Olympic Fever: The Chelle Stack Story (unfinished book by Carrol Stack)

[crdubb17]

Seriously, is Newman still coaching?

I remember feeling heavily for Michelle Campi after reading this. I can’t remember if I read this in a book or on a message board, but I know there was a ton of drama with her mom and him being together. Reading about Carroll’s account of him made me ill and angry. Michelle did an interview on a podcast a few years ago, but she didn’t elaborate much on that dynamic.

 

[RedBirdie]

Rick Newman was coaching at Technique Gymnastics in California, not sure if he's still there. But he was coaching as recently as a couple years ago.

 

[Passion]

I remember feeling heavily for Michelle Campi after reading this. I can’t remember if I read this in a book or on a message board, but I know there was a ton of drama with her mom and him being together. Reading about Carroll’s account of him made me ill and angry. Michelle did an interview on a podcast a few years ago, but she didn’t elaborate much on that dynamic.

The Newman/Campi stuff was in Little Girls in Pretty Boxes.

 

[crdubb17]

The Newman/Campi stuff was in Little Girls in Pretty Boxes.

I have never read Little Girls in Pretty Boxes, but this was my Bible growing up (I would re-check it out over and over in my middle school library lol). It’s been 20 something years, I should revisit it now that I can actually understand some of the intricacies I’m sure went over my head.

 

[Passion]

I have never read Little Girls in Pretty Boxes, but this was my Bible growing up (I would re-check it out over and over in my middle school library lol). It’s been 20 something years, I should revisit it now that I can actually understand some of the intricacies I’m sure went over my head.

I have that same book!! It's all over the place with information, it's almost like reading a school yearbook but instead of covering one year it's covering the entire history of the sport from Ancient Greece to 1996. The cover is coming off now from me dragging it back and forth to school lol. This and "The Gymnastics Almanac" by Luan Peszek, I would carry with me everywhere when I was 12-14.

 

[RedBirdie]

Newman and Campi's mother broke up when Campi fractured her back. What a wildly dysfunctional home life Michelle had.

UW Gymnast Rearranges Priorities After World-Class Disappointments | The Seattle Times

 

[crdubb17]

Michelle seems really happy and in a good place now.



Also, this podcast was pure gold. So many excellent interviews from a lot of the athletes during this time period (Sandy Woolsey really sticks out for me in how candid she was). I’m still bummed she decided to stop doing it.

 

[Matilda23]

I assumed Michelle’s mother was single. But then the article linked above said Michelle’s mother and father got back together (after Michelle broke her back).

 

[RedBirdie]

I believe they were married when Michelle went to Bela. I can't remember if they divorced over Newman, or "just" separated for years.