March 25, 2025 • 38 mins
Kyrstin Johnson is a talented gymnast at Temple University, known for her dedication, resilience, and passion for the sport. After transferring to Temple, she quickly became a standout athlete, consistently pushing the boundaries of her performance while balancing the physical and mental demands of being a college gymnast.
Beyond her impressive athletic abilities, Kyrstin is deeply committed to mental health advocacy, recognizing the importance of managing anxiety and prioritizing well-being as much as physical discipline in sports. As a Black woman in gymnastics, she remains determined to break through barriers, handling unjust rulings with grace and continuing to push for representation and fairness in the sport. With aspirations to make a lasting impact both in gymnastics and in her community, Kyrstin serves as an inspiration to younger athletes, showing that strength comes from both perseverance and self-care.
During our conversation, we get into her transferring from an HBCU to a PWI and learn how she has learned to deal with stressors that come with competing in a sport that is still grappling with how to make space for Black women within it.
Where to Find Kyrstin
Instagram: @kyrstin_johnson
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Hey y'all, we're back with another episode of tvgu I'm
your host, doctor Joyhard and Bradford, and today we have
a very special guest. Can't wait to get into it
with her right after our break. Have you heard the news?
Therapy for Black Girls is launching our community on Patreon.
(00:28):
It's your space to be seen, heard, and understood in
an even more connected way. We're excited to bring you
new segments like so my Therapist Said, where we break
down viral therapy, hot takes with real mental health professionals,
TBG community chats where we unpack trending pop culture topics
that have us all in our feelings, and opportunities to
(00:49):
connect with other sisters all over the world. Sign up
now at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com slash join Patreon
for all the details about what we're planning and to
be the first to know when the doors are open.
We can't wait to see you inside. Kirston Johnson is
a talented gymnast at Temple University known for her dedication, resilience,
(01:13):
and passion for the sport. After transferring to Temple, she
quickly became a standout athlete, consistently pushing the boundaries of
her performance while balancing the physical and mental demands of
being a college gymnast. Beyond her impressive athletic abilities, Kirsten
is deeply committed to mental health advocacy, recognizing the importance
of managing anxiety and prioritizing well being as much as
(01:36):
physical discipline in sports. As a black woman in gymnastics,
she remains determined to break through barriers, handling unjust rulings
with grace and continuing to push for representation and fairness
in the sport. With aspirations to make a long lasting
impact both in gymnastics and in her community. Kirston serves
as an inspiration to younger athletes, showing that strength comes
(01:58):
from both perseverance and self care. Today we discuss her
transferring from an HBCU to a PWI and learn how
she has learned to deal with stressors that come with
competing in a sport that is still grappling with how
to make space for black women within it. I'm very
excited for you to hear this conversation. If something resonates
with you while enjoying our conversation, please share with us
(02:21):
on social media using the hashtag TVG in session. Here's
our conversation. Well, thank you so much for joining me today, Kirson.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Yeah, I'm very excited to chat with you. So for
those who may not be familiar, can you give us
a little bit of an introduction to who you are?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Sure?
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Well, my name is Kristen Johnson. I am nineteen years
old or from Baltimore, Maryland. I was originally a gymnast
at Talladega College. I was the first commit to the
second HBCU with the Tynasis team and stay at Alabama.
I'm also a first team four time All American vault champion,
and the program got cut after year due to funds
(03:00):
and I transferred to Temple and now I'm a sophomore
at Temple University.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Yeah okay, And you have been going viral all across
social media with this incredible room and that she did
to like us. But how did you first get started
in gymnastics? What inspired you to go down the road
of gymnastics.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Well, it's actually it's all because of my parents, and
I was a late starter. I started gymnastics at the
age of ten, which is usually not I mean the
usually like little girls start at two or like three
in my case, very late. It was the type of
(03:41):
kid that would slip all around the house, like I
was doing cartwheels at the age of two, and my
parents were actually considering putting me in gymnastics early. But
I had a cousin that did gymnastics and her parents
were telling my parents, Nah, don't put her in the sport,
like it's too expensive. I'm going to take up majority
of your time. So my parents was just dodging gymnastics anything.
(04:03):
They were putting me in anything besides gymnastics. So they
put me in vallet. At first, it wasn't really like
my thing, so they put me in cheerleading. And in cheerlead,
I mean it was fun, you know. I was still
able to do all like the flips and stuff, be
the flyer and whatnot. But I was still out doing
flips and stuff in places possibly where I should not
have been, like grocery stores and malls. But there was
(04:25):
like this one particular time, I was like at this
jungle gym for kids called like Port Discovery, and I
was doing flips in air and there was like this
other little kid that was doing flips and it's almost
kind of a competition thing like if I did a
car wheel, she would do a car wheel, kind of
like tip for tag going back and forth. And I
had chucked a backflip out of nowhere, and my parents
just looked at me, and they looked at each other
(04:46):
and they're just like, yeah, let's go ahead and put
in gymnastics.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
They finally did.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
So I tried out, I did wreck for a little bit,
and I started gymnastics at the age of ten, Level four,
skipped five and six with to seven and so on,
and here I am college.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Wow, Okay, so when you're teaching me so much right now,
because to hear that ten is like a late start
for gym nasty And so most kids who are like
competitive and like reach the levels that you have reached
typically would have started much earlier in their life.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
It sounds like, yes, yes, to three years old.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
Yeah, so at the time when I was during cartwheels
is the time they possibly should have started putting me
in gymnastics.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
So yeah, got it.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
And you mentioned level four, five, six, So how many
levels are there in gymnastics, and like what distinguishes each
level from.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
The next, Well, usually I think it kind of like
depends on the gym like sometimes so be from like
lovel two to like ten, so it kind of like
really varies, like some gyms will only like reach to
like seven or like eight. I'm gonna say just from
two to like level ten and then from there, I
guess you can really decide like if you want to
(05:59):
go elite or just go to college, go to the Olympics.
So usually like level ten is kind of like where
it's like you're just signing, like where you're just signing
factor is what you want to do?
Speaker 1 (06:13):
So got it? And do the levels differ in how
difficult the stunts are that you're doing or whether they
have certain apparatuses and that kind of thing.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Yes, literally what you just said, For like level four,
I'm just like throwing something out there. You'll do like
a cartwheel, and then for like level five you'll start
doing like black walkovers, and six like by can spring.
So like the level that you're in, that's when the
still start to progress, it start to get harder.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Got it? Okay, so you started at ten, So at
what point did somebody recognize I don't know if it
was your parents or a coach, at what point did
someone recognize, like, oh, she really has some serious skills,
like we think she can go beyond just like maybe
high school, like she has a career in this, even
for college. At what point did that happen?
Speaker 2 (06:56):
It was definitely my parents.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
I think it was possibly when I really started doing
just crazy flips, like in my backyard and just all
on the grass, because luckily I was also fortunate to
have a trampoline as well, and whenever I was bored,
I just loved being outside, so I would always go
on like the side of my house and just flip
(07:18):
in the grass and tease myself like backflips, by cancering
areals and just.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Just crazy stuff like front tucks.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
And that's when like my parents were just like, Okay, yeah,
she has a gift, because there's just no way the
fact that she's able.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
To teach herself these things is crazy.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
And there was like one point in time where I
was actually put into like WREC classes, and the coaches
were telling my parents like, there's really nothing else that
we can teach her.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
She kind of already taught herself to do these things.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
So that's when my dad was just like, Okay, we
need to look into figure out how to get her
into competing on an actual team. And that's where it
all began.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
When you say you were teaching yourself, who are some
of your inspirations in the field? Were you kind of
looking at past performances? Were you looking at YouTube videos?
Like how are you teaching yourself? And who are you
looking up to?
