't happen before nutritional status has already been severely compromised or the depressions related to food behavior have laid the foundations for binging , bulimarexia, night eating, fasting , or severe self-starvation . These common problems leave the dancer with other problems such as an inability to concentrate and learn new information. Not only does the quality of her performance diminish, but she also rejects or is unable to understand guidance for achieving her ideal body weight .

Without question , dancers can make educated choices regarding their caloric intake. Greater understanding of nutritional concerns is usually achieved with greater contact with the dancer. Certain ly we are all busy , but the health professional can make a difference by donating newsletter notes , giving a class, leading a discussion , or even enrolling in a dance class to find greater insight into dancers' nutritional concerns. Unless contacts of this type are aggressively sought, dancers' food-related problems are not likely to be reso lved .

Reference 1. Tanner JM, Witehouse RH : Standards of height and weight of British

children from birth to maturity. Lancet 2:1086, 1959

Address correspondence to Marilyn S. Peterson , MS, RD, The Sports Medicine Clinic, 1551 NW 54th , Suite 200, Seattle 98107.

NUTRITION AND COMPETITIVE GYMNASTICS

Is too stringent a diet for a 13 year old competitive "child-athlete "

harmful for proper growth and development? Nutritional information says yes .

BY MICHELLE KINGSBURY

This article is reprinted from the Nov/ Dec issue of USGF GYMNASTI CS to be followed by a Guest Opinion on that subject.

Health , as defined by the World Health Organizat ion is the "state of complete physical , mental and soc ial well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirm ity. " ! Few wi ll dispute that good nutrition and health go hand in hand. Knowledge of proper nutrit ion is essen tial when dealing with dieting and we ight con tro l as is common in gymnastics. Proper st rength-to-weight ratio is needed for competit ive gymnastics as we ll as for safety during training (less we ight = less stra in on joints. muscles. bones). In order to achieve low weig ht, strict d ietary con tro ls may be placed on the gymnast. For a "ch ild-athlete" these controls can be harmful if sound nutritional information is not followed. According to Edward T. Sheehan, Director of Food , Human Nutrition. and Diet at the University of Ari zona. "More food fa llacies are found in athletics than anywhere else."'.Z

For our purposes a "chi ld-athlete" is between ages 7-20 (7-17 for fema les. 7-20 for males). Most of today's competitive gymnasts are between those ages.3 The "child-athlete" trains in gymnas tics over 6 hours per week and may also be involved with we ight con trol training . The age range above can be further divided into growth and development stages. 7-10 Child - both male and female

11-13 pre-adolescent 14-16 adolescent 17-20 teen-age 20 full growth attained

Males

Females pre-adolescent (two or more years prior to growth spu rt .) 11-14 adolescent 15-17 teen-age 17 fu ll growth attained

Of cou rse, the above scale is generalized and each individual will mature at different rates . At each of these stages the body undergoes physical , mental , and phsychological changes. 4

Height and we ight changes follow a general pattern throughout childhood. The chronological age at which these changes occur varies greatly between child ren. Thus a chi ld cannot always be compared with others of the same age. A yearly weight gain of approximately 2 to 3 kg . (4 - 7 lbs.) up to the pre­adolescent age is to be expected. Males are usually taller and heavier than females except at about 11 to 12 years when fema les are heavier.

A year or two before and duri ng adolescence the growth rate accelerates. The most rapid changes are between ages 11to14 for females and 13 to 16 years for males. This rapid growth spurt usually lasts two to three years. There are tremendous variations in the age which maturation occurs, however. During the pre-adolescence period , two or more years prior to the rapid growth , the body retains the highest amou nts of ca lcium and phosphorus. During this period , liberal intakes of foods which contain these minerals wou ld be a distinct advantage. 5

During the growth and development of childhood and adolescent years, it seems apparent that interference with the body's supply of nutrients at any given time can be serious for the development of specific organs (i.e. reproduct ive, ep idermis, etc.) and systems (i.e. cardiovascular. etc.) as well as the child as a whole. Malnutrition brought on by an incorrect or inadequate diet can affect the total phys ical and mental well being of the child. 6

Besides a child's nutrit ional needs, young competitive gymnasts must also worry about the additional nutritional demands of an athlete . A "child-athlete.'" 7 - 20 years, invo lved in trai ning for competitive gymnasti cs not only needs a proper diet for growth but the diet must contain an athlete's nutritional requi rements, as we ll as maintain the fine balance between calories and we ight. Some of the add itional requirements for an athlete are more ca lories (for energy, consuming more carbohydrates rather than fat or protein). more water, and more electrolytes (most of which will be obtained through the higher ca loric diet) .

A child , adolescent , or teenager has a greater energy need than his/her parents (or another ad ult) . Their metabolic rate is higher and activity level is usually greater. The highest caloric requirement for males occurs between ages 15 - 22 and for females between ages 11 to 14. Potential food energy is measured in calories (or kcal) which is a heat unit.

