Fixing Floor

Due to low difficulty ratings on required skills, long routines and a lack of endurance, and the absurd rules the Federation of International Gymnastics has implemented,  floor has become the lowest scoring apparatus in Women's Gymnastics, by quite a large margin.  It appears that those with endless energy and springs for legs are the ones that seem to excel (I am looking at you, Simone Biles).  Let's look at the All Around Final from the past Olympic Games, we can see 6 of the top 10 athletes in the All Around Final yielded their lowest score on floor, including the gold and silver medalists Gabby Douglas and Viktoria Komova, the latter who performed her best routine on floor to date and stepped off of the mat on her vault.  Why is this and how can we fix this?  The current rules are preventing gymnasts like Aly Raisman and Brenna Dowell from maximizing their strengths in All Around competition, while minimizing the damage done to weaker floor workers like Viktoria Komova and Kyla Ross.

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The Current Code of Points on Floor prohibits the high scores on floor that we see on vault and bars.  The current rules in place require a minimum of three dance moves be credited for the difficulty score.  This was intended to prevent gymnasts from maxing out their D-Score by doing insane tumbling run, and thus, prevent injury.  How ever, the Code of Points does not give any leaps, jumps, or turns a difficulty rating over a D, with the exception of a triple wolf turn and a quadruple turn, skills that are almost never competed.  When an elite gymnast and coach create routines, they rarely count elements less than a D for their final score, however, they are forced to do so to meet the requirements.  The only way to boost D-Scores, and thus final scores, is to raise the values of dance elements.
Also, the rule that will be put into place this month states that one can not use the same diagonal to complete a tumbling pass was designed to prevent back-to-back tumbling runs, a trend that was prevalent in the '90s, is sure to limit the number of tumbling passes one does in a floor routine.  In a routine that has a 1:30 time requirement, many gymnasts struggle to fit choreography, leaps, jumps, and four tumbling runs into that time period.  By requiring time to move from corner to corner, many gymnasts may drop one tumbling pass all together, lowering D-Scores and floor scores.

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In a floor routine with a time component, endurance plays an issue.  As I previously mentioned, gymnasts have a lot to do in a short amount of time, and the requirements set by the FIG do not help.  By the time elite gymnasts are ready for their last pass, they are so exhausted, the gymnasts hardly ever do more than the required D-level dismount that you see occur on the other events.  On floor, gymnasts do the bare minimum, which leads to lower difficulty scores.

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When the FIG removed the "Lunge Rule", more deductions occur.  Possibly the most controversial rules of the past quadrennium was the rule that states gymnasts must stick their tumbling passes.  This rule ended an era of the sport, and created more deductions.  I can understand the reasoning, a stuck landing is the best indication of a truly controlled pass, but not only does it lower floor scores, it causes more stress on the body and can lead to more injuries.    

How can the Federation of International Gymnastics fix these issues on floor?  If dance skills had higher ratingings on floor, scores would increase due to a higher start score.  Low difficulties are the main reason for low scores, not because a gymnast is incapable of competing harder skills, because it is impossible to get as high of a start score on floor compared to other events.  By raising the value of dance skills, higher scores can be achieved and will balance out the separation of points in competitions.  By re-implementing the lunge allowed out of tumbling passes, less deductions will occur, and can lead to a rise of floor scores.

Comparing 2008 and 2012

Ever since the Fierce Five won Gold in London, people have been disputing which team was better, the 2008 Silver-Winning Beijing Team or the Gold Medal Winning 2012 Team.  As code changes makes it hard to compare between codes, I've coded the routines competed in Beijing and those performed in London to see who had the higher difficulty.

