USA Gymnastics
Encyclopedia
United States of America Gymnastics (USA Gymnastics) or USAG is the national governing body
for gymnastics
in the United States
. The mission of USA Gymnastics is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of gymnastics.
The programs governed by USAG are: Women's Artistic, Men's Artistic, Rhythmic
, Trampoline
& Tumbling
, Acrobatic
, and Group gymnastics.
Women's Artistic is by far the most popular. Gymnasts of all ages compete in levels 4-10, and then move on to Elite.
Most gymnasts begin at the recreational level. For artistic gymnastics, competition begins at level 4. Levels 4-6 are compulsory, where each gymnast's routine is exactly the same. Levels 7-elite are considered optional levels. Routines vary among gymnasts, giving the athletes a chance to highlight their strengths. The women's events include vault
, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise
. The men's events include floor exercise
, pommel horse
, still rings, vault
, parallel bars, and horizontal bar
.
USA Gymnastics has three standing committees per the bylaws:
Finance and Audit,
Ethics and Grievance, and
Nominating and Governance.
Sport governing body
A sport governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function. Sport governing bodies come in various forms, and have a variety of regulatory functions. Examples of this can include disciplinary action for rule infractions and deciding on rule changes in the sport...
for gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The mission of USA Gymnastics is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of gymnastics.
The programs governed by USAG are: Women's Artistic, Men's Artistic, Rhythmic
Rhythmic gymnastics
Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which individuals or teams of competitors manipulate one or two pieces of apparatus: rope, clubs, hoop, ball, ribbon and Free . An individual athlete only manipulates 1 apparatus at a time...
, Trampoline
Trampolining
Trampolining is a competitive Olympic sport in which gymnasts perform acrobatics while bouncing on a trampoline. These can include simple jumps in the pike, tuck or straddle position to more complex combinations of forward or backward somersaults and twists....
& Tumbling
Tumbling (gymnastics)
In gymnastics, tumbling, also known as power tumbling is an acrobatic sporting discipline which combines some of the skills of artistic gymnastics on the floor with those of trampolining. It is practised on a 25 metre long spring track...
, Acrobatic
Acrobatic gymnastics
Acrobatic gymnastics is a competitive partner sport combining the strength, flexibility and technical precision of gymnastics with the grace and musicality of dance as well as the trust and camaraderie of a dedicated partnership...
, and Group gymnastics.
Women's Artistic is by far the most popular. Gymnasts of all ages compete in levels 4-10, and then move on to Elite.
Most gymnasts begin at the recreational level. For artistic gymnastics, competition begins at level 4. Levels 4-6 are compulsory, where each gymnast's routine is exactly the same. Levels 7-elite are considered optional levels. Routines vary among gymnasts, giving the athletes a chance to highlight their strengths. The women's events include vault
Vault (gymnastics)
The vault is an artistic gymnastics apparatus, as well as the skill performed using that apparatus. Vaulting is also the action of performing a vault. Both male and female gymnasts perform the vault...
, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise
Floor (gymnastics)
In gymnastics, the floor refers to a specially prepared exercise surface, which is considered an apparatus. It is used by both male and female gymnasts. The event in gymnastics performed on floor is called floor exercise. The English abbreviation for the event in gymnastics scoring is FX.A spring...
. The men's events include floor exercise
Floor (gymnastics)
In gymnastics, the floor refers to a specially prepared exercise surface, which is considered an apparatus. It is used by both male and female gymnasts. The event in gymnastics performed on floor is called floor exercise. The English abbreviation for the event in gymnastics scoring is FX.A spring...
, pommel horse
Pommel horse
The pommel horse is an artistic gymnastics apparatus. Traditionally, it is used by only male gymnasts. Originally made of a metal frame with a wooden body and a leather cover, modern pommel horses have a metal body covered with foam rubber and leather, with plastic handles .- History :The pommel...
, still rings, vault
Vault (gymnastics)
The vault is an artistic gymnastics apparatus, as well as the skill performed using that apparatus. Vaulting is also the action of performing a vault. Both male and female gymnasts perform the vault...
, parallel bars, and horizontal bar
Horizontal bar
The high bar, also known as the horizontal bar, is an apparatus used by male gymnasts in Artistic Gymnastics. It traditionally consists of a cylindrical metal bar that is rigidly held above and parallel to the floor by a system of cables and stiff vertical supports. Gymnasts typically wear leather...
.
Board of directors
- Chairman: Peter VidmarPeter VidmarPeter Glen Vidmar is an American gymnast and Olympic medalist. He won gold medals in the men's all-around team competition and the pommel horse competition, as well as a silver medal in the men's all-around individual gymnastics competition at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles. He was...
, Coto De Caza, Calif. - Vice chairman: Paul Parilla, Lake Forest, Calif. (non voting position)
- Secretary: Gary Anderson, Hillsboro Beach, Fla. (non-voting position)
- Treasurer: Jim Morris, Indianapolis, Ind.
- National Membership Directors:
- Tom Koll, Omaha, Neb., women
- Steve Rybacki, Covina, Calif., women
- Yoichi Tomita, Tucson, Ariz., men
- Russ Fystrom, Minneapolis, Minn., men
- Dr. George Drew, Three Rivers, Mich., trampoline and tumbling
- Brooke Bushnell Toohey, Lake Placid, N.Y., rhythmic gymnastics
- Advisory Council Directors
- Mike Burns, Minneapolis, Minn.
- Ron Ferris, Austintown, Ohio
- Mike Lorenzen, Mountain View, Calif.
- Athlete Directors
- Karl Heger, Rockford, Ill., trampoline and tumbling
- Jessica Howard, New York, N.Y., rhythmic gymnastics
- Michael Rodrigues, Livermore, Calif., acrobatic gymnastics
- John RoethlisbergerJohn RoethlisbergerJohn Roethlisberger is a retired American gymnast. He is a three-time Olympian representing the U.S. at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, and 2000 Olympics in Sydney. He is also a four-time U.S. Nationals all-around champion and four-time U.S...
, Knoxville, Tenn., men - Kim ZmeskalKim ZmeskalKimberly Lynn "Kim" Zmeskal Burdette is a retired American gymnast and a former national and world gymnastics champion in the early 1990s.-Early life and training:...
, Lewisville, Texas, women
- Public Sector Directors
- Bitsy Kelley, Outrigger Activities/Bitsy Kelley Outdoors, Portland, Ore.
- Frank Marshall, entertainment producer, Santa Monica, Calif.
- Jim Morris, Pacers Sports & Entertainment, Indianapolis, Ind.
- Mary Lou RettonMary Lou RettonMary Lou Retton is an American gymnast and Olympic gold medalist. She was the first female gymnast from outside Eastern Europe to win the Olympic all-around title, after 14 Eastern Bloc countries boycotted the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.-Personal life:Retton was born in Fairmont, West...
, former Olympic champion and motivational speaker, Houston
- Chairman Emeritus
- Ron Froehlich
USA Gymnastics has three standing committees per the bylaws:
Finance and Audit,
Ethics and Grievance, and
Nominating and Governance.
See also
- Fédération Internationale de GymnastiqueFédération Internationale de GymnastiqueThe Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique or International Federation of Gymnastics is the governing body of competitive gymnastics. Its headquarters is in Lausanne, Switzerland. It was founded on July 23, 1881 in Liège, Belgium, making it the oldest international sport organisation...
- International governing body