Shannon Miller: “I Was Intimidated By Everything, Except Being On The Balance Beam”
Every coach needs to read this article published in … Celebrity Baby Scoop.
I learned a lot about one of the gymnasts I admire most.
One excerpt:
SM: … As far as beauty goes, I never felt beautiful in everyday life. It wasn’t until I stepped on the gymnastics floor and became engrossed in my routines that I felt truly beautiful. It was all about the work and the skills not the makeup and the nail polish.”
CBS: How was your self-image and self-esteem affected while being a gymnast? Do you feel you had a strong sense of body image throughout your gymnastics career?
SM: “I was painfully shy growing up. I would hardly speak at school and still remember the anxiety of trying to fit in, knowing I wouldn’t. Some people thought I was being ‘stuck up’ when in reality I was just intimidated by those around me.
Gymnastics gave me an escape. I didn’t need to speak, just do. My self confidence soared when I got on the balance beam. My teammates had the same goals and fears that I did. High school is tough when you are 4’ 8” and weigh 65 lbs. However, when I got to practice and put on my leotard I looked like everyone else.
I never truly worried about my weight until I was about 18 years old. I lived with my family so I ate whatever was on the table. I remember eating ribs from our favorite barbecue place before workout on many occasions. Most people saw how tiny I was and thought I was dieting. They didn’t realize I was training 40+ hours a week and burning a zillion calories. I ate 5-6 times a day just to fuel my body.
However, at 18, right before the 1996 Olympics I started getting asked about being overweight. I had had a growth spurt and was now 5 feet tall and weighed 96 lbs. I hadn’t been concerned until I started having to field questions about my age and weight. I had always looked different than the other girls in my classes but now I really noticed it. …
read it – Shannon Miller: “I Was Intimidated By Everything, Except Being On The Balance Beam”
Though Shannon is too diplomatic ever to disparage her coach, Steve Nunno, he was as verbally abusive and elitist as they came back in those bad old days.
Steve was not a man who would build the self-image of a shy young girl.
On the other hand, Shannon is today a terrific success story. She survived the challenges of being one of the world’s greatest gymnasts.
official website – ShannonMiller.com
Gymnastics Coaching.com 