Speaker 2 (08:11):
You really looked up to Yappie Douglas. She was seriously
like my inspiration.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
It was like the fact that I was able to
see another gymnast look like me and I was doing
like the craziest things that she was doing that it
was so cool. Like I was obsessed with her movie
on Netflix. I used to watch it all the time.
But when it came to just doing flips, I never
really looked at anything.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
To just I just did them. It like I literally
was just just put my hands up and just go and.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Be like, let's try this. You know what I'm gonna
do this. Now I think about it, I think not
only did I just do that, I would also see
like these little girls like on YouTube as well, some
girls who were actually like in gymnastics, probably like level
sevens or maybe like level six's, and I would see
(08:58):
them doing like side aerials or like a round off
by cantrying by Tuck, and I would probably watch that
and be like, let me try this. And I would
even look at their form as well and be like, oh,
I'm supposed to keep my legs together. My legs shouldn't
be a part. So I would kind of just nitpick
and be like, Okay, this is what I should do.
So I'm also like a like visual learner too, so
(09:19):
I guess that also helped as well. M M.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
So what role has mentorship played in your life?
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Like?
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Who have been some people that have been important and
kind of shaping what your career has been up to
this point.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Who has to say?
Speaker 3 (09:37):
See, that's that's almost like a very hard question for me.
But not at the same time, my parents have been
my number one supporters from day one. It has always
just been me and my parents. Every time when I
would have like a bad day or just anything, always
felt like I could go and talk to them and
(09:58):
they would always just definitely my mom, she was definitely
like my biggest supporter and just giving me advice basically
tell me to just never give up, to always keep
my head up because there are gonna be some bad days.
They're not always gonna be like good days and gymnastics,
and he's really what helped me like hold everything together.
(10:20):
And then for my dad, he was definitely always just
all about like make sure I rest, make sure like
I eat right, and just sometimes definitely when I really
just needed like that push, when I really really needed it.
And also he was able to really understand gymnastics faster
than my mom too, So if I ever just wanted
(10:41):
to talk about like certain skills to him, he would
like understand. But I think my parents was really what
helped me throughout this whole journey because in gymnastics, like
I was the gymnasts who always felt alone. Actually, it
was hard for me to connect with my teammates including
coaches as well. And because of that, one of the
(11:02):
reasons is one of the reasons why, like my parents,
I need to move gyms as well. So I was
also that gymast for the little girls out there listening,
like if you're like probably one of the people who
also had to like skip gyms and try to feel like,
oh my gosh, am I going to fit into like
this new atmosphere like these new team, new coaches.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
I went through that.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
Too, so they have really helped me keep everything together,
like in the whole process. And honestly, I really would
to change a thing because I wouldn't be who I
am today.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
So h more from our conversation after the break, So,
what kinds of things do you think have made it
so that you have felt maybe alone at some gyms
or I felt like you needed to kind of move
gyms to find a place that was a better fit
(11:55):
for you.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Well, with some of my teammates, I have been bullied.
So it came to a point to where I would
always have to be in a zone. I always felt
like I was on an island by myself to where
I just had to focus on just competing.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
There was no.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Friendships or like having sleepovers after practice came something to
eat after practice, and it was always just gymnastics in school,
gymnastics in school.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
Growing up, I didn't really have like a normal shood.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
And when it came to coaches, when I would tell
coaches about these things, they wouldn't really listen.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
They kind of just let things kind of swept on
the rug.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
And also also I also have add by the way,
so like when I would tell the coaches, like, hey,
I have a add they would be like.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Oh yes, I understand.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
We also have gymnasts in here that have add but
when it actually came to the time to where I
needed or they were giving me like a correction and
I didn't really understand it.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Sometimes it will be frustration.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
So it was kind of like always like a communication
like barrier there stay like if I had like aches
and pains, it was also hard to talk to them.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
About that as well.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
So almost throughout my whole career, it's just been trying
to figure things out on my own.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
So I've always just had a bubble.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
And I always kept my I don't know how do
you like say it, but I almost kind of kept
like my circle small as well, So like it's just
been a journey, was just like me and my parents.
And that's when I would also have like mindset coaches
or like therapists so I can actually talk about it
so I wouldn't always have to keep it in all
(13:45):
the time, so I could also receive like advice for
me to get over mental blocks that I was having
because like I said, I couldn't really talk to my
teammates about it nor my coaches. So that's how I
was kind of able to deal with those things and
why I also had to moved to different gyms to
see where I would fit and to also help me
reach the goals that I wanted to achieve, because at
(14:07):
one point I did want to go to the Olympics
and I was trying to get into the leite track,
so I actually had to move gyms for that, and
that only lasted for so long because I had like
a back injury.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
So I moved gyms. After that.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
It was another gym and I finished out the rest
of my jail career there and that's when Talladega came
along with to Talladega.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
And so on.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
But in Jao, it was rocky. There was ups and downs,
but I definitely learned some things there and luckily I
met the people that did meet that helped me get
through my struggles, because obviously I would not have been
able to get through it on my own.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
So yeah, I'm really glad to hear you talk about
like mindset coaches and therapists because I think, you know,
we're learning now more about how much mental health and
like mindset it plays a huge and I think sports
in general, but I think in particular related to gymnastics.
Can you talk a little bit more about like what
the mindset needs to be like, and like what kinds
(15:10):
of things are you managing in terms of your mental
health to be able to perform at the level that
you do.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
It would have to say to this day, I still journal,
and I think that's one of the things that I've
I really put on the top of my pyramid. It's
just like the fact that you are able to write
out what you're feeling and what you're thinking, you really
get to see it, and then once you write it out,
you get to like let it go. After that you
get to move on. It's mindset, your mindset, and gymnastics
(15:38):
literally has to be right because if not, things will
fall apart. And I think people really don't realize how
mental gymnastics is. I would have to say, like it's
I'm just gonna throw something out there, like ten percent
physical ninety like mental, big jump. But you kind of
(16:00):
like get the point. There's so many things that you
have to worry about, so many things that we do
worry about, possibly that we shouldn't. Sometimes you put unnecessary
pressure on ourselves because we are a perfectionist. And I've
been telling myself lately that pressure is not a thing.
Pressure is something that you make up in your mind,
(16:21):
because at this point, some people at competitions they are
just amazed by whatever you do because they can't even
do what you're doing. So this point, you seriously just
should just be going out there, just having fun and
just showing off. I know that you don't want to
fall because it's embarrassing. You feel like you're you probably
(16:43):
let your parents down, probably let your teammates down, your coaches,
But it is part of the journey and sometimes you
seriously just have to take that and use that as
motivation for the next competition and move on. And in gymnastics,
you are always being judged, and at the end of
the day, when you're getting judged by the judges, is
(17:06):
still an opinion of someone else, whether they think your
routine is perfect or not. And sometimes when you receive
a score, you'll just be like, oh, man, like the
best score thought was going to be higher. Sometimes yes,
you should be worried about the score, but sometimes not,
(17:26):
because at the end of the day, your score does
not determine who you are as a gymnast and what
you do at the end of the day, Like if
you know that you accomplish your goal if you made
the correction that you were supposed to make, that is
all that matters.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
I've still been.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Learning as I've been going the transition from going from
Talladega to Temple. It has been hard. It has put
a little bit of a toll, but you know what,
I am all for the ride. I feel like it's
been a blessing in disguise, and I think that my
coaches actually really realize how much I was going through
(18:07):
more than I did myself.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
And they really opened up.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
My eyes about that they had to commit to a
school in just a span of like three weeks, and
then I came from a place to where I was
not paying for tuition.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Now I am.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
Now I have to get used to my new coaches,
new teammates, and my teammates brought me in what's not
used to that to where in the beginning I was
just like, well, this is going to be short lived,
It's going to have to go back into AJ's bubble.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
When ashi reality not the case.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
I love my teammates and they love me, and I'm
actually able to be myself around them. So now I'm
in a good environment, a healthy environment at that coaches classes.
