Letters to the Editor
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a good read
I just finished reading an advance copy of the book.
(1) About 1% of the book is remotely related to sexual abuse (mostly relating to rumors and uncomfortable feelings), and yet this is what screams from the Salon headline.
(2) For people defending gymnastics: Jennifer Sey writes of warm, positive experiences at the gym early on in her career. It's only after she turns totally pro and moves away from home to start training more seriously that the real brutality begins. At this point (for her), the sport stopped being about validation and fun and was all about winning--to the point where Sey herself cannot even stop the train because so many others (her parents and coaches) are counting on it for their own ride to glory.
(3) As she says, this was the 1980's. Eating disorders were not as well-understood back then and the gymnastics scene was much different.
(4) The most painful part of this story is the short time frame available to elite female gymnasts. They train for years only to peak at age 15 or 16, at which point it becomes harder and harder to maintain a little girl's body. Some are lucky enough to have those years coincide with the Olympic Games. The luckiest retire with a fistful of medals, only to have to rebuild their entire identities and deal with sports-related injuries for the rest of their lives.
This is a vivid and educational memoir--very honest without basking in scandalousness. I will never watch gymnastics on TV again without considering the the sacrifices and commitment of each girl.