10

Besides normal calo ri c needs an athlete has an additional energy requi rement. A 90 lbs. gymnast training for 3 hours one day uses approximately 500 kcal for this activity. ? Additional calories for activity must come from the gymnast's diet. Otherwise, energy demands may be met at the expense of the body and normal nutritional needs. Over a span of several years, the effects could be detrimental, anywhere from loss of energy and stamina to restricted bone and muscle development. The additional energy requirements should be met by a higher intake of carbohydrates and simple sugars (i.e. sugars found in fruits. vegetables, etc.) for easy digestability.

"Making we ight is an undesirable practi ce for the adolescent. " (11-14 females , 14-16 males) "Red ucing weight by restriction of calories over long periods of time involves the r isk of vitamin and mineral defic iency," P.J. Rasch wrote for AAHPER 8. There is a fine line between nutrition . calorie intake , and weight. For gymnastics' athletes the line is drawn finer. It is felt as a child­gymnastics-ath lete the line is almost too fine . The demands of low body fat percen tage and lightness may be too extreme for normal , healthy growth and development. Do today's competitive rules mean for a 9 year old female child to train at a highly intense level for Class I Nationals? Have these rules been made without dietary or nutritional aspects in mind ?

Each chi ld, each person is a unique individual with their own body size and type. Each has an individual personality and psychological make-up. Care should be taken not to lump these individuals into specific categories. If there seems to be a weight problem , then one should consult a doctor. nutritionist, or dietic ian before altering a gymnast's diet. These professionals can design a we ll in formed, well -ba lanced diet for the dai ly dietary needs of a child.

Many books may be found in loca l school or public libraries which deal with the nutritional needs for children . Other books deal with athletic nutrition . These can provide basic nutri tional information for coaches, gymnasts and parents.

However, few if any books can be found on child athletic nutrition . If sc ientists and researchers have not studied the effects of calorie restriction for young athletes yet, should we risk the general welfare and development of the ch ildren by imposing strict dietary controls without consulting professionals?

REFERENCES 1. Corinne H. Robinson , Marilyn R. Lawler: Normal and Therapeutic Nutrition,

Macmillan Publishing Co ., Inc .. 1977, p. 3.

2. Ellen Voe lckers: Food for Fitness and Sports, Richards Rosen Press, Inc. , 1977, p. 99.

3. ____ "Monthly Sports Census," The Sport ing Goods Dealer, May 1981 .

4. Corinne H. Robinson , Marilyn R. Lawler: OP CIT, PP. 31, 315, 320-322.

5. Corinne H. Robinson , Marilyn R. Lawler: 18 ID, pp. 315-316.

6. Ellen Voelckers: OP CIT, p. 14.

7. Ronald M. Deutsch: Realities of Nutrition, Bull Publishing Co., 1976, p. 66-68.

8. P.J . Rasch : What Research Tells the Coach About Wrestling, (Washington D.C. AAHPER, 1964), p. 47.

ADDITIONAL SOURCES Chaney, Ross. Wetschi : Nutrition, Houghton Mifflin Co .. Boston , 1979.

L. Earle Arnow, Ph .D .. M.D.: Food Power: A Doctor's Guide to Commonsense Nutrition, Nelson-Hall Co .. 1972.

Mari lyn Shope Peterson , Charlene S. Martinsen: The Athlete's Cookbook, Smuggler's Cove Publishing , 1980.

Martens. Christina, Harvey, Sharkey: Coaching Young Athletes, Human Kinetics Publishers, 1981 .

Guest Opinion by Dr. James Campbell

In the article entitled "Nutrition and Compet itive Gymnastics" (USGF Gymnastics . Nov/ Dec 1981). a certa in imprecision in the definit ion of adolescence may lead to some confusion . Inasmuch as an understanding o f normal growth pa tterns in childhood is an important item of information for the d iscussion of many aspec ts of gymnastics act ivity (training , psychology, nutrition . injury liability, etc .). it is essential that a clear, common terminology be employed .

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The term "adolescence," or "puberty," refers specifica lly to the ent ire sequence of physical maturation from chil dhood to adulthood, beginning with the first sig n of sexual maturation, and concluding wi th the attainment of an adu lt physical habitus. It is not accurate to say that "a year or two before and during adolescence, the growth rate acce lerates.'' 1 On the contrary, ske letal growth acce leration generally fol lows the onset of puberty by one to two years. 2 Most commonly , puberty is immediately preceeded by a ske letal growth deceleration.3 (There is a common pattern of pre-adolescent growth, seen most often in boys, but this is NOT a ske letal growth , but, rather, an acquisition of fat.)

Reference to changes in height or weig ht as ind icators of the stage of adolescent development are thus inaccurate, and bound to cause confusion.

The physica l sign of the beginning of adolescence in the female is the appearance of growth in the breast buds. From the appearance of thi s physical sign (general ly between the ages of eight and thirteen years in the United States), growth rate acce lerates steadily for a variable period of time. Thus, the various nutritional, training, and medical concerns wh ich relate to adolescence must come into consideration at .!.bl.2. time, and not only after the period of most rapid growth. Nearly half of the adolescent skeletal growth and maturation w ill occur before the peak9rowth rate is reached. In girls, the peak growth rate is generally attained approximate ly one year before the time o f menarche (the first menstrual period) . From thi s poin'tT;;"lime, to the conclusion of adolescent development, a girl's growth rate continuous ly decreases. In the United States, the mean age of menarche may be as low as 11.4 years. Thus, if one were to employ the defini tions used in the artic le referred to above, one would essentially ignore the special requirements of adolescence for nearly half of the girls.

