The Success of the US women´s program

In recent years the dominance of the US women has been phenomenal. The team has won almost every title possible at the World and Olympic stage. Of course this did not happen overnight and the team won some very important titles in the 90´s and had some outstanding gymnasts. Most people would point to the presence of the Karolyi duo as the main ingredient and their implementation of the training system begun leading up to the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. This gives little credit to personal coaches and all their hard work molding gymnasts from when they are little. A key factor to the success and number of elite gymnasts has to have something to do with the sheer number of girls doing gymnastics in the US. I remember reading that about half of the worlds female gymnasts lived in the US. That may be exaggerated but not to far from the truth. With so many gymnasts and clubs it becomes a system of survival of the strongest. In fact quite similar to the old system of the USSR if you have high enough number at a young age train a lot of hours and numbers you could and probably will end up with a group that survives the system and becomes the champions.
The typical product of this system is quick compact and unbelievably strong. She might or might not have the best technique, grace or toe point on the planet but consistency is a lethal weapon. She is highly competitive and most of them have survived the TOPs program which tests a lot of physical abilities but as I´m told mostly power, quickness and strength.
The typical US girl who has survived the selection process for a major competition  is not very likely to miss a routine. She is though likely to have a injury of some sort (like most of elite gymnasts) but her toughness gets her through the most important part of it all the competition. They are lucky to be accompanied by doctors and physios that take care of them between competitions and training sessions. Using ice, massage, electrotherapy is a favorite pastime of the gymnasts.
It will be interesting to see how many of the last Olympic team will try to make the next one, taking on the new generation whose bodies are more likely to survive the next four years of the most physicly testing training program in the world. All we know that whoever makes the 2016 team will return home with a medal most likely the GOLD.
After those games it will be interesting to see if the USAG will be successful in finding Martas successor in this challenging job and continuing the tradition of the worlds best gymnastics team. If they fail the system might fall apart. We have seen dynasties fail before like in the case of the Soviet Union. Or will the little emphasis the US seems to put on artistry compared to other top nations be the failing of the system and other nations will catch up in the hunt for world domination.