Saturday, March 31, 2001, 1:00 PM CDT
Shannon Miller/US Women's Olympic Gymnastic Team
SPORTMEDICINE.COM



Ms. Miller is the most decorated American gymnast winning more Olympic and World Championships medals than any other American gymnast, male or female. She is also the only American to have won two consecutive World Championship all-around titles.

Q: Moderator of Chat - Hello everybody it's 1pm, Shannon are you ready to answer some questions?
A: Shannon Miller - Hello everyone, I sure am!

Q: lvsjmnastix of USA - Hi! Where can we send you fan mail now that you are not in Oklahoma?
A: Shannon Miller - You can send me mail at : Shannon Miller c/o Jordan Dabby 250 West 57th Street Suite 216 New York, NY 10019-3200

Q: Kimberly of Georgia - Since you are still training, who is your coach?
A: Shannon Miller - Me. Right now I don't really have a personal coach. When I start doing the bigger skills, I'll have to find a coach in Houston, but I will probably also continue to train with Steve in Oklahoma a week at a time.

Q: Heather of Indianapolis - Are you still close with your former coaches?
A: Shannon Miller - Yes. I email Peggy while she is in Australia and I go back and train with Steve when I am in Oklahoma. They'll be my friends forever.

Q: Heather of Indianapolis - What are some of your favorite gymnastics memories?
A: Shannon Miller - Of course the 96' and 92' Olympics but I also have great memories from all of the different countries that I have visited, especially when I was younger. But the best thing are the friends that I've made throughout the years.

Q: Heather of Indianapolis - Shannon will we have a chance to see you compete again?
A: Shannon Miller - Hopefully you will in the near future. I will definitely be doing some professional competitions in the Fall but I am also hoping to compete in some Amateur competitions depending on how training goes.

Q: Tammy of Pensacola - Is it hard to be a public person and have people judge your decisions, your looks, your personality, etc? Of course probably no one is liked by everybody, but you do seem to handle it so well.
A: Shannon Miller - Thank you. I think a lot of it is the way I grew up. I have been in front of a camera since I was 7 years old. You know people are watching and you want to make the right choices but you also have to be able to live your life you way.

Q: Kimberly of Georgia - Hi Shannon! Thanks for answering all of our questions. We all appreciate it. Are you working on another book? I read somewhere that you were and was just wondering.
A: Shannon Miller - I am working on a book with my Mother about how to handle an athlete before, during and after an Olympic type competition. I might eventually write an autobiography but it will be awhile.

Q: Ariel of Illinois - Hi Shannon! I read in books that your mom and dad often video taped your performances at meets. I was wondering if there would be any way to receive copies of those. I'm sure other people would too.
A: Shannon Miller - Well, I think they are just part of the Miller family library right now, but you could sign up for my Dad's Physics course at U of Central Oklahoma. He shows some of my bar routines (and me falling) for his gravity equations.

Q: Sabina Cojocar of New York - Hi. I am a female gymnast with a shot for the US National team, and my coach tells me that my breasts are too large for me to make it to the top level. Is a reduction a wise choice to save my career?
A: Shannon Miller - Absolutely not!! No good coach will ever tell you to change your body type. You are a girl and that is just nature. But, I 've been 75 pounds at the Olympics in 92'. I've been 100 pounds at the Olympics in 96' and now I have a totally different body (with boobs) and I am training just as difficult skills in gymnastics as I ever have.

Q: reshawn thomas of philadelphia - shannon are you going to be doing a tv series or any movies?
A: Shannon Miller - Just keep your eyes open, I may pop up in areas you might not expect!

Q: Kimberly of Georgia - Hi! Do you know if you plan on coming to Georgia any time soon for an appearance or anything? Is there anyway to find out where you will be in advance. I missed the tour and your book signing.
A: Shannon Miller - Hopefully we will becoming through on tour this Fall. I should have my website (www.shannonmiller.com)pretty soon where I will be able to post my schedule.

Q: reshawn of philadelphia - shannon what kind of car do you drive ? i got a mustang 2001 i want to get a blazer but i got to wait for tax time :<
A: Shannon Miller - I still have the car that my hometown (Edmond OK ) gave me. It is a green 96 camaro.

Q: reshawn of philadelphia - do you like to snow ski it is a good work out and fun and do you still ice skate and would you try to go to the winter Olympics ?
A: Shannon Miller - If I ever got good enough at ice skating I would love to try out for the winter Olympics but right now I am kind of focused on my gymnastics. I have tried to snow ski once or twice, I am not very good at it and we don't get much of it in Oklahoma (haha)

Q: Rishi R. of New Jersey - Hi Shannon, Do you still keep in touch with the rest of the Mag7?
A: Shannon Miller - We try to keep in touch as much as possible, either by phone or email, or at different events. We all kind of grew up together so it is nice to keep in touch.

Q: Ariel of Georgia - Hi Shannon! What are you up to now? Are you still going to school? Have you decided what you want to do yet? I know you said something about math or science, but anything specific yet?
A: Shannon Miller - Right now I am a business major, and I am deciding between marketing and finance.