It was a lot, so my mental all over the place,
and I was thinking that now I'm at you know,
a d one. I was like, I have to be perfect,
(19:08):
I have to do these things like I'm not going
to make it into lineups. Needed to stop just for
a second and just take it like day by day
and take everything in. Just be like fun, girl, You've
already made it into college.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
This is your sophomore year. You did what you did
last year. This is like a whole new year. Just
have fun.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
Like you have your teammates back, they have your back.
You are with coaches that you know that you can
communicate with them. There is a lot that I have
here that I've not had before. I'm putting like resources,
but I'm really enjoying it here at Temple, and I
am still going through things mentally like every other gymnast.
(19:48):
But I'm also in a better space as well, because
I'm starting to understand things and I'm able to accept things.
And that's one of the things that I really tried
to show my social media is that I tried to
be vulnerable to let other girls know that they are
not alone, because I didn't have that because I always
thought like, am one of the only one that's just
(20:09):
going through these things. Like I see all these other
gymnasts and they're just perfect all the time, when in reality,
like those gymnasts are not perfect either. They have their moments,
they're just not always shown. So I try to show
those things. But anyway, yeah, yes.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
No, you have to have a good mindset.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
I appreciate that, and I would love to actually hear
more about the transition. So it sounds like your decision
to leave Helladega was not of your own choosing, right,
So it sounds like funding was pulled correct from the program,
and so you're saying that you had to make a
decision in three weeks. So what were you deciding about?
And like how did the move to Temple all come about?
Speaker 3 (20:46):
There was a fundraiser to try and save the program,
So looking into another school that was not like in
my head like at all. And even when the program
got shut down, I knew I had to look into
a school, but I wasn't really looking because I was
still hanging on to the hope of going back to
(21:08):
Talladega and the staging the program.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
But Temple reached out.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
And they were telling me everything that they had to offer,
and I was liking everything that I heard, and plus
I was making a good connection with the coaches. I
knew that I was going to get everything I needed
health wise and academically. So that's how I knew. I
was like, okay, that's actually think for a second and
(21:33):
do what is best for you. And Temple was it.
And definitely when I knew that telg dynastics was just
not going to be a thing anymore. So that's actually
how it all came about. And yeah, that's how a
decision was made and went to Temple and yeah, very
(21:53):
quick decision, very quick decision. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
So was there ever a thought for you, Kreson that
you might just give up on gymnastics altogether? They're like,
did you think about, like, okay else stay at No,
absolutely not.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Absolutely not, absolutely not.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Gymnastic exists my passion and I'm gonna finish out these
four years. Maybe a fifth year, we'll never know, but
I'm gonna finish out these four years in college. I
knew I was going to figure out some way wherever.
But yeah, no, that was never a thought.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Got it? Got it? Okay, So you know, someone Boles
and Jordan Chown's. I mean, so many black gymnists have
been very talkative and vocal about like their experiences and
like the experiences of racism within the gymnastics field. Can
you talk baby about like how you've navigated that, because
we know that there are still just very few black
girls in the sports, So how have you been able
(22:45):
to navigate these spaces?
Speaker 3 (22:47):
I could relate to some of the things that they
were saying or they had felt, because I've been through
those things. And it's actually one of the reasons why
I actually wasn't sure where I was going to go first,
because Talladega wasn't that even announced their program yet, so
(23:12):
I was worried. I was just like, where am I
going to go? Am I going to be able to
fit in? Because in Jao that was always like my worry,
like it's not really fit in anywhere. So I was
just like in college, I was like, am I gonna
fit in anywhere? Then Talladega announced their program. I did
look into FISK at first. I did verbally commit to
(23:32):
them at first, but coach Asia, which was the former
head coach at Talladega, she reached out and I listened
to everything that she had to say, and I was
at me like, yes, I want to go here because
I really wanted to know what it felt like to
actually be around people who looked like me, because in
(23:54):
jail is there's only like so many like what she.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
Just said, what is Jayo Houston?
Speaker 2 (24:01):
I think I think it's like Junior Olympics and who stands?
Speaker 1 (24:03):
Okay?
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Yeah, kind of like like club that's where everybody like
starts before they started getting to college and all the
other jazz Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
Got it, Okay.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
I think that people's eyes are really starting to open
and they're starting to be more inclusive. So I'm really
starting to think that Genastis is starting to turn its
way around. And I think Simone Biles and Jordan Child's
are They've really been paving the way for all of us,
definitely in this generation. I think it was kind of
cool that in the Olympics we were able to see
(24:38):
like all women of color on the podium. That that
was really cool, very nice to see something different. But
I have been able to relate to some of the
things that the girls have said. I even watched the
Simone Biles documentary. I could really relate to everything that
she said in there too. When it came to pressure
in mental blocks and the twisties like all of that.
(25:02):
It's like surreal things. It's a big deal. No one
really talks about it, so I thought that was really cool,
very empowering for her to actually come out about that
and really talk about it, because sometimes it is scary
to talk about. Definitely too, like, admit, you know that
that's something that's happened to you, but no, I think
people are starting to become more inclusive. I think that
(25:23):
gymnastics is changing in a very good way. I can't
wait to see how everything is going to go like
in the future too, including when I retire from gymnastics.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
I think it's going to be very exciting.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
More from our conversation after the break, So, how do
you feel about women in sports overall? Like, I definitely
think we're seeing more conversation, more attention to women in
the sports landscape in general. What kinds of things do
(25:56):
you think need to happen for it to be a
more inclusive space for women in sports to be more celebrated.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
For people to understand that women can do just as
much that men can, that we are not weak, that
we are strong, independent, powerful women, that we could do
whatever we put our minds to. Just don't underestimate us ever,
because we will show up and show out when the
(26:24):
time comes, when it is needed. We will always prove
you wrong no matter what.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
I think.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
We're really seeing a lot of that, which is really
cool because there's always gonna be one person that's going
to be like nah, like she's not gonna be able
to do that, and then when they do it, they're
just like, oh, yeah, what were you saying, So.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
Oh okay, oh okay.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
I think at the same time, like, you know what,
underestimate us because at the same time, like I said,
we're gonna put in the work and we're gonna show
you like that we can do it.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
So it's almost kind.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
Of just like oh you hate oh you you feel
this type of way, you know what, Give me all
of that, because it's just giving me motivation just to
push more and more and more to prove you wrong.
So as long as we all of us just stick
together and we do our thing, that we're unstoppable and
we're can continue to be unstoppable.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
And it has shown over the years and it's going
to show some more.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
So yes, I love it, love it so kids, and
I want to talk a little bit about this viral routine.
So I have been everybody who's watched gymnastics for a while,
and it feels like, you know, probably five to ten
and definitely more than that. I don't remember floor routines
having like music you could recognize, like I feel like
it was always like instrumental or something like random melodies,
(27:45):
and so it feels like your routine. And then Jordan
and I know, has had several kind of Beyonce inspired routines.
So talk to me about the process and the support
or maybe lack of support you've gotten from coaches to
kind of craft a routine using music that is much
more recognizable, much more kind of with the times. How
does that process go?
Speaker 2 (28:03):
I actually I've never had any lack of support at all.
Speaker 3 (28:06):
Everyone's actually been all for it because they know it's
a good change, just something different. But the process in itself,
I mean, it's pretty cool. I just really wanted to
put music that I knew that everyone knew, definitely like
my generation, something that's went viral, something that I know
I could really groove to you, something that the audience
could groove to you. That was really what I was
(28:27):
aiming for, and I also wanted to let myself know, like, hey, like,
even though you're not going to like another HBCU, you
can bring HBCU with you. And that's what I did.