Vault

Bridget Sloan	5.8	Jordyn Wieber	6.3
Shawn Johnson	6.3	Gabby Douglas	6.3
Alicia Sacramone	6.3	McKayla Maroney	6.3
Total	18.3	Total	18.9

Bars

Shawn Johnson	5.8	Jordyn Wieber	6.3
Chellsie Memmel	6.2	Kyla Ross	6.1
Nastia Liukin	6.3	Gabby Douglas	6.4
Total	18.3	Total	18.8

Beam 

Alicia Sacramone	5.7	Kyla Ross	6.2
Nastia Liukin	6.0	Gabby Douglas	6.4
Shawn Johnson	6.4	Aly Raisman	6.4
Total	18.2	Total	19.0

Floor

Alicia Sacramone	5.8	Gabby Douglas	6.1
Nastia Liukin	5.7	Jordyn Wieber	6.1
Shawn Johnson	6.2	Aly Raisman	6.4
Total	17.7	Total	18.6

*Thank you to  SportEverywhere and The GymnastFan Hub for their videos on the correct coding of these routines, which allowed me to check if I was correct or not. *

Keep in mind that these routines were not designed for this code of point, many skills were downgraded/ upgraded so these difficulty charts are not 100% representative of the difficulty capabilities of these athletes.  

Just for kicks, I know a people argue, "Difficulty is not the only important factor of Gymnastics!", so I included the execution score given to these routines and the Olympics.  

Vault

Bridget Sloan	9.4	Jordyn Wieber	9.433
Shawn Johnson	9.5	Gabby Douglas	9.466
Alicia Sacramone	9.375	McKayla Maroney	9.733

Bars

Shawn Johnson	9.05	Jordyn Wieber	8.266
Chellsie Memmel	8.725	Kyla Ross	8.533
Nastia Liukin	9.2	Gabby Douglas	8.6

Beam  

Alicia Sacramone	8.6	Kyla Ross	9.033
Nastia Liukin	9.375	Gabby Douglas	8.833
Shawn Johnson	9.275	Aly Raisman	8.433

Floor

Alicia Sacramone	7.925	Gabby Douglas	8.966
Nastia Liukin	9.0	Jordyn Wieber	8.9
Shawn Johnson	8.5	Aly Raisman	8.8

Looking at these execution scores, the 2012 Team has higher vault and floor execution, while 2008 wins on bars and beam.  It is important to note, however, these routines were judged under different Code of Points and different deductions, so the routines were not judged the same.  So, lets call execution between 2008 and 2012 a tie, as both teams had higher execution scores on two event.  The 2012 team had higher difficulty scores on each event compared to the 2008 team.

Lastly, I made charts showing the complete scores by adding the execution given at the Olympics and the difficulties I found under the 2013-2016 Code of Points.

Vault

Bridget Sloan	15.2	Jordyn Wieber	15.733
Shawn Johnson	15.8	Gabby Douglas	15.766
Alicia Sacramone	15.575	McKayla Maroney	16.033
Total	46.575	Total	47.532

Bars

Shawn Johnson	14.85	Jordyn Wieber	14.566
Chellsie Memmel	14.925	Kyla Ross	14.633
Nastia Liukin	15.5	Gabby Douglas	15.0
Total	45.275	Total	44.199

Beam

Alicia Sacramone	14.3	Kyla Ross	15.233
Nastia Liukin	15.375	Gabby Douglas	15.233
Shawn Johnson	15.675	Aly Raisman	14.833
Total	45.725	Total	45.299

Floor

Alicia Sacramone	13.725	Gabby Douglas	15.066
Nastia Liukin	14.7	Jordyn Wieber	15.0
Shawn Johnson	14.7	Aly Raisman	15.2
Total	43.125	Total	45.266

2008 Team Total                                                            2012 Team Total

180.7                                                                               182.296

In conclusion, 2012 was a better group of gymnasts overall, "beating" the 2008 Team under this code of difficulty by 1.596. 

