Community

Julianna Livelli

Outline Informative speech

Specific Purpose: At the end of my speech everyone will be informed about the evolution of gymnastics.

Central Idea: Giving history about gymnastics and how it is today so people could understand the basics.

Intro: Butterflies in my stomach, heart racing, palms sweating, staring at the judges waiting for a hand raise. Not only is my first event for my meet about to begin, but I was starting on my weakest event the balance beam. Before starting all I could hear is my coaches voice in my head repeating “Stick this routine. You got this.”

Idea: Being Informed on how gymnastics has changed over the years and being familiar with how it works today.

History of gymnastics:

• Started in Greece
• Was used by soldiers to prepare for the war, around the 20th century lost its power as a military training tool and became a sport of its own.
• Male dominated sport
• According to Isport Gymnastics, “Boys were taught how to perform specific activities on each different apparatus and with such technique specification, the sport gymnastics was born. For this reason, Fredrich Jahn is known as the “father of gymnastics” (“History of Gymnastics” 1).
• Gymnastics became popular in Europe
• First summer Olympics in Europe gymnastics events were a part of the competition
• 1952- females competed in gymnastics

Scoring system:

• Deductions were very minimal and gymnasts often received perfect scores but now that has changed.
• Currently according to Gold Coast Gymnastics, “In 2006 a new point system was put into play. Instead of being marked 1 to 10, the gymnasts start value depends on the difficulty rating of the exercise routine” (“Gymnastics” 1).
• New system increased the difficulty to receive a perfect score.

Judging:

• Competitions are judged and scored both individually and on a team basis.
• Gymnasts must accomplish a required number of specific types of moves on each piece of equipment.
• 4 judges for each event
• Women events: Balance Beam, Bars, Vault, Floor
• Men: Rings, Horse, Bars and Floor
• Gymnasts start with a perfect score of 10
• Each event has a certain criteria of difficulty
• Deductions occur when criteria are not met example: falls, wobbling

Conclusion

The sport of gymnastics includes strength, flexibility, courage and power to complete a routine. The sport is enjoyed and performed by both men and women and is because of the diversity of equipment which allows individuals to be in the best physical condition of their lives. It also has become a foundation for other sports. According to The Sport of Gymnastics,” Football players have benefited from gymnastics because it provides them with the dexterity to move more quickly after the ball is snapped. Cheerleading programs have benefited greatly from the tumbling exercises that are part of every gymnastics-training program” (Brown 1). So remember that girl on the beam. She overcame her fear and nailed her routine. Gymnastics has continued to be a part of her life, not only with performing but also teaching children to love and be passionate about the sport like she is.