So I was just like, I don't want Kendrick Lamar
as the first song, not like us. That's always just
been my number one song on my playlist. And then
we had Silk City, which is which was very popular,
(28:52):
was going viral on TikTok. Also it's like that's something
that my generation could really groove to, something I could.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Really groove to.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
And I didn't really know what the third song could
have been. So we were all so I was sitting
in my truck, my dad's truck, sorry, and my mom
was there as well, and I was like, I gotta
come up with a third song in my routine, like
I don't know what it's going to be. And then
all of a sudden, Lorilla Songs on the radio. TGIF
(29:20):
is seven pm Friday, It's night I withoot.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
My mom.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
She looked at me, she was like this song this
was like I was like, we got it, we got them.
So we put all three songs together and I was
kind of telling the person who put my songs together.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
Their is also the coach on the dance team at Temple.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
I'm not one undred percent sure, don't quote me on that,
but she really helped me with that. So I was like,
I want this here, I want this there, and she
put it all together and I met the choreographer she
he actually on the dance team, Christina Elliott, and I
was just like, I want something not only that I
can groove to, but also the crowd can groove two,
because in jail they try to give me violence and
(30:11):
they try to give me something classical, and I wasn't
really grooving with that. I could never really dance like
show off to it, which just wasn't me. Like I
was always just like stiff and I needed something the
toll opposite of that. When I really started branching out
into like doing hip hop, was probably like my senior
year in high school, and I really got into it
my freshman year of college, and then my sophomore year
(30:35):
was just like I need something better than last year,
Like I need some more movement, like I need some
hip hop hip hop, I need to break it down,
And she gave me exactly that. When I tell you
I didn't have to tell her one thing. I didn't
have to put in any pointers because before with my
past routines, I'll be like, can.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
We change this, can we do this? Nothing? She nailed it.
Speaker 3 (30:57):
So when I finally did a routine, finally got it down,
it only took me like fifteen thirty minutes to learn it,
which is crazy. But once I finally I got it down,
I got the passes in there, I was just like, Uh,
I was like, this is going to be a hit.
I can't wait to like show me one and like,
but it is crazy though, because I wasn't going to post.
Speaker 2 (31:16):
My floratine on social media, but I did.
Speaker 3 (31:20):
And the only reason why I did is because before
I posted my floratine, there was a video before that
and I did a split screen of how I performed
at the Inner Squad and how I performed like my
first competition. My first competition was not the best, and
I was kind of like showing like the difference, like
how I did so get the inter Squad and how
I flopped like my first competition, and I remember showing
(31:42):
like a little snippet of my floratines.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
So I was just like, you know, what dom not
just show the whole thing. And I did.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
My thought it was only going to get like a
good like amount of life, Like oh, it just went viral.
That was not expecting that. And I remember like that
night that my phone just kept on going off. There's
nothing but notification, not vacational notplications, and I was just like,
oh my gosh. So I'm glad everyone is enjoying it
as much as I am.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
I think it's a blessing. I think it's just so cool.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
But yeah, I kind of just want to show, like,
you know, you can bring HPC wherever you're going. It
doesn't have to be at an HPCU. So I kind
of like taught myself that as well, because I was
just like, oh my gosh, I'm going from one thing
and now I'm going to something else different.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
So that was the whole process of that.
Speaker 3 (32:31):
You love that.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
I love that. So you've already mentioned journaling as being
an important part of your process. Are there any other
like wellness rituals that you engage in on days of
matches or just as a part of your training.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
I do meditate.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
I will even do like these breeding exercises so I
can calm down sometimes like when my heart just starts racing. Oh,
I just started giving myself like more like positive like
affirmation too, to like cancel out any negative ones. So
I've kind of just been really just like exercising my
(33:07):
mind to be like, look, there's no reason for you
to think this way.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
You can think this.
Speaker 3 (33:11):
Way and kind of just going back to like pressure
is not a thing, and just have fun, like you know,
like this is your time, Okay, It's just you and
your team, no one.
Speaker 2 (33:24):
Else do it for you.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
So that's kind of like what I've just been doing,
Like yeah, meditating sometimes I'll even like listen to music
on my own before like a competition, just to kind
of get myself like in that mindset tha, get myself
hiped a little bit.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
That's kind of like what I do, Okay.
Speaker 1 (33:41):
And so you've already mentioned that you know you're planning
to finish out your college career with gymnasty. As you
think beyond that for your career, what are some goals
that you have set for yourself.
Speaker 3 (33:51):
Well, I want to become a Venarian. My major is psychology.
I would love to get into veninary school, possibly look
into some internships as well. Always just loved pets growing up.
I've had two dogs. Luckily one is still living. She
is an old girl, but she still has like a puppy.
I love her to death. But yes, I would love
to become a veterinarian baby. Still do some things for
(34:14):
like social media and ils whatever like the future holds,
but like career wise veterinarian.
Speaker 1 (34:21):
Yeah, I got it. Okay, So I feel like you
have sprinkled this throughout our conversation. But what advice do
you have for young girls or women we're maybe interested
in competitive gymnastics and thinking through you know, how do
you navigate that space?
Speaker 3 (34:36):
Just do whatever you want to do. I mean, like
life is short. If you want to do gymnastics and
do it, try it out. And if you are in
gymnastics and you are if you are a late starter,
just know that there are going to be bad days,
but you really have to focus.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
On the good ones.
Speaker 3 (34:58):
And also for parents if they have put in their
gymnasts late, there are also going to be some bad
days too. You also have to stay focused on the
positive ones. And just for you and the gymnasts to
just never give up ever, ever, ever, ever. It has
been challenging for me and my parents as well, like
they've really been in this journey with me. But yeah,
(35:22):
just go out there, fine, do you be yourself. Do
not change yourself for anybody. If they don't like you,
that's not your problem. I wish I could go back
and tell myself that because I felt like it did
anything and everything to try to fit in when I
really did not have to do any.
Speaker 2 (35:40):
Of that at all. And also set goals for yourself.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
It might really help yourself to probably fix like little
details that you need to fix to to really really
reach those goals. But yet to never just never give up,
focus on the positive, be yourself fun, do it for you.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
That is my advice.
Speaker 1 (36:06):
That beautiful words. Kirsten. What is your social media channels?
Speaker 3 (36:09):
Like?
Speaker 1 (36:09):
Which ones are you most active on?
Speaker 3 (36:11):
Our most active on Twitter and Instagram and to talk
all through those platforms are Kirsten Underscore Johnson find me
there also on Facebook.
Speaker 1 (36:21):
Too, Okay, so you're all over all over, I'm all over.
Speaker 3 (36:27):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
It has been so lovely to chat with you. Thank
you so much for spending some time with me today, Kirston.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (36:34):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
I'm so glad Kirsten was able to join me for
this conversation. To learn more about her, be sure to
visit the show notes at Therapy for Black Girls dot
com slash TVGU and don't forget to text this episode
to two of your girls right now and tell them
to check it out. Did you know? You can leave
us a voicemail with your questions or thoughts for the podcast.
If you have a that you want to suggest or
(37:01):
a book for us a review, please send it to
us and you just might hear it on the podcast.
Drop us a message at Memo dot fm slash Therapy
for Black Girls. If you're looking for a therapists in
your area, visit our therapist directory at Therapy for Blackgirls
dot com slash directory. This episode was produced by Alice Ellis, Indaychubu,
(37:21):
and Tyree Rush. Editing was done by Dennison Bradford. Thank
y'all so much for joining me for this episode of TVGU.
