Shows
Life in a LeoEpisode 40: Interview with Olympian and total inspiration, Betty OkinoThis week on Life in a Leo, I interviewed the amazing Betty Okino. Betty was part of the 1992 USA Olympic Team. This was the first team to win a medal at the Olympics. This was a time when the athletes had to compete both compulsory and optional routines. Betty was known for her beautiful lines and gracefulness. She has a couple skills named after her. The most famous being the triple turn on beam.
What I loved about talking to Betty was how much mental toughness she displayed through her career in the sport. She had so m...
2019-02-0130 minLife in a LeoEpisode 39: Interview with gymnastics PT expert, Marla RanieriThis week on Life in a Leo, I interviewed Marla Ranieri, a physical therapist specializing in gymnastics. As an elite gymnast herself, Marla completely understands what these athletes go through and what they are striving for. She is working to make sure injuries don't keep them from reaching their dreams. This is done by performing an injury prevention assessment to find out what strength, range of motion and biomechanics deficits a gymnast has that may put them at risk for certain injuries.
It was fun to learn what got Marla to this place in her career and wh...
2018-12-2832 minLife in a LeoQuick update - new episodes coming soon!!Just a quick update and apology for not having an episode ready for you. We have more in the works and I’ll have a new one next week. Happy holidays and don’t forget to point your toes 😉.
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2018-12-0701 minLife in a LeoEpisode 38: Interview with college recruiting expert Jill HicksThis week I got to interview the incredibly accomplished Jill Hicks. Jill runs a business called Jill Hicks Consulting where she helps athletes in seven different sports navigate the college recruiting process. Her expertise is gymnastics but the other sports include women's soccer, women's basketball, track & field, cross country, acro& tumbling, and cheer!! In addition to helping young athletes navigate the recruiting process, Jill was an elite gymnast at SCATS and received a scholarship to compete for the Oregon State gymnastics team, where she ended up becoming the assistant coach and transitioned her career as an athlete. Jill moved back...
2018-11-1638 minLife in a LeoEpisode 37: Interview with level 7 gymnast AnabelleHappy Friday and welcome to Life in a Leo! This week I got to interview, 10-year-old gymnast, Anabelle. She is training level 7 at San Mateo Gymnastics and just qualified as a TOPS National A Team Member! What a huge accomplishment. Her favorite gymnast is Laurie Hernandez because she looks like she's having so much fun out there. What a great thing to admire! We hope you enjoy the episode.
Are you watching World Championships? What do you think? What are your favorite moments so far? You can send us an email at Rebecca@leotard.com or you can reach us...
2018-11-0215 minLife in a LeoEpisode 36: How I manage my time, tips and tricks, past and presentThank you so much to everyone that answered my question on Instagram regarding topics you want to hear on the show. This week I explore a topic suggested by @abriannagallo on time management.
I talk about what I did when I was still a gymnast, some of the tools I use now as an adult, and ways to plan your time. Check out https://monday.com/ if you want to learn more about one of the tools I live by these days. And remember, we are all human and mistakes happen. We can't always plan our time perfectly, so be...
2018-10-1907 minLife in a LeoEpisode 35: Interview with Elodie Bazin, my French ColleagueThis was so much fun. I got to interview one of my new co-workers who grew up doing gymnastics in France! It was great to learn a little bit about what that was like, her favorite event, her disgusting competition leotard, and some great advice for young gymnasts.
It was a little challenging at times with the language barrier, but we figured it out. Let us know what you think? Have you ever done gymnastics in a different country? What was it like and what did you learn? Did you or are you growing up outside of the USA? How...
2018-10-0515 minLife in a LeoEpisode 34: Sorry, I don't have much for you todayI started a new job and am finding it difficult to create new episodes. I'm so sorry!! But, I'm still here and I'm going to try and get new episodes out. What do you want to hear? Email me - rebecca@leotard.com and let me know.
