Gymcastic: The Gymnastics Podcast

Svetlana Boginskaya and William Yee tell their love story! Photo from Svetlana Boginskaya on Instagram. Click the photo to link   This week Jessica and Evan (Uncle Tim has laryngitis!) chat about: Coverage of the Winter Olympics so far (hint, O'Beirne is furious). Should NCAA judges be paid equally no matter where the meet is held? CNBC's Soviet-born reporter translated the shocking things Russia's "Rossiya-2 Sport" channel is saying about gymnasts and their bodies. The Gabby Douglas movie - an O'Beirne review. The latest 10s in NCAA, who was robbed of a 10 and the polar vortex takes it's first gymnastics victim. Leotards that made us want to light a bonfire and dance around it until Project Runway rescues us. A listeners' Valentine's day letter of gratitude to her coaches. And then! The little sound bite Jessica has been saving forever! Svetlana Boginskaya and her husband tell us both sides of their love story. Follow Svetlana on Instagram at Svetlanaboguinskaia, check out the schedule for her camp here 

UCLA's six-time NCAA Championship winning coach, Valorie Kondos-Field.Copyright Christy Linder 2014   It's a Classic Episode with UCLA's ballet-dancer turned six-time NCAA Championships winning coach, Valorie Kondos-Field. Miss Val chats with Dvora Meyers, Blythe Lawrence, Jessica, and Uncle Tim about: The power of an athlete identity as retirement looms Collegiate gymnastics as one big life skills class The problems with basing self-esteem on performance Incentivizing artistry Her most embarrassing moment as a dancer Why so many of her athletes have the desire to go back to elite after college The actual dollar amount and experiential cost of losing NCAA eligibility What advice she gave Jordyn Wieber about going pro We discover how Miss Val and her former roommate inspired one of the creators of the television show Will and Grace Why Canadians thrive in NCAA Lastly, she tells the story of the amazing wedding gift she gave to a fan The Bruin Gymnastics YouTube channel. 15 years of UCLA routines, including

An update on Melanie Sinclair (front) the NCAA star, who's kicking ass as an Amazon in Cirque du Soliel's Amaluna.   First! We present our scientific review of Amaluna. Then our guest, is the vivacious and effervescent, Melanie Sinclair. Before becoming an acrobat in Cirque du Soliel's goddess powered Amaluna, she was a US National Team member during the Nastia, Sacramone, Memmel years.   Always a fan favorite for her sideline antics (see gif and videos below) and emotional filled routines, she finally gained the attention she deserved at University of Florida. She was a leader on the team, putting Florida on the map. She was fun to watch no matter what she was doing - competing or dancing with herself during warmups. She exemplifies all of the reasons gymnastics fans adore NCAA gymnastics. We discuss: The old school uneven bars act she performs in Amaluna Growing up at Orlando Metro under the tutelage of Jeff Wood and Christi Barineau The true friendship of her teammate, Amanda Castillo. How she became so

The Tigress Giantess! We love 5' 9", former elite, current All-American, Sarie Morrison of LSU. In the news, Uncle Tim, Evan, and Jessica chat about: Favorite moments from our John Orozco interview Kytra Hunter and Bridget Sloan 10's versus the Dabrtiz 9.975 A judge responds: taking .025 deductions Michigan's eight (yes, eight!) E level mounts on floor. Whaaaaa?! The Gopher who's tunneling into our hearts, Minnesota's Lindsay "Precision" Mable Danna Durante speaks out on early recruiting LSU's exquisit gymnastics giantess, 5' 9", Sarie Morrison The Balance Beam Situation's post re Georgia vs. Florida. Coach Rick's thoughtful post with illustrated chest positions. Mattie Larson's exit interview with International Gymnast. The FIG's entertaining newsletter,"The FIG Help Desk." Don't forget to take the Listener Survey! 70: The 2014 NCAA Season Has Begun! 69: 2009 World Champion Kayla Williams & Alabama's Sarah Patterson Listener Survey A Gym Nerd's Guide to NCAA Bars 65: NCAA Judge Dean Ratliff, Ea