In boys, the onset of adolescence is identified by the beginning of testicular growth , and concludes with the attainment of an adult habitus. There is no physical event or sign (such as menarche in the girls) which correllates w ith peak skeletal growth velocity . However, in most instances, the apex of the ske leta l growth occurs approximate ly two years after the onset of puberty.

There are, of cause, many patterns of normal growth . And those entrusted with some responsibility for the hea lth of our youth should be fam iliar with some of these patterns and their relevance to athleti c activity. It is not my purpose in this artic le to describe various consequential even ts of puberty. For the sake of c lear think ing and communication, however, it is important that everyone adopt si mple and com mon definitions of these important life events.

A straightforward definition , then :

ADOLESC ENCE: that period during growth beginning with the first sign of sexual maturation, and conc luding with the attainment of mature physica l development. The onset of adolescence is recognized by the onset of breast deve lopment in the fema le, and by the onset of testi cular growth in the male.

1. Kingsbury, Michelle, "Nutrition and Competi ti ve Gymnastics," in USGF Gymnastics Nov/ Dec 1981, p. 42.

2. Tan ner, James M. , "Growth and Endocrinology of the Adolescent ," in Endocrine and Genetic Diseases of Childhood and Adolescence, Gardner, Lytt I. , 2nd Ed ., W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia, 1975, p. 21.

3. Kap lan, Selna L., "Phases of Growth" in Pediatr ics, Rudolph , Abraham M., 16th Ed ., Appleton-Century-Crofts , New York , 1977, p. 109.

Dr. Campbell is a Board Certified Pediatrician in private practice. He is the Medica l Direc tor of Physical Rehabilitation Services at Lee Memorial Hospital, Fu lton, New York, and a member of the Clinica l Faculty of the Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse. New York. He is also a member of the American College of Sports Medicine, and of the USGF. He is the Medical Consultant for Caso·s Dinamo School of Gymnastics in Syracuse, and has a son who attends that schoo l. Dr. Campbe ll was the host of an outdoor dinner and recreation for the gymnasts and gymnastics staff at the National Sports Sportsfestival in Syracuse. and served as a physician at the Gymnastics Competition.

• USGF TECHNICAL JOURNAL

TSUKAHARA VAULT Don Freeman

Mike Millidonis

The Tsukahara vaul t is a very excit ing eye catching vault that thrill s all gymnasti c spectators. Often ca lled a cartwheel back somersau lt or a roundoff back somersau lt , its quick rotation makes the vau lt exciting for a gymnast each time he perform s the sk ill.

The vau lt was first introdu ced to the world by Mitsu Tsukahara at the 1970 World Games. Soon after the vau lt was introduced many vaulters began using the Tsukahara, some wi th slight changes.

At the time of the new vault's inception, it was awarded a di fficulty rating of 9.7° ... The astericks are risk points added to the vault when scori ng . Each asterick is worth one tenth of a point . In 1975 the FIG re-eva luated the rule book for gymnastics and changed the va lues of all vaul ts. The Tsukahara vau lt done in a tucked posit ion was awarded a 9.4. Done in a piked position the va lue is 9.8.

It is my personal op in ion and that of many other coaches that the Tsu kahara vaul t is an easy vault . As soon as the principles are learned and understood the vault is 70% completed.

For clarifi cati on purposes I w ill exp lain the vau lt in terms of the cartwhee l be ing performed with the left hand and the left foot leading . The main prerequisite for performing the Tsukahara is a fast run , explosive lift off the board, w ith rapid rotation in the pre-f light. As the rotat ion is started the gymnast reaches for the horse with his left arm slightly bent. When the left hand makes contact the arm immediately begins an exp los ive push. As in the roundoff on the floor, the head turns early with the eyes looking down the left arm and the right arm comes from beh ind the ear very quickly to the horse. The right hand is turned so the fingers are pointing in the direction the vaulter came from . The vau lter is now in a handstand position wi th a slight arch . If a line were drawn from the vaul ter's hands to his toes, the hips, lower back and thighs wou ld be in front of the hands and feet.

The arms as stated before, push immed iately on contact with the horse. The push is to be completed when the body reaches the verticle or slightly before. If the push is slow the hips will be past the verticle so the somersault wou ld be done on the way down to the ground . As the push is completed the body has gone from a sl ight arch, extended to a straight body, then to a piked chest or ho llowchest. This is similar to the snap down on the roundoff on the floor. With a powerful snap down in tiated with a quick hollowing of the chest, combined with a forceful thrust of the arms and shou lders against the horse, the body w ill rotate to an upright position . The shou lders elevate rapidly in direct proportion to how powerful the push and snap down are when arri ving at the vertic le position. Maximum height is reached at thi s point. An important key to po int out at this time is to make sure the vaul ter maintains eye contact on the horse during the snap down. The natural tendency is to throw the head back immed iately. Maintai ning eye contact enables the gymnast to keep a bearing on where he is. If the head is thrown back as the snap down is taking place o ften times the body hasn 't completed the 1/ 2 turn of the roundoff and a crooked or a side somersault resu lts.