Have you started competing this season? Let us know how it's going. What level are you doing? Are you competing in excel? Are you heading to World Championships? Now that's exciting!! We can't wait to see who makes the team.
Finally, we are running a contest to promote Miss Val's new book...
2018-09-2202 minLife in a LeoEpisode 33: Interview with Sophie KleinbergHappy Friday and welcome to #Lifeinaleo! We hope you enjoy this week's interview with Sophie Kleinberg. Sophie is training level 10 at a small gym in NYC. She started gymnastics at 7 years old after someone commented on how well she did cartwheels. Once she started training she caught the bug and was hooked. I'm sure there are a lot of things you can relate to as a gymnast in this episode. I know I certainly did. We can't wait to see how things work out for you in your first season as a level 10. Good luck and keep up all the...
2018-09-0722 minLife in a LeoEpisode 32: Goal setting & my USAG Nationals experienceSorry, there was no episode last week. I'm working on figuring out how to budget my time and continue publishing this show. Thank you to everyone for tuning in and sharing your support. It means a lot.
This week I discuss some experiences with goal setting as a gymnast. I provide a little insight into using a technique called SMART. You can learn more just by searching online if you're interested.
I also share some of my thoughts about National Championships this year. It was so awesome seeing Margzetta wear one of our UCLA Gymnastics leotards as well as the...
2018-08-3109 minLife in a LeoEpisode 31: Interview with Erica Rubin PeressinHappy Friday! In this episode of Life in a Leo, I interview a good friend and old teammate of mine, Erica Rubin Peressin. We discuss Erica's journey through the sport, getting a scholarship to the University of Michigan, and her most recent adventure, coaching gymnastics in Austin, TX. I love how one of Erica's proudest moments in the sport was when she first made JO National championships her first year as a level 10 when she was 13 years old. I also love how Erica has kept perspective on the role gymnastics has had in her life and that it's very much...
2018-08-1730 minLife in a LeoEpisode 30: Interview with Ana VillelaHappy Friday! This week I had a great interview with level 5 gymnast, Ana Villela. Ana was so fun to talk to. Her passion and excitement for the sport of gymnastics are contagious. She has only been in the sport for four years but has continued to grow and progress. Ana is so focused and such a hard-working young athlete. We discuss Ana's favorite college gymnastics team, UCLA, and how attending the camp and meeting the team have continued to inspire her through her day-to-day training. We also discuss some of Ana's goals, greatest achievements so far, and things Ana likes...
2018-08-1019 minLife in a LeoEpisode 29: Quick reflection on peaking at the right timeI've been having issues getting my interviews to record well and so this week I had to come up with a quick alternative. I'm working on getting it fixed so hopefully next week I can share the interview that was planned for today.
Today, I talk a little bit about what it means to peak at the right time. This is not something I thought much about as an athlete. I'm wondering if it's something coaches discuss and work harder towards now and have a better understanding of how to train for it. As an adult, I clearly can see...
2018-08-0304 minLife in a LeoEpisode 28: The GK US Classic in Columbus, OHIn this solocast, I provide the 10 (actually 11) things I'm going to be watching for at the US Classic this weekend. It's also the Hopes Championships. We are so excited to see all these amazing athletes get out there and compete. They've been working so hard and it is exciting to see it all coming together. Remember, the Juniors need to get a 51 to qualify to National Championships and Senior Elites need a 52. Some of the athletes have already qualified but most have not.
Some of the gymnasts discussed in the episode include Konnor McClain, MG Elite (Zoe Gravier and Olivia...
2018-07-2707 minLife in a LeoEpisode 27: Interview with National Judge, Kathi OrtizHappy Friday! This week on Life in a Leo, I interviewed one of my friends and fellow judges, Kathi Ortiz. Kathi is currently living in the Chicago area and got into the sport of gymnastics in 1968. In addition to being a successful gymnast, Kathi was also a coach, club owner, and a very well respected judge. Kathi has had the honor of judging NCAA National Championships four times and was one of two judges on the bars panel at the 2018 Nastia Liukin Cup, in addition to judging plenty of states, regionals, and national JO competitions.
