Vanessa Atler
Encyclopedia
Vanessa Marie Atler is a retired American elite gymnast
. She was the 1996 junior all-around National Champion, the 1997 senior all-around National Champion and the 1998 Goodwill Games
gold medalist on the floor exercise and vault
. At the 1999 American Cup
, Atler became the first female American gymnast to successfully perform a Rudi vault.
A member of the U.S. national gymnastics team from the age of 12, Atler was one of the United States' most successful gymnasts as a junior in the late 1990s. Known for her explosive vaults, difficult tumbling skills and outspoken personality, she won or medaled in several important meets, including the Goodwill Games, and was considered to be one of the front-runners for the 2000 Olympics. However, injuries, coaching conflicts and gym changes derailed her progress in 1999 and 2000, and after a poor showing at the 2000 Olympic Trials, she was left off the Olympic team.
, California and began gymnastics at the age of 5. By the time she was 12 years old, she was competing at the elite level.
As a junior elite gymnast, Atler had a fruitful career. In 1995, she gained attention by placing third in the all-around, behind Olympian Kerri Strug and Heather Brink, at the U.S. Olympic Festival and winning the silver medal in the all-around at that year's U.S. National Championships.
Atler also made her international competitive debut in 1995, winning the floor exercise title at the prestigious International Junior Gymnastics Competition in Japan. She continued to enjoy success in 1996, as she became the junior all-around U.S. National Champion and was invited to participate in a televised exhibition meet, USA vs. the World, with members of the Magnificent Seven
and international Olympians.
With her February 1982 birth date, Atler missed the age cutoff for senior competition—which would have given her a chance to compete for a spot on the 1996 Olympic team—by only six weeks. In 1997, she found herself shut out of senior international competition once again, as the FIG raised the age limit from fifteen to sixteen.
Nonetheless, Atler competed well in 1997, participating in both junior events and senior meets that were not bound by the FIG's new age restrictions. She placed second at the 1997 American Cup and tied with Kristy Powell to win the senior all-around title at the U.S. National Championships. She also won the 1997 Canberra Cup in Australia, an important meet for junior international gymnasts.
In 1997, however, Atler began to experience problems on the uneven bars. On the second day of the U.S. Nationals, a fall from the apparatus kept her from winning the title outright. This marked the beginning of a string of competitions in which she suffered unusual mistakes and misses on bars. In her diary, she once referred to the bars as "the devil--testing my will and my patience, even my love for the sport." Over the next few years, bars would become a mental block for the young athlete who time after time failed to put together a mistake-free routine in the heat of competition.
At the 1998 Goodwill Games
, Atler was chosen to compete on floor exercise and vault
, her two strongest apparatus. She won both events, defeating, in the process, a roster of Olympic and World medalists. She had a similarly strong showing at the 1998 Copa Gimnastica in Mexico City
in the fall, where she had a good competition on all four events—including bars—and placed third in the all-around behind Viktoria Karpenko
and Simona Amânar
.
In 1999, however, Atler had significant struggles. Early in the year, at the American Cup, she became the first American woman to successfully complete a Rudi vault in competition, and won the gold medal on the event. However, she once again fell off the bars and placed third overall. Shortly thereafter, at the Paris-Bercy meet in France, she placed second in the all-around and won another vault gold medal, but severely injured her ankle during the floor exercise final when she landed out-of-bounds, in an area without protective safety mats, after her first tumbling pass. Atler recovered in time to compete at the 1999 U.S. Nationals, where she won the event titles on the vault and the balance beam. However, in the all-around, she once again fell from bars and finished second to Kristen Maloney
.
