GymCastic: The Gymnastics Podcast

Simone Biles and Rebeca Andrade are two of the greatest gymnasts in history. Yet they competed against each other just five times in nine years! In this episode, we tackle what may be gymnastics' biggest structural problem: the world's best athletes rarely get the chance to face each other. We propose a complete overhaul of the competition system, including world rankings, federation-free qualification pathways, athlete-controlled careers, an elite season, and fan-voted wild cards. We also explore how sports like tennis, the WNBA, and other professional leagues handle competition, athlete compensation, data rights, and fan engagement—and what gymnastics can learn from them. Plus, we discuss real-time scoring technology, VR and AR viewing experiences, digital-twin technology, and other innovations that could modernize the sport and make gymnastics easier to follow for fans around the world.
CHAPTERS
00:00 – Intro: Revolutionizing Gymnastics
01:01 – HEADLINES Texas State Adds D1 Gymnastics
03:13 – Canadian Championships & Ellie Black
07:07 – Koper Cup Chaos
14:04 – Behind The Scenes: Sharks, Dysentery & Club Gym Nerd
16:32 –  Gymternet News: Texas Coach Indicted, DA looking for suvivors
17:38 – Simone Biles Is Still 50/50
21:18 – Ukrainian Gymnastics Protest Campaign
22:23 – Denver's Achilles Injury Research
24:09 – Florida's Singapore Tour
25:35 – Nadia's 50-Year Perfect 10 Celebration
26:54 – Michigan Men Get a New Facility
27:28 – Gymnaestrada Comes to Las Vegas
28:59 – New Pakistan Gymnastics Documentary
30:25 – 1984 U.S. Men's Team Documentary
33:08 – Iranian Women Win Historic Medal
33:47 – Melanie & Rebeca Return Updates
34:25 – Revolutionizing Gymnastics: How We Fix The Sport
34:45 – The Problem: The Best Gymnasts Never Compete
37:19 – Simone vs Rebeca: Only 5 Times in 9 Years
39:17 – When World-Class Athletes Get Left Home
42:06 – Why Federations Have Too Much Power
47:02 – Borrowing the Tennis Model
50:34 – Rankings, Injuries & Athlete Autonomy
54:24 – Wild Cards System
56:26 – Fixing Judging with Technology
58:26 – Make Scores Understandable
01:01:12 – Real-Time Skill Tracking & Data Visualization
01:01:39 – AR, AI & Digital-Twin Technology
01:03:29 – VR Front-Row Seats for Every Fan
01:09:01 – Alternative Broadcasts & Fan Engagement
01:14:06 – How Gymnasts Should Actually Get Paid
01:16:39 – Athlete Unions, Data Rights & Ownership
01:22:40 – The WNBA Model for Athlete Bio Data
01:24:38 – Designing the Perfect Competition System
01:27:12 – Turning Olympic Viewers Into Real Fans
01:34:15 – Listener Question: Biles I vs Dos Santos

BONUS Welcome to Behind The Scenes: Secrets of The Podcast
We are enjoying a well earned break this week. But we'd never leave you without the news. Here is a little bonus of our weekly Q&A show for Club Gym Nerd members, where we answer your questions live.  To listen or watch the full episode login here. Here's how to ask questions live. Can't make it live? Add Club bonus episodes to your favorite podcast player (instructions here). Not a member? Join here.
GymCastic Live: Featuring Chae Campbell
Replay tickets available → Get tickets here
CHAPTERS
00:00 – Behind the Scenes Intro & Che Campbell Replay
01:28 – Georgia News: Laurent Landi Officially Joins Cecile
01:53 – Joscelyn Roberson Transfers to Georgia
05:02 – Which WCC Gymnast Could Follow to Georgia?
07:42 – Konnor McClain's Post-NCAA Season Health Update
11:47 – Chuso at Tashkent & World Gymnastics Score Problems
13:11 – Japan's Worlds Team Heartbreak
15:09 – Worlds Qualification Rules & Rotterdam Tickets
17:00 – U.S. Pan Ams Team Announced
19:06 – Claire Pease's Cheng: Real or Not Yet?
20:42 – GymCastic Updates: Games, Referrals & Merch Sale
22:52 – Liverpool Gets 2030 Worlds
23:21 – Melanie de Jesus dos Santos Returns
25:33 – Melnikova's U.S. Gym Tour
26:14 – Chinese Nationals Beam Queen News
27:35 – Kidney Transplant Update & Sam Oldham Spy Database Follow-Up
30:15 – Goodbye to Regular Listeners / Club Gym Nerd BTS Begins
31:24 – Jessica's Graduation Trip to Boston
32:47 – Tufts Graduation Week & Boston Pops
33:57 – Baccalaureate, Jumbos & Tufts Civic Duty
36:17 – AI as a Weapon & Graduation Speeches
38:22 – Plane Seat Hell & Back Row Bathroom Life
40:43 – The Overmedicated Seatmate
42:45 – Cape Cod, Jaws & Great White Shark Warnings
45:59 – Provincetown, Mayflower Money & Gayborhood History
47:04 – The Giant Ship Inside the Library
47:42 – Airbnb Disaster: Wet Dog Smell, Mold & Mineral Deposits
50:54 – Eurovision, Sweden & Body-Part Grammar
54:12 – New Zealand Gymnastics Jail Explained
56:36 – Can College Gymnasts Train Year-Round?