I look forward to continuing this conversation with you all
real soon. Take good care. Have you heard the news
Therapy for Black Girls is launching our community on Patreon.
It's your space to be seen, heard and understood in
(37:43):
an even more connected way. We're excited to bring you
new segments like so my Therapist Said, where we break
down viral therapy, hot takes with real mental health professionals,
TBG community chats where we unpack trending pop culture topics
that have us all in our feelings, and opportunities to
connect with other sisters all over the world. Sign up
(38:04):
now at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com, slash join Patreon
for all the details about what we're planning and to
be the first to know when the doors are open.
We can't wait to see you inside.
Hey y'all, we're back with another episode of tvgu I'm
your host, doctor Joyhard and Bradford, and today we have
a very special guest. Can't wait to get into it
with her right after our break. Have you heard the news?
Therapy for Black Girls is launching our community on Patreon.
(00:28):
It's your space to be seen, heard, and understood in
an even more connected way. We're excited to bring you
new segments like so my Therapist Said, where we break
down viral therapy, hot takes with real mental health professionals,
TBG community chats where we unpack trending pop culture topics
that have us all in our feelings, and opportunities to
(00:49):
connect with other sisters all over the world. Sign up
now at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com slash join Patreon
for all the details about what we're planning and to
be the first to know when the doors are open.
We can't wait to see you inside. Kirston Johnson is
a talented gymnast at Temple University known for her dedication, resilience,
(01:13):
and passion for the sport. After transferring to Temple, she
quickly became a standout athlete, consistently pushing the boundaries of
her performance while balancing the physical and mental demands of
being a college gymnast. Beyond her impressive athletic abilities, Kirsten
is deeply committed to mental health advocacy, recognizing the importance
of managing anxiety and prioritizing well being as much as
(01:36):
physical discipline in sports. As a black woman in gymnastics,
she remains determined to break through barriers, handling unjust rulings
with grace and continuing to push for representation and fairness
in the sport. With aspirations to make a long lasting
impact both in gymnastics and in her community. Kirston serves
as an inspiration to younger athletes, showing that strength comes
(01:58):
from both perseverance and self care. Today we discuss her
transferring from an HBCU to a PWI and learn how
she has learned to deal with stressors that come with
competing in a sport that is still grappling with how
to make space for black women within it. I'm very
excited for you to hear this conversation. If something resonates
with you while enjoying our conversation, please share with us
(02:21):
on social media using the hashtag TVG in session. Here's
our conversation. Well, thank you so much for joining me today, Kirson.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Yeah, I'm very excited to chat with you. So for
those who may not be familiar, can you give us
a little bit of an introduction to who you are?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Sure?
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Well, my name is Kristen Johnson. I am nineteen years
old or from Baltimore, Maryland. I was originally a gymnast
at Talladega College. I was the first commit to the
second HBCU with the Tynasis team and stay at Alabama.
I'm also a first team four time All American vault champion,
and the program got cut after year due to funds
(03:00):
and I transferred to Temple and now I'm a sophomore
at Temple University.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Yeah okay, And you have been going viral all across
social media with this incredible room and that she did
to like us. But how did you first get started
in gymnastics? What inspired you to go down the road
of gymnastics.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Well, it's actually it's all because of my parents, and
I was a late starter. I started gymnastics at the
age of ten, which is usually not I mean the
usually like little girls start at two or like three
in my case, very late. It was the type of
(03:41):
kid that would slip all around the house, like I
was doing cartwheels at the age of two, and my
parents were actually considering putting me in gymnastics early. But
I had a cousin that did gymnastics and her parents
were telling my parents, Nah, don't put her in the sport,
like it's too expensive. I'm going to take up majority
of your time. So my parents was just dodging gymnastics anything.
(04:03):
They were putting me in anything besides gymnastics. So they
put me in vallet. At first, it wasn't really like
my thing, so they put me in cheerleading. And in cheerlead,
I mean it was fun, you know. I was still
able to do all like the flips and stuff, be
the flyer and whatnot. But I was still out doing
flips and stuff in places possibly where I should not
have been, like grocery stores and malls. But there was
(04:25):
like this one particular time, I was like at this
jungle gym for kids called like Port Discovery, and I
was doing flips in air and there was like this
other little kid that was doing flips and it's almost
kind of a competition thing like if I did a
car wheel, she would do a car wheel, kind of
like tip for tag going back and forth. And I
had chucked a backflip out of nowhere, and my parents
just looked at me, and they looked at each other
(04:46):
and they're just like, yeah, let's go ahead and put
in gymnastics.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
They finally did.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
So I tried out, I did wreck for a little bit,
and I started gymnastics at the age of ten, Level four,
skipped five and six with to seven and so on,
and here I am college.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Wow, Okay, so when you're teaching me so much right now,
because to hear that ten is like a late start
for gym nasty And so most kids who are like
competitive and like reach the levels that you have reached
typically would have started much earlier in their life.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
It sounds like, yes, yes, to three years old.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
Yeah, so at the time when I was during cartwheels
is the time they possibly should have started putting me
in gymnastics.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
So yeah, got it.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
And you mentioned level four, five, six, So how many
levels are there in gymnastics, and like what distinguishes each
level from.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
The next, Well, usually I think it kind of like
depends on the gym like sometimes so be from like
lovel two to like ten, so it kind of like
really varies, like some gyms will only like reach to
like seven or like eight. I'm gonna say just from
two to like level ten and then from there, I
guess you can really decide like if you want to
(05:59):
go elite or just go to college, go to the Olympics.
So usually like level ten is kind of like where
it's like you're just signing, like where you're just signing
factor is what you want to do?
Speaker 1 (06:13):
So got it? And do the levels differ in how
difficult the stunts are that you're doing or whether they
have certain apparatuses and that kind of thing.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Yes, literally what you just said, For like level four,
I'm just like throwing something out there. You'll do like
a cartwheel, and then for like level five you'll start
doing like black walkovers, and six like by can spring.
So like the level that you're in, that's when the
still start to progress, it start to get harder.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Got it? Okay, so you started at ten, So at
what point did somebody recognize I don't know if it
was your parents or a coach, at what point did
someone recognize, like, oh, she really has some serious skills,
like we think she can go beyond just like maybe
high school, like she has a career in this, even
for college. At what point did that happen?
Speaker 2 (06:56):
It was definitely my parents.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
I think it was possibly when I really started doing
just crazy flips, like in my backyard and just all
on the grass, because luckily I was also fortunate to
have a trampoline as well, and whenever I was bored,
I just loved being outside, so I would always go
on like the side of my house and just flip
(07:18):
in the grass and tease myself like backflips, by cancering
areals and just.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Just crazy stuff like front tucks.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
And that's when like my parents were just like, Okay, yeah,
she has a gift, because there's just no way the
fact that she's able.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
To teach herself these things is crazy.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
And there was like one point in time where I
was actually put into like WREC classes, and the coaches
were telling my parents like, there's really nothing else that
we can teach her.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
She kind of already taught herself to do these things.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
So that's when my dad was just like, Okay, we
need to look into figure out how to get her
into competing on an actual team. And that's where it
all began.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
When you say you were teaching yourself, who are some
of your inspirations in the field? Were you kind of
looking at past performances? Were you looking at YouTube videos?
Like how are you teaching yourself? And who are you
looking up to?
Speaker 2 (08:11):
You really looked up to Yappie Douglas. She was seriously
like my inspiration.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
It was like the fact that I was able to
see another gymnast look like me and I was doing
like the craziest things that she was doing that it
was so cool. Like I was obsessed with her movie
on Netflix. I used to watch it all the time.
