The first time I was cancelled
Speaking out on the abusive culture in gymnastics
Some people invite me on their podcasts and shows to talk about things other than covid and being cancelled in the corporate world.
Thanks to Fire Breathin’ Rob for having me on for a second time — this time to talk about gymnastics and the rampant abuse in the sport.
This is where my outspokenness in support of children started. I wrote a book in 2008 called Chalked Up and made a documentary film called Athlete A (which you can watch on Netflix) on this subject.
Thanks for watching.
Your story makes me so glad I quit gymnastics when I did. I trained at the Gymnastics Spot in Mundelein, IL in the 80s, and at 17, was Class I back then, when I got my first case of the "twisties." I landed my first solo double back and thought, "My god, this is terrifying." I lost track of where I was and suddenly, everything that I used to do scared me. Given I also sucked at bars and would NEVER be able to produce enough difficulty to be competitive in the AA, I quit and moved on to other sports. I have to say I LOVED my time in the gym. For ten years, it was my refuge. My homelife was tumultuous but in the gym, I was safe. We were NEVER weighed, our coaches respected our injuries, we were friends, we had sleepovers in the gym and laughed all night in the pit. I did not have the experience you did, but I also never tried for the elite level. I still believe that gymnastics made me successful, disciplined, and thoughtful and I think that it's a worthwhile sport for both males and females. It builds strong muscles that I still rely on at 51 years old. That the elite training programs are so harmful is a shame. Breaks my heart. Again, I'm glad I ended it when I did so I can always look back on those ten years with joy and gratitude.