58:42 – What Happens to Competition Equipment?
60:00 – EVO Gymnastics, Men's Training Centers & Funding
62:40 – Does Florida's Elite Focus Hurt NCAA Titles?
64:20 – Why WAG Needs an EVO-Style Model
65:03 – Resistance News & Legal Wins
67:02 – Wrap-Up, Sam Oldham Extended Interview & Memorial Day Sign-Off
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Olympic bronze medalist Sam Oldham joins Jessica for a conversation about his personal Japanese Gymnastics Spy, mental health, ADHD, grace and letting coaches learn rather than be cancelled, sports science failures, NCAA gymnastics, and life after the 2012 Summer Olympics. From injury prevention and athlete autonomy to judging politics and storytelling in gymnastics media, this episode dives deep into how the sport is changing — and where it still falls short.
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GymCastic Live: Featuring Chae CampbellReplay tickets available → Get tickets here
SAM OLDHAM INTERVIEW
British gymnastics legend Sam Oldham is here, and yes, we're going to talk about everything from winning Great Britain's historic (first in 100 years) bronze medal at the London Olympics that changed everything for British Gymnastics, to the chaos, comedy, and emotional whiplash of elite gymnastics life. Sam brings the rare combination of competition accolades, deep gym nerd-student credentials, and the kind of honesty about athlete culture that makes you gasp-laugh and then immediately need a therapy session. We discuss the pressure cooker of British Gymnastics, his friendship and love for his coach, surviving weight-obsessed culture he swore he would never succumb to, and being followed by a Japanese gymnastics spy!
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CHAPTERS
00:00 – Intro & Why Sam Oldham's Story Matters  
02:15 – The Reality of Funding Men's Gymnastics  
06:40 – Building Relationships That Save Careers  
10:12 –  Live Show Replay & Club Gym Nerd Perks  
16:11 – Sam Oldham on Coaching Wisdom & Sergei's Influence  
22:45 – Why Gymnastics Breaks So Many Athletes  
28:33 – Neurodiversity, Burnout & Life After Elite Sports  
36:20 – The Pressure of Being "Perfect" as an Athlete  
44:08 – Mental Health, Identity & Retirement from Gymnastics  
52:14 – British Gymnastics Culture vs NCAA Energy  
01:01:32 – Training Through Pain & Learning to Fuel Properly  
01:08:45 – Eating Disorders, Fasting & Dangerous Training Culture  
01:15:24 – Has Gymnastics Culture Actually Changed?  
01:22:50 – Why Athletes Need Control of Their Own Narrative  
01:30:57 – Speaking Out Against Harmful Coaching  
01:33:44 – Cancel Culture, Grace & Learning in Coaching  
01:40:10 – Why Storytelling Changes Gymnastics Culture  
01:44:59 – The Japanese Gymnastics "Spy Network" Story  
01:48:18 – FIG Studying NCAA Gymnastics & the Future of Pro Leagues  

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Ana Bărbosu has been provisionally suspended for whereabouts violations, the IOC has cleared Belarus restrictions, and USA Gymnastics is disputing claims from fired men's program manager Lisa Mendel. Plus: could NCAA stars like Selena Harris-Miranda, Avery Neff, Anna Roberts, and Nikki Smith make the leap to elite? We draft our dream NCAA-to-elite teams and answer a mini-commission on acro's Olympic future.
