THE BALANCE

An athletic trainer comes clean about the joys and pitfalls of coaching a unique athlete.

Boorman’s fond reflection of coaching Simone Biles begins with her own introduction to gymnastics classes at age 6, “out of necessity and convenience” while her mother worked a marketing day job in downtown Chicago. The author writes that despite her family’s tightly budgeted household, her mother kept her busy with the scant gymnastics programs that were available in the early 1980s. Boorman thrived until a growth spurt placed her at odds with a body she “didn’t recognize” and callous coaches who demanded punishing practice routines. In adulthood, she acknowledged that her love of gymnastics could be parlayed into becoming a coach, judge, and motivator for young athletes with a sparked interest in the sport. The book fully immerses the reader in every difficult, bittersweet, and exquisitely rewarding aspect of the athletic coaching experience. The author met Biles in 2003 when the 7-year-old was visiting the rural Texas gymnasium where Boorman worked. While the author admits Biles was naturally athletically gifted, she also needed plenty of finessing and reinforcing encouragement. The pair would go on to become an unbeatable duo, with Biles affectionately calling her coach “my gym mom.” The book chronologically charts how Biles scaled the ranks of tough competitions and began being revered by other competitors and coaches in gymnastics communities. Through all the physical and mental challenges the coach and athlete encountered as they globe-trotted to world championships and Olympic competitions, Boorman pushed Biles to strive for perfection and gave her the invaluable “space to be empowered” on her own terms. The author offers the remarkable vantagepoint of a coach’s perspective, incorporating the importance of mental health and responsible, compassionate coaching practices. Generously describing her evolution from a gymnast to a coach, wife, and mother—chronicling all of the blissfulness and hardships of those experiences—creates a rewarding, well-rounded journey and an honest, vivid portrait of a mentorship forged in competition, admiration, and appreciation.

An inspirational, spirited, and motivational sports success story.