Pilot

Summary

In the Pilot episode of Pivot, host Paige Williamson introduces the podcast's mission to bridge communication gaps between coaches, parents, and athletes in gymnastics. She discusses her background in the sport, the importance of addressing mental blocks, and the need for a growth mindset. Paige emphasizes the challenges faced in gymnastics, including the emotional and psychological pressures, and aims to create a community for open dialogue and support. The episode sets the stage for future discussions on athlete development, coaching practices, and the culture of gymnastics.

Takeaways

• Pivot aims to help coaches, parents, and athletes in gymnastics.
• Creating a safe space for sharing updated, science-backed approaches is essential.
• Mental blocks in gymnastics are complex and need to be acknowledged.
• A growth mindset is crucial for both coaches and athletes.
• Gymnastics is ranked as one of the toughest sports, both physically and mentally.
• Silence around issues in gymnastics allows problems to grow.
• Building trust between parents and coaches is vital for athlete support.
• Awareness and open dialogue can lead to positive changes in gymnastics culture.
• The podcast will feature interviews with experts beyond gymnastics.
• Community engagement is key to supporting athletes and their families.

Sound Bites

• "I wanted to create a safe space."
• "Mental blocks are real and they're complex."
• "I can't wait to set sail with you."

Chapters

00:00
Welcome to Pivot: Introduction to the Podcast

03:01
Bridging the Gap: Coaches, Parents, and Athletes

05:51
Understanding Mental Blocks in Gymnastics

10:09
The Importance of a Growth Mindset

14:02
The Toughness of Gymnastics: A Deep Dive

20:20
Creating Awareness and Open Conversations

25:07
The Journey Ahead: Future Episodes and Community Building

27:16
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Email :: coachpaige.usag@gmail.com