Gymnast and ninja prodigy, John Orozco   We all know the story of his parents struggle to pay for his gymnastics lessons, his unlikely start in a borough of New York City, his meteoric rise to three-time, consecutive, junior national champion, senior national champion, Olympian and World Medalist; but what has it been like to be favored for Olympic glory only to fall short of your and seemingly, your country's goal? John speaks frankly about the highs and lows since the Olympics, and the struggle to regain his mojo. We discuss: The pressure he put on himself to support his family. How his "failure" (his words, not ours) in London changed him. Being labeled, "The Kid From The Bronx." He gymnerds-out with us about vault, vault, more vault. The cruelty of social media and how to stay positive when in the public eye. His advice and drills for being proficient on the dreaded pommel horse. The reason for his angry tweets after tearing his ACL on the post-Olympic tour. Public nudity Which meets have the best after

    The survey, the survey! Please take our Listener Survey HERE!   In the news, Uncle Tim, Evan Heiter, and Jessica chat about: Kelly Garrison, as commentator and beam innovator. NCAA gymnastics revenue quiz, Uncle Time shocked us. Joanna Sampson, will she be a force on floor and the all-around this year? The Chelsea Davis bar score controversy(?)ish. Should some floor music be off-limits forever? Another maple goddess, from the Great White North, Maddie Gardiner of OSU. LSU's Llominica Hall newest quintessential, Americana choreography. Our love for "giantess", 5' 9'' gymnast, Sara Townsend of Iowa State. Oregon State brings us Kaytianna McMillan's double backspin on floor! We discuss the latest stories from around the gymternet: What's with these weird videos the FIG has been putting up? (see playlist below) The new handstand pirouette world record The girl who is continuing gymnastics after losing a leg to leukemia. Some of favorite responses from the listener survey so far! How much Uncle Tim sucks

The Cal Bears of University of California Berkeley strut their stuff in their new backless leos on opening weekend.    Uncle Tim, Evan Heiter, and Jessica chat about these news items: Sarah Finnegan returns to competition with some new skills. The American Cup roster is off the charts amazing but will the media degrade it into a rehashing of Ferlito-Gate? Uncle Tim and Evan take a quiz on NCAA rules to answer frequently asked questions from our newbie fans. Will delve deep into the Minnesota, LSU, Florida, UCLA, Arkansas, Georgia and Oklahoma meets including: Danusia Francis competing the first ever longitudinal aerial to full dismount and her floor routine, that literally made boys fall out of their seats. Georgia's new choreographer, Bulldog alum Cassidy McComb of GymCats. Has the floor finals bar been set by Lindsey Mabel's exquisite execution or Kytra Hunter's jaw-dropping tumbling? WIll Bridgeport be the first Division II team to beat a Division I team? Oklahoma's ginormous team score and difficulty.

The pride of West Virginia, 2009 World Vault Champion and member of the 2012 Alabama NCAA Championship team, Kayla Williams. We discuss: The unusual origins of her triple full side-pass Her climb from the JO ranks to World Champion in just months Why she chose to move to Mary Lee Tracy's gym. "Chuck and go" elite-gymnastics versus college requirements Her plans for the future Next we chat with Kayla's coach, arch-enemy of Georgia's Suzanne Youclan, wearer of sequin gowns, University of Alabama's six-time NCAA Championship winning coach Sarah Patterson. We discuss: Handling fear in adult athletes Her opinion on early recruiting Injuries the elite code could cause for NCAA athletes now Routine strategy: reward versus short landings If Sarah DeMeo be the first ever to compete an arabian double pike in college The role athletic directors have played in NCAA parity Advice for Men's Gymnastics - no fans means no institutional support Don't forget to take the listener survey here. Kayla Williams on Twitter K

