(Sorry so late. It’s been a busy month for me)
Shayla Worley is one of those gymnasts I really liked as a junior but by the time she became a senior felt had lost all her spark. The injuries didn’t help matters because they contributed to her falling at least once a competition and being labeled as a headcase. Not that all her problems can be blamed on the injuries.
In 2007 Shayla finished 2nd at Nationals and made the world team where she nearly fell on her dismount in the prelims (taking at least 4 steps back). She redeemed herself in team finals scoring a 15.575. However that score would have placed her last if she had made the event finals. Pretty much proving she was no lock for the US team in 08 even if she had upgraded.
By the time 2008 came around a lot of vocal fans had her as a lock to make the Olympic team due to the lack of uneven bar stand outs. I was never one of those people. She always seemed to have a melt down at some point in a competition. She fell on bars day two of the Olympic trials which is where I felt she lost a chance at the Olympic team.
Shayla got injured at the World team selection camp and withdrew from consideration for the Olympic team.
In 2010 Shayla joined Georgia and started off slow. She finally came into her own a few meets into the season only to get injured once again and spent the second half of the season injured an unable to compete. Georgia lost regionals on a technicality (tie breaker)and didn’t make the National Championships. Shayla did not compete.
The 2011 season is un-written at the moment. You can hear coach Clark’s opinion on pre season here (Shayla can be seen at 40 seconds (ub) 2.39 (beam) 3.40 (cheering with team)
I originally started this particular blog to praise Shayla on somethings I thought I had over looked while she was competing but while doing re-search I realized I was right all along. Shayla was a gifted dancer that liked to twist. I thought she had great form on her cast to handstands and pirouettes but watching the videos again made me realize I was wrong. She was just like everyone else with the leg separations but not nearly as bad as some other people who shall remain nameless for now:) So all and all I find Shayla less of a gymnast then I remembered. So much for learning to appreciate
Tags: georgia gymnastics, shayla worley
Gymtruthteller's Blog 
December 26, 2010 at 2:16 AM |
She was not a lock, at all to make that team based on her scores even healthy. That was just the figure model lover types who liked her without looking at scores. Plus she was chronically injured, even leaving aside the leg. Then there was the fiasco with the donations for her family to go the China, when she was FAR from a lock even. Even for a lock like Shawn would have been over the top, prior to being named. Plus someone on WWGYM told me she was nasty in person.
December 27, 2010 at 1:26 AM |
Shayla from what I have been told is pretty loud and out going. That could turn a lot of people off.
I never thought she was a lock in fact I thought they would be nuts to even waste a spot on her.