Riley Collins

April 13, 2021

Dr. Marx
Women in Sport
 When it comes to the term sports, often the first thing people may think of are famous

athletes. Athletes, whether male or female, can serve as an inspiration to young generations to

work hard to achieve their goals, be humble, or strive for something they are passionate about.

Some athletes use their big platform to create something bigger than their respective sport. An

example of this would be Lebron James. Lebron James is something who uses his voice and his

platform to create opportunities for those who don’t have the same outreach as he does. In the

weeks leading up to the election, he found ways to set up voting booths for people to go there on

the day of the election and vote. Other athletes use their platform to promote their brand or

sponsorships. It’s worth noting that athletes can fall into more than one of these categories and

not all of them fall into any category at all. Another impact athletes can have is the way people

play sports the way they do, or do certain things they do because of these athletes. When Steph

Curry revolutionized the 3-point shot, it became common to yell out ‘Curry’ when shooting a

deep range shot. Same thing with shooting a paper ball into the recycling bin and saying ‘Kobe’

while shooting it. Unknowingly or knowingly, athletes transcend into everyday lives and can

serve as a positive influence if used correctly. Simone Biles, someone who came into the

spotlight through gymnastics, is an athlete who is a decorated Olympian and is an activist off the

mat. Although she is only 24 years old, she has 30 Olympic and World Championship medals.

She is the most decorated American gymnast, an outstanding feat to have at such a young age.

Her circumstance from an early life wasn’t ideal as her mother was in and out of jail because of

her drug addiction, but she didn’t let that define her. Biles’ life is something that was certainly
not all sunshine and rainbows, but she did not let that define her as she has clearly risen above

that.

As previously stated, Simone Biles’ claim to fame wasn’t the easiest path, and it took lots

of hours in the gym to be where she is today. Biles was born March 14, 1997, in Columbus,

Ohio. She was adopted with her sister at a very young age. It’s always a challenge being a foster

child, the mental challenge along with the physical aspect is something that no one prepares for.

This could very easily have been a way where Simone Biles’ dreams may not have been fulfilled

if she didn’t have the strength and good foster parents to provide her tools to be successful later

in life. Although she was born in Columbus, Ohio, she grew up in Spring, Texas, a suburb of

Houston. She trained at the World Champion Center, a place that is owned and started by her

parents. Biles found her love for the sport of gymnastics when she went on a field trip at the age

of just six. There, she fell in love with the sport and began to beg her parents to enroll her in that

academy so she could finally pursue her dream of being a gymnast. Her family says that she

always had a great personality on and off the gymnastics mat which allowed her to never get

tired of practicing. She trains up to 35 hours a week and they credit this energy by always

finding ways to implement joy and positivity to those around her. Of course, Biles’ identity to

most is seeing her compete on the mat for the Olympic Games, and her historic success that she

has had during her time. Although she loves the sport and is most recognizable from gymnastics,

her identity can also be found in her personality. That blazing smile and electrifying personality
that is shown during her routines can also be found when she isn’t competing or practicing what

she loves. As stated, she still carries those values and characteristics while she isn’t doing those

things. She is all about finding the fun in whatever you do, saying “Remember to have fun…

when I am smiling and having fun… that is when I perform best.” It’s clear to many why

Simone Biles is successful for what she does by training at an elite, but the way she carries

herself on and off the mat, it’s no accident why Simone Biles is where she is today due to these

reasonings.

Simone Biles’ impact of her athletic career is something that won’t soon be forgotten,

and can serve as an inspiration to many. Not only are these accolades mighty impressive from

Biles on the mat, her impact and voice on serious topics will not be ignored. In 2016, there was a

very serious situation going on involving the United States Women’s Gymnastics team and Larry

Nassar. This was a long case that entailed Larry Nassar, the gymnastics coach, for abusing

sexually harassing the girls on the team. Biles was one of the main spokespersonons for this case

and was on the United States of America Gymnastics Team to do something. On her birthday,

that Twitter account tweeted her a happy birthday message and she quickly responded to the post

by saying, “How about you amaze me and do the right thing… have an independent

investigation.” Biles is someone who isn’t afraid to speak her mind when she believes in

something because she will always stand up for something that she is passionate about. The

overall message that she put out there about this disturbing case helped put Larry Nassar away

for life in jail. This was a very big deal for the gymnastic community. After having a historic run
in multiple Olympics, by standing up for what is right and punishing someone for doing

something as horrible and disgusting as this, says a lot about who they are. This isn’t something

that is easy to talk about at all, and for all of them to have the courage and speak out on what was

going on here is a testament to not only Simone Biles, but the whole gymnastics team. This news

sent shockwaves around the country, because they risked a lot by doing this and going into the

public eye when all heads were being looked at by them. This case and for Simone to be this

vulnerable in the scenario she was put in really shows what kind of person she is and how she

was willing to do this.

