USA Gymnastics Conference Call
4/7/00: THIS INTERWIE WAS WITH OTHER GYMNASTICS OF THE MAG 7! BUT I DECIEDED THAT PUT ONLY THE PART OF QUESTIONS TO DOM,THANKS.AND ENJOY IT!
Thanks to Angela for give me this wonderful interview.Thanks angela, you are a really good friend and fan!
Question: How much of this were you encouraged to return, or was this strictly an individual reason?
Dominique: An individual decision, definitely. I've been, uh, training, you know, I had an injury back in last year, I had my back, and then I had knee surgery and so that kept me out and, I knew that I could be here and I could do it, and I always wanted to return, you know, healthy, and I needed a good coach to get me there, so I definitely made this decision to move out here. I had a lot of people supporting me, but, you know, I had to make the ultimate decision.
Question: How has the move to Cincinnati specifically affected you in your comeback?
Dominique: Um, just the environment, and the training here, is you know, exactly what I've been looking for, there's discipline, and there's, you know, the conditionings, and everything here, Mary Lee's you know, been there before, and so it's great to have someone you know, who knows everything that it takes to get there. And, I'm really just glad to be here, it's been a great move, and great change for me, and you know, it's a lot of hard work.
Question: What is it like, this time, instead of being kind of the, well you are one of the stars, but this time you're maybe kind of an underdog to make the team?
Dominique: Um, I'm just being optomistic, you know, I've got a chance just as anybody else out there, um, I'm not doubting myself yet, there's no reason to. I'm just gonna keep training as hard as I can, and go in there, and you never know what's gonna happen, you know. And you have to fight to the last minute, because you never know what can happen. And I think, everybody, you know, it's open. Right now we don't know who's gonna be on that team. But, you know, we'll all train, and hopefully, pray for the best.
Question: Does it help you to know that, in a way you've already done this once, coming back at the Goodwill Games?
Dominique: Yeah, it does, because I did compete with the new code of points, and I was able to show that I competed at the World and Olympic levels, that I came back and won it, so I know it's possible, and I know it's in me. It's all just getting it back.
Question: How have you adjusted to your growth spurt?
Dominique: Um, it was hard, you know, cause I grew about 10 inches, atleast, I was like 4'4", and now I'm like 5'2". And, the growth spurt definitely affected me, because I grew, and I gained weight, and you know, all that bit, and it was really hard. I still had to struggle when I first got back in January, getting fit, and trying to get, you know, leaned out again, and then, it was really tough trying to make that change. And I had to relearn all of my skills, some of them, you know, because it was a big change, and eventually, you know, in time, it comes, it's just not gonna come over night and you gotta be patient with it, but I knew there wasn't time, so I kinda had to speed up the process, do extra stuff just to get back into shape, and so far, you know, now I'm starting to deal with it and handle it fine.
Question: Do you think you were able to fully grasp and appreciate everything at that time as opposed to now, do you feel a lot more mature now?
Dominique: Definitely, um, at that time I was young, and I didn't realize a lot that was going on in my life and gymnastics. I just did it because I loved it and I had fun with it, and you know, I didn't really realize what it meant to me, and I guess that's also why I'm returning, because I see gymnastics in a different light, you know, I guess when you're older, and, definitely the maturity sets in, and you understand what you have to go through, and you have a mindset, and you know, it's a completely different outlook in the sport, and, you know, I'm just glad that I got the experience that I did at that age, and now, I'm having an opportunity to experience it at this age, the second time around. It definitely helps to be a little more mature and to be aware of what's goin' on and know that you're doing it for your teacher, and you know why you're doing it for yourself, you know.
Question: Was there any talk between the four of you, and did that affect the decision to come back, had there been any talk between any of you, and the other three who were on the squad?
Dominique: Well, I saw Jaycie and Amy at the January camp, and we talked and stuff, but I think everyone's decision was simply on their own individually, they wanted to do it for themselves, you know, me and Jaycie we're close, and I talk to her all of the time, and we encourage each other, but, everyone's decision I think, if I'm right, it doing this for themselves when we're going back, because I don't think we had much of a talk or an influence on what anybody, you know, was doing, but, you know, I'm really happy for everybody and I'm glad they're trying to come back, and hopefully we'll all be on that team together.
Question: First of all, how close do you think that you are, right now, and second, can you just talk about what it would mean if you were, you know, to walk into the Sydney gym, knowing that you've done it for a second time?
Dominique: Um, well right now, I can basically do full beam routines, I can do floor, I have cut back right now on doing the, trying to polish up my tumbling, and clean up my floor routines, but I can do all of my tumbling out on the floor, but I'm just waitin' a little bit too, instead of pounding it all on the floor, I'm doing a little bit more in the pit. I've got all my passes down. Vault, I'm just working on my difficulty, trying to get back, you know, one and a half, and my front layout half vault, and, on bars, I'm doing my full routine, and my dismounts are separate so, basically it's coming along, it's gonna take a little time to polish up and clean it up, and that's what I'm trying to work in the month of April, and May, before I go to camp. It would me a great deal to me because it would be the second time around, it would be, I know it would probably be my last, and, I'd just go in there, knowing that all this hard work, and, all the stuff that I've been through, paid off, and this time it's walkin' in there being older, more mature, and goin' out there and doing the best job I can do, all that I can ask for, you know. It would mean a great deal.
