GymnasticsVille Podcast

GymnasticsVille
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Sport
  • Updated twice weekly

GymnasticsVille Podcast features in-depth, unfiltered conversations with the athletes, coaches, and leaders shaping competitive gymnastics. From Olympic comebacks to coaching philosophy, mental training to life after elite competition — if it matters to the gymnastics community, we talk about it. Hosted by Mubarak Simmons, co-founder of GymCrew Talent Management, alongside co-hosts Taqiy Simmons and Kerry Adderly. This isn't highlight reels or quick takes. These are real, long-form conversations about the sport we love — the struggles, the triumphs, the lessons learned, and the stories that don't make it to the competition floor. New episodes monthly. Produced by GymCrew Talent Management. --- CONNECT WITH US: Instagram: @gymnasticsville YouTube: GymnasticsVille Podcast Website: gymnasticsville.com Email: admin@gym-crew.com --- TOPICS COVERED: Olympic gymnastics, NCAA gymnastics, elite competition, coaching, mental training, athlete comebacks, retirement and transition, gymnastics training, USA Gymnastics, college gymnastics, club coaching, sports psychology, gymnastics careers --- FOR SPONSORSHIP INQUIRIES: Contact: admin@gym-crew.com

  1. 21 Oct

    Emma Nedov: Retired From Gymnastics, Then Made the Olympics at 28

    Emma Nedov retired from gymnastics, came back nine months before the Paris Olympics, and walked into the stadium at 28. In this Back to Basics conversation, the Australian Olympian shares how the comeback really started, what it took to get there, and the community she is building for the next generation of gymnasts. Emma Nedov is an Australian Olympian (Paris 2024), a two-time Australian national beam champion, and a World Cup gold medalist. She is the creator of High Tea with Emma, co-founder of ND Network, and founder of NYRA (Not Your Regular Athlete). In this episode: • What it felt like to walk back into the gym after retiring, and why the first kip did not happen • Overcoming injuries on the road to Paris • "I didn't love being ordinary": the mindset behind the comeback • Walking out into the stadium at the Paris Olympics • Why beam deserves its own training, and the coaches who shaped her • Winning beam gold at the Baku World Cup • How High Tea with Emma started, and why it may be coming to America • ND Network, NYRA, and the state of Australian gymnastics • Her advice to a young gymnast who feels like quitting CHAPTERS 00:00 Introducing Emma Nedov 00:56 The 2020 retirement decision 01:37 Day one back: the kip on the low bar 03:04 The first practice back 03:31 Calling the coach across the street 04:57 "I think that we can do this" 05:23 Overcoming injuries 10:33 "I didn't love being ordinary" 13:01 Finding her identity outside gymnastics 15:08 Why 20 years of gymnastics "wasn't for nothing" 16:12 Supporting athletes through retirement 17:30 The road to Paris 20:54 Walking out into the stadium 22:25 Why beam deserves its own training 23:09 Learning from Chinese national team coaches 25:17 Beam drills for every gymnast 29:03 Beam gold at the Baku World Cup 32:12 How High Tea with Emma started 39:02 Taking High Tea to America 41:15 ND Network 45:35 NYRA: Not Your Regular Athlete 46:39 The state of Australian gymnastics 49:41 The 2016 Rio test event 52:19 Advice for a gymnast who feels like quitting FOLLOW EMMA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ejnedov/ Website: https://emmanedov.com WATCH AND READ Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@gymnasticsville  Read the story: https://gymnasticsville.com/emma-nedov-gymnastics-comeback-paris-olympian/  SUBSCRIBE Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gymnasticsville-podcast/id1236969576  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3EZvLhd543Iw0YlwlkhBds?si=kURxLtagT2S98aqLTYOQkA&utm_source=sms  FOLLOW GYMNASTICSVILLE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gymnasticsville/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gymnasticsvillehq  Newsletter and more: https://gymnasticsville.com

  2. 3 Oct

    Trevor Howard: From Penn State Gymnastics to the World Team to Disney

    Trevor Howard almost quit gymnastics after missing teams by one place, year after year. His mom told him something that changed everything. What followed was a career most gymnasts only dream about. On this episode of Back to Basics, Trevor sits down with Mubarak Simmons to share his full journey, from growing up in Columbus, Ohio to becoming a 7x All-American and NCAA National Champion at Penn State, to earning a spot on the 2019 World Championships team in Stuttgart alongside Sam Mikulak, Yul Moldauer, and Shane Wiskus. He opens up about the "iron sharpens iron" mindset that got him there, what it was like representing Team USA on the world stage, and how COVID derailed his Olympic path. Today, Trevor performs as a Tumble Monkey in Disney's Festival of the Lion King at Animal Kingdom and runs ETHIICKS, his holistic wellness company built on everything gymnastics taught him. This conversation covers mindset, adversity, purpose, and what it really takes to reach the highest level. FOLLOW TREVOR HOWARD: Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, TikTok: Coach Trevor Howard ETHIICKS: @ethiicks FOLLOW GYMNASTICSVILLE: Website: https://gymnasticsville.com  Instagram: https://instagram.com/gymnasticsville  TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@gymnasticsvillehq  Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/gymcrewtalent  Facebook: https://facebook.com/gymnasticsville  WATCH THE FULL VIDEO EPISODE: YouTube: https://youtu.be/5drpDx-pRSc?si=lYtu0TflRY8jLZDM

