PerformHappy with Rebecca Smith

In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I talk about what happens when a gymnast has lost trust in their coach and how parents, athletes, and coaches can work together to rebuild that relationship. We explore why trust does not happen automatically and how small, positive experiences can slowly fill up what I call the “trust bin.”

I also talk about why neurodivergent gymnasts can sometimes be misunderstood in the gym. Sensory overload, executive function challenges, rejection sensitivity, and difficulty with transitions can look like defiance, lack of effort, or attitude when a gymnast is actually overwhelmed.

We discuss how parents can help coaches understand their gymnast by creating an “operating manual” that explains what overwhelm looks like, what helps, and what does not. I also share why communication needs to be a partnership rather than a parent telling a coach how to do their job.

In this episode you will hear:

• Why trust between gymnasts and coaches takes time
• How trust can be built through small positive experiences
• Why neurodivergent gymnasts may respond differently in the gym
• How sensory overload can affect a gymnast’s behavior
• Ways parents can help coaches better understand their gymnast
• Why regular parent, athlete, and coach check ins can help
• How communication can create a stronger team around the gymnast

This conversation is a reminder that when a gymnast feels misunderstood, the answer is not always to push harder. With patience, communication, understanding, and the right support, athletes and coaches can begin rebuilding trust and creating an environment where gymnasts feel listened to, supported, and able to thrive.

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I sit down with Bill Taylor, founder of Sports Conflict Lab and a former collegiate head coach, to talk about conflict in sports, communication, and why learning how to handle difficult conversations is an important part of becoming a confident athlete.

Bill explains why conflict is inevitable in every relationship and why avoiding it usually makes things worse. We talk about the power imbalance between athletes and coaches, and why young athletes may be afraid to speak up because they worry about losing opportunities, being removed from a team, or changing how their coach sees them.

We also talk about the role parents and coaches play in creating an environment where athletes feel safe communicating. Bill shares why parents should give their athletes the opportunity to work through conflict themselves when it is safe to do so, rather than immediately stepping in. He explains how these experiences can help young athletes become more bold, courageous, and confident.

In this episode you will hear:

Why avoiding conflict can make problems bigger
How athletes can learn to speak up to coaches
Why communication needs to come from leadership
How parents can support athletes without taking over
Why emotions need to be managed before solving a conflict
How conflict can strengthen relationships and team culture
Why working through difficult situations helps athletes grow

This conversation is a powerful reminder that confidence is not just about performing skills. It is also about learning how to communicate, handle uncomfortable situations, and trust yourself enough to have difficult conversations.

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I sit down with elite gymnast Lisa Lazar Richer to talk about neurodivergence, mental blocks, visual processing, ADHD, and the importance of understanding how each athlete experiences gymnastics differently. Lisa shares her journey as an elite gymnast and opens up about struggles she had with inconsistent steps, beam dismounts, vaults, and bar mounts that she could not explain at the time.

Years later, while learning about her son's visual processing disorder, Lisa had a major light bulb moment. A vision therapist recognized patterns in her own gymnastics experience and explained that vision therapy may have helped her. Lisa shares how those challenges contributed to injuries and missed opportunities, including missing national team years and Olympic trials.

We also talk about why assuming an athlete is simply not trying can miss what is really happening. Lisa explains how ADHD actually worked in her favor in the structured environment of the gym, while her visual processing differences created challenges she did not understand at the time.

Lisa and I also discuss psychological safety, communication, and why coaching and support cannot be one size fits all. We talk about how parents and coaches can work together, listen to the athlete, and focus on finding solutions instead of pointing fingers.

In this episode you will hear:

• Why mental blocks are not always about motivation
• How visual processing can affect gymnastics skills
• Why athletes may need different types of support
• How ADHD can interact with gymnastics training
• Why coaches and parents should avoid assuming an athlete is not trying
• How communication and collaboration can help athletes feel supported

This conversation is a powerful reminder that sometimes the reason an athlete is struggling is not what we think it is. Understanding the athlete in front of you can change everything.

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I sit down with NCAA gymnast Lacie Saltzmann to talk about building confidence, overcoming mental blocks, handling fear, and finding joy in gymnastics even when things don’t go according to plan.

Lacie opens up about being a hesitant gymnast who struggled with confidence and mental blocks when she was younger. She shares how learning how skills worked helped her build trust in herself, and how visualization became an important part of her preparation.

We also talk about a difficult moment at UNC when Lacie was overwhelmed by what-ifs, fell on a dismount, and had to find a way to trust herself again. Instead of allowing that experience to define her, she used visualization, positive self-talk, and the support of her coaches and teammates to move forward.

