USA Gymnastics Vermont - News

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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., April 15, 2008 -- Any form of abuse against an athlete is unacceptable.
  USA Gymnastics seeks to do everything within its jurisdiction to stop abuse. This jurisdiction does not extend to the employment practices of private gymnastics clubs. USA Gymnastics’ diligence in protecting its athletes creates a record of these actions (a list of terminated members) that invites scrutiny of the sport and the organization’s efforts to protect children who participate in it.
  USA Gymnastics continues to work with the National Center for Safety Initiatives (NCSI) and other organizations to develop best practices in this area. NCSI is the background screening agency used by USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic Committee, and its screening covers criminal background, sex offender registry and identity verification. NCSI focuses its efforts, systems and expertise into seven identified risk factors to ensure client organizations are meeting and exceeding due diligence.
  Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics, explains, "The vast majority of USA Gymnastics professional members are good, law-abiding people who care deeply about serving young athletes. As a parent with children in gymnastics, I have full faith in the values of our professional community to continue addressing this concern and providing the safest environment for young people. Gymnastics helps teach young people great lifelong skills, including teamwork, fitness, self-discipline, and other important values which sustain a healthy and successful approach to life."

  Hruska Gymnastic’s Victoria Biondolillo appears in an advertisement with legendary Romanian and US Olympic Coach Geza Pozsar. The ad, which is running throughout Vermont newspapers this weekend to coincide with the Vermont State Championships, shows Victoria working on her floor routine with Pozsar at his gym in Sacramento, California.
Geza Pozsar was born to Hungarian parents in Romania. A child prodigy, he became a professional dancer at age 9. After a knee injury forced him to retire in 1973 he became the choreographer and dance coach for the Romanian National Gymnastics Team including Olympic champion Nadia Comaneci. He defected to the US with Bela Karolyi in 1981. Karolyi and Pozsar actually considered opening a gym in Vermont before finally settling on Texas. In 1983 Pozsar opened his own gym in California. His former students include Mary Lou Retton, Kristie Phillips, Phoebe Mills, Betty Okino, Kim Zmeskal, Shannon Miller, Dominique Dawes, Domonique Morceanu, and Keri Strug. He was also the coach of the 1992 US Olympic Team.
  Victoria Biondolillo worked with Pozsar and Pozsar assistant coach 1980 Silver Medalist Emilia Eberlie in June and in October 2007. The ad photo was taken during one of their October workouts. Victoria’s full time coach is Stefan Hruska. She is a Level 7 Vermont gymnast who will be competing on Sunday morning at Windsor High School.
Ad will appear in the Rutland Herald on Saturday, and in the Sunday Times Argus and Burlington Free Press.

For VermontGymnastics.com from John Biondolillo

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On March 07-09, 2008 gymnasts of Hruska Gymnastics Academy competed in the American Flyers Cup in South Portland, ME.
  It was a great meet. The best of Hruska's team was gymnast (level 7) Avery Linde (pictured). There were 15 teams of level 7 from Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Virginia. The level 7 competition included 63 girls gymnasts in four age groups. In her age group, Avery won first on floor with a 9.50, first on vault with a 9.45, third on beam with an 8.6, third on bars with an 8.7 and she also won all around with a 36.250 (second place Hannah Lawson TRI STAR 36.150 and third place Jacqueline Palermo NEGX 35.900).

Congratulations

Results from American Flyers Cup »»

  The purpose of this email is to provide notification of acceptable forms of verification for background checks for Professional Members. Beginning in December 2007, individuals who apply for or renew their Professional Membership are required to complete a background check as a condition of membership. Individuals must receive a “Green Light” status in order to activate their USA Gymnastics membership.

  Some members, who just recently renewed or applied for Professional Membership, may have submitted their information to the background screening agency (NCSI), but may not yet have the results of the check (as standard processing time is 3-4 weeks). For USA Gymnastics sanctioned events occurring during the month of February USA Gymnastics will allow the participation of Professional Members who have submitted their background check, but have not yet received their results. As proof that the background check information as been submitted, Professional Members may submit to the Meet Director a printout of the confirmation email sent by NCSI or a letter from USA Gymnastics verifying background check submission.