  3. 28 Sept

    Justin Spring: The Mental Game Is the Only Difference in Gymnastics

    2008 Olympic Bronze Medalist Justin Spring returns to the GymnasticsVille Podcast. Now in his fifth season at Alabama Gymnastics and second as Associate Head Coach, Justin opens up about Alabama's preseason, the challenge of building championship culture in the modern era, what he learned calling the Paris Olympics live for NBC, the full-circle moment watching Team USA win bronze in Paris exactly like his own 2008 team, and why the mental game is the only thing that separates Olympic champions from everyone else. Topics covered: Alabama preseason and what Spring is building in 2027 Culture transformation and the microwave society athlete What Justin looks for when evaluating gymnasts The transition from men's to women's collegiate coaching How he landed the NBC Olympics broadcast gig Tim Daggett's three binders and the Paris prep story The Sasha Artemev story from Beijing 2008 team finals Sports psychology as a daily training requirement Why the mental game is the only X factor come postseason Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gymnasticsville-podcast/id1236969576 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3EZvLhd543Iw0YlwlkhBds?si=kURxLtagT2S98aqLTYOQkA&utm_source=sms Visit GymnasticsVille: https://gymnasticsville.com

  4. 18 Sept

    Felecia Mulkey on Building Baylor A&T, Creating a College Sport, and Winning 14 Straight Titles

    Felecia Mulkey has won every national championship acrobatics & tumbling has ever held. She joins GymnasticsVille to talk about helping create the sport itself, building a dynasty at Baylor, and her mission to open more doors for women in college sports. Felecia Mulkey is a trailblazer. The head coach of Baylor Acrobatics & Tumbling joins GymnasticsVille to discuss building a dynasty, creating a new NCAA sport, and why her mission is far bigger than championships. 00:00 – Introduction 01:14 – Felecia's journey from high school gymnast to collegiate pioneer 03:22 – Why "Acrobatics & Tumbling"? The strategic naming process 07:54 – Launching the Oregon program and winning the first championships 12:19 – Transitioning to Baylor and building a powerhouse 16:34 – Acrobatics & Tumbling is the only sport created at the collegiate level besides football 19:57 – Managing a championship culture and fighting complacency 22:42 – "This was never about winning." Felecia's mission to create opportunities for women 27:16 – The impact of A&T's elevation to NCAA championship sport status 29:28 – Felecia's advice for young gymnasts: "Stay in the sport" 32:08 – The gymnastics skills every A&T athlete needs 35:17 – Felecia's coaching philosophy: "This team has won nothing" 38:41 – What's next for Baylor and the future of the sport 41:22 – Conclusion Learn more about Baylor Acrobatics & Tumbling: https://baylorbears.com/sports/acrobatics-tumbling Find every program that sponsors the sport: https://thencata.org/sports/2022/7/22/NCATA%20Member%20Institutions.aspx Follow GymnasticsVille: 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gymnasticsville/ 🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/gymnasticsville 👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gymnasticsville

  5. 31 Aug

    Tony Beck on Taking Over Penn State Men's Gymnastics

    Tony Beck was named the seventh head coach in the history of Penn State men's gymnastics on May 15, 2026. He replaced Randy Jepson, the man who recruited him, coached him, and mentored him for the better part of two decades. This is his first long-form interview since taking the job. Mubarak coached Tony his junior and senior years of high school in eastern Pennsylvania, before Tony ever put on a Penn State singlet. That history runs through the whole conversation. In this episode: The night he got the call, and what it meant when Randy Jepson showed up that same night Why Ohio State was the dream school before Penn State was Building the first boys program at Centre Elite Gymnastics with five kids in a gym so small the parallel bars had to be offset Coaching Stephen Nedoroscik and Josh Karnes, and the two very different kinds of toughness they represent The analytics platform he coded himself to track his team's hit percentages and routine scores Following Gene Whetstone, Carl Schier, and Randy Jepson at a program with 12 national team titles What he tells young gymnasts who are not the most talented athlete in the gym This is part one of a two part series. Part two will be recorded on location at Penn State in September, in the gym with Coach Beck and members of his team. Follow Tony Beck on Instagram: @tbeck021 Follow Penn State men's gymnastics: @psugym Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/sEwSxy_gZAQ Read the full article: https://gymnasticsville.com/tony-beck-on-taking-over-penn-state-mens-gymnastics/ Follow GymnasticsVille: Website: https://gymnasticsville.com Instagram: @gymnasticsville TikTok: @gymnasticsvillehq YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@gymnasticsville

