In case you haven't heard yet, Alicia Sacramone (A-Sac) is making a comeback - planning on probably competing vault and beam, maybe not floor because of all the pounding. Her goal is the 2010 Worlds. USA women's team looking for a vaulter still apparently: [QUOTE] This Spring, Sacramone left her studies at Brown, where she was also a volunteer assistant coach for the gymnastics team she once competed on, and headed to L.A., hoping to make it big in her first love, fashion, and encouraged to pursue acting after well received commentating and commercial stints (like the hilarious “Quest for G” Monty Python paradoy for Gatorade). But Sacramone quickly came to the realization that Hollywood wasn’t for her. “You know, acting was never my thing to begin with,” she says with an easy laugh. “I think it was just a fun idea to play with. Nothing I’m going to miss.” But what Sacramone did find she missed, surprisingly, was gymnastics. She was, in fact, shocked by how much. “I don’t really know what happened,” Sacramone says of the slow realization she might not be done after all. “It kind of snuck up on me. It’s kind of weird. I was focused on just being done and then I went to [April’s] Classic in San Diego, just to see [my coach] Mihai (Brestyan). I was in L.A. at the time and he was like, ‘Just come down.’ “So, I get there, I’m hanging out, seeing everyone and he’s like, ‘You know, nobody’s vaulting. We could use you,’” Sacramone recalls. “I was like, ‘Ha, ha, ha. I don’t know about that.’ But, I don’t know, they instilled the idea. I think they had a secret plan. They tricked me.” But Sacramone is no longer joking about her return to gymnastics. She underwent shoulder surgery in May to repair the labrum tear and has no qualms about what comes next. “I am coming back, that much is decided,” she says happily. “How far I’m gonna get with that, we’ll see. I don’t know exactly what the process is going to be. I’ll probably take the rest of the summer off, just to heal up. Then I’ll start getting back into the gym in the Fall. As far as National Team stuff, I’ll leave that all up to Mihai to deal with, but hopefully I’ll be starting to compete the beginning of next year and then the main goal right now is [2010] Worlds.” [/QUOTE] Maybe Alicia shouldn't put too much pressure on herself as being the team leader though... [QUOTE] “I think it could be beneficial to the younger generation coming up,” Sacramone says of the role she could play as a team leader heading towards 2012. “Hopefully they know they can come to me for advice, and I can give them my two cents about the situation, since I’ve pretty much been around the block now—more than a couple times. I think we have a new generation of kids coming up. They need someone to turn to and I hope they can do that with me.” [/QUOTE] ...and concentrate on herself too Sacramone on Comeback Path

vault spot open for ASac! it will be harder for Chellsie Memmel to be in the mix.

Chellsie Memmel is listed on the U.S. Women's Senior National Gymnastics Team, reported August 15th, but Alicia Sacramone isn't...yet.. [QUOTE] Jana Bieger, Coconut Creek, Fla., Bieger International Gymnastics Rebecca Bross, Plano, Texas, WOGA Gymnastics Mackenzie Caquatto, Naperville, Ill., Naperville Gymnastics Club Kaitlyn Clark, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Precision Gymnastics Olivia Courtney, Orlando, Fla., Orlando Metro Gymnastics Ivana Hong, Lovejoy, Texas, WOGA Gymnastics Kytra Hunter, Frederick, Md., Hill's Gymnastics Alaina Johnson, Tyler, Texas, Texas East Gymnastics Mattie Larson, Los Angeles, All-Olympia Anastasia Liukin, Parker, Texas, WOGA Gymnastics Chellsie Memmel, West Allis, Wis., M&M Gymnastics Samantha Peszek, Indianapolis, Ind., Sharp's Gymnastics Samantha Shapiro, Los Angeles, All-Olympia Bridget Sloan, Pittsboro, Ind., Sharp's Gymnastics Cassandra Whitcomb, Cincinnati, Ohio, Cincinnati Gymnastics Kayla Williams, Nitro, W.V., Gym Nest Inc. [/QUOTE] Here's the U.S. Women's Junior National Gymnastics Team: [QUOTE] Bridgette Caquatto, Naperville, Ill., Naperville Gymnastics Club Briley Casanova, Dallas, Texas, WOGA Gymnastics Sophina DeJesus, Temecula, Calif., SCEGA Gymnastics Amanda Jetter, Milford, Ohio, Cincinnati Gymnastics Madison Kocian, Dallas, Texas, WOGA Gymnastics Katelyn Ohashi, Independence, Mo., Great American Gymn. Express Alexandra Raisman, Needham, Mass., Brestyan's American Gymnastics Kyla Ross, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Gym-Max Gymnastics Morgan Smith, Clearmont, Fla., Brandy Johnson's Global GYM Sabrina Vega, Carmel, N.Y., Dynamic Gymnastics Jordyn Wieber, DeWitt, Mich., Gedderts Twistars USA [/QUOTE] from USA Gymnastics

