Flip Fest is the only gymnastics camp in the country run by two Olympians.
CROSSVILLE, Tenn. — John Roethlisberger and John Macready were best friends before becoming Olympic teammates. The two U.S. Olympic gymnasts were on the 1996 team when the games were hosted in Atlanta, and they’ve been in each other’s lives ever since.
“Everybody needs that person in their life,” said Roethlisberger. “That’s gonna laugh with you, they’re gonna cry with you. You gotta have that person in your life.”
After his Olympic run, Macready found a new passion. In 2001, he took over a small gymnastics camp called Knoxville Gymnastics in Tennessee. The camp’s first four years went from 50 campers a summer to 800, and in 2005, Macready called Roethlisberger, asking to partner up.
“I talked to John and was like, I need your help; let’s take this to the next level,” said Macready.
Since then, …