That’s So Chalked Up
April 28, 2008 by northernriver
Here’s a book that’s been on the radar for a while; Chalked Up, the gymnastics memoirs of former USA National Champion and World team member Jennifer Sey, who competed in the 1980s.
Sey was part of the Parkettes gymnastics club, home gym of 2000 Olympian Kristen Maloney, but better known as the lair of (gasp!) the Mrs. It is therefore not surprising to me that Sey would not have good things to say about her experience as a gymnast.
While the book does have some interesting dish on the wily ways and vile plans of the Mrs and USA Gymnastics, this is not a sequel to Little Girls in Pretty Boxes, as some might accuse it to be. (Little Girls in Pretty Boxes, as I recall, wasn’t even written by a gymnast, and 1992 Olympian Betty Okino blasted that book in an editorial.)
However, from all reports that I’ve heard, Sey restrains herself from going for the OMG DRAMA, preferring to tell her own story rather than blathering all over the place about evil coaches, etc. So Chalked Up isn’t going to be the quite the drama-fest you would expect.
While agree Little Girls in Pretty Boxes wasn’t a great book I did think it did expose some programs and problems that gymnastics, figure skating, and to an extent dance, had. I think in the 90s. However, I think most (thought probably not all) coaches today are more about wanting to keep girls heathy and not pushing them towards an eating disorder.
I read Chalked Up, and I wasn’t all that impressed. I don’t know why, I think I was just expecting more out of it. Sey just said the facts, and she really didn’t talk about her own feelings about it. It seemed like she was really afraid to upset anybody about what she had to say. I’m glad that her book was an overblown drama, but it was so objective, I was a little disappointed.
Woops 2x, I meant that it WAS NOT an overblown drama. I really need to check what I write.
Facts? What facts? Kate - you are correct in saying that a lot of the book was not about Jen’s personal feelings however a lot of the book was not factual either. People, places and the times lines seem accurate but the embellishment of her memories fall short. A lot of what she wrote is unsubstantiated and simply not true. It is a shame that she couldn’t put out something more constructive for where gymnastics is today instead of putting out a book about the sport of gymnastics back in the 80’s.