Gymnastics training individualized good: [quote]IG: What do you think of the training system for the U.S. team prior to the 2000 Games, compared to the 2004 Games? What worked and didn't work? TS: I feel that 2000 was more of a group training, a group assignment. Regardless of how you trained, everyone was instructed to train the same way, with the same amount of routines. I really liked the upgrade they did in 2004, because they considered every athlete and her coach as individuals. One girl might need five routines, but another girl might need only two because she needs to save her body. But two works for her, and five works for the other. So I really think they got better with that system in 2004. This is an individual sport. People's bodies are different. Some people can hit with two perfect routines a day, and some can hit doing seven perfect ones a day. I think that, if the training and assignments are more individualized, that's the better route to take. [/quote] Different scoring system for college gymnastics vs. elite gymnastcs - stick landings count a lot in college gym. vs. throwing big skills in elite gym. [quote]IG: What advice can you give the gymnasts who will be competing in Beijing, so they can avoid feeling overwhelmed in actual Olympic competition? TS: I feel that being nervous is inevitable, and if you're not nervous, there's something wrong with you (laughs). What I've learned from college gymnastics is that, in a sense, college gymnastics is harder than elite in that consistency is key. I've been watching elite, and yeah, these girls are throwing big skills, but the execution isn't as precise as in college because we're talking 9.95s and 9.975s (in NCAA scoring), since the scoring is so close. Landings are everything here. That's what I've learned from college that needs to be applied to elite. With the new Code of Points it's very hard, but Miss Val (UCLA head coach Valorie Kondos-Field) is always telling me, "Calm...calm confidence. You need to slow it down." Sometimes you get out there and you're too tight. If I'm loose and slowed-down and just pretend I'm in practice