Meet Kacey’s Favorite Gymnast: Simone Biles
It was the National Gymnastics Day on the 18th of September and Kacey was stoked! Kacey is a young gymnast herself, so she takes this day very seriously. She dreams of being on the US gymnastics team, along with Simone Biles, Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles, and others.
Simone Biles is an inspiration to many young girls around the world, and Kacey is no exception. She looks up to Biles and hopes to join her in the US gymnastics team one day. At such a young age, Simone Biles has already achieved so much. She has 32 Olympic and World Championship medals, which makes her one of the best gymnasts of all time.
Though Biles started training at the age of 8, her career dates all the way back to when she was 6. That’s when she first tried gymnastics. Her performance was promising already back then, so her instructor encouraged her to continue doing gymnastics.
Her actual career began in 2011, when she was just 14. In the years following that, Biles continued to get better and better at gymnastics. She competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics. She won her first Olympic gold medal on the 9th of August, which was not only a big win for her, but for the whole team.
A year later, Biles released an autobiographical book that continues to inspire many young people. Kacey thoroughly recommends the book Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance to everyone who is struggling or just needs some encouragement. Simone’s book reinforced Kacey’s desire to become a professional gymnast and join the US gymnastics team. If it wasn’t for her inspiring words, our little star would not be as strong as she is today.
In 2021, Simone Biles continues to inspire people and instil courage in her fellow gymnasts. At the 2020 Summer Olympics, Biles spoke up about mental health issues. She withdrew from some competitions in the Olympics because of her own mental health issues, which caused a great debate in the media. Her decision to do so was incredibly brave and courageous. This event kickstarted a series of conversations about mental health in sports.
It’s often very difficult to put your mental health before your career, as it can make you feel as though you’re letting other people down. The lesson that Kacey took from this was: Take care of yourself and do whatever feels right. Just like in gymnastics, you have to lead with your heart. And don’t be afraid to take a leap; the earth will always be there to catch you!
