Gymnastics Hall of Famer Wendy Hilliard launches podcast for sports moms

By LOIS ELFMAN

Special to the AmNews

Since founding the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation in 1996 to provide low-cost and free gymnastics to youth in underserved communities, Wendy Hilliard has connected with many parents who have anxiously watched their children compete. Over the last few years, that has taken on a new dimension for Hilliard, a member of the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame, as her son, BJ Mensah, has risen in the ranks of competitive tumbling. Mensah now competes internationally, and Hilliard has had to learn how to take on the supportive mother role and let his coach do the rest.

Recently, Hilliard launched the podcast “Champion Sports Moms,” where she interviews other former athletes, some of whom are now coaches, about how they are raising the next generation of champions.

The women share their experiences and life lessons. To date, Hilliard has interviewed former New York Liberty player Kym Hampton, Olym- pic gymnast Kathy Johnson Clarke, four-time track and field Olympian Joetta Clark Diggs, and Rutgers head gymnastics coach Umme Salim-Beasley, all of whom are raising children who have pursued their own athletic dreams.

“I work so much with youth, and I’ve raised elite athletes through my foundation,” said Hilliard. “I happen to know a lot of female athletes, and their kids are champion athletes. Because I work with so many parents who don’t have an athletic background, I know there are a lot of questions they have about the process.”

Most of the children are in different sports from what their parents played, so obviously the parents aren’t their coaches. Even Hampton, whose daughter plays basketball (currently at the Division I level), knew she had to turn the coaching over to others. Hilliard hopes the discussions on her podcast are beneficial to all parents.

“They’re going to learn that everybody goes through a similar process in sports,” said Hilliard. “What we’re trying to tell them is the patience that you have to have, and you have to have a certain level of trust in your coaches…You have to let the process work.”

It’s important for parents not to get swept up in their children’s successes, Hilliard said. She admitted she’s excited about her son competing at a high level, but given her background, she focuses on his needs and expectations. “It’s about hearing from people [who] have done this and are giving their advice to other parents,” she said.