As the shoulders are rising rapidly the snap down is completed with the eyes in contact wi th the horse. At this moment the knees are brought up to a tucked posit ion as the head looks back. When the somersault is completed the gymnast quick ly kicks out of his tuck and drops to the floor for a controlled landing . The tucked somersau lt is like that on the fl oor or the trampoline.

The Tsukahara vau lt is the type of vault that can be broken down into many parts and worked separately. The foll owing is a list of progressions that severa l coaches and myself have come up with. I'm sure there are many more that have not come to my attention . A coach or gymnast may choose just a few of these drills to work and emphasize.

1. Handstand Snap Down Drill. From a handstand position drop to a slig ht arch so that the hips are in front of feet and hands if a vertic le line were drawn tnrough the hands and feet. With a powerful push from the shoulders, a quick snap down fac il itated by a hollowing of the chest, rotate to a standing position. As thi s strength is increased do the same drill on an eight inch crash mat. On the snap down before the fee t land on the mat tuck the knees up so that the rotation is taken to the back on the mat. This exercise is a st rength that is needed in tum bling for flip flops .

2. Quick Push Roundoff on Floor. The gymnas t emphasizes the quick and powerfu l push while performing the roundoff on the floor. The hi ps shou ld sta ll and a floating effect shou ld take place. The shoulders elevate very rapid ly .

3. OljiCk Push Roundoff on Folded JV1at. A foldable tumbling mat that Nissen puts out is placed at the end o f an eigh t inch crash mat. Work the same drill as Number 2 on to the mat. When the height is achieved then the gymnast tucks his knees on the snap down and rotates to his back. Remember to keep •he eyes on the mat while snapping down to the back. Soon the gymnast wil l be la" 1ina on his shoulders almost turnina the somersaul t ove r.

4. Snap Down Off th e Horizonta l Bar. Usi ng the same principles used in the handstand snap down dr ill prev ious ly discussed , cast to a handstand on a low horizontal bar, snap down and rotate to the back on a crash mat. When this timing is achieved have someone spot the gymnast as he turns it over. Nex t, take it up on the regulation bar. Not on ly does thi s give the gymnast the fee ling o f turn ing over the Tsukahara vault , it also g ives him a C dismount off the

11

horizontal bar. It is easier out of back giants than from a straight cast to handstand .

5. Trampoline Related Stunts. Learning a few basic trampoline skill s will allow a gymnast to work Tsukahara related skills on the trampoline. The student must first learn a back drop, half twist, back drop, commonly ca lled a c radle. When this stunt is controlled well , learn to over rotate the cradle so the gymnast lands on the mat high on his shoulders and back of his neck with his feet (bodyline) at a minimum of a 60° angle. At this po int the gymnast can perform the cradle but tuck a somersault at the end before landing on the mat. When this stunt is learned perform it from a suicide or swan dive. This stunt is called a baby barani in fliffus.

Another stunt that is related to the Tsukahara is the barani in back out fliffus. The gymnast first learns a good barani (front somersault with a one half twist) . He then over rotates the barani to his back. At this point he is ready to turn over a back somersault as his barani is over rotating toward his back.

Both of these stunts provide a similar feeling to the Tsukahara. The timing of the back somersault is very closely related to these skills in that the first part of the stunts must be completed before the somersault begins.

6. Double Horse Drill. Place two horses end to end with three eight-inch crash mats stacked at the end of one horse. The gymnast starts on the first horse, hurdles into a roundoff over the second horse, landing on his feet on the crash mat. When the height is bu ilt up the gymnast then tucks his knees and lands on his back. Do this many times emphasizing the eye contact and quick push .

Now it is time to turn it over. The coach wil l spot on this portion of the exercise. The coach stands at the end of the horse on the crash mats. As the gymnast performs the roundoff the coach places his near hand on the gymnast's chest, while the handstand position is achieved. On the snap down the coach lifts the chest slightly to help get the rotation started. Hethen places the far hand on the gymnast's lower back . The gymnast then is spotted through a normal tuck back somersault. Again , emphasize the forceful push and the eye contact .

7. Incline Trampoli1Je(1 ). Place one end of a trampoline up on a bench . The horse is placed at the low end of the trampoline. The drills and sequences used in the double horse drill are used here. The gymnast will have to work on getting to the horse low on his round off first and then begin the progressions.

8. Mini tramp and Vaulting Buck or Side Horse. Place a mini tramp and vau lting buck in front of a large landing mat. The mini tramp enables the gymnast to rotate quickly with litt le effort so that total concentration can be placed on the explosive push that is necessary for the vault. First the vaulter works on getting maximum height with the powerful push , landing feet first on the mat. Then the rotation is taken to the back . Lastly the gymnast turns over the somersault . Using this technique to work on the vault enables a gymnast to work many vaults without wearing himself out. The only effort expended is in the push off the horse.

