Jade Carey is back at Oregon State, albeit in a different role. The two-time Olympic gold medalist is looking forward to training the next generation of gymnasts in her capacity as an assistant coach for the Beavers.
How Is Jade Carey Looking To Inspire the Next Generation of Gymnasts?
Carey enjoyed a glittering collegiate gymnastics career at Oregon State, winning two silver medals and four bronze medals at the NCAA Championships. She also won seven Pac-12 titles and received several other honors.
Now back as an assistant coach at Oregon State, Carey is eager to make her mark and lead the team in its quest to win the NCAA title. In an interview with the “All Things Gymnastics” podcast, the 25-year-old was asked about the switch from competing as a gymnast to coaching.
“It’s been really fun and a really great journey, and I have four really great coaches that I know really well that have really helped me transition into this role,” Carey said. “So I’m just excited to be on the other side and really be all the girls’ biggest cheerleader and just help them out in any way I can.”
When asked about what it has been like to coach her former teammates, Carey responded:
“It’s been fun, it’s a little different obviously, because I now have a different role than just the teammate and the friendship role that I had with them last year. But I feel like I’ve always been a little bit of a natural leader in the gym.”
“So we’re all pretty used to it and it’s still really fun for me to be able to be around them and see them grow in different ways and help them to be able to accomplish all their goals.”
Carey took a break from elite gymnastics in 2025
With Jade Carey now stepping into a new role with Oregon State, it remains to be seen whether she will be competing again in elite gymnastics. One of the United States’ most decorated gymnasts of all time, she has won three Olympic medals (two gold, one bronze) and seven World Championships medals (three gold, three silver, one bronze).
Carey was part of the American team that won the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. With the next edition of the Olympic Games still more than two years away, it will be interesting to see if she decides to return to competing.
When asked about her gymnastics future by “All Things Gymnastics” recently, Carey said:
“Right now, I’m just kind of playing around. I feel like I haven’t had a break of gymnastics in so long, so it was really nice. Much needed break…I feel like keeping the doors open. You never know what I’m going to want to do or how I feel about things.”
The next big event in gymnastics is the 2026 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, scheduled for October 17 to 25.