It's Black History month, a time to celebrate POC for who they are. In this part I will be discussing POC Athletes that have made a big impact in the sports industry.
Simone Biles
Simone Biles is a 24 year old gymnast who has won many awards. She has 4 skills named after her, all involving flips and twists that are very hard to accomplish.
During the Tokyo Olympics however, as Simone was high above the ground, she looked confused and scared, seeming lost. After the stunt it was revealed she had experienced a terrifying mental hiccup known as the twisted, that made her unsure of where she was in the moment. She revealed to her team that she wouldn't be competing with them this year as her body and mind aren't in sync. She would however be cheering them on through the team event. This made a big impact on the sports industry as more people have sparked conversations regarding mental health. According to Shawna Kelly, member of the national association of school psychology board of directors, Simone's action will help spark a mental health trend that's already getting started.
Noah Lyles
Noah Lyles is a 24 track and field runner. He has set many records as he set a new world record for the indoor 300M in 2017. His fastest time for the 100M was 9.86 seconds.
During the Tokyo Olympics, he won a bronze medal in the men's 200M, and he went on to say the medal was boring and then bursted into tears as he revealed his mental health problems. He spoke about his depression, his help through therapy, feeling pressure through his activity and brother who didn't make it to the Olympic team, he felt that his brother should've been here, not him. He went on to say it's ok to not be ok, and to get help through therapy or medication. It's a serious issue and he doesn't want to give up just yet.
Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff is a 17 year old Tennis Player who is one of the youngest players in America. She made it into the quarterfinals of the Grand Slam, which means you're one of the best tennis players in the world. Because she made it into the quarterfinals it made her the youngest woman to go that far into a tournament since 1997.
She has acknowledged the pressure by those around her as she started her career around the age of 16-17. She tries to not think of what other people think about her, but she still tries her hardest to be a role model for the people watching her. She wants to stand up for people that look like her and don’t have a voice. She wants to be there for others and especially her brothers, as their opinion matters more to her more than anything else in the world.
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