Dear Kyla Ross: Updated

(added some blog commentator idea’s at the bottom)

The Gymternet has dug your grave for you Kyla. They say your bars look heavy and labored, your beam is weak and that the younger girls and comeback kids basically have more talent, drive, desire and skill level than you are capable of at this time in your career so it’s time for you to head off to La la land and compete watered down overrated floor routines for Coach Val. You know what I say to that mentality Kyla ? Blah blah blah gymternet. I couldn’t disagree with you more.

You’re Kyla ******* Ross. Two time AA medalist at the World Championships (Gabby and Aly can’t say that) You’re the gymnast everyone counted out last year until you took your 12th ranked difficulty to Worlds and still came away with the bronze medal in the AA. You’re an Olympic gold medalist that made the team 3 years ago by hard work and determination and I believe you can do that again.

You’re a fighter Kyla and it’s time for you to cowboy up. I am not going to baby you here. There is a lot of work you need to put in between now and the Rio Olympics but I don’t doubt for a second you are capable of upgrading and hitting those routines consistently. You just have to believe you can do it like I believe you can.

I am not your coach and can’t tell you what to do but that doesn’t mean I don’t have an opinion so here it goes. Don’t take it personally if you ever read this because no one outside your family wants to see you succeed as much as I do.

A- Talk to a Sports Psychologist. Marta thinks endurance is your issue but I personally think you are talking yourself out of hitting upgrades you aren’t comfortable with so you don’t have to compete them. It’s nice that your coaches let you decide if you are ready to compete your upgrades but this is the second year in a row you have messed up your upgrades and taken them out the next competition. This is not the time to be playing safe. You need to find out why it is you have issues with hitting these upgrades you hit in practice leading up to the competition and I think a sports psychologist can help you with that.

B- Upgrade and follow through with those upgrades. You need at least a 6.6 start value on bars to even be considered for the specialist role at next years Olympics. Kocian has a 6.6 start value and is becoming more and more consistent as she goes along and Ashton Locklear will have at least that when she fully heals from her injury so you have to be consistently hitting a routine equally as difficult if you want to be a member of this team. Find the routine you can work with and ..

C- JUST DO IT. You are capable of hitting these upgrades because I have seen you do it in practice so stop doubting yourself and go out there and push through it.

D,E,F,G and beyond I am not and will never be a code expert so I won’t even begin to try and tell you what you should upgrade with but my one hope is you get a new upgraded dismount off beam. That is your most consistent event and adding a few tenths off an already consistent routine for you would be huge for you when everyone else is throwing the crazy stuff and missing. Code whoring some double turns on floor might also be a good idea because I personally still think with your execution you could be an AA gymnast and even if you are the bars/beam specialist it wouldn’t hurt for you to be usable on floor and vault when your greatest threats for that spot are useless on any event but bars and beam.

Blog member idea’s From bluejuliej : RAISE THE BAR: It can’t hurt to try and see how it works. There is no reason not to. Adex- Check out some gymnastics moves from taller gymnasts on youtube and see if you can incorporate them into your routines.

Okay that is it I guess but the one thing I hope you realize Kyla is a lot of us believe you can do this but as always the nay sayers are much louder then the positive people. Now go out there and prove me right.