Question: What's it like, now that you're out in Cincinnati, training with four other athletes, uh, who are, of the same calibar and who are going to be fighting, you know, for Olympic spots. Um, how much has that helped you?
Dominique: You know, it's good to have teammates around because you can push each other, you can push yourself, and you can push each other to get better, and better, and it's good. I mean, everyone is competitive, and, it's a really good group of kids, and, we're all, you know, always rootin' for each other, and it just brings out the competitiveness when you see someone else rising, or you know, you always wanna get better and better, and I think that's good having kids, you know, other elites in the gym training with, you know, us.
Question: Are you spending more time in your training, on just conditioning, and strengthening skills than your teammates, or are you basically putting in the same emphasis on that as, you know, Alyssa and Morgan and Jennie?
Dominique: Well, we all put in the same amount of conditioning, but, whoever does extra, you know, does that on their own, like I go and do extra because I know I need it more, and maybe in this area I'll need it more than someone else, so everyone works accordingly to what they need, at the beginning of practice everyone does the same stuff throughout the whole practice, but when you're outside of gym, or at the end, if you wanna do more, or less, you go do your own thing, and um, that's what makes you better I guess.
Question: How many hours a day are you training, and how many days a week?
Dominique: We train about 6, 7, sometimes 8 hours a day, uh, Wednesdays and Saturdays are one practice, which is about 4, 5 hours, and sometimes we go Sundays... that we usually have off.
Question: Can you tell me, if you think it comes down to a coin flip, kind of situation, with Bela and the other selection committee, do you think the fact that you guys, particularly yourself, who have the Olympic experience will help you, or do you think it will be more likely to look ahead to the future?
Dominique: Um, you know, that's all gonna depend on the situation at the time. Um, it's really hard to say what they would do, because, we have a lot of, you know, up and coming kids, and we have us with the experience, and, it's gonna depend on the situation, at, you know, what happens at that time, and you know, it's really hard to predict what would happen, we do, you know, it would be good, to have a good experience in the background, yet, you know, it's hard the way your options, it's all gonna depend on what your way, and then what the situation is, cause it's really hard to say.
Question: Do you view Bela as a sentimental man?
Dominique: I'm sorry??
Question: Do you consider Bela a sentimental man?
Dominique: (with a laugh)...I think sometimes!! (laughing in background)
Host: Alright, Miss Dominique, you are free to go, have a great day.
Dominique: Bye guys.
Amy, Jaycie, Shannon: Bye Dom, Bye, Bye...
Host: And thanks for joining us.
Dominique: Thank you, bye.
4/10/00 Here's the latest article about Dominique Moceanu,I hope you enjoy it like I did(Thanks to USA TODAY for the article)
Moceanu gets 2nd chance
Gymnast asked to return to Karolyi's training camp
Thanks to Angela for give me this wonderful interview.Thanks angela, you are a really good friend and fan!
By Sharon Raboin
USA TODAY
Two months after getting cut from Bela Karolyi's first national team training camp, gymnast Dominique Moceanu is back in Olympic contention.
Moceanu was invited to return to camp after she was retested in physical and technical readiness.
''I'm really excited,'' says Moceanu, who captured the hearts of fans and a team gold medal at the 1996 Olympics. ''I still have a little more to go. But it feels good. I've come this far in two months. I know I can keep going.''
Karolyi, the U.S. women's national team coordinator, is conducting monthly training camps at his Texas ranch leading up to the Olympics, which begin Sept. 15 in Sydney, Australia. Gymnasts can make the Olympic team without participating in the camps, but they'll have a tougher road.
Kathy Kelly, USA Gymnastics women's program director, says ''we have high hopes'' for Moceanu.
Kelly says Moceanu made ''substantial'' progress since the first camp in January but needs more work. ''Her difficulty wasn't there,'' Kelly says. ''It was enough to cut the mustard, not enough to be internationally competitive.''
Karolyi invited Moceanu, 18, to come back in May, instead of April, giving her another month to get her body in peak shape, get back all her skills and add some new tricks.
''Dominique is just coming alive again,'' says her coach, Mary Lee Tracy. Moceanu relocated to Tracy's gym in January, two weeks before Karolyi's first training camp. She had been out of gymnastics more than a year because of personal problems and injuries.
Moceanu wanted to participate in Karolyi's first camp, even though she needed more time to get in shape to do the high level of gymnastics of which shes capable. Getting cut by Karolyi hurt her.
I was once at the top of the sport, Moceanu says.
All of a sudden, I was at the bottom. They were there to see it.
Kelly says, It was as hard for us as it was for her.
Moceanu stuck it out because deep down I knew I could do it.
Some days you're not motivated, she says. Everything's hurting you. Somehow, I feel like God gives me the strength to go on.