Meet Directors; please remember to verify Professional Memberships via USA Gymnastics’ database (http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/membership/memship-howto.html#6). If a member appears on this list, then their membership is valid and they are permitted to participate in sanctioned events, no further documentation is necessary. There may be occasions when an individual has completed all requirements of membership, but because of processing time, may not show up in this membership search. If a member does not appear on this list, it is the member’s responsibilities to provide proof of their membership, safety certification, and background screening. All three requirements must be presented to verify an individual’s Professional Membership. The following items can be accepted as proof of these requirements:
1. Proof of Professional Membership

Official USA Gymnastics membership card

Confirmation of online membership registration

Proof of membership printed from the internet

2. Proof of Safety Certification

Safety certification card or certificate

Safety certification date on membership card

Proof of membership printed from the internet

3. Proof of "Green Light" approval from background check:

Proof of membership printed from the internet

Print out of email confirmation of background check submission (this option is only verifying background check submission and not completed results, but should be accepted as proof for events occurring the weekend of March 7th - March 9th, 2008

Background Check Submission Verification Letter from USA Gymnastics (this option is only verifying background check submission and not completed results, but should be accepted as proof for events occurring the weekend of March 7th - March 9th, 2008

Below is an example of the verification notices that Meet Directors may accept as proof of background check submission. If you have any questions, please contact USA Gymnastics Member Services at 1-800-345-4719.

Example of the confirmation email sent by NCSI (printout MUST contain the individual’s name in the sent line of the email):

Your background check information has been submitted for processing. Please print and keep a copy of this for your records.
Applicant ID Number: 6395-8276-4681-2669
A charge of $21.25 has been made to your credit card for processing this background check.
If you have any questions please contact our client services at (866) 833-7100 x109 and refer to your Applicant ID Number above.

Thank You!
National Center for Safety Initiatives
http://www.ncsisafe.com

Example of the Background Check Submission Verification Letter from USA Gymnastics (letter MUST contain the individual’s name and member #):

USA Gymnastics Background Check
Submission Verification

This form is valid until the weekend of March 7th - March 9th, 2008 ONLY. Individuals receiving this notice have submitted their information for the background screening process but have not yet received the results. Individuals must have their Professional Membership application and payment on file with USA Gymnastics and have completed the Safety Certification Course in order for this notice to be valid.

Present this form to the Meet Director for access to USA Gymnastics sanctioned events occurring the weekend of March 7th - March 9th, 2008

Note to Meet Director of USA Gymnastics Sanctioned Event:

Please accept this form as verification of background check submission. This form verifies that the individual listed below has submitted their information for a background check and he/she is permitted to participate in USA Gymnastics sanctioned events occurring the weekend of March 7th - March 9th, 2008

This verification letter is void after March 9th, 2008.

Sincerely,
USA Gymnastics Member Services
1-800-345-4719

Name of Member:
USA Gymnastics Membership #:

Hope this finds you well. I thank you for all of your help and support. Please make sure the information on the Tickets for Trials and the Early Bird deadline reaches your members. Help us make this be a record breaker event!

Remind your members the Early Bird price for congress is fast approaching. Member Clubs should take advantage to the group discount rate. The savings are tremendous! Early bird ends March 15. There will be no extension. After that date the pre-registration fees will apply. They are also a substantial savings over the on-site registration. One clarification – the social security number, if it is on the form, does not have to be supplied. We need the USA Gymnastics member number so that all discounts may be applied. It is very important that members purchase their Olympic Trials event tickets. The good seats are going very fast. A special section has been saved for congress attendees, but these seats will be released to the general public in April. The congress held seats are the only seats remaining in the lower bowl. The congress list of speakers and topics will be released in the next few weeks.

The ONLY seats remaining in the lower bowl of the Wachovia Center are on hold for Congress attendees – but only for a limited time!

Order before March 15 and save $36 on your Congress registration! Save even more when you use the Member Club group discount form.

Congress attendees have the opportunity to purchase tickets at a drastic discount - $50 off what the public pays for some of the best seats in the house.

Get your tickets now and join us on the Road to Beijing in 2008!

See you in Philly!

2008 National Congress and Trade Show website »»