A dispute over an autograph session between World vault champion Kayla Williams's parents and coaches at Bozhi's Gym Nest in Charleston, West Virginia, has caused the U.S.'s most unexpected star to stop training while she searches for a new coach, USA Today reported Thursday.
Williams, who shot from level 10 National Champion to World vault champion in the space of six months last year, struggled since the World Championships to balance the demands of schoolwork and status. Tensions between her parents and coaches Bozhi Russev and Hrabrina Spencer came to a boil the week after Williams finished third all-around at February's WOGA Classic in Texas.
According to USA Today, Williams was supposed to compete at a meet in Virginia Beach, Va., but did not show up to an autograph session after the competition was cancelled. Williams's parents told the newspaper that they insisted their 16-year-old daughter not skip school just to go sign autographs. Her coaches said Williams's no-show made their gym look bad.
"We're the coaches," Spencer told USA Today. "We're the ones that decide how her training goes, where she goes and how she presents the name of the gym and the coaches. She didn't show up."
From there, the split was imminent.
Williams, who has been college shopping since winning her World title, said she has not trained since leaving Bozhi's Gym Nest, has not been able to find a suitable replacement gym in West Virginia and is now looking out of state. Looking for a gym and at the same time not training is beginning to take its toll, she confessed.
"It's definitely starting to stress me out," Williams said. "I'm worried about not only my elite career but my college career. If there's one thing I want to get out of all this is a scholarship."
"I can't say I'm optimistic," she added. "I'm going to do what I can to fix this."
As for college, Williams is considering Georgia, West Virginia, Michigan, Alabama and UCLA, and still has a few visits to make.
Note: Surprisingly, the USA Today article noted that Williams has been "turned down" by other West Virginia gyms, one reason she is now looking out of state. But it's hard to imagine a gym not wanting a World champion training under its roof.
Kayla Williams, 2010 WOGA Classic, Floor:
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Comments
Maybe other W. VA gyms have turned her down b/c (1) she may have gotten an ego post Worlds and/or (2) there is unity in what I guess to be a small elite gym group in W. VA and other gyms respect the position of Gym Nest and/or (3) Kayla, her parents, and coaches underestimated the spotlight (and demands) a World title + national team member status bring thus bringing about miscommunication, discourse, etc. I wish them all well :)
USA Today didn't report this. The Associated Press did. USA Today printed the AP account.
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I belive that there is alot of information missing here as there is with most gossip stories. Reporters choose what to write and it's never the whole story. It is verry hard to belive that 10 year relationship will end over an autograph session. God bless the coaches that put all this time into training her.
It can also take a out of a gym to train an elite gymnast. There is a ton of traveling involved with being on the national team and maybe some gyms don't want to do that, or don't have coaches experienced enough to spot and teach advanced skills. She would be best off with a gym who has experience with elite gymnastics.
I'd love to see her go to UCLA for college. She's got a ton of power, and it would be cool to see what sort of beautiful floor routine Val could get out of her.
Her parents were out of line. It must be so difficult for them and for Kayla to suddenly be in the position they find themselves. Have to side with the coaches on this one though.
I can't believe the comments here. Haven't we had enough coach worship? Should a 16 year old girl go to class or give out autographs? And someone suggested she had an ego problem because she wanted to go to class? Way to go Kayla and good riddance to those coaches.
I'm guessing that the reason the other gyms turned her down is because it takes a special coach to train an elite. Time, money, travel, you name it. It's a HUGE commitment. Also, the fact that her dad is a major tyrant might have something to do with it.
Being a parent that has a level 9 gymnast in the state of WV i can say without a doubt that i dont think any gyms turned her down. And really doubt that they were looking at a gym in charleston. There is only one gym in charleston and that is the gym she left years before. and that gym in charleston could no way shape or form house an elite gymnast. She was best to go elsewhere.
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