Raising the Bar for 35 Flipping Years | SLO CAL is Head Over Heels for Central Coast Gymnastics | Up+Adam

Raising the Bar for 35 Flipping Years | SLO CAL is Head Over Heels for Central Coast Gymnastics | Up+Adam

From Up + Adam with Adam Montiel by Adam Montiel

July 15, 2026 · 30 min

About this episode

Mimi Phene-McKellar joins Adam Montiel to discuss the 35-year journey of Central Coast Gymnastics and its impact on children and the community.

Sponsored by The Mountain Air | Sponsored by Benny’s Pizza | SLOFreeParking What does it take to turn ten students, a rented room, and a big idea into a SLO CAL institution? Mimi Phene-McKellar joins Adam to celebrate 35 years of Central Coast Gymnastics and reflect on a journey built through persistence, community support, and a deep belief in what movement can unlock in a child. Mimi shares how she started the program in 1991 with almost no equipment, how it grew into a thriving 16,000-square-foot facility, and why the lessons learned inside a gym reach far beyond cartwheels, trampolines, and competition. This conversation is also about motherhood, courage, inclusion, and possibility. Mimi tells the remarkable story of her daughter, Maddie, who was born with cerebral palsy and faced devastating medical predictions. Through years of therapy, determination, and time spent around the gym, Maddie learned to walk and eventually competed in trampoline alongside other athletes. It is a powerful reminder that progress does not always look the way we expect, and that the right environment can help a person discover abilities others may not yet see. Adam and Mimi also discuss raising…

People in this episode

Host: Adam Montiel

Guest: Mimi Phene-McKellar

Topics covered

Keywords

Sponsors

The Mountain Air, Benny’s Pizza

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Central Coast Gymnastics

Places: SLO CAL

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