By JANET HART LEONARD
From the Hart
This week, courage took on an entirely different look. The greatest of all time in gymnastics took a step back.
It was the news that the nation – no, the world – struggled to comprehend. Simone Biles stepped out of the competition at the 2020 Olympics.
Simone had hit the wall, possibly while tumbling in the air … mentally. She found the courage to say, “No.”
Kudos to her teammates for stepping in and winning the silver medal. Silver never shone so brightly as it did on that podium. Actually, silver outshone gold.
But here’s the thing, Simone did show back up to cheer on her team. That took guts. She could have easily gone into seclusion, and understandably so. She knew it wasn’t all about her, but her teammates.
Perhaps Simone will do more good by stepping back. She has put the spotlight on mental health.
The expectations that are put on athletes today are over the top. Suffer through the pain. Push through the pain. Just do it.
What about the cost to the athlete? Is the almighty dollar greater than the welfare of the athlete? Are they an endangered commodity? Do they picture a replacement hiding (or lurking) behind the curtain? Just how high are the stakes for them? So. Much. Pressure.
Who will draw the line? Maybe Simone is holding the chalk for the line. Maybe it’s a line that has been a long time coming.
Chuck and I had an interesting discussion over coffee on Thursday morning. He asked me, after I shared my thoughts with him, is it different for the pros? They sign up and cash the big checks. The amateurs, well, their bottom line is not an endorsed check during competition.
Yes, we discussed that there will be endorsements for Simone. Checks will be cashed. What about the not-so-famous athletes? While the pressure may be less … it is still there.
The eyes … oh, those judging eyes of the world were on Simone. Many were quick to judge her on her decision. Until you have flipped upside down in the air, risking serious injury, do you have the right to judge her negatively?
While I love sports, I do get concerned. I have four grandkids who are on the field, on the courts and in the gym. I’ve seen them get hurt. I’ve seen the pressure they put on themselves. I’ve heard the pressure that others have put on them.
Leah, my granddaughter who is eight, is a gymnast. Oh, little Leah, your grandma worries. Will you get hurt? You know, that balance beam is only four inches wide. How will you handle the pressure? Will you have the courage to step back if you need to do so?
It’s time we had more discussions on mental health. I hope Simone’s voice is echoed in gyms and courts and ball fields everywhere. It needs to be heard.
I had more questions than I had answers this week. It takes courage to attempt all the moves that Simone Biles makes on the floor and in the air, but the move she made this week to step back and land on her feet for all athletes gives her a 10 in my book.
I’ll applaud for courage any day, however it looks. Kudos Simone, you took it not only for yourself but for the team and athletes everywhere.
Courage was in the spotlight this week for an unexpected reason. I hope it stays there.