Lacie shares why setbacks can become opportunities for growth, why finding small wins matters, and why young athletes should learn to enjoy the journey instead of putting all their happiness on the outcome. She also talks about prioritizing sleep, recovery, and time away from gymnastics as part of becoming a stronger athlete and person.

In this episode you will hear

• Why confidence is built over time
• How visualization can help with fear and mental blocks
• Why setbacks don’t have to define your gymnastics journey
• How parents, coaches, and teammates can support athletes
• Why recovery is part of training
• How to find joy in the hard days

This conversation is a powerful reminder that confidence doesn’t mean never being scared. It means learning that you are capable, trusting the work you’ve put in, and continuing to move forward when things get hard.

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I sit down with 17 year old gymnastics entrepreneur Riley Lee to talk about creating change in gymnastics, building a better training environment, taking big risks, and believing that happy, healthy, high performing gymnastics is possible.

Riley shares how growing up training in Hong Kong and Singapore opened her eyes to the differences in equipment, coaching, athlete safety, and opportunities around the world. As she and her friends began feeling unsupported and afraid to make mistakes, Riley started wondering what could be done differently.

What started as a joke about opening a gym became a real business plan. Riley researched the industry, studied financials, sought out experienced mentors, traveled to observe gyms, and eventually built a vision for a gym centered around safety, quality coaching, and athlete well being.

We also talk about why having a clear vision matters, how growth often requires stepping outside your comfort zone, and why athletes should not have to choose between high performance and happiness. Riley explains how her passion pushed her beyond her comfort zone and helped her build something she truly believed was possible.

In this episode you will hear:

• Why athlete safety must include emotional safety
• How a clear vision can turn an idea into action
• Why growth requires getting uncomfortable
• How great coaching can support both performance and well being
• Why athletes deserve to enjoy the journey
• How one teenager is challenging the way gymnastics can be done

This conversation is a powerful reminder that we do not have to accept that gymnastics has always been done a certain way. Sometimes the biggest changes begin with one person willing to imagine something better and then figure out how to make it happen.

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I sit down with Kat Zempolich, Vice President and Co-Founder of Morgan’s Message, to talk about the mental health struggles that can exist behind the strong, successful athlete.

Kat shares her journey as a collegiate lacrosse player at Duke, the impact of injuries on mental health, and how her friendship with Morgan led to the creation of Morgan’s Message. After Morgan’s death by suicide, Kat began asking what could have been different and how athletes could be given more opportunities to recognize their struggles and ask for help.

We talk about why mental health can be difficult to recognize in athletes, especially when someone appears happy, successful, and high-achieving. Kat shares why building strong relationships and checking in regularly can matter more than trying to identify one obvious warning sign.

We also discuss the gap between physical and mental health support in sports, the stigma around mental health, and why athletes, coaches, parents, and teammates need more education and open conversations around mental wellbeing.

In this episode you will hear:

• Why strong athletes can still struggle mentally
• How injuries can affect an athlete’s mental health
• Why listening can be more helpful than giving advice
• How to build stronger connections with young athletes
• Why asking for help sooner can make a difference
• How Morgan’s Message is creating peer-to-peer mental health conversations

This conversation is an important reminder that you never truly know what someone is carrying beneath the surface. Sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do is simply show up, listen, and make it easier for athletes to say, “I need help.” Kat also shares a powerful message for anyone who is struggling: you are not alone, and talking about what you’re going through can help.

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I sit down with Illinois head gymnastics coach Josh Nilson to talk about building champions without breaking them, creating healthy team cultures, and helping young athletes perform at a high level while still loving their sport. Josh shares lessons from his coaching career and explains why being a successful coach is about so much more than winning.

Josh opens up about the importance of putting humans first, why an athlete’s value has nothing to do with gymnastics, and how coaches can challenge athletes without pushing them to a breaking point. We also talk about mental blocks, building confidence, communication, handling pressure, and why going back to the basics can help athletes overcome challenges.

For parents, Josh shares an important reminder about supporting a young gymnast’s dreams without pushing so hard that they forget why they love the sport. We also talk about the character traits that matter beyond talent, including determination, communication, work ethic, and being a good teammate.

In this episode you will hear

•  Why an athlete’s worth is bigger than their gymnastics
•  How to build high-performing athletes in a healthy environment
•  Why parents should protect their child’s love for the sport
•  The importance of communication and self-advocacy
•  How coaches can challenge athletes without breaking them
•  Why character and work ethic can matter more than talent
•  How to help gymnasts handle pressure and nervous-system responses

This conversation is a powerful reminder that the goal isn't just to build great gymnasts. It's to help young athletes become confident, resilient people who can love the sport while they pursue big goals.