9. Side Horse Vault. Set the horse up sideways with a large landing mat to land on. Here is where the gymnast finally does some vaulting. Have the vaulter do a few timers to his back emphasizing the push and eye contact. When it is time to turn it over the coach spots the vault in the same manner. It is hard at first to get the hands on the horse and so close together but once they get it when the horse is turned length-wise the vault becomes easier.

Mr. Doug Hills, the gymnastics coach at Jackson High School in Portland , Oregon, utilizes his school 's high jump Pro Pits. He has three large mats lhat he uses for his Tsukahara drills. (See Figure 1.)

t>... "'f>,+

p,.. "'Pit

Figure 1.

He stacks two of them on top of each other and the third one at the end of the bottom one. In between the two Pro Pits that are on the floor is placed a spotting table for the coach to stand on . A four-inch landing pad is placed on top of the double deck Pro Pit. This is to give the gymnast something to push against while doing the roundoff . It is still fairly soft. Something must be added so that it provides more resistance. The gymnast then goes through the same drills that we discussed in the double horse drill.

10. Vaulting Pillow Drill. At this point the gymnast needs to place emphasis on the height he attains off the vaulting horse. Five or more 8 inch crash mats are stacked up at the end of the regulation vaulting horse. Using the competition vaulting board the vaulter works on increasing his distance above the horse while rotating over to his back. Again, stress the importance of eye contact with the horse at all times to insure body position awareness.

11 . Tucked Somersault Off Horse. Place a landing mat at the end of the

12

horse. Standing on the end jump up slightly back to initiate the rotation of the somersault . The arms reach up and just before the peak of the jump pu ll the elbows apart and back to open up the chest. This puts the gymnast in a stretched position with a little rotation started . Quickly, the knees come up to a tucked position and at the same time the head looks back. As soon as the rotation has been completed open quickly so that the performer drops to the floor in a standing position. Work to get the standi ng back somersault done immediately so that the landing will be controlled.

Now that the different parts have been worked on, it is time to put the pieces together.

12. Tsukahara Vau lt. The horse is now put at reg ulation. The coach can spot the vault the same way but by this time the gymnast and the coach should have confidence in the move so that spotting is unnecessary. The large pile of mats are still used until the gymnast is confident.

The dril ls and sequence that have been covered are excellent progressions for learning the vault. The fol lowing are a few more ideas that can be used successfully.

13. Six Man Spot. Even though the gymnast may have gone through many of the drills he still may be afraid to turn over the vault by himself. The six-man spot is the safest and easiest way to spot the vau lt. Six people hold up a four­inch crash mat at level with the horse at the bottom of the leather part of the body of the horse. The vaulter rotates into the landing mat. The spotters hold the mat just enough to break the fa ll. The gymnast can land on the back of his neck and no stress is placed on it. This technique is used only for gymnasts that are turning the vault over for the first few times or those who have trouble rotating.

14. Diving Board. As on the trampoline, the gymnast must learn a front somersault with a half twist commonly known as a barani. Once the barani is learned the performer must rotate it rapidly and lean back as it is completed . This makes the gymnast feel as if he will over-rotate to his back. When this sensation is felt quickly lift the knees to a tight tuck position and turn over a back somersault. This stunt is known as an in fliffus or a barani back out. This is the same feeling as the Tsukahara vault.

15. Vault Into Pool(5). A horse is placed next to a swimming pool at the deep end. The gymnast vaults normally but lands in the pool.

United States Gymnastics Federation Friday March 5, 1982 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM

Meeting of the Executive Committee Lowes Summit Hotel New York City, New York

Executive CGmmittee Minutes

The meeting was called to order by President B. Wilkinson at 9:04 am. Members Present: Mr. Bud Wilkinson - President Mr. Les Sasvary - Vice President for Men Ms. Roe Kreutzer - Vice President for Women Mr. Mike Milidonis - Secretary Mr. Peter Kormann - Member At Large Mrs. Sue Ammermann - Member At Large

Guests Present by Request: Mr. Roger Counsil - USGF Executive Director Ms. Jackie Fie - FIG Women 's Technical Committee Member Mr. Bill Roetzheim - USGF Representative to the FIG Technical Assembly -Men Mr. Bud Wilkinson introduced Ms. Carolyn Edwards, Chair Region VII. Ms. Edwards addressed the committee concerning recent events in Region VII resulting from the procedures and minutes of the Women 's International Program Committee. The Region VII members expres.sed concern with the re· organization of the WIPC. The presentation and material dpcumentation received were discussed by the Executive Comm ittee.

Agenda Item I Approval of Committee Recommendations.

