Loving Gymnastics Enough to Let It Change: An Open Letter on Culture, Coaching, and Athlete Voice

I love gymnastics.

I love what it has given me: discipline, resilience, confidence, work ethic, and lessons that shaped who I am far beyond the gym, and my literal job. I love the beauty of the sport, the challenge behind it, and the feeling of watching an athlete grow into something they dreamed of or that they didn’t think was possible.

And because I love it, I believe it has to keep changing.

Recently, more coaches and programs have been called out for abusive practices. Some of those stories are absolutely warranted. Harm should always be taken seriously, named clearly, and addressed.

But there’s another part of this conversation that doesn’t get talked about enough.

Not everything that causes harm is technically “abuse.” And not everything that isn’t abuse is healthy.

That gray area really matters, because it’s where way too many athletes are still struggling.

I’ll be honest, watching all of this over these last handful of years makes me so sad.

It’s painful to see post after post about gymnastics culture, then scroll through the comments. Sometimes the loudest voices are people who aren’t deeply intertwined in the sport. Sometimes they’re fans. Sometimes they’re outsiders reacting to real harm, but without understanding the nuance of what actually needs to change.

And sometimes, they’re coaches.

At times, coaches I know.

Coaches who publicly condemn abuse yet privately engage in practices that aren’t healthy either.

That contradiction is so hard to sit with.

If you are readng this and do not know much about me, I’m not speaking from the outside.

I grew up in gymnastics. Both of my parents coached at a high level. My mom is a judge. I was a gymnast myself. I coached for over 12 years and I’ve spent more than 16 years as a physical therapist working with gymnasts. Gymnastics has been my world pretty much my entire life.

Every single day, I hear stories from athletes, parents, and other coaches. These are not rare situations or isolated incidents. These are far more common than even I would want to admit.

Athletes being mentally worn down. Athletes discouraged from sharing concerns with their parents.

Poor communication being justified as “toughening them up.” Coaches contradicting each other, putting kids in an impossible situation. Pain, injury, and burnout normalized as part of the process.

This isn’t always really abuse, but it still leaves a lasting (negative) impact.

As a provider (and gymnastics lover), my goal is simple:

To help gymnasts stay happy, healthy, and in love with the sport.

But there are moments when it feels like I have to battle coaches simply for supporting athlete voice...for helping girls communicate, ask questions, and make informed decisions about their bodies.

That shouldn’t be controversial.

And yet, sometimes it is.

I’ve felt the tension that comes with empowering athletes in systems that still rely heavily on silence and compliance. I’ve seen how threatening it can feel when athletes are encouraged to think critically, speak up, and advocate for themselves.

That reality is so exhausting and deeply concerning.

One of the hardest things I hear is this:

Girls who are still competing telling me they would never let their own child do gymnastics. Not because they don’t love the sport. But because of how it is making them feel.

These aren’t dramatic statements. Honestly they often come up in very light conversations. And they aren’t one-offs, they are comments I have heard often for many years.

They stem from environments where the demands feel excessively high and they do not feel supported as people.

“Kids These Days” isn’t the problem and it is a statement I have heard many times that I HATE!

Kids today aren’t necessarily weak. Are they different? 100%. But times are also different. Just like kids in the 90s weren’t the same as kids in the 60s. The world changes. Expectations change. What we know about physical and mental health evolves.

Coaching has to evolve too!

Defaulting to “kids don’t want to work hard anymore” or “you just can’t coach kids anymore” avoids a harder question:

Are we willing to grow as coaches?

Refusing to adapt doesn’t protect the sport, it limits it.

One topic that often goes unaddressed is the possibility of maintaining high standards while fostering a healthy culture.

This is incredibly important to me and something I work very hard at doing.

We don't have to choose between excellence and empathy, accountability and communication, or discipline and psychological safety.

You can demand hard work without instilling fear. You can coach with intensity while avoiding intimidation.

You can develop strong athletes without breaking their spirit.

A healthy culture doesn't imply an easy path, it signifies being intentional, educated, and most importantly, human.

Loving gymnastics doesn’t mean defending everything done in its name.

Sometimes loving something means being brave enough to say “We can do better.”

I want this sport to thrive. I want athletes to leave stronger...not just physically, but emotionally. I want parents to feel included, not shut out. I want coaches to feel supported in evolving...not threatened by it.

And I want future generations, including my own daughter, to experience gymnastics as a place of growth, confidence, and joy.

That future is possible.

But only if we’re willing to keep having these conversations...even when they’re uncomfortable.

If this resonates, I hope it leads to action...however small. One conversation. One check-in. One moment where an athlete feels heard.

That’s how the culture we want is created.