GymCastic

The number one gymnastics podcast in the world!

Archives for November 2017

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282: GymCastic Book Club – Fierce, by Aly Raisman

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IN THE NEWS

FIERCE (13:13)

Aly Raisman’s book, Fierce: How Competing for Myself Changed Everything, was released last week. We talk through all of our feelings about it as a gymternet family.

  • Why this is the best gymnastics book ever written for this age group
  • USA Gymnastics does not come off well. At all. It’s awesome.
  • The post-Olympic tour is a hellscape
  • Aly’s experience with Larry Nassar is quite telling about exactly how this went on for so long and the very understandable reasons that victims don’t speak about their experiences
  • We need to talk about this mysterious Fran character
  • Why the section about nutrition is a MUST-READ for all elite and NCAA coaches and gymnastics parents.
  • Seriously. Read it right now. GO!
    • Also check out Episode 230 to learn about the WellnessFX program
  • All the other sweetest, funniest, standing ovation moments we loved

GYMTERNET NEWS (1:26:45)

  • British Gymnastics athletes are taking a stand against the organization!
    • Why a group of athletes, including Max Whitlock, Ellie Downie, Amy Tinkler, is currently declining to sign new contracts with British Gymnastics
    • The athletes have some very familiar concerns about lack of transparency in terms where the money is going and an overall culture of fear and favoritism
    • Why gymnastics needs a union

TUMBL TRAK GIVEAWAY

Send in your story of a funny or embarrassing handstand moment (the more embarrassing the better), and you could win a $200 Tumbl Trak gift certificate!

  • Open to Club Gym Nerd members only
  • Deadline: December 3rd
  • Send your story to gymcastic@gmail.com with the subject line: Tumbl Trak Handstand Story
  • The person with the funniest or most hilariously embarrassing handstand story will be chosen as the winner

NORBERT’S GIVEAWAY

Norbert’s is giving away a four-foot sectional beam!

  • To win, just email us at gymcastic@gmail.com with the subject line “I want the Norbert’s beam” and tell us…that you want the Norbert’s beam
  • Deadline: November 25th
  • While you visit norberts.net to fantasize about that glorious little beam, check out NORBERT’S Gifts For Gymnasts Feature. Order by Dec 1st to receive your item by Dec 24th.
  • For a 10% discount enter code “Gymcastic” at checkout when you visit norberts.net.

SIMPLE CONTACTS

This episode is brought to you by Spencer’s literal obsession, Simple Contacts. To renew your contact prescription online (in five minutes, without visiting the eye doctor) and order your new contacts, visit simplecontacts.com/gymcastic and use the promo code “gymcastic” to save $30 off your purchase.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

  • Join Club Gym Nerd here.
  • Buy one of our awesome shirts here.

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281.5: Aly Raisman Comes Forward As Nassar Victim

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IN THE NEWS

Aly Raisman appeared on 60 Minutes this week, relating her own story of abuse by Larry Nassar and making known her dissatisfaction with USA Gymnastics’ handling of abuse at the time, as well as now. 

We discuss:

  • How awesome Aly Raisman is
  • How awesome Aly Raisman is
  • And how awesome Aly Raisman is
  • The need for education and communication among children, adults, coaches, and administrators about what is acceptable behavior and what is not
  • Why many of the victims didn’t know they were abused until years later
  • What a stupid question “Isn’t the timing just a book sales ploy?” is

Plus,

And finally,

  • Jessica O’Beirne presents the O’BEIRNE MANIFESTO FOR CHANGE. Six areas in which USA Gymnastics must improve immediately, otherwise nothing will ever get better and they will never gain back the trust of the members.
    1. Transparency: Daniels Report compliance list link on the USAG homepage.
    2. Gymnast Union: Athletes and parents need to start a union to eliminate the conflicts of interest inherently built into any National Governing Body system and to end the fear of retaliation.
    3. Consequences: Debbie Van Horn, Paul Parilla and the rest of the board need to go, immediately.
    4. Comprehensive Training: Every employee from president, Kerry Perry to the receptionist and all board members of USAG need in-person, day-long abuse prevention training on an annual basis. UPDATE: USAG staff has completed training with USAG SafeSport Director, Toby Stark. Kerry Perry doesn’t not start until December. We expect she will complete the training as well. 
    5. Limit Alcohol: One drink when coaching duties are over with a meal, per day. Period.
    6. No Gray Areas: All national team staff, parents, athletes and coaches need to be educated and empowered to enforce SafeSport rules. And to call eachother out for violations.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

  • Join Club Gym Nerd here.
  • Buy one of our awesome goodies here.

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281: Myths, Legends, and Unexpected Moments PART 2 (Commissioned)

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This week’s episode is commissioned by Club Gym Nerd member Beth, who commissioned a sequel to our first show all about the biggest myths, legends, and unexpected moments in gymnastics history because there were just too many to pack into a single episode the first time around. Thank you for letting us do this, Beth!

  • But first, Jessica’s greatest dream has FINALLY come true in this week’s Club Gym Nerd episode dedication!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE x100000000.

