The Art of Excellence Aimee Boorman: Coaching Simone Biles beyond medals and perfection
Amy Boorman is a decorated and globally respected gymnastics coach, whose career included twelve years coaching the sport's all-time greatest, Simone Biles. She was named USA Gymnastics Coach of the Year four times and US Olympic Committee Coach of the Year in 2016. She was head coach of the US Women's Gymnastics Team at the Rio Olympic Games and coached for the Dutch Gymnastics Federation in 2021, including at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Her book is titled: The Balance: My Years Coaching Simone Biles.
Summary
In this conversation, Aimee Boorman reflects on her evolution from a competitive gymnast to an elite coach, including her 12-year journey coaching Simone Biles. She talks about how her early experience with harsh, unsupportive coaching shaped her belief that great coaching starts with empathy, communication, and trust. Aimee focuses on coaching the whole person, not just the athlete, and explains how vulnerability, collaboration, and giving athletes room to fail safely build both performance and character. She describes how she nurtured Simone's extraordinary natural ability, what she calls "air sense savant," while helping her develop emotional maturity and self-accountability. The discussion also explores the mental challenges elite athletes face, including the "twisties," and why protecting mental health must come before medals. Aimee's approach shows that excellence is less about winning and more about integrity, growth, and joy in the process.
Takeaways
· Great coaches lead with empathy and see athletes as whole people, not performance machines.
· Trust grows through honest communication and vulnerability, which create psychological safety and resilience.
· Allowing athletes to fail safely teaches self-awareness and accountability more effectively than control or punishment.
· Real confidence comes from ownership—shifting from performing for approval to performing for yourself.
· Success follows when the focus moves from outcomes such as scores or medals to inputs like effort, attitude, and preparation.
· Pressure and anxiety block performance, while freedom and presence unlock it.
· Mental health should always take priority over results because well-being sustains excellence.
· The best coaches are remembered not just for producing champions but for helping young people grow into strong, self-directed adults.
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