Transcript

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SPEAKER_00 0:11

Hello everyone and welcome to Pivot, the podcast for parents, athletes, and coaches competing in the sport of gymnastics. I'm your host, Paige Williamson, and on today's podcast, I am launching the pilot episode, essentially where I interview myself and introduce the podcast. So let's flip right in. For listeners who are tuning in for the first time, I want to tell you a bit about Pivot, like what it's going to be about and why I chose this name. Simply put, Pivot is all about helping coaches, parents, and athletes in gymnastics, bridge communication gaps, grow together, and move the sport forward in a healthier way. The name came from the idea that sometimes we need to change direction, not abandon what we know, but shift our mindset, our approach, and our tools so we can create better outcomes for our athletes and for ourselves as leaders in the sport. I also thought it was kind of clever because there's a skill called a pivot turn. So yeah, it's a bit of a play on word. Um I've been in gymnastics for over a decade, uh, competing, coaching, leading programs. Uh, but what made me specifically take this leap into podcasting? Like, was there a moment where I thought, like, this is it? I need to start sharing my voice. Uh yes, there is. And honestly, I reached a point where I realized I'd been growing, learning, and evolving as a coach for years. But a lot of clubs I'd worked at were still stuck in old school thinking. It's been extremely frustrating and isolating to try to coach an environment like that. And even more difficult when I felt my voice wasn't valued or even warranted in any conversation that wasn't coming from a place of authority. Like when I was a program director, I still had a club owner I answered to. And as a head coach, I would have a director above me, et cetera, et cetera. Um, I think after all I went through and all I've seen, heard, and been approached about, I decided I wanted to create a safe space, a platform to share updated, science-backed, and athlete-centered approaches to gymnastics and to open the doors to others out there who may be looking for the same thing. You know, I've had so many parents I've had the pleasure to meet and befriend over the years, and there are so many of the same stories out there. Stories that we're going to cover more in depth as the podcast develops. But beyond the skills and drills, I wanted to address the mental and emotional side of the sport because I've seen firsthand how much that matters. So I mentioned wanting to bridge the gap between coaches, parents, and athletes. And what I mean by that is I've seen that gap cause challenges. And now I hope this podcast can help close it. One big example: mental blocks. Most parents often think it's just fear, and a lot of coaches sometimes think it's laziness or lack of focus. And athletes are stuck in the middle feeling frustrated. I've even worked at clubs where there are coaches that have told me that they don't like to use the term mental blocks, and it's kind of like dismissing the possibility that they're even real. I mean, how are we supposed to begin to work on a problem that someone doesn't believe exists in the first place? Like in reality, mental blocks are real and they're complex. They're tied to confidence, communication, and even physical preparation and readiness. It's very layered and there's a lot of confusion, lack of education, knowledge, and research about this topic. But what I hope to bring to light with my social media, with my coaching, and with this podcast is not only are mental blocks real, but what I've come to understand about them is there's actually a way coaches, parents, and athletes can not only acknowledge them and work with them in a way that I believe has been a major missing piece this entire time. And I'll kind of address this more in its own episode, but I want to let everyone out there listening know that I'm essentially going to blow the doors wide open on this subject. So get ready. Moving on, a lot of my episodes will focus on personal growth, mindset, and modern approaches to the sport. So maybe you're wondering where does my passion for changing the culture in gymnastics come from? And I think it comes from never really feeling like I fit in with the coaching culture at a lot of places I've worked. I've always been big on leadership, self-development, and trying new ideas to help athletes succeed, not just in gymnastics, but in life. But it's been really hard when others resist change or hold on to outdated practices that can hold athletes back or even worse, hurt them. And unfortunately, a lot of parents just don't know. And I've heard it a lot, like, I've never done gymnastics or something along that line. And immediately I understand this as a way of saying I'm ignorant and I don't know better. So I just trust the process and essentially stay out of the way and mind their own business. As a coach, while I can respect this, and there definitely is a time to hopefully step back and let coaches do what you're paying