A Letter to President Penny
I just finished composing this lovely email to the president of USA Gymnastics, Steve Penny. Please, if you agree with my points below, like and reblog. Share. Help us help Chellsie!
Hi Mr. Penny!
My name is Kayleigh Walsh. I am a sophomore at Slippery Rock University, north of Pittsburgh, PA. I’ve been involved with USA Gymnastics for years - attending a member club for the past 11 years and competing in the women’s program as an athlete for 7. Now, I’m also studying to become a judge. I am well aware that you have probably received many emails on this topic, but if you could please take the 5 minutes to read or even reply to my message I would greatly appreciate it.
Being involved in gymnastics has been the best experience of my life. I was blessed enough to finish my competitive career last spring with a state gold medal on floor. I was truly able to leave the sport with no regrets or “what-ifs”.
However, for Chellsie Memmel, this will not be the case. As you know, she had a rough performance on the balance beam at this past weekend’s Secret US Classic, and the women’s selection committee agreed upon denying her petition to Visa Nationals next weekend.
I’m going to lay out a few reasons why you and the rest of the selection committee should really rethink this decision.
1. Chellsie Memmel is one of the most decorated gymnasts in USA history. She stepped into the 2003 World Championships at the last minute as an alternate, and ended up helping the USA to their first ever world team gold medal… and added her own gold on the uneven bars. She was an alternate on the 2004 Olympic team. She earned the all-around gold at the 2005 world championships, and added silvers on bars and beam. She lead the team to a silver at the 2006 world championships. She finally made the Olympic team after all of this and helped earn a team silver medal. That would be 7 world and Olympic medals - the same as Shawn Johnson.
2. This is probably my most important point: the rules for qualification to nationals are completely unclear. Nowhere in writing does it say that one-eventers must score a 14.0 to advance to championships, and it has been said that the qualifying score of 14.000 was never made clear to Chellsie. Another point of question is qualification through being a member of the 2011 Worlds or Pan Ams team. Chellsie was named to the Pan Am team, but had to withdraw due to medical necessity. Technically, as she was named to the team, doesn’t that qualify her? I can see where the confusion lies in this, as she didn’t actually compete, but again, the wording is very unclear as to what “being a member” specifies - simply being a member, or actually going and becoming a credentialed athlete. Last year, Shawn Johnson competed at the Covergirl Classic and performed on two events - bars and beam - and did not meet the 28.000 qualification score. Yet, her petition was accepted. This is by no means a knock on Shawn Johnson, but merely a point to consider. Either the rules are clear cut and brutally fair for everyone, or you bend the rules for everyone.
3. Chellsie Memmel DESERVES to finish her career in a well-respected, dignified manner. This girl has literally torn her body apart for this organization - between competing with her torn shoulder in 2006 (which, without doing, your organization would be one team silver shorter) and competing on a broken foot in 2008 (again, without doing, USAG would be an Olympic silver shorter), she has literally ripped herself from limb to limb for this team. For this well respected, amazing athlete to simply be done after a completely uncharacteristically bad beam routine is disrespectful not only to Chellsie herself, but to her fans, fellow athletes, and the USA Gymnastics organization.
In closure, Chellsie deserves the chance to retire gracefully and on good terms with USA Gymnastics. You have nearly 2,000 signatures on an online petition asking you to reconsider, so she clearly has plenty of fan support behind her. Some of these signatures even come from her fellow competitors. The decision to not allow her to compete came much too quickly and swiftly to have been truly thought out.
I’m not saying that Chellsie has to be in contention for the US Olympic team. I’m not even saying that she should qualify through to Olympic Trials in San Jose. All I’m saying is that Chellsie has been an integral part of the USA Gymnastics family for so long now that to shoot down her petition so that she can finish her career gracefully is a slap in the face to her, her family, her friends, her fans, and her fellow teammates.
I urge you to reconsider. Thank you.
Kayleigh Walsh