Interview with Shannon Miller

Shannon Miller, now 36 years old, is the most successful gymnast in American History.  After winning two silvers at the 1991 World Championships, Miller showed herself as the "It Girl" of American Gymnastics when she helped the team to a Bronze Medal in the Team Final, was the leader in the All Around before the Finals, and won the All Around Silver Medal by the closest margin in Olympic History- .012. to Tatiana Gutsu, as well as having a Silver Medal performance during Beam Finals, and winning the Bronze Medal on Bars and Floor.  Miller only got better during the 1993-1996 Quadrennium, where she became the only American to win back-to-back World All Around Champion in 1993 and 1994, as well as picking up Golds on Bars and Floor in 1993 and Beam in 1994, Silver with the US Team in 1994, and a Team Bronze in 1995.  As a member of the "Magnificent 7", Miller lead the US Team to a Gold Medal in ATlanta, and won an Individual Gold on Beam.  Today, Miller is married to John Falconetti, and they have one son Rocco and one daughter Sterling.  After the birth of Rocco, Miller was diagnosed Ovarian Cancer, which she won her battle with in September 2011.  Miller is the founder and President of Shannon Miller Lifestyle, which focuses on living healthy.  

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1. What was it like to compete knowing you could achieve the Perfect 10?

Every time you step on the floor it’s about achieving perfection whether it’s a stuck landing or a hit routine. The 10.0 allowed you to have a very specific goal regarding a score. Of course, there is also just something special about achieving the “perfect ten.” Nadia Comaneci made the perfect ten the ultimate statement in our sport. It’s almost like grabbing a little bit of history when you achieve it!

2.  Which system is better for the sport of gymnastics in your opinion, the current system or the Perfect 10?

They both have their pros and cons. I believe the perfect 10 is better for the spectators, particularly those that tend to watch gymnastics during the Olympics but may not tune in during the years in between. I think there’s a sense of excitement that comes with the idea of closing in on perfection. For the athletes, I’m not sure it matters too much. We have the rules and we remain flexible with the changes (pardon the pun). It’s also nice to have the designation of difficulty versus execution. It has taken some getting used to for all sides of the sport but you try to make the best of any new situation.

3.  You remain the most successful gymnast, male or female, in US history.  Do you believe you paved the way for the future of USA Gymnastics?

We all have our part. Many paved the way for me to have success in the sport, and I hope that I have helped encourage other young athletes to follow their dreams. I was never very outspoken but always believed in leading by example. I hope that my success in the sport shows others that if you have a dream and you work hard to achieve it, anything is possible.

Shannon Miller Lifestyle

 4. Which Olympic Experience/ Memory is your favorite?

Lol, well there was driving through Dairy Queen with our security guard after the competitions had all concluded. That solidified my love of the chocolate and cookie dough Blizzard! But seriously, standing up on the podium with my team after the team final was amazing! I don’t think I truly realized what an incredible feat we had achieved. There is nothing like seeing the American flag being raised to the sounds of our National Anthem.

5. How did your life after the Olympics change from before it?

I had been through one Olympic cycle (Barcelona) so to some degree I understood the craziness that was about to happen. But having the Games in the US and winning two gold medals just maximized everything! We went on a 100 city tour throughout the nation performing in front of thousands of people almost every night. However, along with the television shows, appearances and tours came a bit of disappointment. I had retired from Olympic competition and wasn’t sure what I was going to do next.

6.  How have you stayed involved with the sport after your career ended?

I stayed involved on the performance side, touring in each of the post-Olympic tours from 1992-2008. I think I’m the longest touring gymnast ever, lol. I have also been an analyst and commentator since 2000 and hosted a gymnastics television show for Comcast for 5 years. Now that I have children, I continue to work to promote the sport of gymnastics at all levels.

7. You've tried to have a normal adult life, how have you done so?

I feel like I’ve always had a “normal” life, because it’s normal for me. I try to maintain a balance of “celebrity” with doing something each day that helps others. Nothing can replace the feeling of flying through the air or flipping on a balance beam but I continue to have different excitement in my life, some good some more difficult. Having my children has really kept me grounded. They don’t care how many gold medals you have, to them you are just Mom….and I love that!

