In the most recent game of gymnastics, UCLA’s Women Gymnastics won against the Pac-12 rival Oregon State in Corvallis. This came out as a totally unexpected result, as we already had Bruins on the third place and the Beavers on the 20th position. Although Bruins scored 197.9 which is a season-high score for them, they couldn’t do anything about the Saturday’s game which turned out into an outing for all.
Does the Gymnastic Athletes Need a Safety Valve?
Gymnastics is a kind of sport, and it’s both fun to watch and fun to try also.
But, the game is not as easy as it seems.
If proper care is not taken for the game, it can break the bones, tear out the ligaments, lower back problems, and the list is endless.
Kathy Johnson Clarke, the Olympic medalist, and the commentator at the SEC Network, says the main test of the game is how the teams respond to a fall-down in the game. She asks, ‘do you put someone who has the best beam routine or someone who is going to hit even in a tough, challenging routine?’
Safety valves can make the player conscious about the game. On the other hand, he/she could score out and make the best daring moves on the beam.
Look, I don’t mean that the UCLA shouldn’t have won the game. There were rules at that time, and their strategies could have favored them in any way as the team was literally planned on how to play.
Of course, the judging needs to be improved, and also refine the elimination of the missed routine (which acts as a safety valve for many teams).
I would like to end the post with one of Clarke’s statement – there is no right way of satisfying any person’s ideology of what real competition is. The frustration during the game is the real beauty of a game. Although keeping the physical, mental, and emotional health of the athlete at stake, my gut feeling says to keep the safety valve in place.