One of the other really...
2018-07-2021 minLife in a LeoEpisode 26: Interview with Melisa TorresThis week I got the chance to interview Melisa Torres, the author of the Perfect Balance Gymnastics, a fiction book series. Melisa started gymnastics a little bit later in life and progressed through the sport. As a junior in high school, her coach asked her if she wanted to continue in college and helped her find a school that matched her goals. Melisa continued to flourish in the sport as a collegiate athlete at Utah State University. Melisa builds off her experience in the sport to help develop the characters she uses in her books. To learn more about Melisa...
2018-07-1328 minLife in a LeoEpisode 25: The American Classics at University of UtahThis week I discuss the top 5 things I'm most excited about at The American Classic. The American Classic is one of two elite meets that athletes can compete in to qualify for US National Championships. There are a lot of new Hopes gymnasts that will be competing. Some of the kids that competed in Hopes last year have now qualified as Jr. Elites so we will be watching how they do. We are also excited to see some Sr. Elites compete that we haven't seen compete in a while. You can check out The Balance Beam Situation for a great...
2018-07-0610 minLife in a LeoEpisode 24: How I'm interpreting the new composition rulesIn this solocast (what I've decided to call it when I don't do an interview), I provide what my key takeaways are and some examples of how to interpret the new composition deductions in the new code of points. I don't go into too much detail but provide examples of the extremes on each event. Basically what is expected to receive no deduction and what scenarios would apply the full deductions. I hope this is informative and everyone enjoys learning some of the technical details required and expected for level 10.
We also gave a shout out to @gymnast_nateianna1 for...
2018-06-2920 minLife in a LeoEpisode 23: Part 2 interview with JaNay, Peng and DeannaHere is part two of my interview with JaNay Honest, Christine Peng Peng Lee and Deanna Hong, the incredible trio that hosted Bruin Banter this season (can you tell, I'm obsessed). This week we go into more detail about their time as Bruins, their most memorable gymnastics moments and what Life in a leo means to them. I loved this interview and can't wait to hear what you think!!
Also, if you are visiting San Diego and want to catch Peng in her new gig, visit Sea World and make sure to check out the IllumiNight Show. https://seaworld.com...
2018-06-2243 minLife in a LeoEpisode 22: Part 1 Interview with a mystery trioThis week I got to speak with the trio that put together Bruin Banter this past NCAA gymnastics season, JaNay Honest, Christine Peng Peng Lee, and Deanna Hong. https://youtu.be/wp0_PdKzYVg Just one of the few things these women are known for.
We discuss their career in gymnastics prior to UCLA, how they made their way to UCLA and of course their favorite and most memorable leotards. There was so much to discuss, so we only just start to scratch the surface of our conversation. Stay tuned for part 2 next week when we learn more about Bruin Banter...
2018-06-1538 minLife in a LeoEpisode 21: How to care for your leotardsEvery week we are in and out of the gym training our butts off. We live in our leotards and sometimes we forget how to best care for them. This week I provide some advice on how to best take care of your leotards, especially the fancy competition ones that cost tons of money. These are the things you need to do to make sure the white stays white, the beads stay in place and the fabric remains soft and comfortable for you and all the athletes that you pass the leos down to after you.
If you have any...
2018-06-0806 minLife in a LeoEpisode 20: Interview with Erin KirschenbaumThis week I got to interview one of my favorite Soul Cycle Instructors, Erin Kirschenbaum (https://www.soul-cycle.com/instructors/231/erin/). Erin grew up as a very focused ballet dancer training with the Boston Ballet. After high school, she decided she was ready to try something different and focus on school. However, Erin couldn't stay away from an athletic lifestyle and felt the need to keep her body moving. One thing led to another and eventually, Erin ended up in NYC as a Soul Cycle instructor. As you will learn in our conversation and on her soul cycle bio, her...