them to do, this doesn't just happen. There has to be and there should be a level of trust that you build first so that even a parent who's never done gymnastics before understands at least enough about it to help their child or step in if needed. So, parents, I want to clarify first that just because you don't know gymnastics, like you've never been involved with it before, this does not dismiss one, that you know your child better than anyone. And two, while you may not know a lot about gymnastics, like skill names, requirements of levels, scoring system, those kind of things, um, like the technicals, you're not ignorant about the other stuff, the quote unquote red flags. And I'm talking about you wouldn't accept it out in society um happening to you. And yes, I am referring to how your child is spoken to, how gymnastics makes them feel. It should never be miserable. I understand an athlete being tired and having to push through something harder, challenging, and we can relate to that. We're adults, we've lived life enough to know that sometimes it's hard and challenging, and we get tired, and you got to keep pushing through if you have goals. Um, but you know, this this has to be done in the right way. Um, again, we'll get more into this in another episode, but I wanted to get it out there that there are actually still a lot of flaws in the culture of gymnastics. Um, and I believe we can do better. And pivot is my way of helping you and us as a community get there. Okay, next subtopic. Um, a bit about me and my background. I've competed at the optional level, been a program director, a head coach, and now even an independent contractor. I will proudly say, um, right now I'm ranked number one in Florida on Coach Up. Uh, so a huge thank you to all my clients out there because I couldn't have achieved this milestone without you. But from all those experiences, I wanted to share with you one lesson that's really shaped who I am as a coach today, um, who I am as your host. And that is, no matter how much experience or success you have, there's always more to learn and bigger to grow. The best coaches and the best athletes stay curious and keep evolving. Like that quote from Walt Whitman be curious, not judgmental, which I learned from watching an episode of um this Apple TV show. It's called Ted Lasso. If you haven't seen it, it's one of my favorite shows to date. It's got so much depth and insight, and just it's told from a coach's perspective and athletes' experiences. It just makes it all the better. It's not even about gymnastics, it's about football in England. So it's like soccer, but uh football. Um, because you know, this is being recorded in America. Um, but like it just it puts a whole emphasis. The show puts a whole kind of theme around encouraging more of coaching human first, athlete second. Um, and that's definitely what I'm here to do. Understanding that playing a sport may end, but the lessons you learned while doing it won't. And that's going to be a good or bad thing, depending on your athlete's environment, right? So the goal here is to help athletes and their coaches develop a growth mindset to develop mental toughness. And that mindset is what keeps you relevant, effective, and able to truly help the people you work with. So listeners might be curious. Um, I do have a background in biology, sports nutrition, and psychology of women that goes alongside my coaching experience. And I wanted to tell you how this will fit into the conversations we'll hear on pivot. In the most direct way, it really allows me to take a holistic view of the sport. That's why I started the gymnastics all-arounder because it's an all-around approach to the sport of gymnastics. Everything I've learned allows me to look at an athlete's basic nutrition, mental health, strength, conditioning, a training program, all as interconnected pieces. And the psychology of women adds another layer. Understanding female athletes' specific needs at different ages and stages is a game changer for how we coach. I also completed while I was earning my degree, a leadership uh program course. It's an elective which essentially came with different levels, a lot like gymnastics levels, all with different standards, expectations, and tasks to complete in order to achieve the next level. Um I did complete all the levels by graduation and I did graduate with a certificate in leadership. Uh, but I had to do things like volunteer hours, um, a zipline course, which maybe there will be an episode where I get to talk about that more. Uh, but hours of research, independent study, attending lectures of well-known and successful people in all aspects of life. I remember getting on stage and introducing the, I believe she was the CEO or director at the time of the Peace Corps. But, anyways, in the end, I had to complete a personal portfolio, which came with a reflection, self-analysis, and like an in-depth look at myself and my goals. And it really set me ahead in a lot of ways, I think. Um, not a lot of kids going to college have had that experience. Oh, and I also traveled abroad