8. After you had your first son Rocco, you were diagnosed with a rare form of Ovarian Cancer. 

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Can you talk about your fight?

With all the titles I’ve earned over the years; Olympian, Mother, President (of my company) I never imagined at the age of 33 I would add cancer survivor. My son was just over a year old when I was diagnosed, and the only thing I could do was fight. I had to be here for him. I was fortunate that mine was caught early at a routine exam. I went through a difficult surgery and an aggressive chemotherapy regimen that left me weak, sick and bald…but I am now cancer free. I believe that God has a plan for each of us. I feel like this challenge helped me grow as a person, be a better mom and find a renewed passion for helping women make their health a priority.  

9. You call your new daughter Sterling your miracle.  How old is Sterling now and how is she doing?

Sterling (named after her maternal great grandfather, Robert Sterling) is 6 ½ months old, and she is so much fun. She has a very relaxed demeanor, smiles a lot and loves to “talk.” We feel so blessed to have both Rocco and Sterling and just enjoy every moment with them.

10. You commentated at the Olympics and many gym fans believe you should commentate full time.  Any plans for a future in the business?

They are sooo sweet. I always get nervous doing commentary, just like I did for gymnastics. I want to do a good job and put out solid information. There is so much preparation that goes into it and it’s nice to hear that people appreciate that. Right now, I take commentary jobs when I can. I truly enjoy it, particularly for the Olympics. But I also love to do analysis and more in depth pieces with the athletes. Of course, I also have a company to run so I try to balance everything as well as possible.

11. You've dedicated your life post-gymnastics to helping other people get and stay fit.  What inspired you to form Shannon Miller Lifestyle?

ShannonMillerLifestyle

Staying fit is part of what we do. My mission at Shannon Miller Lifestyle is to help women make their health a priority. That means nutrition, fitness, rest and relaxation, getting to their doctor’s appointments and educated themselves on issues like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. We want to help women understand that they should not feel guilty about making time for themselves. Because if they aren’t healthy they can’t be there for all of those who depend on them.My foundation works to fight childhood obesity primarily through fitness. We want to encourage a love of physical fitness for all children.

12. What is your opinion on USA Gymnastics current group of athletes?

The year or so after the Olympics is always a rebuilding year. You wait to see which athletes stay the course and what new comers are moving in to take their place. I’m looking forward to USA National Championships this year. As always, we have some incredible talent out there and it’s going to be an exciting road to Rio!

13. What advice can you give to young gymnasts? 

I always tell young athletes to enjoy it! Not every day is going to be a piece of cake, but you should truly enjoy what you do or you won’t do it well.

14. Is there a future in gymnastics for Rocco or Sterling?

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Who knows. Rocco has been in gymnastics since he was 15 months old. I know how great the sport is for young children. It’s one of the few sports that toddlers can do that uses their full body. My hope is that he is getting a great foundation of balance, strength, flexibility and body awareness that will help him no matter what sport(s) he ultimately decides he likes. He also gets to socialize with other children his age, learns to follow direction, pay attention, and respect the equipment, his coaches and himself. I’ll do the same with my daughter when she’s ready. It’s a great way to keep them active. 

When The Junior Champion Becomes A Senior

I was watching the 2002 US National Championships and the spotlight was on, among others, Kristal Uzelac, the three time Junior National Champion.  At her first senior National Championships, Kristal had broken her toe prior to the competition during a training session, which caused her to scratch all but bars on night two.  Al Trautwig then mentioned how large of a adjustment it was to match the success as a junior when you transition into senior competition.  I decided to take a look at previous Junior National Champions, and weigh their success in their first year as a senior.