2018-06-0135 minLife in a LeoEpisode 19: ArtistryThis week I discuss the three things that judges look for when evaluating artistry on floor. I break down each deduction and provide my best interpretation of the JO Code of Points. The music in the episode is Stevie Ray Vaughn's Little Wing which I reference when I talk about my floor routines. This was the music I had when I competed in college.
Please take a look at our blog post on www.leotard.com this week to watch the YouTube videos of the three routines I reference for having wonderful artistry. I also think it's worth watching the...
2018-05-2513 minLife in a LeoEpisode 18: Interview with Hannah KaufmanThis week I interviewed our amazing summer intern, Hannah Kaufman. In addition to being our intern, Hannah is studying dance and sociology at Rutgers University. She got her start in dance doing jazz and hip-hop but quickly found a passion for ballet. As Hannah got older, her style shifted and she discovered something called Gaga.
Hannah shares her experiences as a dancer, a Rebecca's Mom intern and what she hopes to achieve after she graduates college.
We also would like to send a shout out to Hannah Clark at Azarian gymnastics. She is a level 9 Westerns Floor Champion!! What a...
2018-05-1826 minLife in a LeoEpisode 17: FailureThis week was another solo episode. Next week I will be back with an interview so stay tuned.
The topic for this week was inspired by an experience I had when I was volunteering for an organization I feel passionately about. I was asked to work at a phone bank and it was one of the most frustrating experiences I have had. I wasn't even asking for money, but people just didn't want to hear what I had to say. This experience left me feeling rejected and frustrated. I felt like I had failed the organization.
I was also inspired...
2018-05-1105 minLife in a LeoEpisode 16: What are the requirements to start from a 10.0Happy Friday! In this episode, I explain how to get a level 9 or 10 routine to start from a 10.0. I felt inspired by Easterns and Westerns taking place this weekend and JO Nationals next weekend. I thought it might be helpful to the audience to better understand the requirements and nuances that go into designing a 10.0 start value routine.
There are three main buckets to consider, special requirements, value parts and bonus. I hope my explanation and examples provide a bit of clarity as you cheer on your friends and family.
If you have any questions, please email me, rebecca@leotard...
2018-05-0418 minLife in a LeoEpisode 15: Interview with Emily ChanThis week I spoke with Emily Chan from Singapore, the youngest FIG women's artistic gymnastics judge in the world! Emily runs a YouTube channel and Instagram account called Flip Fly Tumble (@flipflytumble) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_1JiHs3Bw0GVfLqLFH7OPw where she creates video edits judging elite gymnastics routines, providing some much needed insight into how they come up with the difficulty and execution scores. Emily also creates floor music edits. In addition to her YouTube Channel, Emily has a website where she uses her graphic art talents to create some signature gymnastics t-shirts. https://www.teepublic.com...
2018-04-2727 minLife in a LeoEpisode 14: Interview with UC Davis AlumniThis is a very special episode. It's the first time I interviewed a group of people. In addition, these were three of my teammates at UC Davis. Meghan was two years ahead of me and Flora and Lynn was a year younger. We discuss our growth in the sport throughout our time in college, the camaraderie of our team and how we never fully got closer even after we graduated. We also discuss some of our most memorable moments and leotards. It was so fun talking to these ladies and learning more about how gymnastics has impacted and influenced their...
2018-04-2043 minLife in a LeoEpisode 13: Interview with Taylor GoronThis week I wanted to bring you something a little different. I got the chance to interview my friend, Taylor Gordon. Taylor is a professional dancer. She started dancing from the time she could walk, leaving home at the age of 15 to train at the Rock School in Philadelphia. Taylor moved to NYC where she continued to perfect her craft and grow as a performer. Taylor has performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Radio City Music Hall, off-Broadway, on tour, and on television. To learn more about Taylor and watch some clips of her performing, check out...