The Committee expressed concern over the proposed budget of the Rhythmic Gymnastics Program. Discussion continued of the program, coaches involved , organization and reporting procedures to the USGF Office and Board of Directors. Proposed by Mr. M. Milidonis: To direct the USGF Executive Committee to assign to the Rhythmic Gymnastics Committee and Rhythmic Gymnastics International Program Committee Executive Boards, a member to their Executive Boards. Approval of all policies and proposed budgets of the Rhythmic Committees shall be subject to the evaluation of the USGF Board of Directors and or USGF Executive Committee. Motion Passed

USGF TECHNICAL JOURNAL

Statement by the Executive Committee concerning Rhythmic Gymnastics Committees:

a. The USGF Executive Committee hereby assigns Mrs. Sue Ammerman as representative to the Rhythmic Gymnastics Committee and Rhythmic Gymnastics International Program Committee.

b. The Rhythmic Gymnastics Competitions prior to the French Invitational shall be eliminated from the proposed budget and scheduled athlete participation.

c. The USGF Office shall be directed to contact the proposed Rhythmic Gymnastics Committee's Officers and Directors regarding participation in future International events.

All matters concerning the Rhythmic Gymnastics Committee and Rhythmic Gymnastics International Program Committee must be concluded not later than April 10, 1982. The disposition of all matters shall be reported to the Executive Committee by the chair of the Rhythmic Committees.

Statement Adopted.

Mr. L. Sasvary presented a report on the Men's Program Committee. The comm ittee is concerned with the difficulty encountered in obtaining athletes for the various competitions due to conflicts in scheduling and training programs of the gymnasts at their educational institutions.

Proposed by Mrs. Sue Ammerman: To urge all committee chairs to make every possible effort to contact all committee members in regards to conference call meetings, i.e. phone, mailgram, etc. If a committee member cannot be contacted by phone, a mailgram should be sent immediately. Initial notifications of phone meetings shall take place by mail at least seven days prior to the meeting.

Motion Passed.

The minutes of the Men's Program Committee were moved for approval by: Mr. M. Milidonis.

Motion Passed.

The Executive Committee directed Mr. M. Milidonis to prepare a standard form for the preparation of all committee minutes. These guidelines to be used by all committees of the Board and the USGF.

The minutes of the Women 's International Program Committee, January 7, 1982 were discussed .

Motion by Ms. R. Kreutzer to not approve the r,linutes of the WIPC of January 7th until the minutes are placed in the correct content and form . The minutes shou ld therefore be sent back to the WIPC for appropriate revision .

Motion Passed.

There was considerable discussion regarding the presentation of minutes, approval of minutes, when motions approved in the minutes become policy, the distribution of minutes, etc.

President B. Wilkinson called for a brief recess at 11 :15 am.

The meeting was reconvened at 11 :35 am.

Proposed by Mr. M. Milidonis. Minutes of all comm ittee meetings shall be subject to the approval of the USGF Executive Committee and Board of Directors. The committee chair shall prepare and send the proposed minutes to the committee members for approval within fourteen days of the meeting date. Non response within fourteen days shall be considered approval. Following committee approval , the committee chair shall submit the minutes for approval by the Executive Committee and Board of Directors to the USGF Office and Board Secretary, with.in twenty-one days of the meeting date. Distribution of the minutes to the respective committees and Board of Directors shall be the responsibility of the USGF Office following approval. Committee chairs and Board of Directors members shall be responsible for distribution of the minutes to their membership.

Motion Passed.

Proposed by Mrs. S. Ammerman : The Executive Director of the USGF shall determine the budget for all events. The Executive Director shall notify the Women'.s Program Committees, Men's Program Committees and Rhythmic Program Committees of budgets, invitations and other parameters regarding proposed events. The Program Committees shall meet ninety days prior to all events to determine participation in those events, selection of delegations, program functions and

USGF TECHNICAL JOURNAL

other pertinent matters concerning those events. The appropriate committees shall submit all recommendations to the USGF Office within sixty days prior to the events.

Motion Passed. There was lengthy discussion concerning the exclusive use of wooden vault boards for the elite level women 's program. Concerns discussed centered around the development of our gymnasts, as well as, the speci fications and construction of various composite boards.

Proposed by Mr. L. Sasvary: To submi t for reconsideration to the Olympic Games Preparation Comm ittee the proposals relating to the exclusive use of wooden vault boards for women . In the interim, boards which meet FIG specifications or are approved by the FIG shall be approved for use in the upcoming three international competitions in the USA. Until such reconsideration is approved by the USGF Executive Committee and Board of Directors, the exclusive use of wooden boards in the USGF national competitions shall be maintained .

Motion Passed , 5 for and 1 opposed .

Mr. R. Counsil noted that we are within the budget projections for this fiscal year.

Proposed by Mrs. S. Ammerman: To accept the committee report and proposals of the Equipment Committee, chair Mr. M. Rabinoff .

Motion Passed.

President B. Wilkinson requested a recess for lunch at 12:33 pm.

The meeting of the USGF Executive Committee reconvened at 3:34 pm.

Agenda Item Ill revision of Publications.

Proposed by Mr. M. Milidonis: That consideration of revision of USGF Publications, including rules books, be recommended not earlier that every two years or unless there is a major ru les or policies change. Additions and supplements should be promoted as a means of updating USGF Publications and materials.

Motion Passed.

Agenda Item IV Plans to Publish a USGF Rules Book.

Mr. R. Counsil noted that work on such material compilation has begun. A report should be available at the spring Board of Directors Meeting .

Agenda Item V Establishing a Sanctioning Policy.