But when it came to just doing flips, I never
really looked at anything.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
To just I just did them. It like I literally
was just just put my hands up and just go and.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Be like, let's try this. You know what I'm gonna
do this. Now I think about it, I think not
only did I just do that, I would also see
like these little girls like on YouTube as well, some
girls who were actually like in gymnastics, probably like level
sevens or maybe like level six's, and I would see
(08:58):
them doing like side aerials or like a round off
by cantrying by Tuck, and I would probably watch that
and be like, let me try this. And I would
even look at their form as well and be like, oh,
I'm supposed to keep my legs together. My legs shouldn't
be a part. So I would kind of just nitpick
and be like, Okay, this is what I should do.
So I'm also like a like visual learner too, so
(09:19):
I guess that also helped as well. M M.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
So what role has mentorship played in your life?
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Like?
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Who have been some people that have been important and
kind of shaping what your career has been up to
this point.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Who has to say?
Speaker 3 (09:37):
See, that's that's almost like a very hard question for me.
But not at the same time, my parents have been
my number one supporters from day one. It has always
just been me and my parents. Every time when I
would have like a bad day or just anything, always
felt like I could go and talk to them and
(09:58):
they would always just definitely my mom, she was definitely
like my biggest supporter and just giving me advice basically
tell me to just never give up, to always keep
my head up because there are gonna be some bad days.
They're not always gonna be like good days and gymnastics,
and he's really what helped me like hold everything together.
(10:20):
And then for my dad, he was definitely always just
all about like make sure I rest, make sure like
I eat right, and just sometimes definitely when I really
just needed like that push, when I really really needed it.
And also he was able to really understand gymnastics faster
than my mom too, So if I ever just wanted
(10:41):
to talk about like certain skills to him, he would
like understand. But I think my parents was really what
helped me throughout this whole journey because in gymnastics, like
I was the gymnasts who always felt alone. Actually, it
was hard for me to connect with my teammates including
coaches as well. And because of that, one of the
(11:02):
reasons is one of the reasons why, like my parents,
I need to move gyms as well. So I was
also that gymast for the little girls out there listening,
like if you're like probably one of the people who
also had to like skip gyms and try to feel like,
oh my gosh, am I going to fit into like
this new atmosphere like these new team, new coaches.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
I went through that.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
Too, so they have really helped me keep everything together,
like in the whole process. And honestly, I really would
to change a thing because I wouldn't be who I
am today.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
So h more from our conversation after the break, So,
what kinds of things do you think have made it
so that you have felt maybe alone at some gyms
or I felt like you needed to kind of move
gyms to find a place that was a better fit
(11:55):
for you.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Well, with some of my teammates, I have been bullied.
So it came to a point to where I would
always have to be in a zone. I always felt
like I was on an island by myself to where
I just had to focus on just competing.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
There was no.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Friendships or like having sleepovers after practice came something to
eat after practice, and it was always just gymnastics in school,
gymnastics in school.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
Growing up, I didn't really have like a normal shood.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
And when it came to coaches, when I would tell
coaches about these things, they wouldn't really listen.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
They kind of just let things kind of swept on
the rug.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
And also also I also have add by the way,
so like when I would tell the coaches, like, hey,
I have a add they would be like.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Oh yes, I understand.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
We also have gymnasts in here that have add but
when it actually came to the time to where I
needed or they were giving me like a correction and
I didn't really understand it.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Sometimes it will be frustration.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
So it was kind of like always like a communication
like barrier there stay like if I had like aches
and pains, it was also hard to talk to them.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
About that as well.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
So almost throughout my whole career, it's just been trying
to figure things out on my own.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
So I've always just had a bubble.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
And I always kept my I don't know how do
you like say it, but I almost kind of kept
like my circle small as well, So like it's just
been a journey, was just like me and my parents.
And that's when I would also have like mindset coaches
or like therapists so I can actually talk about it
so I wouldn't always have to keep it in all
(13:45):
the time, so I could also receive like advice for
me to get over mental blocks that I was having
because like I said, I couldn't really talk to my
teammates about it nor my coaches. So that's how I
was kind of able to deal with those things and
why I also had to moved to different gyms to
see where I would fit and to also help me
reach the goals that I wanted to achieve, because at
(14:07):
one point I did want to go to the Olympics
and I was trying to get into the leite track,
so I actually had to move gyms for that, and
that only lasted for so long because I had like
a back injury.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
So I moved gyms. After that.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
It was another gym and I finished out the rest
of my jail career there and that's when Talladega came
along with to Talladega.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
And so on.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
But in Jao, it was rocky. There was ups and downs,
but I definitely learned some things there and luckily I
met the people that did meet that helped me get
through my struggles, because obviously I would not have been
able to get through it on my own.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
So yeah, I'm really glad to hear you talk about
like mindset coaches and therapists because I think, you know,
we're learning now more about how much mental health and
like mindset it plays a huge and I think sports
in general, but I think in particular related to gymnastics.
Can you talk a little bit more about like what
the mindset needs to be like, and like what kinds
(15:10):
of things are you managing in terms of your mental
health to be able to perform at the level that
you do.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
It would have to say to this day, I still journal,
and I think that's one of the things that I've
I really put on the top of my pyramid. It's
just like the fact that you are able to write
out what you're feeling and what you're thinking, you really
get to see it, and then once you write it out,
you get to like let it go. After that you
get to move on. It's mindset, your mindset, and gymnastics
(15:38):
literally has to be right because if not, things will
fall apart. And I think people really don't realize how
mental gymnastics is. I would have to say, like it's
I'm just gonna throw something out there, like ten percent
physical ninety like mental, big jump. But you kind of
(16:00):
like get the point. There's so many things that you
have to worry about, so many things that we do
worry about, possibly that we shouldn't. Sometimes you put unnecessary
pressure on ourselves because we are a perfectionist. And I've
been telling myself lately that pressure is not a thing.
Pressure is something that you make up in your mind,
(16:21):
because at this point, some people at competitions they are
just amazed by whatever you do because they can't even
do what you're doing. So this point, you seriously just
should just be going out there, just having fun and
just showing off. I know that you don't want to
fall because it's embarrassing. You feel like you're you probably
(16:43):
let your parents down, probably let your teammates down, your coaches,
But it is part of the journey and sometimes you
seriously just have to take that and use that as
motivation for the next competition and move on. And in gymnastics,
you are always being judged, and at the end of
the day, when you're getting judged by the judges, is
(17:06):
still an opinion of someone else, whether they think your
routine is perfect or not. And sometimes when you receive
a score, you'll just be like, oh, man, like the
best score thought was going to be higher. Sometimes yes,
you should be worried about the score, but sometimes not,
(17:26):
because at the end of the day, your score does
not determine who you are as a gymnast and what
you do at the end of the day, Like if
you know that you accomplish your goal if you made
the correction that you were supposed to make, that is
all that matters.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
I've still been.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Learning as I've been going the transition from going from
Talladega to Temple. It has been hard. It has put
a little bit of a toll, but you know what,
I am all for the ride. I feel like it's
been a blessing in disguise, and I think that my
coaches actually really realize how much I was going through
(18:07):
more than I did myself.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
And they really opened up.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
My eyes about that they had to commit to a
school in just a span of like three weeks, and
then I came from a place to where I was
not paying for tuition.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Now I am.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
Now I have to get used to my new coaches,
new teammates, and my teammates brought me in what's not
used to that to where in the beginning I was
just like, well, this is going to be short lived,
It's going to have to go back into AJ's bubble.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
When ashi reality not the case.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
I love my teammates and they love me, and I'm
actually able to be myself around them. So now I'm
in a good environment, a healthy environment at that coaches classes.