Q: reshawn of philadelphia - shannon how many kids do you want to have ?
A: Shannon Miller - I have no idea right now it is hard to tell what the future holds but I have enough on my plate with school, gymnastics and my career.

Q: Caroline of somewhere in Georgia - Shannon, what was the TJMaxx Tour like? It looked like you guys had a lot of fun! (I stayed afterwards and talked with a few of the gymnasts, I was on my way to see you but then you all had to leave ... :(
A: Shannon Miller - we had Philadelphia of fun. The tours are a blast! We are hoping to tour again this fall. We love doing the shows because there is less pressure and we get to see our fans close up.

Q: Freddy Smith of Jonesville - Hi shannon, do you plan on starting a family soon?
A: Shannon Miller - Well, we just adopted a dog and he is enough of a handful for now...

Q: Heather of Indianapolis - What does your husband think of your gymnastics career?
A: Shannon Miller - He has only been able to see me perform live a couple times but he thinks it is exciting, especially the travelling that I get to do. And he knows how much I love the sport so he is happy that I can continue do it.

Q: Rishi R. of New Jersey - Hey Shannon what's up it's Rishi. How's it feel to be married now? Household and Gymnastics activities... is it even more fun?
A: Shannon Miller - Hi Rishi, good to hear from you. It is great to be married, we're coming up on our two year anniversary. It is challenging being married and doing all the things that I do, but it is great to have that constant support system.

Q: Ethel Kertz of Edmond - What can I do to create arm and leg strength without lifting weights?
A: Shannon Miller - I like to swim, and I like to walk Edmund. Riding your bike is also good for your legs and its fun.

Q: Rachel Himelstein of Northridge - If you go back to elite competition, the fact that the full twisting double back has been upgraded should help you. Do you want to try to create new routines in the new, challenging code of points?
A: Shannon Miller - Yes, right now it is fun to be in the gym and work new skills. With the new code of points I have to have much different routines than in previous years.

Q: Sarah Hughes of Bronx - Congrats on your 24th b-day earlier this month. Did you know that you share your March 10th birthday with two time National champion Kristen Maloney? :)
A: Shannon Miller - Thank you. Yeah, I share it with Kristen Maloney and Mitch Gaylord.

Q: Sally Raducan of Vichy - How long did it take for you to create a floor routine and memorize all the steps?
A: Shannon Miller - It usually takes 1 to 2 days with a choreographer and then at least a couple weeks of practice before it is perfectly memorized .

Q: reshawn of philadelphia - shannon do you like going on tour how would you rate philadelphia as a nice city and oh happy 24th birthday i will be 21 thus thursday
A: Shannon Miller - I love going on tour and we almost always go to Philly because it is a great city and great crowd.

Q: Phillip Garcia of Fresno - How old were you when you first learned your fabulous full twisting double back beam dismount?
A: Shannon Miller - I believe I was around eleven when I first started training it and I completed it at age twelve.

Q: Elena Prodonova of Roston on Dov - Do you think you may try continuing to compete elite and try for the 2001 World Championships? I think it would be great.
A: Shannon Miller - It is hard to say right now, I just started training again so we will see how things go. I would love to have that opportunity.

Q: Anthony Graffio of Hacienda Heights - Everyone has heard of the "Miller" on the beam, but did you know that it was never successfully entered into the code of points as a skill? What happened?
A: Shannon Miller - It was entered into the code of points and I am not sure what happened, But now it is considered a "Omelianchek" even though it has an extra half turn. (I am still trying to figure that out...)

Q: Simona Amanar of Deva - Is it true that you were practicing double twisting yurchenko vaults and layout barani vaults last year?
A: Shannon Miller - I was training a Yurchenko one and a half last year (before breaking my knee)

Q: David Kayvanfar of Santa Clarita - As a gymnast I want to eat healthy, but I'm not sure which foods are right. Is something like a roast beef sandwich from Arby's OK?
A: Shannon Miller - Actually I like roast beef from Arby's because they are lean and full of protein. I always try to add more vegetables and skim milk to my diet. I try not to eat too many sweets but also try to remember that it is OK in moderation.

Q: Nicole Stasio of Sunnyvale - Do you plan to make any appearances at summer gymnastics camps in the next few years? About about Chris Waller's camp Gym Jam?
A: Shannon Miller - I am signed up to go to IGC this summer, other than that I am mainly training and doing other work.

Q: Kimberly of Columbus, GA - Hi Shannon! I think you are the greatest gymnast ever. You are a great role model for all gymnasts out there. Do you like the music of Britney Spears or N'Sync?
A: Shannon Miller - I do. I love all types of music from pop, to rap to jazz to country. I listen to Brine of different types of music actually.

Q: Nicky Fredick of Dubville - Do you have a web-site shannon? Do you go online?
A: Shannon Miller - My website shannonmiller.com will be up and running soon, and there a lot of fans sites out there right now that are really great. I go on a lot for work, play and school as well as shopping on-line. haha).

Copyright: SportMedicine.com 2001

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