  Uncle Tim, Blythe, and Jessica chat about: Our picks for most fascinating people of 2013. Routines from 2013 that people will still be talking about 20 years from now. Victoria Moors at the Tokyo International. Oleg Verniaiev and Danell Leyva at the Valerie Liukin Invitational Tatiana Nabieva's retirement. Plus Rowena Needham, Kohei Uchimora, Mykayla Skinner and Sam Mikulak's cool new skills. We give our opinions on the latest news stories from around the gymternet: Our fantasy gymnastics teams. The bars falling down in Ellie Black's gym. Aliya Mustafina's fan Q&A session on VK.com (translations thanks to World of Gymnastike). A Gabby Douglas gymnastics update. Lexie Priessman and Amelia Hundley health updates. Simone Biles new choreographer. The airport adventures of Sam Peszek and Eric Stonestreet (Cameron on Modern Family). Our two solutions for making elite floor more fun with less tumbling passes even though the Stork Stand is here to stay. We respond to listener Questions & Comments: In t

  It's a Classic episode this week. Back in January we talked to 2009 World All-Around Champion and University of Florida freshman, Bridget Sloan. She is now the NCAA all-around champion. In this episode, she tells us about the transition to NCAA gymnastics, the athletic trainer who she calls her surrogate father, air pollution at the Beijing Olympics, age falsification and Martha Karolyi commenting on her weight on television.

2013's breakout star, Simone Biles talks to us about competing at the American Cup, her planned upgrades on floor and vault, who she should star in a realty show with, the triple-twisting yurchenko, what to do if surprised by a confetti bomb or wild peacocks, gives advice on handling fear, and tells us her goals for 2013. Simone's coaches Aimee Boorman and Luis Brasesco from Bannon's Gymnastix, tell us what it's like to coach a person who, as Aimee's says, "On any given day could have three new skills named after her in the code of points." The duo opened up about strategy, concerns and philosophies on coaching Simone as a person and an athlete. We hear how Luis approaches coaching a skill that has never been done before (yes, we mean the triple twisting yurchenko in WAG), what happened the first time Aimee saw Simone, which coaches they learn from at The Ranch, how they balance Simone's power and difficulty level while considering fun, happiness and safety. Finally, and obviously most importantly, we asked

Temple University Men's Gymnastics Coach, Fred Turoff (left). NCAA Judge, Dean Ratliff (top). NCAA recruiting expert, Jill Hicks.   An all interview show with three NCAA guests! First we talk to NCAA Judge Dean Ratliff. We discuss: How judges are reviewed, assigned and favoritism curtailed in the NCAA. The weirdest and wildest things Dean has seen during his 28 years of judging high school and NCAA meets. How judges are assigned to judge NCAA gymnastics meets. The continual, meteoric rise in scores from the top 36 college gymnastics teams. How much puppy-mill-style-factory-farm-mega-meets suck for judges, parents and kids. What Dean thinks of Jessica's genius idea that judges should score live on an iPad and give the audience (the fans!) access to the scoring sheets after each routine. How judges address accusations of bias bias bias and more bias. Next up is former US national team member, occasional USAG selection committee member and long-time coach of the Temple University Owls, Fred Turoff. Last week,

Medalists from the 2013 Glasgow World Cup.L-R Daniel Purvis (GBR), Elizabeth Price (USA), Larisa Iordache (ROU), Oleg Verniaiev (UKR), Vanessa Ferrari (ITL), Andrey Likhovitskiy (BLR) It's an all news episode to start the week off. In the news, Uncle Tim and Jess chat about: The Glasgow World Cup: Popa dazzles, equipment fails, the after party and Ilordache on top even after a fall on her full! Espoir Championships - Watching the GB juniors dancing their booties off! Reviews of the NCAA intrasquad preview: Florida, Alabama, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Michigan, Utah and UCLA. The choreography tragedies, skill trends and Kathy-Johnson inducing moments. Remember to vote for us on the Stitcher Podcast awards! Check out our holiday Gift Guide. We cover all the latest news stories from around the gymternet: Follow up questions about Shawn Johnson's ACL sprain vs a full tear Feedback from newly crowned Hero of the Gymternet, Dr. Larry Nassar Afanasyeva's ankle surgery A Kalon Ludvingston update Leotard injury!  A li