GymCastic Live: Featuring Chae Campbell  - Replay tickets available → Get tickets here
HEADLINES
Ana Barbosu has been provisionally suspended after an alleged "whereabouts failure" tied to missed out-of-competition testing
The IOC no longer recommends restrictions on athletes from Belarus
Lisa Mendel, the USAG Men's Program Manager, was fired from her position See USAG's response to Mendel's statement

GYMTERNET NEWS
Jessa Hansen Parker received a five-year contract extension at Washington
The French Ministry of Sports has dismissed the disciplinary proceedings against the former WAG high-performance director, Véronique Legras-Snoeck
Former Oklahoma gymnast Jordan Bowers has been added to Nebraska's coaching staff
Lynx Gymnastics Centre, the former gym of the Jessica and Jennifer Gadirova, has burned down
Faith Torrez is the Honda Sport Award winner for gymnastics! CHAPTERS
00:00 – Cold Open: Judges, Eat Your Pencils
00:33 – Headlines: Mendel, Bărbosu, Belarus & Mini-Commissions
01:23 – Corrections: Kara Eaker & Tabea Alt
04:08 – Ana Bărbosu Provisionally Suspended for Whereabouts Violations
09:05 – IOC Clears Belarus Restrictions, Russia Still Suspended
12:45 – Lisa Mendel Firing & USAG's SafeSport Statement
18:32 – Chae Campbell Live Show Replay Trailer
21:52 – Club Gym Nerd, BTS & Merch Updates
24:18 – Meet News: Michele Pineda, Oceania & Worlds Qualification
27:01 – Georgia Godwin's World-Medal-Pace Scores
29:47 – Courtney McGregor's Worlds Qualification Path
31:33 – Liechtenstein Makes World Cup History
33:08 – Gymnastics Greatest Stars of the Week
38:22 – Floor Slooff's Beam Sorcery
41:51 – Brazil Trophy Feelings, Tears & Dance Cam
44:22 – Level 10 Nationals, Raeya Linton & Broken Floors
53:08 – Gymternet News: Washington, France, Nebraska & Lynx Fire
58:18 – Gymdle, Gym Bee & Referral Program
59:40 – Mini-Commission: Could NCAA Stars Go Elite?
01:12:57 – Drafting the NCAA-to-Elite Dream Team
01:24:14 – Mini-Commission: What Happened to Acro?
01:32:04 – Olympic Program Cuts & Acro's Olympic Chances
01:38:43 – What's Coming Next: Chinese Championships, NHK & Sam Oldham
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GymCastic Live: Featuring Chae Campbell -  Watch the Trailer HERE Replay tickets available → Get tickets here
Olympic champion Jade Carey is officially BACK, Jordyn Wieber steps away from coaching, and the NCAA transfer portal is chaos. Meanwhile, Algeria makes history, Japan's team selection system is already causing stress, and the road to World Championships just got way more complicated.
We break down:
Jade Carey's return and what it means for LA 2028
Major NCAA transfers and NIL strategy shifts
Coaching carousel chaos across top programs
The new Worlds qualification system (and why no one is safe)
Russian and Japanese storylines you need to watch
Plus: a behind-the-scenes teaser from our Chae Campbell live show
👀 Stay to the end for a BTS preview you won't hear anywhere else.
CHAPTERS
00:00 – Cold Open: Postseason Chaos, Jade Carey Returns & Wieber Leaves
00:59 – Jade Carey Comeback & Elite Impact
02:56 – Joscelyn Roberson Transfer Portal & NIL Strategy
05:07 – Cecile Takes Over Georgia + Coaching Power Shifts
06:18 – Jordyn Wieber Steps Down at Arkansas
10:40 – Algeria Makes History: First Women's Worlds Team
13:16 – Coaching Carousel: Auburn, Nebraska, Georgia Shakeups
16:55 – Transfer Portal With Strong Bite Me Vibes: Cal → Stanford Fallout
20:03 – Ana Bărbosu Whereabouts Violation Update
24:06 – Live Show Promo + Chae Campbell 
27:34 – African Championships Deep Dive & Nemour Dominance
31:26 – Bars Arms Race: Nemour vs. Yang Fanyuwei
33:18 – Worlds Qualification System Explained (No Auto Spots!)
36:17 – Oceanic Champs Preview & "Sponsor Courtney McGregor" Campaign
39:32 – StoryWorth Ad
42:21 – New Uneven Bars Skills (Finally Named!)
50:12 – Russian Cup Results + Neutral Athlete Controversy
52:17 – Russian Broadcast Goes Full Video Game Mode
57:04 – Japan Rising Star Nishiyama Misa + Beam Artistry Masterclass
59:05 – Japan Team Selection Heartbreak Incoming
01:01:21 – Upcoming Meets to Watch (NHK, Pan Ams, Euros, Worlds Path)
01:03:26 – Gymternet News: Surveillance Cameras in Gyms
01:05:48 – Dumpster Fire News: Criminal Case & Coaching Abuse
01:07:47 – Hall of Fame + Olympic Trials 2028 Announcement
01:10:51 – Nadia, Simone & Laureus Awards Moment
01:12:33 – Fantasy League Winner + What's Next
01:13:26 – Outro + Weekly BTS Reminder
01:13:41 – BTS Teaser: How the Chae Campbell Interview Really Happened
UP NEXT
Behind The Scenes Fridays at noon Pacific
SUPPORT OUR WORK
Club Gym Nerd: Join Here
Merch: Shop Now
Games 
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The Balance Beam Situation: Spencer's GIF Code of Points
Gymnastics History and Code of Points Archive from Uncle Tim
Resistance Resources