for a couple of weeks with 11 of my peers to Thailand, and that was still one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Off subject, but I got to work a day at an elephant rescue sanctuary, participate in snorkeling and coral reef restoration, exchanging crafts with students in Thailand, which was really cool because we got to see how they studied and what they learned, um, like what was important and valued in their culture. Uh, I totally made a flower out of a watermelon, like fruit crafting, y'all. It's amazing. Um, I felt like a five-star chef. Um, and I I even hiked Chiang Mai um to the temple there and sat in and learned about the art of meditation with a Buddhist monk. Not to mention all the temples I toured, um, sleeping on a train. It just, it was such an incredible, enriching experience. And yes, all that contributed to making me the coach I am today, believe it or not. Um, now I want to pivot the conversation here and say that gymnastics can be tough. I don't think anyone is here to debate that. Um, sport displays actually published in April of this year, 2025, that gymnastics is among the 10 toughest sports in the world, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. Uh, they put it at number seven on the list. Number one was boxing. Yeah, that makes sense. Um, let's see here. Then MMA, hockey, wrestling, rugby, football. Aw man. I hate to see that. That hits a personal string for me, y'all. I always got teased by boys in school and in football, and they would say things like gymnastics isn't a sport. And I'd always pride myself on knowing I believed I was way tougher, and my sport was way harder than theirs. But uh, this list has them ahead. Hmm. Blake, hold on a minute. Are we considering that I bet in a day you could probably get a bunch of gymnasts to pat up and learn football? But like, you cannot flip that script and teach a bunch of football players gymnastics. Like, come on. Hang on, let's see what they say here. So they apparently ranked on five categories. Number one was physical demand, two was mental toughness, three was skill complexity, four, injury risk, and five training intensity. Okay, that's pretty, that's a pretty good rating system right there. I would say they looked at some pretty uh key categories there. Um so for gymnastics, they said physical, oh, the toughness score apparently is ranked out of 50, with gymnastics scoring a 41 out of 50. Um, physical demand, they scored uh on a system it looks like one to 10. Uh physical demand was an eight, pretty close to 10. Mental toughness, nine. That's much closer to 10. Skill complexity, oh boom, 10. Injury risk, eight. Training intensity, six. Training intensity six, really? Debatable. Yes, I'm biased. Okay, let's see. Um, why it's number seven. They said that it's one of the most physically demanding and mentally brutal sports in the world. Uh, training starts young, true. Routines are unforgiving. Uh, yeah, uh, there's definitely a lot of requirements that you have to complete in these routines, and the scoring system is ludicrous and unforgiving sometimes. Um small misstep can mean snapped ankle or torn knee. That's kind of true, and that's another episode topic. Um, they say the pressure is enormous. You've got like one shot to kind of make it, even though you've been working on that same routine for months. Like the littlest thing can go wrong, which we've all seen and all been witness to, and it's awful when it happens. Um they say that gymnasts train for hours per day, sometimes up to six days a week, often battling mental blocks, chronic pain, and immense psychological pressure, especially at elite levels like the Olympics. Okay. Yeah, so that's still number seven when they said all of that. Okay, let's see what they said here at number one, right? Because we're competitive. Number one, boxing, which scored a 49 out of 50. Uh, with physical demand, mental toughness, injury risk, and training intensity, all out of 10. And the only thing not out of 10 was skill complexity, which is a nine. Um skill complexity for boxing is ranked the same almost a like one point under gymnastics. I'm sorry. What? Okay, so they say that the reason they said boxing was number one was a top-tier boxer trains with brutal consistency, sparring daily, conditioning their body to take hits and deliver them with force and precision. I mean, yeah, that's hard. Uh, boxing demands cardio on par with marathon runners, power rivaling Olympic lifters, and reflexes faster than a cat. You know, how come we didn't get any of those creative metaphors in our description? Um, at the end of the day, you're standing across from someone trying to knock you unconscious, and the psychological pressure of knowing you can get knocked out at any moment is unmatched. You don't just play boxing, you survive it. I'm sorry, wait, what? As a gymnast, as a gymnastics coach, you don't think that we throw skills that could knock us out? Like, have we not seen gymnasts land on their heads, their necks, like what what I okay back up. I I I I'm starting to wonder if this is like the most accurate.