2018-04-1331 minLife in a LeoEpisode 12: Some Thoughts on ExecutionEver wonder why your routine scored an 8.1 and your teammate got an 8.8? Maybe it's the execution...I have been a judge for 22 years. I provide some insight into what judges are looking for on all four events. I also provide some anecdotes from my experience as a gymnast. Let us know what you think? We hope to hear from you.
If you want to share your Best Things in the Gym, please email me, rebecca@leotard.com or send me a DM on Instagram, @rebeccasmomleo
Hope everyone competing this weekend has a great meet. Can't wait to see all the...
2018-04-0611 minLife in a LeoEpisode 11: Interview with BlakleyBlakley is an 8-year-old Level 4 gymnast at National Gymnastics Training Center in Orange County, CA. She has been doing gymnastics since she was 1 year old, and has been competing for 3 years. Blakley is known for being a fearless daredevil and was awarded the "Mini Powerhouse" award at Woodward last summer. She's been known to spend her free time making conditioning routines and checklists for her and her little sister to do at home. Blakley loved her time at UCLA Gymnastics Camp last summer and can't wait to return this year. She is coached by Debra McCurdy, who also used to...
2018-03-3014 minLife in a LeoEpisode 10: Interview with Lauren HopkinsThis week we interviewed Lauren Hopkins, Editor-in-Chief of the Gymternet. She aims to bring the very best coverage, interviews, features, histories, and opinion pieces from the people who really “get” gym – other gym fans. As a journalist, Lauren has covered every elite competition on U.S. soil in addition to all major international competitions like world championships and the Olympic Games. Lauren also worked as an associate producer for NBC’s live digital Olympic Games coverage, for which she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Trans-Media Sports Coverage as part of the NBCOlympics.com team, and her writing has been featured...
2018-03-2332 minLife in a LeoEpisode 9: Interview with Maddie LarsonThis week we got to interview the talented Maddie Larson. Maddie takes us through her journey in gymnastics, starting at 2.5 years old, and now competing as a 12-year-old level 10. Maddie aspires to be an elite and compete in the Olympics someday. She has had some serious highs and lows this season including learning her Jaeger on bars and getting hurt just after her first level 10 meet. Maddie has kept an incredibly positive attitude and maintained her mental toughness throughout this season and just got cleared to train again, the week before the State meet. In addition to her training, Maddie...
2018-03-1623 minLife in a LeoEpisode 8: Interview with Hallie MossettToday we interviewed the incredible Hallie Mossett. Hallie started gymnastics at the age of 5, quickly progressed through the sport to become elite and make it on to the US National Team. In 2014, Hallie started her NCAA career as a UCLA Bruin! Hallie is finishing up her degree, working as a choreographer and the Bruins Undergrad Assistant Coach, and figuring out the next phase of life.
I found Hallie's interview to be truly inspiring. I hope you enjoy what she has to say. Make sure to let us know what you think. Also, please tell us about your best things in...
2018-03-0929 minLife in a LeoEpisode 7: 10 things about Winter Olympics Ice Skating LeosI didn't get my interview done early enough this week, so I decided to bring you the top 10 things I learned about ice skating leotards from the 2018 Winter Olympics. Hope you enjoy it.
Let us know what you think. Please email me rebecca@leotard.com and make sure to send us your Best Things in the Gym This Week!! This week we heard from Sarah who just learned her full, woohoo! Congrats Sarah, that's so awesome
2018-03-0206 minLife in a LeoEpisode 6: Interview with @_gymnastisabelle_In the latest episode of Life in a leo, we interviewed gymnast Isabelle, an Instagram phenom with over 140,000 followers. This 8-year-old gymnast shares her goals for the season, her favorite gymnast and food and what life in a leo means to her.
