Dominique Dawes is an Olympic gymnast who competed in three Olympic Games and has a permanent place in the U.S. Olympic Committee Hall of Fame. She was a member of the gold medal-winning team at the 1996 Atlanta Games, where she also won a bronze medal in the floor exercise, becoming the first female African-American gymnast to win an individual medal. Now retired after dedicating 18 years to the sport,
Ms. Dawes commits her time to motivational speaking, hosting gymnastics clinics, and serving as a Co-Chair of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition.

GYMNASTICS DRILL

Make your own safe balance beam. Use masking tape to outline a rectangle on the carpet that is 4" wide by 8 feet long (regulation beams are more than twice that long). Practice walking inside the "beam" lines while posing and doing turns.

DOMINIQUE ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS

Q: Brooke from Sacramento, California asks:

Besides a good warm up, what's your best recommendation to prevent injuries??

A: Besides a good warm up, the best way to prevent injuries is a well balanced diet. Making sure that you have enough vitamins and minerals that you need in your diet. A lot of people may warm up, but they really don't stay hydrated or they don't have enough calcium, and so their bones may be a little frail or they don't have the energy, so they are more likely to fall victim to fatigue and possible get injured that way. So I would say a well balanced diet is another thing they should look out for.

Q:Simone of York, Alabama asks:

Who is your favorite male gymnast?

A: Vitaly Scherbo. He was from Russia and then also the Ukraine, and it was way back in the day and I think it was not because of not only his beautiful artistry in the sport gymnastics, which is usually rare to see in male athletes, but also his personality. He was someone that not only focused on the elements, but also the importance of performing to a crowd and it was all about entertainment with him and I think is what made him stand out.

Q: Amber G. of West End, D.C. asks:

Hi. I am a gymnastics coach here in D.C. For years now, I have been seeing kids with tremendous talent and an equal dose of tremendous potential. But somehow, it seems that these kids either lose interest in the sport or they don't do very well. I think about these kids and I feel like such a failure. I try my best to motivate them, to make the practice and the sport fun for them. I have been very creative in my coaching, and it still
has not been enough. What am I doing wrong?

A: The fact that you are working with kids and desiring the best for them is far from doing anything wrong. Some kids have interest in the sport and some don't. Many times when a young gymnast gets to the competitive level that can be the breaking point for them. The only thing that you as a coach can do, is continue to encourage, motivate and coach your athletes to the best of your ability. I would steer away from making the training "too fun" because the athletes will expect that each time they train. Each day should be a day for growth, either it be an opportunity to clean up form on anold skill, overcome a fear and learn a new skill, or to make any attitude adjustments that may be needed. When you let your athletes know that each they can achieve something then this may increase their confidence and motivation to continue in the sport.

Q: Rebecca of Wakeeney, Kansas asks:

Just how difficult is it to be an Olympic gymnast? How much time did you put into it and how did it affect the other aspects of your life (i.e. social life, academics, family life, spiritual life, etc.) Was there ever a time when you've come close to quitting gymnastics?
What happened and how did you overcome it?

A: Training to become an Olympic athlete takes a great deal of discipline, sacrifice and perseverance. Early on I trained 5-7 hrs per day, 6 days a week. Though the training was rigorous at times, my passion for the sport and accomplishing my goals, helped me overlook the fact that the huge commitment. The times when I wanted to quit I would remember how important qualifying to the Olympics was.

“Follow your dreams, they will take you on an
adventure of a lifetime.”

“Dare to do what it takes to be the best, and then,
whether you win or lose, at worst you’ll know exactly who you are.”

Dominique Dawes

LINKS

Dominique Dawes Official Website:
www.dominiquedawes.com