  6. 26 Aug

    How Adult Gymnastics Brought Her Back | Mary-Anne "Mez" Monckton

    Two Commonwealth Games silver medals. Three World Championships. A skill in the FIG Code of Points with her name on it. And then Mary-Anne "Mez" Monckton walked away from gymnastics entirely. This week on Back to Basics by GymnasticsVille, Mez joins the show to talk about the full arc: getting talent-ID'd by the Australian Institute of Sport at age 7, moving to Melbourne alone at 15, silver at Glasgow 2014, the ACL tear training for the Rio test event, retirement in 2017, and the night at a Calgary gym in 2023 when a coach's words made her cry on the floor and brought her back to the sport. Today Mez runs CAPTivate Adult Gymnastics in her hometown of Newcastle, Australia. In one year she has grown it from 20 athletes to more than 85, trained 10 coaches, and built a program proving it's never too late to fall back in love with gymnastics. Find CAPTivate: https://captivategymnastics.com.au Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fuaM0dju-yk Follow GymnasticsVille: Instagram: @gymnasticsville TikTok: @gymnasticsvillehq X: @gymnasticsville Host: Mubarak Simmons, GymnasticsVille Host

  7. 6 Aug

    Back to Basics EP 238 | 2026 U.S. Gymnastics Championships Preview with Sean Townsend

    World Champion Sean Townsend joins GymnasticsVille Host Mubarak Simmons to preview the 2026 U.S. Gymnastics Championships. Townsend won a World title on parallel bars in 2001, the first American man on a Worlds podium in 22 years, and trained alongside Mubarak at Houston Gymnastics Academy under coach Kevin Mazeika. Today he's the head coach there, with two of his own athletes competing in Phoenix this week. With Asher Hong, Brody Malone, and Donnell Whittenburg all out of the field, Townsend breaks down why he thinks Malone is playing the long game, names his five-man pick for the World team in Rotterdam, and explains why he believes the 2032 Olympic team could be the best in U.S. history. He also shares the untold story of competing at the 2001 World Championships in the weeks after 9/11, when his team was told they weren't going, then found out two weeks later that they were. This is the second of two GymnasticsVille previews ahead of Phoenix. Listen to the first, with Highland Park ISD Gymnastics Coach Justin James, wherever you get your podcasts. Read the full article: https://gymnasticsville.com/sean-townsend-2026-us-championships-preview/  Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gymnasticsville-podcast/id1236969576  Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3EZvLhd543Iw0YlwlkhBds?si=kURxLtagT2S98aqLTYOQkA&utm_source=sms  Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwVx7oVvYug  Follow GymnasticsVille: Instagram | TikTok @gymnasticsvillehq | X (GCTM)

  8. 5 Aug

    Angela Fuller's 27-Year Gymnastics Comeback Will Give You Chills

    She was told her athletic career was over. Nearly three decades later, Angela Fuller walked back into a gym and did something she had only ever done in her dreams. On this episode of Back to Basics, adult gymnast and NAIGC competitor Angela Fuller joins Mubarak Simmons to talk about the wake-up call that sent her back to the sport, what it takes to complete the grueling 14-event Omnithon, and why adult gymnastics is growing faster than most people realize. In this episode: The wake-up call that changed everything Discovering adult gymnastics through Chellsie Memmel Purpose over podium, and why competing as an adult feels so different What the Omnithon actually is, and what it takes to finish all 14 events Visualizing a skill for 27 years, then landing it on the first try back Why participation in adult gymnastics doubled this year Her trip to American Ninja Warrior Why it is never too late to go back Follow Angela Fuller on Instagram at @colofitnesschick and on TikTok at @thehappydanceninja. Follow GymnasticsVille on Instagram at @gymnasticsville TikTok @gymnasticsvillehq, and at gymnasticsville.com.

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About

GymnasticsVille Podcast features in-depth, unfiltered conversations with the athletes, coaches, and leaders shaping competitive gymnastics. From Olympic comebacks to coaching philosophy, mental training to life after elite competition — if it matters to the gymnastics community, we talk about it. Hosted by Mubarak Simmons, co-founder of GymCrew Talent Management, alongside co-hosts Taqiy Simmons and Kerry Adderly. This isn't highlight reels or quick takes. These are real, long-form conversations about the sport we love — the struggles, the triumphs, the lessons learned, and the stories that don't make it to the competition floor. New episodes monthly. Produced by GymCrew Talent Management. --- CONNECT WITH US: Instagram: @gymnasticsville YouTube: GymnasticsVille Podcast Website: gymnasticsville.com Email: admin@gym-crew.com --- TOPICS COVERED: Olympic gymnastics, NCAA gymnastics, elite competition, coaching, mental training, athlete comebacks, retirement and transition, gymnastics training, USA Gymnastics, college gymnastics, club coaching, sports psychology, gymnastics careers --- FOR SPONSORSHIP INQUIRIES: Contact: admin@gym-crew.com

Information

  • Creator
    GymnasticsVille
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    ©2026 GymnasticsVille
  • Show Website
    GymnasticsVille Podcast

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