A New Awakening with Young Coaches
A New Awakening with Young Coaches by Lisa Mitzel, President, Zen Tiger Mind Kyla Ross, Olympian, NCAA National Champion, and current assistant coach at University of Arkansas, is an example of young coaches today. There are a number of former college gymnasts who now coach, and I recently learned that a few current college gymnasts are planning to become coaches in gymnastics. This is a shot of cool. After the NCAA National Championships in April, I spoke to three women gymnasts in Fort Worth who competed in the meet: two rising 5th-year seniors who want to coach, and a third, a rising junior, who wants to become a sport psychologist. These women are not only talented and determined, but very smart. They are committed to education, healthy training, and have worked with sport psychologists in their gymnastics career. They’ve struggled through injury, pushed their bodies to the limits, and endured years of strict regimens to reach their goals. These mental and physical experiences have been great teachers alone. But looking outside of gymnastics, as human beings, they’ve also grown up with a scope of collective pain and uprising in the world: school-gun violence, March for our Lives, Black Lives Matter, injustices against women, the visceral trauma in the Larry Nassar case, the rise in teen suicides, Simone’s vulnerable “twisties” at the Olympics, and the losses and mental health issues from COVID-19. For any human, these are major events. College gymnasts today are part of a wave of young adults and future coaches who’ve seen a lot of human strength, vulnerability, pain, and suffering. As these women graduate and begin the path of coaching or working in sport psychology, they have a great opportunity to forge a new awakening in sports. As they move into a professional work life, they’ll be looking through a unique lens, standing up for those who are smaller and weaker or don’t have a voice. They can lead with passion and contribute their voices to the gymnastics culture for young girls and boys who need inspiring adults to guide them. It is not a trivial or simple task to “be the future of gymnastics.” It is a brave process to create real change, which requires persistence and a sound connection to human values. As a former NCAA competitor, myself, I know the transition into coaching is exciting, humbling, and a lot of hard work. But I put my trust in these college women gymnasts, because I see and hear maturity and compassion in them; I see the light in their eyes. For the rest of us, it’s letting go of our ego as young coaches step up. It’s important to honor them, their real experiences, and welcome their energy, ideas, and point of view. Finally, for mental health and wellness in gymnastics, and for changing the culture, I believe these women — soon to be coaches — will lift us up to new heights. So do not only cheer for these college gymnasts, but open your hearts and minds to them as leaders of the future. #