We want to hear from you. Email me your Best Things In The Gym This Week at rebecca@leotard.com. You can send a voicememo or just an email and we will read it in our next episode. We hope to hear from you.
Hope you all have a great meet weekend and don't forget to point your...
2018-02-2315 minLife in a LeoMariah Merkle InterviewThis week we interviewed Mariah Merkle. You might know her as @Triplefull on Instagram. She is one hard working 18 year old! Mariah coaches gymnastics, trains and competes in CrossFit, and manages one of the most successful gymnastics fan pages on the insta. Check it out and let us know what you think. Visit www.leotard.com for more info. Happy flipping 😊🤸♀️
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2018-02-1615 minLife in a LeoCheryl GambutiCheryl Gambuti was an elite gymnast, a coach, a national judge, a meet director and the parent of a level 10 gymnast. She understands the sport of gymnastics from every angle. Take a listen and get to know Cheryl a bit better. Shout out to Taylor for sending us her best things in the gym this week. Happy Friday and happy flipping 😊
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2018-02-0924 minLife in a LeoBailey McCabe interviewThis week we interviewed Bailey McCabe from Auburn Gymnastics. Bailey is entering her third season as a level 10 gymnast. She is a sophomore in High School. She tells us about some of her new upgrades and her current bars routine. We also hear from Gabby and Sarah with the best things in the gym this week. Don’t forget to send us your best things. You can email me, rebecca@leotard.com. Hope everyone has a great weekend and great meets if you’re competing!! 🤸♀️🤸♀️🤸♀️
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2018-02-0220 minLife in a LeoEpisode 2Today we interviewed world champion power tumbler @Mel_Doucette. She started as an artistic gymnast in NH eventually competing for The University of Bridgeport in college. After college she went back into the JO program and competed level 10 and Elite! Her college coach, Byron from UB turned her on to power tumbling where Mel’s career in the sport flourished. In one year, she qualified to Nationals and placed 2nd and ended up competing at World Championships in Bulgaria where the USA finished 4th. What a stud! She has so much passion and has worked so hard. This was a re...
2018-01-2631 minLife in a LeoCandy from Rebecca’s MomThis our first episode. We interviewed Candy Dengrove. The founder and CEO of Rebecca’s Mom Leotards. She has been in business for 25 years and has lots to share.
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2018-01-1930 minLife in a LeoIntro to RebeccaWe are here to discuss what makes gymnastics great! Do you have a lucky leo, prefer strength or flexibility any lessons learned and all sorts of stuff. Don’t forget to email us the best things that happened all week rebecca@leotard.com
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2017-12-2020 minLife in a LeoIntro to Life in a LeoLife in a leo introduction
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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lifeinaleo/support
2017-12-1201 min
Tech BitesEpisode 17: Kickstarter: The 1.7 Billion Dollar IdeaPeople have pledged more that 1.7-billion dollars to Kickstarter projects since it’s 2009 inception. The fundraising community has re-invented restaurant and food development financing by harnessing the social power of the Internet. In-studio guests Terry Romero from Kickstarter, and project creator Rebecca Dengrove of Brewla Bars, talk about how to run a successful campaign and what life after the donation deadline. This program was brought to you by The International Culinary Center.
“It just seemed like the right platform – lots of exciting things were happening at Kickstarter.”
—Rebecca Dengrove on Tech Bites
“I think it req...
2015-05-0431 min
Sharp & HotEpisode 15: Brewla BarsThis week on Sharp & Hot, host Emily Peterson brings in Daniel and Rebecca Dengrove, the brilliant minds behind Brewla Bars to discuss how the idea for their products came about. But first, Emily answers a few listener questions, and runs us through the process of cooking a perfect Christmas bird! This program has been sponsored by The International Culinary Center. Music provided by Four Lincolns.
“I would just love to see everybody have a taste [of a Brewla Bar] and love it. You can have something that tastes great and is full of nutrition.” [27:30]
—Daniel Dengro...
2013-12-1732 min