Following the U.S. Nationals, Atler left her longtime coaches at Charter Oak gymnastics club, Steve and Beth Rybacki. She was too injured to compete at the U.S. World Team trials, but was petitioned onto the team on the strength of her scores at Nationals. Competing at the 1999 World Championships
in Tianjin
, China
, Atler was injured, out of shape and unprepared for the meet. The stress proved to be too great as she only hit one clean routine throughout the team competition, and scored in the low 8s on bars and beam. She qualified for the all-around finals, but, struggling with her injury, placed 31st in the all-around. After the World Championships, Atler had surgery twice on her ankle.
In late 1999, Atler moved to Texas to train with 1988 Olympic champion Valeri Liukin
at the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy (WOGA). Still struggling with her bars performances, she performed respectably at the 2000 U.S. Nationals and finished fourth. However, at the Olympic Trials a few weeks later, Atler experienced what many considered a meltdown. She was unable to hit even one clean routine over the two days of competition, and botched moves that she usually performed well, changing her vault in mid-air, modifying tumbling passes on floor and falling on her back on her balance beam dismount. As a result, the Olympic Selection Committee opted to leave her completely off the U.S. Olympic Team. However, even with major mistakes in each routine, Atler managed to place sixth at trials, causing some to argue that she should have been given a spot on the team and to question the fairness of the selection process. Six athletes were named to the team as well as two alternates.
, where she discussed some of the self-esteem and confidence issues that had arisen from her struggles in gymnastics.
Floor: Double Layout + Punch Front + Stag Jump in combination; Whip Double Pike; Whip Half + Front Layout Double Full in combination; Double Front Tuck; Two and a Half Twist + Front Layout in combination.
Balance Beam: Punch Front + Jump mount sequence; Layout to two feet; Switch Leap + Gainered Layout in combination; Piked Front + Jump in combination; Tucked Barani; Tucked Double Dismount.
Uneven Bars: Giant One and a Half; Tkatchev; Comaneci Salto; Pak Salto; Full Twisting Double Layout Dismount.
Gymnast
Gymnasts are people who participate in the sports of either artistic gymnastics, trampolining, or rhythmic gymnastics.See gymnasium for the origin of the word gymnast from gymnastikos.-Female artistic:Australia...
. She was the 1996 junior all-around National Champion, the 1997 senior all-around National Champion and the 1998 Goodwill Games
Goodwill Games
The Goodwill Games was an international sports competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s...
gold medalist on the floor exercise and vault
Vault (gymnastics)
The vault is an artistic gymnastics apparatus, as well as the skill performed using that apparatus. Vaulting is also the action of performing a vault. Both male and female gymnasts perform the vault...
. At the 1999 American Cup
American Cup (gymnastics)
The American Cup, is an elite senior level international gymnastics competition held in the United States, and is generally considered to be one of the first major competitions of the Gymnastics season, as it is held in March or February of each year. In 1978-79 the event was sponsored by Dial and...
, Atler became the first female American gymnast to successfully perform a Rudi vault.
A member of the U.S. national gymnastics team from the age of 12, Atler was one of the United States' most successful gymnasts as a junior in the late 1990s. Known for her explosive vaults, difficult tumbling skills and outspoken personality, she won or medaled in several important meets, including the Goodwill Games, and was considered to be one of the front-runners for the 2000 Olympics. However, injuries, coaching conflicts and gym changes derailed her progress in 1999 and 2000, and after a poor showing at the 2000 Olympic Trials, she was left off the Olympic team.
Early career
Atler was born on February 17, 1982 in ValenciaValencia, California
Valencia is an affluent planned community located in the City of Santa Clarita, California and Los Angeles County, California, U.S. in the northwestern corner of the Santa Clarita Valley, adjacent to Interstate 5. In 1987, it was one of the four unincorporated communities that merged to create the...
, California and began gymnastics at the age of 5. By the time she was 12 years old, she was competing at the elite level.
As a junior elite gymnast, Atler had a fruitful career. In 1995, she gained attention by placing third in the all-around, behind Olympian Kerri Strug and Heather Brink, at the U.S. Olympic Festival and winning the silver medal in the all-around at that year's U.S. National Championships.
