PerformHappy with Rebecca Smith

In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I talk about how parents can support their gymnasts through mental blocks, slow progress, and moments when skills seem to disappear. When your child is struggling, it can be hard to stay patient, especially when you see their frustration and worry about their confidence, future, or love for the sport.

I explain why parental frustration often comes from fear and how recognizing those feel...

In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, Coach Rebecca answers a question from a parent whose seven year old gymnast has been stuck on her round off back handspring for nearly a year. Although she can do the skill with a small amount of support, she freezes when that support is removed.

Rebecca explains why this may not be a matter of unwillingness, but an actual mental block where the brain detects a threat and stops the body ...

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

I also talk about why neurodivergent gymnasts can sometimes be misunderstood in the g...

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

Bill explains why conflict is inevitable in every relationship and why avoiding it usually makes things worse. We talk about the power i...

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

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

Lacie opens up about being a hesitant gymnast who struggled with confidence and mental blocks when she was younger. She shares how learning how skills worked helped her build trust in hers...

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

Riley shares how growing up training in Hong Kong and Singapore opened her eyes to the differences in equipment, coaching, athlete safety, and opportu...

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

Kat shares her journey as a collegiate lacrosse player at Duke, the impact of injuries on mental health, and how her friendship with Morgan led to the creation of Morgan’s Message. After Morgan’...

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

Josh opens up about the importance of...

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

Chloe opens up about hearing p...

In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I sit down with college gymnast Cecilia Cooley to talk about mental blocks, rebuilding confidence, overcoming fear, and learning not to give up on yourself when gymnastics starts to feel impossible. Cecilia shares her unconventional journey from starting gymnastics later than most to becoming a college gymnast, captain, and scholarship athlete. She opens up about struggling with mental ...

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

Many sport moms are doing everything they can to help their children succeed. But sometimes, without realizing it, we begin to tie our worth to our children's achievements. When their dreams be...

This episode of the Perform Happy Podcast is a reminder that even the athletes who look the most confident can struggle with anxiety, pressure, and self-doubt. I sit down with University of Utah gymnast Ella Zirbes to talk about finding joy in gymnastics again after anxiety took away the fun of competing on some of the biggest stages of her career. 

Ella shares how the pressure to be perfect left her feeling overwhelmed during ...

In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I sit down with NCAA gymnast Abigayle Martin to talk about performing scared, overcoming mental blocks, trusting yourself under pressure, and finding what helps you compete with confidence. Abby shares how a mental block at 10 years old shaped the athlete she is today and why learning to work with fear, instead of waiting for it to disappear, changed everything.

Abby opens up about compe...

In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I sit down with Alyssa Olin, former Division I gymnast and licensed clinical social worker, to have an honest conversation about the difference between tough coaching and trauma in youth sports. We explore how harmful coaching practices can become normalized, the lasting impact they have on an athlete’s mental health, and why every child deserves to have a voice and feel safe in t...

In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I sit down with gymnastics physical therapist Dr. Jenny Borda to talk about one of the hardest things for gymnasts, parents, and coaches to navigate: knowing the difference between being sore, being scared, and being injured.

I see this come up all the time with athletes who are unsure when they should speak up about pain. They worry their coach will think they are making excuses, or the...

In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I sit down with former professional dancer and former Rockette Gabby Roberts to talk about chasing big dreams, overcoming rejection, building confidence, and learning how to never let someone else decide what is possible for you. Gabby shares her journey of being told she didn’t fit the image of a professional dancer, facing rejection from her college program, and continuing to pu...

In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I sit down with former D1 gymnast, Parkettes alum, psych nurse, and mom of two gymnasts Jacqueline Barbera to talk about her journey through elite gymnastics, the lessons she learned, and how she would approach the sport differently today.

Jacqueline shares what it was like growing up in a high-level gymnastics environment, moving across the country to pursue her dreams, and the challeng...

In this episode of the Perform Happy Podcast, I sit down with performance scientist, professor, and former athletic trainer Dr. Toby Brooks to talk about resilience, recovery, identity, and what happens when life doesn’t go according to plan.

Whether it’s an injury, retirement, a major setback, or an unexpected life change, every athlete will eventually face moments that feel like everything is falling apart. Toby shares...