MYTHS AND LEGENDS

  • Myth Un-Busted??? The latest, secret information about Soviet pregnancy doping
  • Is there really a real-life skill called the Miller? Or did NBC lie to us? (BOTH!)
  • Did Verona van de Leur really leave gymnastics to become a porn star?
    • Bonus: More gymnastics nudity “scandals” than you ever wanted to know about!
  • Did Title IX really kill men’s college gymnastics?
  • Is there really such a thing as the international look? Or did NBC lie to us?
  • Did Armine Barutyan really do a double layout beam dismount?
  • Is the American Cup really the SCAMerican Cup?
  • Will she really “never get those scores internationally”?
  • Did a Soviet gymnast’s tampon really fall out during her floor routine?
  • Did Cristina Bontas’s saliva really make Yang Bo fall in the 1992 beam final?

UNEXPECTED MOMENTS

  • When the pommel breaks off in your hand
  • When Bela was so obsessed with pissing off Ellen Berger that he almost costs Mary Lou her gold medal
    • Bonus: Which barnyard animal did Bela compare Ellen Berger to in 1988?
  • The many (many) (many) fractures of the 1992 Olympic team
  • Dominique Moceanu gets emancipated from her parents, and her dad hires a hit man to kill her coach
  • Gymnastics in the bath?
  • The magical changing age of Hong Su Jong

TUMBL TRAK GIVEAWAY

Whether a gymnast from birth or starting at age 50, a handstand is something most gymnastics enthusiasts have at least tried. Send in your story of a funny or embarrassing handstand moment (the more embarrassing the better), and you could win a $200 Tumbl Trak gift certificate!

  • Open to Club Gym Nerd members only
  • Deadline: December 3rd
  • Send your story to gymcastic@gmail.com with the subject line: Tumbl Trak Handstand Story
  • The person with the funniest or most hilariously embarrassing handstand story will be chosen as the winner

HELLO FRESH

  • This episode is brought to you by Hello Fresh! Visit hellofresh.com and use promo code “Gymcastic30” to save $30 off your first week of deliveries.

SUPPORT THE SHOW

  • Join Club Gym Nerd here.
  • Buy one of our awesome gifts here.

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Manifesto For Change

In episode 281.5 Jessica presented the  O’BEIRNE MANIFESTO FOR CHANGE. Six areas in which USA Gymnastics must improve immediately, otherwise nothing will ever get better and they will never gain back the trust of the members. We’ll cross off things that have been accomplished.

  1. Transparency: Daniels Report compliance list link on the USAG homepage.
  2. Gymnast Union: Athletes and parents need to start a union to eliminate the conflicts of interest inherently built into any National Governing Body system and to end the fear of retaliation.
  3. Consequences: Debbie Van Horn, Paul Parilla and the rest of the board need to go, immediately.
  4. Comprehensive Training: Every employee from president, Kerry Perry to the receptionist and all board members of USAG need in-person, day-long abuse prevention training on an annual basis. 
  5. Limit Alcohol: One drink when coaching duties are over with a meal, per day. Period.
  6. No Gray Areas: All national team staff, parents, athletes and coaches need to be educated and empowered to enforce SafeSport rules. And to call eachother out for violations.

Changes We Know Of So Far:

  • Sexual Abuse complaints now go straight to USOC’s SafeSport
  • A suspension was made public via journalism, not USAG, for the first time ever (that we know of) : John Geddert
  • Women’s artistic team required to bring parent/guardian with them to meets if parent/guardian cannot attend, USAG will provide a SafeSport certified chaperone.

 

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280: Comeback Season!

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GYMTERNET NEWS

  • Check out the behind the scenes video from a unicorn of gymnastics, concurrent elite and college gymnast, New Zealand/Boise State’s Courtney McGregor.
  • It’s comeback season!
  • NCAA news
    • Bailie Key is back and beaming for Alabama
    • Madison Kocian had successful labrum surgery
    • Sabrina Schwab has medically retired
    • Maggie Nichols and Kyla Ross are still pulling out new tricks because of badassdom
  • Mixed gender gymnastics
    • Is mixed-gender team competition the future of gymnastics? We discuss the merits of the mixed team format at the Swiss Cup.
    • Kenzo is the greatest uneven bars worker of our day
    • The #manbeamwar is in full swing!
  • Trigger warning section
    • Larry Nassar’s trial will not be moved. Plus, his child porn charges cannot be used in the assault trial. Is this horrible or normal law things?
    • Tatiana Gutsu went on a Russian TV show, spoke about her rape in detail, and was treated horribly. She is the bravest ever.

FEEDBACK

  • What really happened with the redo vaults in 2000
  • The truth about Raducan and Amanar’s positive tests in 2000, and what we’re going to do about it!
  • Other gymnasts who could potentially “Ray” (perform three eponymous skills in the same routine)
  • Thoughts for making floor exercise less sexist
  • More ideas for how to fix worlds
  • Why we’re wrong for wanting to move worlds out of Doha

RX BAR

This week’s show is brought to you by RxBar. For 25% off your first order, visit rxbar.com/gymcastic and enter promo code gymcastic at checkout.

NORBERT’S

Norbert’s has Gifts For Gymnasts! Holiday prices include shipping within the 48 contiguous states.

Don’t be fooled by other manufacturers’ lesser quality “home use” lines of equipment. These are the same exact products found in gymnastics schools across the country and are made to last for years.

Order by December 1st to ensure delivery by December 24th. Visit Norberts.net and click on the Gift Season is Here picture to find the perfect gift.

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