Atler also made her international competitive debut in 1995, winning the floor exercise title at the prestigious International Junior Gymnastics Competition in Japan. She continued to enjoy success in 1996, as she became the junior all-around U.S. National Champion and was invited to participate in a televised exhibition meet, USA vs. the World, with members of the Magnificent Seven
Magnificent Seven (Gymnastics)
The Magnificent Seven is the name given to the 1996 United States Olympic Women's Gymnastics Team that won the first ever Gold Medal for the United States in the Women's Team Competition at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics...
and international Olympians.
With her February 1982 birth date, Atler missed the age cutoff for senior competition—which would have given her a chance to compete for a spot on the 1996 Olympic team—by only six weeks. In 1997, she found herself shut out of senior international competition once again, as the FIG raised the age limit from fifteen to sixteen.
Nonetheless, Atler competed well in 1997, participating in both junior events and senior meets that were not bound by the FIG's new age restrictions. She placed second at the 1997 American Cup and tied with Kristy Powell to win the senior all-around title at the U.S. National Championships. She also won the 1997 Canberra Cup in Australia, an important meet for junior international gymnasts.
In 1997, however, Atler began to experience problems on the uneven bars. On the second day of the U.S. Nationals, a fall from the apparatus kept her from winning the title outright. This marked the beginning of a string of competitions in which she suffered unusual mistakes and misses on bars. In her diary, she once referred to the bars as "the devil--testing my will and my patience, even my love for the sport." Over the next few years, bars would become a mental block for the young athlete who time after time failed to put together a mistake-free routine in the heat of competition.
Senior career
In 1998, Atler was finally age-eligible for senior competition. The year got off to an inauspicious start, as another fall from the bars cost her the all-around title at the American Cup.At the 1998 Goodwill Games
Goodwill Games
The Goodwill Games was an international sports competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s...
, Atler was chosen to compete on floor exercise and vault
Vault (gymnastics)
The vault is an artistic gymnastics apparatus, as well as the skill performed using that apparatus. Vaulting is also the action of performing a vault. Both male and female gymnasts perform the vault...
, her two strongest apparatus. She won both events, defeating, in the process, a roster of Olympic and World medalists. She had a similarly strong showing at the 1998 Copa Gimnastica in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
in the fall, where she had a good competition on all four events—including bars—and placed third in the all-around behind Viktoria Karpenko
Viktoria Karpenko
Viktoria Karpenko , is a World Championships silver medalist and 2000 Olympian in artistic gymnastics...
and Simona Amânar
Simona Amânar
Simona Amânar is a Romanian gymnast. She is a seven-time Olympic medalist and a ten-time world medalist. Amânar helped Romania to win four consecutive world team titles as well as the 2000 Olympic team title. She has a vault named after her, the Amanar...
.
In 1999, however, Atler had significant struggles. Early in the year, at the American Cup, she became the first American woman to successfully complete a Rudi vault in competition, and won the gold medal on the event. However, she once again fell off the bars and placed third overall. Shortly thereafter, at the Paris-Bercy meet in France, she placed second in the all-around and won another vault gold medal, but severely injured her ankle during the floor exercise final when she landed out-of-bounds, in an area without protective safety mats, after her first tumbling pass. Atler recovered in time to compete at the 1999 U.S. Nationals, where she won the event titles on the vault and the balance beam. However, in the all-around, she once again fell from bars and finished second to Kristen Maloney
Kristen Maloney
Kristin Ann Maloney , also known as Kristen Maloney, is a retired gymnast from Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania, United States, who was coached by Jack Carter in the 2000 Olympics and won bronze in the Team Event. Maloney was also the U.S...
.