It was a lot, so my mental all over the place,
and I was thinking that now I'm at you know,
a d one. I was like, I have to be perfect,
(19:08):
I have to do these things like I'm not going
to make it into lineups. Needed to stop just for
a second and just take it like day by day
and take everything in. Just be like fun, girl, You've
already made it into college.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
This is your sophomore year. You did what you did
last year. This is like a whole new year. Just
have fun.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
Like you have your teammates back, they have your back.
You are with coaches that you know that you can
communicate with them. There is a lot that I have
here that I've not had before. I'm putting like resources,
but I'm really enjoying it here at Temple, and I
am still going through things mentally like every other gymnast.
(19:48):
But I'm also in a better space as well, because
I'm starting to understand things and I'm able to accept things.
And that's one of the things that I really tried
to show my social media is that I tried to
be vulnerable to let other girls know that they are
not alone, because I didn't have that because I always
thought like, am one of the only one that's just
(20:09):
going through these things. Like I see all these other
gymnasts and they're just perfect all the time, when in reality,
like those gymnasts are not perfect either. They have their moments,
they're just not always shown. So I try to show
those things. But anyway, yeah, yes.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
No, you have to have a good mindset.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
I appreciate that, and I would love to actually hear
more about the transition. So it sounds like your decision
to leave Helladega was not of your own choosing, right,
So it sounds like funding was pulled correct from the program,
and so you're saying that you had to make a
decision in three weeks. So what were you deciding about?
And like how did the move to Temple all come about?
Speaker 3 (20:46):
There was a fundraiser to try and save the program,
So looking into another school that was not like in
my head like at all. And even when the program
got shut down, I knew I had to look into
a school, but I wasn't really looking because I was
still hanging on to the hope of going back to
(21:08):
Talladega and the staging the program.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
But Temple reached out.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
And they were telling me everything that they had to offer,
and I was liking everything that I heard, and plus
I was making a good connection with the coaches. I
knew that I was going to get everything I needed
health wise and academically. So that's how I knew. I
was like, okay, that's actually think for a second and
(21:33):
do what is best for you. And Temple was it.
And definitely when I knew that telg dynastics was just
not going to be a thing anymore. So that's actually
how it all came about. And yeah, that's how a
decision was made and went to Temple and yeah, very
(21:53):
quick decision, very quick decision. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
So was there ever a thought for you, Kreson that
you might just give up on gymnastics altogether? They're like,
did you think about, like, okay else stay at No,
absolutely not.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Absolutely not, absolutely not.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Gymnastic exists my passion and I'm gonna finish out these
four years. Maybe a fifth year, we'll never know, but
I'm gonna finish out these four years in college. I
knew I was going to figure out some way wherever.
But yeah, no, that was never a thought.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Got it? Got it? Okay, So you know, someone Boles
and Jordan Chown's. I mean, so many black gymnists have
been very talkative and vocal about like their experiences and
like the experiences of racism within the gymnastics field. Can
you talk baby about like how you've navigated that, because
we know that there are still just very few black
girls in the sports, So how have you been able
(22:45):
to navigate these spaces?
Speaker 3 (22:47):
I could relate to some of the things that they
were saying or they had felt, because I've been through
those things. And it's actually one of the reasons why
I actually wasn't sure where I was going to go first,
because Talladega wasn't that even announced their program yet, so
(23:12):
I was worried. I was just like, where am I
going to go? Am I going to be able to
fit in? Because in Jao that was always like my worry,
like it's not really fit in anywhere. So I was
just like in college, I was like, am I gonna
fit in anywhere? Then Talladega announced their program. I did
look into FISK at first. I did verbally commit to
(23:32):
them at first, but coach Asia, which was the former
head coach at Talladega, she reached out and I listened
to everything that she had to say, and I was
at me like, yes, I want to go here because
I really wanted to know what it felt like to
actually be around people who looked like me, because in
(23:54):
jail is there's only like so many like what she.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
Just said, what is Jayo Houston?
Speaker 2 (24:01):
I think I think it's like Junior Olympics and who stands?
Speaker 1 (24:03):
Okay?
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Yeah, kind of like like club that's where everybody like
starts before they started getting to college and all the
other jazz Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
Got it, Okay.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
I think that people's eyes are really starting to open
and they're starting to be more inclusive. So I'm really
starting to think that Genastis is starting to turn its
way around. And I think Simone Biles and Jordan Child's
are They've really been paving the way for all of us,
definitely in this generation. I think it was kind of
cool that in the Olympics we were able to see
(24:38):
like all women of color on the podium. That that
was really cool, very nice to see something different. But
I have been able to relate to some of the
things that the girls have said. I even watched the
Simone Biles documentary. I could really relate to everything that
she said in there too. When it came to pressure
in mental blocks and the twisties like all of that.
(25:02):
It's like surreal things. It's a big deal. No one
really talks about it, so I thought that was really cool,
very empowering for her to actually come out about that
and really talk about it, because sometimes it is scary
to talk about. Definitely too, like, admit, you know that
that's something that's happened to you, but no, I think
people are starting to become more inclusive. I think that
(25:23):
gymnastics is changing in a very good way. I can't
wait to see how everything is going to go like
in the future too, including when I retire from gymnastics.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
I think it's going to be very exciting.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
More from our conversation after the break, So, how do
you feel about women in sports overall? Like, I definitely
think we're seeing more conversation, more attention to women in
the sports landscape in general. What kinds of things do
(25:56):
you think need to happen for it to be a
more inclusive space for women in sports to be more celebrated.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
For people to understand that women can do just as
much that men can, that we are not weak, that
we are strong, independent, powerful women, that we could do
whatever we put our minds to. Just don't underestimate us ever,
because we will show up and show out when the
(26:24):
time comes, when it is needed. We will always prove
you wrong no matter what.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
I think.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
We're really seeing a lot of that, which is really
cool because there's always gonna be one person that's going
to be like nah, like she's not gonna be able
to do that, and then when they do it, they're
just like, oh, yeah, what were you saying, So.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
Oh okay, oh okay.
Speaker 3 (26:48):
I think at the same time, like, you know what,
underestimate us because at the same time, like I said,
we're gonna put in the work and we're gonna show
you like that we can do it.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
So it's almost kind.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
Of just like oh you hate oh you you feel
this type of way, you know what, Give me all
of that, because it's just giving me motivation just to
push more and more and more to prove you wrong.
So as long as we all of us just stick
together and we do our thing, that we're unstoppable and
we're can continue to be unstoppable.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
And it has shown over the years and it's going
to show some more.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
So yes, I love it, love it so kids, and
I want to talk a little bit about this viral routine.
So I have been everybody who's watched gymnastics for a while,
and it feels like, you know, probably five to ten
and definitely more than that. I don't remember floor routines
having like music you could recognize, like I feel like
it was always like instrumental or something like random melodies,
(27:45):
and so it feels like your routine. And then Jordan
and I know, has had several kind of Beyonce inspired routines.
So talk to me about the process and the support
or maybe lack of support you've gotten from coaches to
kind of craft a routine using music that is much
more recognizable, much more kind of with the times. How
does that process go?
Speaker 2 (28:03):
I actually I've never had any lack of support at all.
Speaker 3 (28:06):
Everyone's actually been all for it because they know it's
a good change, just something different. But the process in itself,
I mean, it's pretty cool. I just really wanted to
put music that I knew that everyone knew, definitely like
my generation, something that's went viral, something that I know
I could really groove to you, something that the audience
could groove to you. That was really what I was
(28:27):
aiming for, and I also wanted to let myself know, like, hey, like,
even though you're not going to like another HBCU, you
can bring HBCU with you. And that's what I did.
