{"id":7153,"date":"2021-08-18T13:37:06","date_gmt":"2021-08-18T17:37:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=7153"},"modified":"2025-07-09T05:18:55","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T09:18:55","slug":"sports-parents-learn-from-simone-biles-twisties-during-the-olympics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/sports-parents-learn-from-simone-biles-twisties-during-the-olympics\/","title":{"rendered":"Sports Parents: Learn from Simone Biles&#8217; \u201cTwisties\u201d During the Olympics?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/simone-biles-twisties.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/simone-biles-twisties.jpg\" alt=\"Simone Biles Twisties\" class=\"wp-image-7149\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/simone-biles-twisties.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/simone-biles-twisties-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mental_Toughness_vs_Mental_Health\"><\/span>Mental Toughness vs. Mental Health<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/sports-parents-learn-from-simone-biles-twisties-during-the-olympics\/#Mental_Toughness_vs_Mental_Health\" >Mental Toughness vs. Mental Health<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/sports-parents-learn-from-simone-biles-twisties-during-the-olympics\/#What_can_sports_parents_learn_from_Biles_story\" >What can sports parents learn from Biles\u2019 story?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/sports-parents-learn-from-simone-biles-twisties-during-the-olympics\/#Getting_Older_Means_More_Fears\" >Getting Older Means More Fears<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/sports-parents-learn-from-simone-biles-twisties-during-the-olympics\/#Listen_to_the_Entire_Youth_Sports_Interview_Below\" >Listen to the Entire Youth Sports Interview Below:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/sports-parents-learn-from-simone-biles-twisties-during-the-olympics\/#Related_Articles_on_Youth_Sports\" >Related Articles on Youth Sports:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/sports-parents-learn-from-simone-biles-twisties-during-the-olympics\/#The_Composed_Sports_Kid\" >The Composed Sports Kid<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>During the 2020 Olympics, <strong>Simone Biles<\/strong>, the most decorated gymnast in the world, pulled out of some Olympic events after experiencing the \u201c<strong>twisties<\/strong>.\u201d She said her head was not in the right place&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, she returned to the Olympics, winning a Bronze medal on the balance beam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_can_sports_parents_learn_from_Biles_story\"><\/span>What can sports parents learn from Biles\u2019 story?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In a podcast interview, Lisa Cohn, host of The Ultimate Sports Parent podcast, and her brother, Dr. Patrick Cohn, mental game expert, discussed the incident. Dr. Cohn argued that Biles\u2019 decision last week to pull out of some events was likely due to a mental toughness lapse, prompted by too much pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen gymnasts have the <strong>twisties<\/strong>, the mind and body are not in sync. They feel out of control, lost and tense, the body isn\u2019t doing what they asked the body to do,\u201d Dr. Cohn explained. She wasn\u2019t mentally in the right place, and was afraid she\u2019d get hurt, he added. He noted that unlike golfers who are trying to sink a putt, gymnasts can land on their head and break their neck&#8211;so she had reason to worry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSometimes you have to go out and wing it and do the best you can when you don\u2019t feel great,\u201d said Dr. Cohn. \u201cI don\u2019t see this as a mental health issue. This is more of a mental toughness, mental game issue, fear of failure, fear of embarrassment,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Biles, of course, was under a lot of pressure. She had done well during previous Olympics&#8211;the last one was five years ago&#8211;and was expected to win gold medals. But the team didn\u2019t do well in qualifying, which increased the pressure on her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Biles was likely dealing with worries about what others would think of her, said Dr. Cohn. Sports parents should understand this challenge and be on the lookout for this issue in their athletes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Getting_Older_Means_More_Fears\"><\/span>Getting Older Means More Fears<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAs kids get older, they get more fears, and a lot of those fears become irrational. \u2018Am I going to pay back my parents for all this time and money?\u2019 Parents have to be very careful about expectations that their kids will turn pro, get scholarships or be stellar,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Young athletes need to stop worrying about what others think of their performance. They need to perform for themselves, he added. Their motivation needs to come from within.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When Biles pulled out of some of the events, she told the media that she wasn\u2019t performing for herself, but for others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Parents need to tune into such concerns from their sports kids. The best way to do that is to keep the lines of communication open. Sports kids need to feel comfortable telling their parents that they\u2019re not enjoying their sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Cohn pointed out that the video that attracted the most comments from us was about kids quitting sports. Dozens of sports kids commented. Some said they\u2019re afraid to tell their parents they want to quit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cKids are often afraid to tell their parents they want to quit because their parents are so invested emotionally and financially,\u201d Dr. Cohn said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Listen_to_the_Entire_Youth_Sports_Interview_Below\"><\/span><strong>Listen to the Entire Youth Sports Interview Below:<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/21564302\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/4188b5\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"100%\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"related-articles-on-hockey-mental-game\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Articles_on_Youth_Sports\"><\/span>Related Articles on Youth Sports:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-this-olympian-overcame-adversity-after-almost-losing-both-legs\/\"><strong>How This Olympian Overcame Adversity After Almost Losing Both Legs<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/help-kids-focus-on-being-in-the-moment-not-on-mistakes\/\"><strong>Help Kids Focus on Being in the Moment, Not on Mistakes<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-the-mental-game-helps-elite-athletes-and-others\/\"><strong>How the Mental Game Helps Elite Athletes and Others<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-f49818fa-7c7a-4ee3-b5ee-66581aad2c71\">*Subscribe to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/sports-psychology-podcast-by-peaksports-com\/id152566009\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0on iTunes<br>*Subscribe to <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0ynyaalKxbnNmsoeL8gF5X?si=8224669de9b3435b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a> on Spotify<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Composed_Sports_Kid\"><\/span>The Composed Sports Kid<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/composed-sports-kid-small-1.jpg\" alt=\"The Composed Sports Kid\" class=\"wp-image-11173\" style=\"width:170px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The Composed Sports Kid&#8221; audio&nbsp;and workbook digital download program for young athletes and their parents or coach helps kids cope with frustration and anger in sports. Help your sports kids learn how to manage expectations and let go of mistakes so they can keep their head in the game.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>The Composed Sports Kid system<\/strong><\/em>&nbsp;is really two programs in one\u2013one program to train parents and coaches how to help their kids practice composure, and one program that teaches young athletes\u2013<em>ages 6 to 13<\/em>\u2013how to improve composure, let go of mistakes quickly, have more self-acceptance,&nbsp;<strong>and thus enjoy sports more<\/strong>!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-26bcd9b3\">\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-903b6244 gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/the-confident-sports-kid-cd-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">GET DETAILS<\/a>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-3275f4fd gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/collections\/confident-sports-kid-series-digital-version\/products\/the-confident-sports-kid-bundle-digital\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BUY NOW<\/a>\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mental Toughness vs. Mental Health During the 2020 Olympics, Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast in the world, pulled out of some Olympic events after experiencing the \u201ctwisties.\u201d She said her head was not in the right place&#8230; However, she returned to the Olympics, winning a Bronze medal on the &#8230; <a title=\"Sports Parents: Learn from Simone Biles&#8217; \u201cTwisties\u201d During the Olympics?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/sports-parents-learn-from-simone-biles-twisties-during-the-olympics\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Sports Parents: Learn from Simone Biles&#8217; \u201cTwisties\u201d During the Olympics?\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7150,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,6],"tags":[264,39],"class_list":["post-7153","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports-parent-podcast","category-youth-sports-psychology-blog","tag-confidence-in-young-athletes","tag-kids-sports-psychology"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7153","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7153"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7153\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7150"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7153"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7153"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7153"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}