Mrs. S. Ammerman presented the revised WIPC Minutes of January 7, 1982.

Discussion concerned the USGF Sanctioning Policies which are being currently used . Considerations of sanctions should be the perogative of the USGF Execut ive Director. Considerations for sanctions should include:

a. When the event does not over tax the ath lete. b. When the events are in conflict with USGF-FIG events, schedu ling and

training. c. When potential revenues (TV or gate) are not in conflict or adversly affect

other events sanctioned by the USGF.

Motion 13y Mr. L. Sasvary: To adopt the USGF "Sanctioning and Policies Guideline" 1981 Edition Revised.

Motion Passed.

Proposed by Mr. L. Sasvary: In order to receive an official USGF sanction for any event, the USGF Executive Director must approve any network television contract arrangements.

Motion Passed.

Mr. R. Counsil was directed to contact the TV Contract Committee concerning recommendations and guidelines which must be submitted not later than April 15, 1982 to the USGF Office and Board of Directors.

Agenda Item VI Establishment of an Athletes Foundation .

Discussion concerned the fund raising possib11rnes for athletes training , travel , escrowing of funds rece ived , etc. There is a need for policies governing the manner in which funds are received and distributed.

13

Proposed by Mr. M. Milidonis. To direct Executive Director Mr. R. Counsil to appoint an ad hoc advisory committee to study and make recommendations for the establishment of an Athletes Foundation. The recommendations shall be reported to the USGF Office and Board of Directors not later than April 15, 1982.

Motion Passed .

Agenda Item VII Ethics Committee.

Discussion concerned the need for the establishment of a committee or the development of policy statements concerning ethics.

Agenda Item VIII Executive Director Report.

Mr. R. Counsil presented a report to the Executive Committee. Highlights of his report included the following items. a. Mr. Scott Crouse has resigned as Women's Program Director. b. Ms. Becky Riki has been hired as Coordinating Secretary for Women 's

Gymnastics with additional duties as Interpreter. c . Mr. Dick Kaziney has been hired as an Administrative Assistant in charge of

computerization of the office functions, investigation of the insurance and membership operations, the operation and organization of the USOC Project Gold, and the solic itation of potential sponsorships.

d. The specifics of the MacDonald's contract include the establishment of the "LUV" program for local gymnasts and stores, event sponsorships, etc.

e. There is a possibility of developing a contract with the Sanyo organization. f. The USOC has been hard at work developing the new programs in

preparation for the 1984 Games, Project Gold, The Olympic Coin Act, etc. g. The FIG Congress will be held in Zurick, this summer. The 1984 Congress

will be held in L.A. and the USGF has requested the 1985 World Championships.

h. The progress on the tax letter is still slow but very promising. i. The Professional gymnastics program has been quite successful. The office

does have concerns with the amateurs performing with the group and suggests that we investigate the USOC doctrines to insure that our athletes are not jeopardizing their amateur status.

j. The USGF Office has received an application for membership from the Blind and Handicapped Athletes Association and a request for vote allocation from the NACGC-Women.

The Game Plan for 1984 was discussed at length. We should be concerned with the organization and implementation of definite plans and steps for the 1984 Games.

Proposed by Mr. M. Mi lidonis. To implement the 1984 Game Plan by all International Program Committees. And the establishment of a USGF International Gymnastics Planning Committee. The membership to be appointed by the Executive Director.

Motion Passed.

Add as an addendum to the minutes the 1984 Game Plan written by Mr. L. Sasvary.

New Bylaws amendments which have been received were discussed . These include: a. The Board of Directors shall meet once annually. b. The term of office to the Executive Committee be two years and unlimited

number of terms. c. The FIG representatives shall be advisory members of the Executive

Committee (non-voting) .

The Executive Committee discussed the eligibility of an athlete who has been involved in various promotional considerat ions. The Executive Di rector was directed to contact the athlete and coach regarding the implicat ions and future involvement so as to not jeopardize his potential eligibility.

Agenda Item IX May Board meeting Agenda Items.

The agenda items for the May Board of Directors meeting should be solicitated from the Board members as soon as possible.

Agenda Item X New Business.

Discussion concerned the jurisdiction of the Men's Program Committee in relation to the Junior Olympic Board.

Motion by Mr. B. Wilkinson. The Junior Olympic Board is responsible to the Men's Program Committee.

Motion Passed .

14

The Executive Committee commends Mr. R. Counsi l for his outstanding efforts and performance during the past year.

President B. Wilkinson suggested that the Executive Committee schedule the next meeting prior to the May Board of Directors meeting.

On motion duly made and seconded, the meeting was adjourned at 7:00 pm.

Submitted for Consideration by:

Michael J. Milidonis Secretary, USGF Executive Committee

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1982 USGF

CONGRESS Fort Worth, Texas September 23-26, 1982 Americana Hotel

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1. An original type copy, double spaced on 8% x ·11 inch paper. 2. An abstract. on a separate page, a short summary of procedure and explanation of

study or article content (not more than 150 words). 3. A short biographical paragraph on a separate page of the author or authors

accompanied by a small photo (2% x 3%" ) of the author. 4 . References on a separate sheet double spaced in consecutive order, using Index

Medicine style (author's name - last name first , name of book, city, publisher. year, page numbers) journal references, should follow same format (author. name of article, Journal name, volume, pages. year) .