So I was just like, I don't want Kendrick Lamar
as the first song, not like us. That's always just
been my number one song on my playlist. And then
we had Silk City, which is which was very popular,
(28:52):
was going viral on TikTok. Also it's like that's something
that my generation could really groove to, something I could.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Really groove to.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
And I didn't really know what the third song could
have been. So we were all so I was sitting
in my truck, my dad's truck, sorry, and my mom
was there as well, and I was like, I gotta
come up with a third song in my routine, like
I don't know what it's going to be. And then
all of a sudden, Lorilla Songs on the radio. TGIF
(29:20):
is seven pm Friday, It's night I withoot.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
My mom.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
She looked at me, she was like this song this
was like I was like, we got it, we got them.
So we put all three songs together and I was
kind of telling the person who put my songs together.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
Their is also the coach on the dance team at Temple.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
I'm not one undred percent sure, don't quote me on that,
but she really helped me with that. So I was like,
I want this here, I want this there, and she
put it all together and I met the choreographer she
he actually on the dance team, Christina Elliott, and I
was just like, I want something not only that I
can groove to, but also the crowd can groove two,
because in jail they try to give me violence and
(30:11):
they try to give me something classical, and I wasn't
really grooving with that. I could never really dance like
show off to it, which just wasn't me. Like I
was always just like stiff and I needed something the
toll opposite of that. When I really started branching out
into like doing hip hop, was probably like my senior
year in high school, and I really got into it
my freshman year of college, and then my sophomore year
(30:35):
was just like I need something better than last year,
Like I need some more movement, like I need some
hip hop hip hop, I need to break it down,
And she gave me exactly that. When I tell you
I didn't have to tell her one thing. I didn't
have to put in any pointers because before with my
past routines, I'll be like, can.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
We change this, can we do this? Nothing? She nailed it.
Speaker 3 (30:57):
So when I finally did a routine, finally got it down,
it only took me like fifteen thirty minutes to learn it,
which is crazy. But once I finally I got it down,
I got the passes in there, I was just like, Uh,
I was like, this is going to be a hit.
I can't wait to like show me one and like,
but it is crazy though, because I wasn't going to post.
Speaker 2 (31:16):
My floratine on social media, but I did.
Speaker 3 (31:20):
And the only reason why I did is because before
I posted my floratine, there was a video before that
and I did a split screen of how I performed
at the Inner Squad and how I performed like my
first competition. My first competition was not the best, and
I was kind of like showing like the difference, like
how I did so get the inter Squad and how
I flopped like my first competition, and I remember showing
(31:42):
like a little snippet of my floratines.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
So I was just like, you know, what dom not
just show the whole thing. And I did.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
My thought it was only going to get like a
good like amount of life, Like oh, it just went viral.
That was not expecting that. And I remember like that
night that my phone just kept on going off. There's
nothing but notification, not vacational notplications, and I was just like,
oh my gosh. So I'm glad everyone is enjoying it
as much as I am.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
I think it's a blessing. I think it's just so cool.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
But yeah, I kind of just want to show, like,
you know, you can bring HPC wherever you're going. It
doesn't have to be at an HPCU. So I kind
of like taught myself that as well, because I was
just like, oh my gosh, I'm going from one thing
and now I'm going to something else different.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
So that was the whole process of that.
Speaker 3 (32:31):
You love that.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
I love that. So you've already mentioned journaling as being
an important part of your process. Are there any other
like wellness rituals that you engage in on days of
matches or just as a part of your training.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
I do meditate.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
I will even do like these breeding exercises so I
can calm down sometimes like when my heart just starts racing. Oh,
I just started giving myself like more like positive like
affirmation too, to like cancel out any negative ones. So
I've kind of just been really just like exercising my
(33:07):
mind to be like, look, there's no reason for you
to think this way.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
You can think this.
Speaker 3 (33:11):
Way and kind of just going back to like pressure
is not a thing, and just have fun, like you know,
like this is your time, Okay, It's just you and
your team, no one.
Speaker 2 (33:24):
Else do it for you.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
So that's kind of like what I've just been doing,
Like yeah, meditating sometimes I'll even like listen to music
on my own before like a competition, just to kind
of get myself like in that mindset tha, get myself
hiped a little bit.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
That's kind of like what I do, Okay.
Speaker 1 (33:41):
And so you've already mentioned that you know you're planning
to finish out your college career with gymnasty. As you
think beyond that for your career, what are some goals
that you have set for yourself.
Speaker 3 (33:51):
Well, I want to become a Venarian. My major is psychology.
I would love to get into veninary school, possibly look
into some internships as well. Always just loved pets growing up.
I've had two dogs. Luckily one is still living. She
is an old girl, but she still has like a puppy.
I love her to death. But yes, I would love
to become a veterinarian baby. Still do some things for
(34:14):
like social media and ils whatever like the future holds,
but like career wise veterinarian.
Speaker 1 (34:21):
Yeah, I got it. Okay, So I feel like you
have sprinkled this throughout our conversation. But what advice do
you have for young girls or women we're maybe interested
in competitive gymnastics and thinking through you know, how do
you navigate that space?
Speaker 3 (34:36):
Just do whatever you want to do. I mean, like
life is short. If you want to do gymnastics and
do it, try it out. And if you are in
gymnastics and you are if you are a late starter,
just know that there are going to be bad days,
but you really have to focus.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
On the good ones.
Speaker 3 (34:58):
And also for parents if they have put in their
gymnasts late, there are also going to be some bad
days too. You also have to stay focused on the
positive ones. And just for you and the gymnasts to
just never give up ever, ever, ever, ever. It has
been challenging for me and my parents as well, like
they've really been in this journey with me. But yeah,
(35:22):
just go out there, fine, do you be yourself. Do
not change yourself for anybody. If they don't like you,
that's not your problem. I wish I could go back
and tell myself that because I felt like it did
anything and everything to try to fit in when I
really did not have to do any.
Speaker 2 (35:40):
Of that at all. And also set goals for yourself.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
It might really help yourself to probably fix like little
details that you need to fix to to really really
reach those goals. But yet to never just never give up,
focus on the positive, be yourself fun, do it for you.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
That is my advice.
Speaker 1 (36:06):
That beautiful words. Kirsten. What is your social media channels?
Speaker 3 (36:09):
Like?
Speaker 1 (36:09):
Which ones are you most active on?
Speaker 3 (36:11):
Our most active on Twitter and Instagram and to talk
all through those platforms are Kirsten Underscore Johnson find me
there also on Facebook.
Speaker 1 (36:21):
Too, Okay, so you're all over all over, I'm all over.
Speaker 3 (36:27):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
It has been so lovely to chat with you. Thank
you so much for spending some time with me today, Kirston.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (36:34):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
I'm so glad Kirsten was able to join me for
this conversation. To learn more about her, be sure to
visit the show notes at Therapy for Black Girls dot
com slash TVGU and don't forget to text this episode
to two of your girls right now and tell them
to check it out. Did you know? You can leave
us a voicemail with your questions or thoughts for the podcast.
If you have a that you want to suggest or
(37:01):
a book for us a review, please send it to
us and you just might hear it on the podcast.
Drop us a message at Memo dot fm slash Therapy
for Black Girls. If you're looking for a therapists in
your area, visit our therapist directory at Therapy for Blackgirls
dot com slash directory. This episode was produced by Alice Ellis, Indaychubu,
(37:21):
and Tyree Rush. Editing was done by Dennison Bradford. Thank
y'all so much for joining me for this episode of TVGU.
I look forward to continuing this conversation with you all
real soon. Take good care. Have you heard the news
Therapy for Black Girls is launching our community on Patreon.
It's your space to be seen, heard and understood in
(37:43):
an even more connected way. We're excited to bring you
new segments like so my Therapist Said, where we break
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