Confidence, the Olympics, and Being a Gym Mom with Amanda Borden

Samantha Peszek is on a mission to connect athletes, coaches, and parents with the best resources the gymnastics world has to offer. Utilizing Samantha’s gymnastics network, (she really does have cool friends) guests will be experts in their field and shed a light on hot topics, tips for improvement, and inspiration. Listeners will have the opportunity to learn from some of the sport’s greats, participate in giveaways, and apply relevant tips to everyday life, in and out of the gym.

Amanda Borden is a retired American gymnast, Olympian, coach, gym owner, and gym mom to three kids. After being coached by Mary Lee Tracy, Amanda was the captain of the gold medal winning team, the Magnificent Seven, in the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, a team medalist at the World Championships, and a multiple-medalist at the 1995 Pan American games. She graduated summa cum laude from Arizona State University with a degree in childhood education. Currently, Amanda and her husband, Brad Cochran, own Gold Medal Gym in Arizona.

In this episode, Amanda redefines what it means to be a “gym mom” and advises on how to not be an overbearing parent. She explains how to find the balance between being a coach and a parent, and also offers some tips for parents of athletes, such as why you should let your children find out what they love, and why you should let your kid lead the conversation. Parents should be teaching their kids to “own it” — to take ownership of their actions so they can learn. Amanda speaks about her own experience growing up and training as a gymnast, the importance of having self-esteem as a gymnast, and why sometimes it’s necessary to fake it until you make it — but also believe in yourself.

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Key Takeaways

• Amanda’s first memory of Sam
• Sam’s first memory of Amanda
• What the hardest role in the gymnastics world has been for Amanda
• Can you teach an enthusiastic mindset to someone, or do you have to be born that way?
• Advice Amanda has for parents who are overbearing
• Let your kids find out what they love
• What life lessons Amanda hopsa her kids learn from sports
• Amanda explains when to be the coach and when to be the parent
• What Amanda was like as a gymnast personality-wise
• When Amanda started to change for the better in gymnastics
• How big of a role confidence played in Amanda’s gymnastics career
• What are some things Amanda does as a coach to help boost confidence for gymnasts?
• What aspects of Mary Lee’s teachings has Amanda brought to her coaching style?
• What are some of Amanda’s favorite quotes right now?
• Did Amanda ever get bullied for her muscles, and if so, how did she handle it?
• Amanda’s peak and valley of 1996
• The top three cool things about being an Olympian for Amanda
• Amanda uses one word to describe each of her Olympic teammates
• How USA Gymnastics has changed since Amanda was an elite athlete
• In five years from now, what do we need to do to keep USA Gymnastics safe and successful?
• What’s one thing listeners can to do to get one percent better each day?

Tweetable Quotes

I just believe so much of what we do is the impact we have on people.

My heart races and I feel more for my own daughter doing gymnastics than I’ve ever felt being an athlete, coach, or really anything else. It’s amazing what you feel as a parent.

We all want our kids to be the best and be successful, but the best thing you can do as a parent is let your kid figure out how to be the best.

I feel like when you own your destiny, it makes you more confident.

You all have to do your job to be a great team.

I love gymnastics; I’ve always loved USA Gymnastics and I’ll always continue to be an advocate for our sport.

Of course we want to win in life and win things, but the bottom line is we do what we do because we want to make a difference and inspire other gymnasts or not.

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