Simone Biles has always exuded tremendous confidence in herself, and is one of the

hardest workers you will find in sport. She has many quotes that speak volumes on this topic,

one being, “If they said ‘Do 5 pull-ups’, I would always do 10”. This quote is symbolic because

it’s showing that she will always try to outwork someone at whatever cost it may come, and that

she’s going to do it. Another one that I think speaks the most about Simone Biles is when she

says, “I’m not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps, I’m the next Simone Biles.” This quote

describes her the most because she believes in herself and doesn’t want to be compared to

anybody but herself. This quote speaks very highly on who she is as a person, and it result has

brought her to where she is today. It’s hard to not say that Biles finds her identity through the

sport that she competes in, but also doesn’t let that be the only thing she finds herself in. She is

very clear that it’s okay to have other passions but still enjoy doing what you do for a living.

Through her career she has always stayed true to herself and the person that she wants to
become. Some athletes or celebrities get so wrapped up into what the public say about them so

they carry this fake persona and image just to get by. Others become consumed in the spotlight

and become fascinated with the notion of becoming famous and too good for anything less than

that. It’s noble of Simone Biles to continuously show time and time again that she is who she is

from when she was a kid, and will always be brave enough to speak up when she disagrees with

something while being humble, but confident in herself.

Community is one of the most important aspects into understanding someone’s identity.

Community is, “a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes,

interests, and goals.” This quote from the dictionary is a great way to interpret what community

is all about. Everyone is apart of multiple communities, each one emulating something they have

a shared value or belief in. I find my community in my religion, my friend groups, my family,

and so much more. Each one brings out a personality trait aspire to uphold. Community allows

you to have the freedom to do the things you are passionate about and be supported by that

respective group of people. Community is where I find my inner peace and have a sense of

belonging. It’s worth noting that communities can change, and communities can be over after a

certain period of time, and that’s okay. Each phase of our life allows us to grow closer to others

and to the person that we want to be. I play tennis and teach tennis lessons, I find my community

in tennis. I have built strong relationships with people that I have encountered over the years

with people who play tennis. We have a strong connection right off the bat because it’s a passion

we both enjoy. I find my community in my parish, we have a common core value that we hold
and it makes us grow closer together as a unit. We are united by our faith and in turn it allows to

grow closer to God in our faith while also building a strong friendship with that person. Lastly, I

have the connection to my family. We grew up together and have a loving relationship that

allows us to have fun and enjoy time with each other. We each root for each other’s success and

it’s a part of our everyday life. Community is vital because it tells us where we should be going,

there is a motive for us and we also gain a friendship or fellowship after that. Community is

something that is important for everyone because it serves as a reminder for who we want to be

and where we want to go.

This idea can also be associated with how we see our identity. Identity is one of the most

important aspects of how we view the world. It’s important to recognize that we are actively

changing our identity in one facet or another. Simone Biles, as previously stated finds her

identity in the sport of gymnastics but also finds way to do other things to define her as well.

Again, she speaks out when there is something that she doesn’t agree with, or that she feels is

wrong. She is confident in the person she is but doesn’t do it in a demeaning way. Biles finds

ways to be an active voice for young kids looking to pursue in athletics saying that it’s okay to

work hard at something and still love what you’re doing. She tells people that it’s okay to make

mistakes, “If you ever have a mistake, you try to just kind of forget about it because if you carry

that with you for the rest of the routine, then the rest of your routine might not go as planned. So

you just kind of shake it off, and you just continue your routine like you didn't fall.” Simone

Biles, from an outside perspective seems like someone who just has herself figured out and who
she is. It’s hard to make that claim without personally knowing someone, but she really seems

like a person who wears her heart on her sleeve and someone who genuinely cares in wanting to

see growth in others. Finding your identity and embracing it is one of the most powerful things

that you can do in my opinion. It’s okay if someone doesn’t have the same interests as you, just

find what you love and go do it. I can’t remember who said it by I remember hearing a quote that

said “If you’re happy how can anyone say that you’re not successful. “I love that quote because I

think that it’s so true and says a lot.

In conclusion, Simone Biles is someone who consistently demonstrates doing the right

thing and owning the person she is while also serving as an inspiration for young kids looking to

pursue anything. She is the most decorated American gymnast, an outstanding feat to have at

such a young age. Her circumstance from an early life wasn’t ideal as her mother was in and out

of jail because of her drug addiction, but she didn’t let that define her. Biles’ life is something

that was certainly not all sunshine and rainbows, but she did not let that define her as she has

clearly risen above that. Community allows you to have the freedom to do the things you are

passionate about and be supported by that respective group of people. Community is where I find

my inner peace and have a sense of belonging. It’s worth noting that communities can change,

and communities can be over after a certain period of time, and that’s okay. We all have these

beliefs and values that we hold, and it’s an important thing to know and we can

also look at Simone Biles’ impact she has made on so many while being only 24
years old. She has dominated life from the start and will only continue to serve as

an inspiration for others on and off the mat.

 Works Cited

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ftw/2020/03/14/simone-biles-strong-response-usa-
gymnastics-birthday-tweet/41392195/

https://www.teamusa.org/usa-gymnastics/athletes/simone-biles

https://www.simonebiles.com/bio

https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/simone-biles-quotes