Olympic gold medalist Jordyn Wieber is resigning as Arkansas gymnastics coach to focus on her family – a group that includes her replacement with the Razorbacks.
Wieber has coached the powerhouse University of Arkansas women’s team since 2020, but in a school press release explained she is now ‘stepping away from athletics to focus on my family and other passions.’
The press release names Arkansas assistant coach and fellow Olympian Chris Brooks as Wieber’s replacement, but neglects to mention that the two are married. And given Wieber’s stated intention to focus on her family, many commenters wondered why that role would fall to her as opposed to her newly promoted husband.
‘Focus on family, but her husband is taking her role?’ one person asked on X alongside an inverted smiling emoji.
‘This is awkward,’ another remarked. ‘[She’s] stepping away to focus on family, but her husband is taking over full responsibility of the team.’
One critic claimed this ‘doesn’t make sense’ before surmising that Wieber ‘just wanted to stop working.’
Olympic gold medalist Jordyn Wieber is resigning as Arkansas gymnastics coach
Wieber’s husband and replacement, Scott Brooks, is pictured coaching at Nebraska in 2018
Wieber went in to further detail during Tuesday’s press conference in Fayetteville, explaining she made the decision after Arkansas’ national semifinal loss earlier this month.
‘It wasn’t an easy decision; I didn’t take it lightly, obviously,’ she said alongside Brooks. ‘I really wanted to get through the season and give the team my all… so it was really after the national championship that I kinda began really thinking long and hard about the future and what that looks like for our future and the program.
‘But most importantly [I] wanted to do right by the athletes because they deserve that and I’m just really grateful that this transition is going to be smooth for them and I just feel so confident they’re in the best possible hands with these coaches,’ Wieber continued as Brooks nodded along. ‘It wasn’t an easy decision. It didn’t come lightly, but I gave the season everything that I have.’
She later joked that she can now ‘yell at judges when they don’t give a score that’s fair.’
But while many questioned Wieber’s decision to focus on her family while her husband takes her job, she also got a number of supportive comments from fans.
‘She’s happy and he’s happy, we should all be so lucky,’ one commenter wrote. ‘Let her go raise her kid.’
Arkansas gymnastics coach Jordyn Wieber watches her team compete on the floor during a meet against Auburn at Neville Arena on January 20, 2023. Her tenure began in 2020
The couple began dating in 2016 and were married in 2021. Their daughter was born last June.
‘She did an excellent job,’ another supporter wrote. ‘Motherhood is more important. Good for her.’
The 2011 world all-around champion and a key member of Team USA’s ‘Fierce Five’ that won gold at 2012 London Summer Olympics, Wieber has also been dipping her toe into reality television.
Last year, she appeared in the third season of Fox’s ‘Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test’ before voluntarily withdrawing in the third episode. Later she explained she quit over an intense fear of water which had been triggered by one of the challenges.
Wieber’s decision to resign may have cost Arkansas one of its top gymnasts. Joscelyn Roberson, who has also competed for Team USA, entered the transfer portal earlier this week and appears to be on her way out of Fayetteville.