unknown 18:56

I know.

SPEAKER_00 18:57

I want to say that because of these metaphors, I think a boxer wrote this. Nah, I don't really know. But you get the point, listeners. It's nobody's arguing that gymnastics is hard. Um, and uh I don't know. Listeners, what do you think about this? Um, gymnastics is ranked on their list above basketball, swimming, and tennis. So ha ha suck it, dad. And my siblings, if you're listening, ha ha, I win. Mom, volleyball isn't even on the list. So just kidding. My mom actually did gymnastics, y'all too, when she was younger, and so did my sister. Um, but no, let me go ahead and let y'all know I'm not here to make it a competition. If you're an athlete, you're in a sport, you're a step ahead of those that aren't. Never forget it's such a privilege to be able to partake in athletics at that level. And I just hope that your experience is mostly positive and you can take a lot of good things from it that will contribute and benefit the rest of your life. So that brings me back to, I know I've talked about wanting to address things like mental blocks and outdated training methods. So, why do I think it's so important we talk about these openly? Because silence doesn't fix problems, it lets them grow. I've seen too many stories in recent years where athletes were hurt because no one spoke up or no one challenged the norm. And it pains me to say this, but I've been there myself. Um, I've been a gymnast where um I needed someone to speak up for me and they didn't. Um, but you know what? I've actually been a coach and I've actually not spoken up, well, maybe not like I should have. Um when I felt deep down like I really needed to, I mostly did it because I felt at the time like, oh, I needed the job, I needed to make money, I needed to pay for rent, food, and I hate that because I had a personal experience when I was little and I vowed I would never stay quiet if a child was going through what I went through. Should I get into this? Maybe. You know what? I'll make sure to take note and mention it in another episode. Let me just say that talking about these things openly creates awareness, and awareness is the first step towards real change. So that's why I'm here, bringing awareness to parents, to athletes, and hopefully to coaches. But if not, I believe at least if this podcast can reach parents and gymnasts, y'all can cause a ripple effect. And eventually I believe coaches and club owners will change. I know we're seeing some culture change being spoken of. Um, sometimes I'll listen to podcasts and they'll say things like, Oh, the culture is changing so much, blah, blah, blah. Um, but I've literally coached at a dozen gyms, I've been to a dozen, over a dozen gyms, and um I frankly I have no idea what they're talking about or where they're seeing it. Um, if there is change, it is so slow, and I'm sorry, but we've got to find a better way to get this information out here like yesterday. So I hope coaches, parents, athletes, all tuning in. Um if we're all hearing the same conversations, we can start speaking the same language. My goal is that every listener leaves with at least one practical tool that they can use right away and a little spark of motivation to keep growing and going. I want to create a community where parents and gymnasts know that you're not alone. If you're going through something you hear about on this podcast, coaches, um, if you were in the same boat that I've been, um, you can reach out. Um, I'll provide my social media handle and my email under the notes. Um, but this is a safe space. I know I needed one to say like what I felt needs to be said. And I know that there's gymnasts, parents, maybe even coaches out there who feel the same way. You guys can come here. Um, I also want to let you know that I hope in future episodes to do some interviews, hearing both from experts in their fields and maybe not necessarily just in the sport of gymnastics. Like I know this is a gymnastics podcast, but there are great coaches out there that I believe other coaches um can learn from. If I have coaches tuning in on this podcast too. Um, but even so, just great leaders of sports that can um that have really mastered mental toughness and um can probably teach us a lot. And I I don't want to keep this just isolated to gymnastics. I do want to open this up because I believe we can all learn um from other sources. I always tell people when they I have gotten such great compliments, like you're such a great coach, and I'm like, thank you so much. And when I share a little bit more about you know my experiences, I want you know that being an ex-gymnist was only a part of who I am as a coach. I think it makes up the piece that takes care of the technicals, but who I am as a coach really is embodied by my past experiences outside the gym and what shaped me in those experiences, losing people I've loved to um, you know, going through emotional abuse in the sport and competing in a very aesthetic sport and having high standards, expectations, and pressures from uh family. Um it's it's it kind of all comes together to kind of bring you this podcast and and athletes that I work with uh through my coaching program, the kind of coach that I am. So um again, that's just to kind of speak into why I believe that sometimes you have to branch out um of a closed space. If we just coach gymnastics and educate ourselves with tools available specifically for gymnasts, I think that's going to put blinders on us and we're gonna have a very narrow, fixed outlook on all the potential we could receive in growing and bettering this sport for ourselves and for audience members. Um, so I just wanted to kind of speak into that for a minute. Um we'll definitely get into some behind-the-scenes drama. Uh, I've been a coach, I've been behind the scenes, I've also been the gymnast, but uh those parents, um you parents out there, uh, whoever's listening, uh, we're we're gonna get into those perspectives and kind of come together and share them. Um, where if you guys have questions or you're confused about how something's handled or whatever, I can speak into that uh with my experience and we can kind of just bridge that communication gap. Um, I want to provide parents with information that will help you understand gymnastics better so you can feel more empowered to take part in the conversations with your athlete and their coach. I think that's all I want to say for the pilot episode of Pivot. Again, I welcome all of you aboard. I can't wait to set sail with you. Uh, please like and subscribe. It will help me grow and reach others like you and any support, I truly appreciate. Stay tuned. I've got more episodes coming. Uh, in the meantime, feel free to message me, email me with anything you'd like to share. You never know, maybe we'll find we need to make an episode about it. But in the meantime, uh, I hope everyone listening enjoys their day. And if you're an athlete, have a great practice. I'll talk to you next time. Bye.