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I sit down with college gymnast Chloe Cho to talk about mental blocks, grief, trusting your voice, and learning to make gymnastics a choice that belongs to you. Chloe shares her journey through elite gymnastics, the mental challenges she faced, and how losing her dad during her freshman year changed the way she thought about gymnastics and her own identity.

Chloe opens up about hearing people tell her she needed to keep doing gymnastics for her dad, and the moment she realized that she couldn't do the sport for someone else. She explains why choosing gymnastics for herself didn't mean shutting other people out, but instead meant understanding that the decision to keep going had to be hers.

We also talk about mental blocks, learning to accept difficult days, and shifting from asking “why do I feel this way?” to focusing on what you can give today. Chloe shares why protecting your love for gymnastics matters, why young athletes deserve to listen to themselves, and how learning to trust your own voice can carry far beyond the gym.

In this episode you will hear

• Why gymnastics needs to be your choice
• How grief can change your relationship with sport
• Why mental blocks don't mean something is wrong with you
• The importance of listening to your own voice
• How athletes can protect their love for gymnastics
• Why doing your best doesn't have to mean being perfect

This conversation is a powerful reminder that gymnastics can be something you share with the people who support you, while still being something you choose for yourself.

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I sit down with college gymnast Cecilia Cooley to talk about mental blocks, rebuilding confidence, overcoming fear, and learning not to give up on yourself when gymnastics starts to feel impossible. Cecilia shares her unconventional journey from starting gymnastics later than most to becoming a college gymnast, captain, and scholarship athlete. She opens up about struggling with mental blocks across multiple events, feeling like her body and brain were no longer working together, and reaching a point where practice felt exhausting and she considered quitting.

Cecilia explains how working with a sports psychologist helped her put words to what she was experiencing and gave her practical tools to move forward. She shares the “billboard strategy,” which helped her learn that she could notice fearful thoughts without automatically believing them. We also talk about rebuilding skills from the basics, using keywords and visual cues, learning when to take a step back, and why listening to your brain can actually help you move forward faster.

In this episode you will hear

• Why mental blocks do not mean you are broken
• How to work with fearful thoughts instead of fighting them
• Why taking a step back can help you move forward
• How keywords and visual cues can help during skills
• Why overcoming a mental block takes patience
• How hard experiences can build confidence and perseverance
• Why you should not give up before getting the right support

This conversation is a powerful reminder that a mental block does not have to be the end of your gymnastics journey. Sometimes the path forward starts with slowing down, getting help, and rebuilding your trust in yourself one small step at a time.

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com

In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I sit down with Monica Packer, a habits and identity coach for moms, to talk about perfectionism, identity, and what it means to support your child's dreams without losing yourself in the process.

Many sport moms are doing everything they can to help their children succeed. But sometimes, without realizing it, we begin to tie our worth to our children's achievements. When their dreams become our identity, perfectionism, pressure, and burnout can quietly take over.

Monica shares why perfectionism is really a misplacement of identity and how placing our self-worth on outcomes can affect both parents and young athletes. She explains why progress is more sustainable than perfection and why being a good mom doesn't mean becoming the perfect mom.

We also talk about the messages we send our athletes through what we praise, what we post on social media, and how we respond to mistakes and setbacks. Monica reminds us that our children don't need us to be perfect. They need us to show up as ourselves.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Why perfectionism is a misplacement of identity
• How parents can unintentionally place their worth on their child's outcomes
• Why progress matters more than perfection
• How to support big dreams without losing yourself
• What young athletes learn from the way we talk about success and failure
• Why doing what is right and good for you is also good for your kids

This conversation is a powerful reminder that your worth is not determined by outcomes, yours or your child's. When we let go of perfection and embrace progress, we create space for both ourselves and our athletes to thrive.

Learn exactly what to say and do to guide your athlete through a mental block with my new book "Parenting Through Mental Blocks" Order your copy today: https://a.co/d/g990Bur

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/complete_performance/

Join my FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/completeperformancecoaching/

Check out my website: https://completeperformancecoaching.com/

Write to me! Email: [email protected]

Ready to help your athlete overcome fears and mental blocks while gaining unstoppable confidence? Discover the transformative power of PerformHappy now. If your athlete is struggling or feeling left behind, it's time for a change. Are you ready? For more info and to sign up: PerformHappy.com