From Cartwheels to Coaching: Joy Koh’s Gymnastic Journey
Round One: When she was eight, Joy Koh was absolutely in love with the world of gymnastics. Cartwheels pop, splits demand flexibility, and she was dazzled by the sheer elegance of the sport.
Round Two: Reality hit fast. Several coaches had a “no pain, no gain” cheat sheet. They turned every wobble into a body‑shaming lecture, and pushed her until she could barely breathe. The mantra? “If a child is crying and puking, that’s the right track!” as if pain were a mandatory certification.
Consequences of the “Hardcore” Mindset
- Body dysmorphia – seeing her reflection as a list of imperfections.
- Bulimia – the fight against perceived ‘size’ turned into a battle with food.
- Long‑term mental scars that still linger.
Reclaiming the Stage – From Athlete to Coach
Fast forward to today, and Joy Koh is not just a former gymnast, she’s a boardroom guru at the same sport: teaching young athletes the safe and healthy way.
She’s determined to “turn the tables” on the harsh discipline that scarred her. Instead of sidelining kids with shame, she’s championing a culture that celebrates progress over pain.
Reality TV Experiment – The Apprentice: One Championship Edition
Picture this: Joy stepping onto the stage of The Apprentice, competing alongside 15 other aspirants. Goal? A lifetime role in a sports media firm and a cool US$250,000 (S$331,121) jackpot.
Her pitch? Building a brand that taps into the children’s sport market. The twist? She got “fired” in week five. Still, she says it was amazing and somehow deepened her passion for coaching kids.
In a nutshell, Joy’s story is a testament that you can turn pain into purpose.
Enduring eight years of abuse
Joy’s Gymnastic Adventure (and the Hurdles)
Picture this: a bright‑eyed kid who loves flipping and twirling, but her parents—fancy a safety net of “no bruises, no broken bones”—shake their heads. Joy, however, was practically humming “flips!” whenever she saw a mat.
When Coaches Turned “Waist‑Race” Commentators
Enter the coaches, who suddenly turned Joy into the gym’s resident “fat march.” Every time she tried a new trick, they’d say, “You’re gotta be lighter!” bit‑by‑bit Joy began feeling like she had a secret leak in the sports‑talk pipeline—no one was listening when she tried to explain the gnawing frustration inside the studio.
“I couldn’t say nothing else—once I did, they shot back, ‘We told you, why’re you still here?’”
The “Talent ID” Machine (Because No One Tries to Measure a Human)
- Bone density chatter.
- Arm length enthusiast.
- Everything else is a metric—include shoes too.
Big‑Boned Joy Was Not “Physically Gifted” in Their Book
Joy had those sturdy bones that make you feel like a tree trunk. When she couldn’t nail a move, the critics blamed it on her weight. “If she weren’t carrying a few extra pounds, maybe she’d have nailed that flair,” they’d say.
Under the Belt of Late Puberty and Mental Gymnastics
By teens, Joy’s self‑image was a nightmare. Body dysmorphia, bulimia, and the side‑effect of late puberty all culminated into a storming. The climax? leaving gymnastics at 16—because she finally decided that the sport’s toxicity could not outweigh her needing to heal.
Recovery: A Long‑Term, Totally Worth‑the‑Hop‑in‑Bucket Program
- Step 1: Removed the “coach‑plex.”
- Step 2: Re‑intro‑d fitness—slow, steady, and very honest.
- Step 3: Healthy eating—yes, the plate includes calories but also, you know, stuff you actually like.
“It took me months, if not years, to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel,” Joy confesses. While finally, you can look in the mirror and think, ‘Wow, you’re pretty cool!’
Going back to gymnastics
Joy’s Comeback: Turning Gymnastics Scandals Into a Spark of Hope
Against a backdrop of coach mishaps and weighing‑in woes, Joy throws her resignation letter into the wind and vows to keep the sport alive. She’s a ten‑year‑old barista in the world of gymnastics and her story is nothing short of a “never‑give‑up” anthem.
From “Bad Rep” to “Big Win”
- Frustration with Management: Joy’s own training ground has been a minefield of mis‑guidance, and that resonates with the whole world of gymnastics.
- Impact of Nassar: The Singapore ripple was shaped by that Netflix doc that laid bare the horrific abuse in the U.S. system.
- Weight‑Worry of Local Gymnasts: “They were told to lose pounds and skip pizza,” Joy recalls.
The message is simple: there’s a brain‑free
space that can thrive if we think, rather than just “score.” Joy wants to be the “yes, we can” voice in a world that’s too often silent.
Coaching Before the Curtain
She’s been realizing precisely why “one out? One in” beats the letter. “Kids forget the danger, but remember the joy. That’s why I coach,” she shares. The sensation of watching a tiny gymnast’s limits vanish feels priceless to her – a “wow” factor that’s truly priceless.
So-Linked (Just the Fun Stuff)
Time’s her personal fire‑starter and you’ll hear her light up when she talks about a new role in Thailand. It looks like folks who’re junior rotators want moves that are cool and perfectly calculated, and that’s where Joy fits right in.
A Broad‑Range Clinic
Yo, you can count on her to keep it moving from kindergarten to high school. “I’m in totally here. If a kid wants to start gymnastics, push them.” That’s her motto.
From Courts to Overlook
From gold‑balancing at the International Gymnastics Camp U.S. to judging at the World Championships, she’s had it all. Now the Thai jump is headed for her new coaching role at an international school. Please, no. “Without that, your child might just become lazy” is Joy’s main point. “I’ll help them join the odds. Nor of the kids are so unordinary.”
Bottom Line
Joy is standing tall. It’s only her coaching that shines in her eyes. She keeps at it on top of the disciplines while lifting lives and breaking fences.