      The $10,000 leo awarded to Ukrainian's Angelina Kysla The genius of the Mexican Open marketing and the US juniors, Bailie Key and Laurie Hernandez Oleg Verniaiev finally lives up to his potential at the Stuttgart World Cup  Mustafina's new beam series, Peyton Ernst's nerves, Elizabeth Price's killer Amanar, Sophie Scheder luxurious bar set and John Orozco's vault issues. The terrifying bar dismounts of Tatiana Nabieva and Yao Jinnan in Stuttgart. The gymnastics coup d'etat: Azerbaijan recruiting Anna Pavlova and Yulia Inshina to compete for them instead of Russia. Speculation on the true reasons for Oksana Chusovitina return to Uzbekistan. McKayla Maroney on the TV show Bones, this Friday December 6th. How to play in the world's only Fantasy Gymnastics league! Follow them on Twitter @FantasyGym and use #FantasyGym to talk smack. Draft period is December 7-28. Don't miss the deadline. This is so freakin' cool! The greatest gym nerd gift guide in the entire world, made by us. Elizabeth Price  Svetla

Katelyn Ohashi. The beautiful art compliments of My Crazy World of Graphics. It's Gym MythBusters: Katelyn Ohashi Edition! This episode is devoted entirely to the Empress of Pajama Pants & 2013 American Cup Champion, Katelyn Ohashi. She puts an end the rumors by answering true or false to the gymternet's burning questions: Is she still training at WOGA, being coached by Valerie, going level 10, injured, starring in a Disney show with Simone Biles and Victoria Moors or been escorted out of Walmart for frightening customers with her comedy pajama routines?

Ever wondered what it's like to travel around the world finding the best talent for Cirque du Soleil? We sat down with talent scout, Marceline Goldstein to ask her all of our burning Gym Nerd questions:  who is the oldest person she ever recruited, are there any injuries that preclude employment, how many years can a career at Cirque last, how does Cirque manage to not piss off federations who may want a competitor to stay in the sport, how they support the disciplines like acrobatics which is so essential to Cirque's survival, is being able to hit at meets an essential prerequisite (you'll be surprised), what kind of support system is in place for longevity and health. Our friend, Evan Heiter joins us once again to chat about the Mexican Open, which US Senior should go, who will win the Stuttgart World Cup, Octavian Bellu and Mariana Bitang's latest contract negotiation/vacation from Romania. Then in our new gymternet news segment, we speculate on Katelyn Ohashi's emphatic message; Nastia once again working

Tim Daggett, Olympic Champion and NBC commentator. In this classic episode we bring you our full interview with Olympic gold medalist and longtime NBC commentator, Tim Daggett. Recorded in September 2012, Tim talks about his life-threatening leg injury at the Rotterdam World Championships, the Produnova vault, what he wants hardcore gymnastics fans to know, his thoughts on the direction the code is going, the loss of the perfect 10, cheating and kindness in coaching. Related: Episode One: Tim Daggett Part One Episode Two: Tim Daggett Part Two  

McKayla Maroney, Kyla Ross and Simone Biles at the 2013 World Championships courtesy of My Crazy World of Graphics[/caption] This week, British Olympian Jenny Pinches joins us to discuss the latest news and the state of gymnastics. We talk about: the two new gymnastics reality shows in the works, Victoria Komova returning to training (or playing?) after a serious case of meningitis, the Kohei Uchimura interview on team gold for Rio, Aimee Boorman's interview after becoming the first ever female American head coach of an all-around World Champion, Simone Biles; Rodionenko's complaints about Aliya Mustafina being called for "equipment testing", a skill table for gymnastics like diving has, Philipp Boy's latest ovulation inducing photo and Nelli Kim's claims that she is being slandered by Russia's top gymnasts. In our Worlds Wrap Up, Uncle Tim identifies trends in scoring and tells us if Execution or Difficulty reigned supreme. Then it's favorites, worsts, wedgie solutions, where the judges got it wrong, the ho