Well honestly I am not sure if either of them can actually make it back to where they have been. Seeing the way it was/is going with Shawn and Nastia I rather see the younger gymnast set their mark and make the teams this year.

You have to take account though that there is a spot open for Alicia Sacramone to take on vault for the USA team and Marta Karolyi wants her, and her coach too, and Alicia really wants it too. Here is actually an interview with Alicia posted on the USA Gymnastics website, the interview is from the 2009 Visa Championships, this past summer: [quote] USA Gymnastics: What are you doing these days? Where are you living now? Alicia: I’m living in Boston with my parents and looking for an apartment. I’m back in the gym and trying to get back in shape. I train a couple of hours a day. USA Gymnastics: Are you still planning to make a comeback to the sport? Alicia: Yes, I am. I can’t compete until April because of USADA rules. I retired after the Olympic Games and now that I’ve returned, USADA requires athletes to be in the drug testing pool for 6 months before they can compete again. USA Gymnastics: How is training going? Alicia: It’s good. It’s hard getting skills back. Mentally I feel like I can do it, but physically my body is not ready yet. I’m working beam and vault and slowly working on floor. That won’t be for a while though. USA Gymnastics: What do you think will be the toughest event/skill to get back? Alicia: Getting my endurance back for floor will be the toughest thing for me. USA Gymnastics: How’s your body feeling? Alicia: It’s not too bad. My body is getting used to training again. USA Gymnastics: Are you enjoying Boston after being in L.A. for a while? Alicia: I love Boston. It’s one of my favorite cities. New York, Boston and Chicago are my favorite cities. L.A. was not my scene. USA Gymnastics: Are you planning to go back to school? Alicia: I am planning to go back to school. I’m waiting on some transfer stuff to come in before I decide where I’m going to go. USA Gymnastics: I understand that you are helping USA Gymnastics promote the Visa Championships in Hartford. Are you hoping to compete in this event? Alicia: I’m hoping the Visa Championships will be my first big competition back. That’s what I’m striving for. USA Gymnastics: Are you coaching or helping out with gymnastics these days? Alicia: I’m traveling around and doing choreography for gymnasts at different clubs. I love it. I love working with the kids. It’s very entertaining working with kids! [/quote] Nastia Liukin is booking clinics, appearances, and motivational speeches on tour now - check out her new website at: http://www.nastialiukintour.com/ . She said in March 2009 that she turned down "Dancing with the Stars" in the 2009 season to concentrate on her gymnastics: Liukin said she considered the opportunity to be on "Dancing With the [QUOTE] Stars" but realized that if she did the show now there would not be the chance to compete in the major gymnastics meets of 2009. "It wasn't doable," she said. Liukin also noted that two participants scheduled to be on this season's show have already been injured and that beach volleyball Olympic gold medalist Misty May-Treanor was injured during last fall's show. [/QUOTE] From the L.A. times article: Nastia Liukin stays focused on competing . Doesn't look like she is focused on competing, though she is in the gymnastics scene - interviewing at Worlds, and doing the gymnastics cilnics/appearances. Shawn Johnson did the 2009 "Dancing with the Stars" season (winning it) and there has not been any media on her recently working out at the gym.

Nastia Liukin's schedule reminds me of when people said Carly Patterson shouldn't have announced her retirement from gymnastics competition so early because it probably influenced sponsorships / advertisement opportunities. Then again, Paul and Morgan Hamm said they weren't going to retire yet and that they just wanted a break, and they did make a comeback. Maybe Nastia just needs a break from the 6 hours a day of practice. Why not keep the options open and also avoid burn out too. Not to mention having some fun and doing what you want at the time. It could be good to rest her body from the heavy impact especially floor tumbling and vaulting has.