// DOMINIQUE MOCEANU
From: Dominique Moceanu
Date: 22 Mar 2000
Getting back to the 'A' camp
NOTE: Dominique Moceanu was one of five gymnasts evaluated earlier this week during a "B" camp for Sydney Olympic hopefuls at U.S. women's national team coordinator Bela Karolyi's Texas ranch. Based on her performance there, Moceanu will be extended an invitation to attend an "A" camp for top Olympic hopefuls at Karolyi's ranch in May.
I arrived at Bela's ranch Saturday night for the "B" camp, which started Sunday. We watched the "A" camp Sunday morning -- it showed me where I stood with everyone else. I was pretty confident that I'm getting back on track, feeling better about where I stand. I was like, "You know what? I could be there too."
The workouts went well. Sunday afternoon, we did conditioning and some dance. Monday was a full day -- we were tested on dance, our routines on each event. It was really intense, because there were only five athletes in the "B" camp. There was complete silence in the gym. One of us would go up at a time �
It felt like the Olympic Trials, for me anyway. I knew that I had to go the extra mile to try to look better, because that was the only way Bela and the coaches would see I had made progress. Performing in front of thousands of people is easy. Performing in front of them is the nerve-racking part. I just took a deep breath, said a prayer, and went for it.
I definitely improved a lot since January, the last time I was at one of Bela's camps. The skills, my routines, fitness -- there's no comparison. Everything came back once I started working my butt off in the gym. Tuesday morning was our last workout. I found out Tuesday night I'd been invited to the "A" camp. I was excited. Now I'm an actual contender -- now they see me that way. They see me as a hopeful.
I go to the "A" camp in May -- the April camp is set aside for girls who are going to the Pacific Alliance meet. Between now and then, give me some time to clean up, polish my routines, get everything down. My long-term goal is the Olympics. I don't want to run into anything right away. I know that I've made a lot of improvement, and I'm happy, but I still want more.
I know that I need more. It's going to take a little time. I have to keep working, and when the time is right, I'll be ready to compete. When I'm ready, then I'll go out. For now, it's important that I keep training.
I'm already back in the gym this morning. I didn't even get a day off.
// DOMINIQUE MOCEANU
From: Dominique Moceanu
Date: 20 Mar 2000
Going back to Bela's camp
I'm just going to go in there and do the best that I can. That's all I can ask. I've been training as hard as I possibly can and doing everything I possibly can to get ready and be ready, and there's nothing more I can ask -- try my hardest and that's all I ask, so we'll see how it goes and I'll take it from there.
March 20th, I go. I'm only going to be there a day and a half, two days. I guess they're testing the B squad. There's an A-squad authority that made it. So they get to go before us, like the 17th. And then the B squad, who's coming back to get re-tested -- they're re-checking them again, and that's why it's only a day and a half or two. It's going to be basically like last time; testing your abilities, seeing how you are gymnastic-wise and physically fit, how fit you are.
What really is going to count is down the road -- what your goals are and what you're shooting for. You can look better maybe in a month or two than you do now, and then they might want you back in camp. So it all depends on how well you are and where you stand with everyone else. ... April camp's the most important one because that's going to be depending on the Pacific Alliance team. They're going to pick the Pacific Alliance team there. So this one is important, but the April one is really important. Alyssa (Beckerman), Jennie (Thompson) and Morgan (White) are on the A squad, and they're going to be going to Bela's camp. ... And the B squad comes in March 20th, and I will be part of that team.
Life in Cincinnati is just ... you know, eat, sleep and train, basically. I really don't have time for much at all. I don't really have anybody to hang out with outside the gym. Me and Alyssa will do stuff sometimes. She's one of the older ones, and we're the same age. Jenny is, too -- she does more school activity, though. Me and Alyssa are the only two that are out of school right now, so sometimes we'll hang out and do stuff after practice. But everyone's really intense and tired, so they kind of understand the training schedule ... On the weekends we'll go do something, go to a movie or hang out. But that's really it. I don't have much time for anything else. I hang out with my mom and my sis a lot, and they've been really comforting and helping me out, so that's been good. And that's about it; we train about six to eight hours a day and it's constant training every day. ... Life is basically all devoted to gymnastics right now.
Well, me and my mom and my sister are living together in an apartment right now out here. And it's going really well so far. They're really supporting me and helping me in every way possible, you know, outside of the gym.
Well, what I do in my spare time is I go on my computer, check my e-mail, rent a movie or go to a movie, go to the mall. Do something outside that I can completely get away from the gym and not even think about it. I go have a cup of coffee, sit at a bookstore and just kind of relax. Anything outside of the gym is getting my mind off of it. I like to leave the gym and leave my problems there. You know, sometimes it's hard to do that, but sometimes I really try to leave the gym and be outside just try to relax. Of course, it doesn't always happen that way because you're constantly thinking about how to get better and what to do. But just like any normal teen, I just love to do � fun, hanging-out stuff. You know, let's all just go to the bookstore or something sometime or go to the mall, or go get a manicure or a pedicure, something relaxing.
You can check the audio of the interview just clicking on the next link:
I HOPE THAT WE CAN GET MORE NEWS ABOUT DOM THE NEXT DAYS
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