2012 Junior Champion- Lexie Priessman

USAGym   

After a dominating win at the 2012 Junior National Championships, there were high hopes for Lexie Priessman from Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy.  Priessman had been one to watch since 2010, when she won the inaugural Nastia Liukin SuperGirl Cup, placed 12th at the 2010 National Championships and improved to 4th in 2011.  After beating Maddie Desch by .55 at Nationals, Priessman started off 2013 with strong showings at the Trophy of Jesolo in Italy, Germany-Romania-USA Tri-Meet, and the Secret US Classic, where she competed well on all events but beam, where she scratched.  Much was expected of Priessman going into the 2013 P&G National Championships, where she withdrew with a sprained Achilles Tendon.  Priessman has since has surgery and looking forward to compete in 2014.

2006 Junior Champion- Shawn Johnson

Amy Van Deusen

In 2006, after placing 10th a year prior in 2005, Shawn Johnson started off strong at the 2006 Junior Pan-American Championships, before going on to dominate the 2006 Junior National Championships, where she beat Bianca Flohr by 4.15.  Johnson followed her success in St. Paul, Minnesota with a great start 2007 with a win over future Olympic All Around Champion Nastia Liukin in Jacksonville, Florida, and followed that with an All Around, Bars, and Beam win, at the 2007 Pan-American Championships.  En route to becoming the 2007 World Team, All Around, and Floor Champion, Johnson won her first senior US Title with a 3.45 point win over Shayla Worley.  In 2008, Johnson once again became the National and Olympic Trial Champion.  Once in Beijing, Johnson won the Team, All Around, and Floor Silver, and Beam Olympic Champion.

2005 Junior Champion- Natasha Kelley

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After a close victory over Bianca Flohr in 2005, Natasha Kelley stepped up to the plate in 2006 as a senior and won the 2006 US Classic before finishing just 5 tenths behind Future Olympic Champion Nastia Liukin.  As a member of the 2006 World Championship Team in Aarhus, Denmark, Kelley placed 11th in Qualifications into the All Around Final, but was unable to advance to the final due to the two-per-country rule.  In Team Finals, Kelley was not used on any events as the United States won the Team Silver Medal.  Kelley started off 2007 with a second place finish at the Tyson American Cup behind Shawn Johnson and the preceded to place 10th at 2007 Visa National Championships.  After sustaining injuries at 2007 National Championships, Kelley retired from elite competition and went on to help Oklahoma place Second at NCAAs in 2010 and Third in 2011, as well as placing Fourth in 2011 before retiring prior to the 2012 season due to a torn Achilles.

2002 Junior Champion- Carly Patterson 

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In 2002, 14 year old Carly Patterson edged out teammate Hollie Vise by just over five tenths to win her only Junior National Championship.  Patterson started 2003with a big win at the Tyson American Cup and preceded to place second behind Chellsie Memmel at the Pacific Challenge.  Patterson was forced to withdraw from Visa Championships with an elbow injury, but recovered in time to lead Team USA to the first World Team title in United States Gymnastics History, as well as finishing with the Silver Medal in the All Around Final, behind Svetlana Khorkina.  Starting off 2004, Patterson traveled to New York and won her second and final American Cup, which led to a second place at the Pacific Alliance Championships.  At Visa Championships, Patterson shared the top spot with Courtney Kupets, and placed third at Olympic Trials.  Once in Athens, Patterson helped Team USA to a Silver Medal finish, as well as win the Olympic All Around Gold Medal, and a silver on the Balance Beam.  Soon after, Patterson retired from gymnastics.

International Gymnast

2001 Junior Champion- Kristal Uzelac

 After winning the final of her three Junior Championships, Kristal Uzelac appeared to be a rising star to watch.  At the beginning of 2002, Uzelac placed third all around and first on vault at the Pacific Alliance Championships, and seemed to be a contender for the Visa Championships in August. After fracturing a toe during practice, Uzelac had a rough meet day 1, and withdrew from all events but Beam on Day 2.  After retiring from Elite Gymnastics, Uzelac competed for Penn State University from 2004-2005 and won the Big 10 Uneven Bars and Beam Championships before retiring from gymnastics all together.