Following the U.S. Nationals, Atler left her longtime coaches at Charter Oak gymnastics club, Steve and Beth Rybacki. She was too injured to compete at the U.S. World Team trials, but was petitioned onto the team on the strength of her scores at Nationals. Competing at the 1999 World Championships
1999 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
The 34th Artistic Gymnastics World Championships were held at Tianjin Arena in Tianjin, China in 1999.-All-around:-Apparatus:-All-around:-Apparatus:...
in Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Atler was injured, out of shape and unprepared for the meet. The stress proved to be too great as she only hit one clean routine throughout the team competition, and scored in the low 8s on bars and beam. She qualified for the all-around finals, but, struggling with her injury, placed 31st in the all-around. After the World Championships, Atler had surgery twice on her ankle.
In late 1999, Atler moved to Texas to train with 1988 Olympic champion Valeri Liukin
Valeri Liukin
Valeri Viktorovich Liukin is a retired competitive artistic gymnast who competed for the former Soviet Union. Liukin is the 1988 Olympic Champion in the team competition and individually on the horizontal bar and Olympic silver medalist in the all-around and the parallel bars...
at the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy (WOGA). Still struggling with her bars performances, she performed respectably at the 2000 U.S. Nationals and finished fourth. However, at the Olympic Trials a few weeks later, Atler experienced what many considered a meltdown. She was unable to hit even one clean routine over the two days of competition, and botched moves that she usually performed well, changing her vault in mid-air, modifying tumbling passes on floor and falling on her back on her balance beam dismount. As a result, the Olympic Selection Committee opted to leave her completely off the U.S. Olympic Team. However, even with major mistakes in each routine, Atler managed to place sixth at trials, causing some to argue that she should have been given a spot on the team and to question the fairness of the selection process. Six athletes were named to the team as well as two alternates.
After 2000
Atler participated in the T.J. Maxx post-Olympics exhibition tour. In 2001, she trained briefly at Rohnert Park Gymnastics, but announced her retirement in April. In 2005, she appeared on the television show Starting OverStarting Over (TV series)
Starting Over is an American reality TV show that follows the lives of women who are experiencing difficulty in their lives and want to make changes, with the help of life coaches. It was the first reality TV show to be nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award. Six women at a time work to overcome...
, where she discussed some of the self-esteem and confidence issues that had arisen from her struggles in gymnastics.
Currently
Atler now works as the head team coach at Gymnastics Unlimited in Santa Clarita, California.Skills
Vault: Laidout Rudi (first American ever to compete this); Double Twisting Yurchenko; Laidout Cuervo; Handspring Laidout Front.Floor: Double Layout + Punch Front + Stag Jump in combination; Whip Double Pike; Whip Half + Front Layout Double Full in combination; Double Front Tuck; Two and a Half Twist + Front Layout in combination.
Balance Beam: Punch Front + Jump mount sequence; Layout to two feet; Switch Leap + Gainered Layout in combination; Piked Front + Jump in combination; Tucked Barani; Tucked Double Dismount.
Uneven Bars: Giant One and a Half; Tkatchev; Comaneci Salto; Pak Salto; Full Twisting Double Layout Dismount.
Appearances in other media
- Stunt double for the Lifetime TelevisionLifetime TelevisionLifetime Television, often referred to as Lifetime TV, or most commonly, Lifetime, is an American cable television specialty channel devoted to movies, sitcoms and dramas, all of which are either geared toward women or feature women in lead roles. The cable network is owned by A&E Television Networks...
film Little Girls in Pretty BoxesLittle Girls in Pretty BoxesLittle Girls in Pretty Boxes: The Making and Breaking of Elite Gymnasts and Figure Skaters is a 1995 nonfiction book by San Francisco Chronicle sports writer Joan Ryan detailing the difficult training regimens endured by young women in competitive sports such as gymnastics and ice skating,...
, 1997. - Commercial for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups 1999
- Starting OverStarting Over (TV series)Starting Over is an American reality TV show that follows the lives of women who are experiencing difficulty in their lives and want to make changes, with the help of life coaches. It was the first reality TV show to be nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award. Six women at a time work to overcome...
, 2005