Look at this site, where the author says
"Ms. Bross has one of the worst bodies for gymnastics imaginable."
I'm sorry, but I just don't think that's true! Not trying to be a hater, but remember Kristen Maloney? I would make the argument that SHE has one of the worst bodies for gymnastics: not very muscular, slim from the side (esp. in 2000) but from straight on she had hips that prevented her from having a nice line and made her look, well, just kind of awkward.
Bross, on the other hand is petite, straight, compact and muscular. She is very boyish, which in turn makes her a strong gymnast. No, her ankles don't stick together, but that is not a form error, it is her BODY SHAPE. Case in point, Semenova has the same shape and won bars at the '07 Worlds.
This blogger goes on to say " While she is a hard worker and a technical gymnast, everything LOOKS like work." Again, I don't agree and I'll refer you to Maloney. Nothing against her, but to me, she is the definition of a gymnast who was NOT light on her feet. (Esp. if you look at a beam routine from '98, or look at her Geinger on bars, or her many pirouetting and toe-on skills on bars, and most especially her full-in layout dismount off of bars, in which she always looks like she just barely pulled it around and kinda of "plops" down on the map). Bross gets good height, especially on her back layout step-out on beam, Arabian on beam, Tchatchev and Jaeger on bars and have you SEEN her double-twisting front on floor?! HUGE!
I also read where someone on the IG Forum said that he/she didn't think Bross belonged at WOGA but again, I disagree. I think she's well-suited for WOGA -- she is serious about her gymnastics and she understands that work that is required to be great. She wants the sternness and structure of WOGA and doesn't need a sugar-coated coach like Mary Lee Tracy (not that I don't like MLT!!).
Now could Bross use some polishing? Sure. I think that, overall, she could stand to loosen up in competition and trust her training. I also think that her hands and finger positions could be improved. And some more dance training would benefit her. I think her choreography is terrific, but I don't think she's 100% comfortable performing it. But she hits 180 degree splits, points her toes and keeps her legs straight.
But please, not everyone (in fact, hardly anyone) has the body of Nastia Liukin. Who can you think of in the last 30 years who had a body like that and was successful in more than just one or two World Championships? And if the gymnast did at one point have that body type, how did she look after puberty? Please, let's not be mean to Bross because of her genetics. No, she does not have straight, hyper-extended legs, but what she does have is a lot of muscle, and I believe, heart.
P.S. I also don't really appreciate this blogger's remarks on Bross's father. Please? Can we leave the girl alone? Thanks.
Bross -- I love ya!
I'd also like to note that even though I am using Maloney as an example here, I really admire her for surviving the first year of Karolyi camps and all the politics, grinning & bearing it through multiple injuries and also having a tremendously successful collegiate career.
