Must Change Culture Issues in Gymnastics with Jennifer Pinches, Dave Durante, and Chad Vaughn -

Gymnastics culture is going through a massive amount of change. The last 2-3 years have seen the most change in our sport following abuse scandals, the Athlete A film, the #GymnastAlliance movement, and notable people in the gymnastics community being charged for crimes.

I am fortunate to have known and work with many gymnasts and coaches who are pushing for new ideas, and thankfully SHIFT has become one of those trying to spark ongoing changes.

Jennifer Pinches, former elite gymnast and founder of the #GymnastAlliance movement, is one of those people I’m lucky to be friends with. Jen and Claire Heafford, the cofounder of the Gymnasts For Change organization, had a very popular podcast which you can find here.

Worlds collided a bit when my friends Dave Durante and Chad Vaughn asked me to rejoin the Power Monkey Podcast for a chat on this topic. I asked Jennifer to join us, as she has a wealth of knowledge and experience to offer insight on.

We had to get this out as a podcast of our own, as we know it will help so many in gymnastics. community. This is an absolute must-listen for anyone working in gymnastics or youth sports in general

We discuss

Jennifer’s experiences competing as an Olympian and elite gymnasts in relation to the past culture
What are the characteristics of great coaches vs suboptimal coaches?
Where parents fit in the equation of culture change
Where the line between hard training and abuse is, and how to avoid it
How to reach high-performance elite/college goals without sacrificing the health or happiness of athletes
Why we must challenge the idea that pre-teen girls are the best path for elite level gymnastics
Why gymnastics needs to highlight great coaches, and not only chastise those acting immorally
Why coaching to different athlete personalities and communication are the pillars of healthy gym cultures

and much, much more.

Again, you do not want to miss this one. You can check it out below!