5. Duplicates of pictures and diagrams or figures (black and white preferred) with sharp detail. Also include explanations (captions) of pictures and diagrams on a separate

sheet. Photograph release - a letter of release from any identifiable subject in photos that are included in the article unless the face or eyes are obscurred . Letter should be signed by subject, parent or guardian .

6. Title page consisting of an informative title, author 's.name and complete institutional or professional address.

Guest editorials should be submitted following the same format for submission as listed, with the possible exclusion of numbers 2 and 4 of the above.

Submission of Articles for Publication:

Written articles will ·be accepted for review and possible publication in the following

procedure. First the articles are sent to:

Managing Editor. Department of Publications

USGF

P.O. Box 7686 Fort Worth, TX 76111

Upon receipt of the artic.le, to the USGF office, the research coordinator will review and forward copies to the appropriate USGF Sports Advisory Committee members for review. On receiving their review, copies of the article will go ~o the Managing Editor and Executive Director for final approval for publication .

If it is necessary for the article to be edited or revised in order to improve the effectiveness of communication to a wide variety-level of readers, the author will receive the edited article prior to publishing for their approval.

All correspondence will be addressed to the Author submitting the article, unless otherwise requested ..

• If the article or parts of have been submitted and/ or published by another publication . a complete name and address of the ~ditor and Publication should accompany the article upon submission to the USGF in order to follow proper procedures of publishing and to receive approval to reproduce the article in the USGF publication.

Request for Reprints of Articles

These requests should be made directly to the author.

USGF GYMNASTICS MAGAZINE

The USGF GYMNASTICS magazine services the entire gymnastics community through USGF Professional, Gold Card or Athlete membership, or through magazine subscriptions - USGF GYMNASTICS, P.O. Box 7686, Fort Worth , Texas 76111 . USGF GYMNASTICS is designed to provide the athlete and all enthusiasts of the sport of gymnastics with the most current picture of national and international events, results and trends which effect them directly. Contributing articles and guest opinions are encouraged to help progressively define and guide the sport of gymnastics.

15

-\) 11ited States

The winning team with the perfect score on benefits.

Join the winning team. Over 125,000 gymnasts and over 700 clubs are members. We offer even more in 1981 -82 than before.

Everyone scores perfect with these benefits:

USGF Club Membership. By enrolling 100% of the club staff and students as USGF General Members, your club would automatically receive a million dollars of Comprehensive General Liability. The intent of this program is to insure that the club and parent or guardian will not be burdened by medical costs not covered by other programs, and that the club and its personnel are adequately covered for their liability exposure. Individual Gen­eral Members receive $50,000 excess medical cov­erage. Some of the club benefits include: 1. O,L,& T (Owners, Landlords and Tenants Liability) . 2. Hired and Nonowned Auto Liability. 3. Incidental Medical Malpractice. 4. Trampoline Coverage. 5. Personal Injury Liability . 6. Independent Con tractors Liab ility. 7. Premises Medical Payments. 8. Extended Bodily Injury Liabil ity .

USGF Professional Membership. This member­ship is designed for the serious gymnastics coach , teacher, judge or program director. It offers profes­sional growth benefits as well as informat ion on the USGF System of Competition . Some of the benefits include: 1. USGF Technical Journal (bi -monthly). 2. USGF GYMNASTICS Magazine (bi -monthly). 3. $50,000 Excess Medical Coverage. 4. Twenty-fou r Hour Accidental Death Benef its. 5. Free Admission to Nationally Sponsored USG F

United States Gymnastics Federation P.O. Box 7686, Fort Worth, Texas 76111

Sports Medicine and National Program Clinics. 6. College Credit Extension Courses from the Uni­

ve rsity of Utah. 7. Voting Privileges in the USGF Women 's Com­

mittee (must be 18 years old to vote).

USG F Gold Card Membership. Some of the benefits of this membership include: USGF GYM­NASTICS Magazine (bi -monthly) and Voting Privi­leges in the USGF Women 's Committee (must be 18 years old to vote).

USGF Athlete Membership. Athletes will not want to be without these benefits: 1. $50,000 Excess Medical Coverage for USGF Sanc­

tioned Competitions and Events (This does not cover the gymnasts during his/her daily training or travel to and from a USG F sanctioned event).

2. $10,000 Accidental Death and Dismemberment . 3. Athlete Registration Number Required for all

USGF Sanctioned Competitive Events.

USGF General Membership. Some of the bene­fits include: $50,000 Excess Medical Coverage and $10,000 Accidental Death and Dismemberment.

For more information on any of these member­ships, ca ll or write: Cheryl Grace National Director U.S.G.F. Membership Program Bayly , Martin & Fay/San Antonio P.O. Box 17800 San Anton io, Texas 78217 1-800-531 -7224 1-800-531-7205 1-800-292-5721 (Texas only)

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage

PAID Permit No. 2025 Fort Worth, Texas