102. From the Platform to the Podium with Olympic Silver Medalist Jessica Parratto
Two-time Olympian, Olympic Silver Medalist, twelve-time National Champion, NCAA Champion, and World Championship Bronze Medalist, Jessica Parratto, is Laura’s very special guest on the podcast this week. With deep aquatic roots in her family, Jessica’s journey was almost inevitable, as her mother was her coach until age 14, and her father once coached Olympic legend Jenny Thompson. Jessica shares her remarkable story in this episode, from her daring decision to leave home at 14 to train at the National Training Center to her tumultuous Rio Olympics experience, partnership with Delaney Schnell, pursuit of Olympic medals, and specialization in synchronized diving.
Jessica’s candid conversation with Laura details her unique upbringing, the parental support in choosing her path, and her journey to becoming an elite diver. Showcasing the power of passion, determination, and strong team support, her journey epitomizes determination and resilience, from pivotal synchronized diving partnership decisions to her comeback from retirement. Her collaboration with Delaney Schnell highlights teamwork, trust, and the relentless pursuit of Olympic glory, and beyond the pool, Jessica's story illuminates her life outside diving, emphasizing her supportive family and deep friendships with fellow divers. Tune in here today to share in this truly fascinating tale of all the sacrifices and joys of chasing Olympic dreams from two superstars who have experienced them firsthand.
Episode Highlight:
Jessica's aquatic family background
Her bold choice to leave home at 14 for National Training
Jessica’s Olympic journey
Her discovery of a passion for synchronized diving
The role of mental strength in her career
The importance of setting boundaries for focus and success
Navigating the challenges of Olympic trials, embracing the Olympic experience, and dealing with unexpected situations
Insights into Jessica’s Rio Olympics experience and post-Rio career plans
Adapting to the pandemic's impact on the Tokyo Olympics and making a comeback
Demonstrating determination and resilience
Synchronized diving intricacies
The value of Olympic dreams
Quotes:
"I did a lot of sports growing up. I did swimming, I did diving, gymnastics, soccer, dance. I mean, I did it all."
"My parents made me and my sister feel so comfortable in just wanting to do whatever we wanted to do in life."
"I just remember Drew being like, 'Do you think that you can make an Olympic team right now?' And I was just like, 'No.' And he was like, 'Well, I do.'"
"I think crazy things can happen in a small amount of time, so don't ever count yourself out.”
"It literally changes everything when you think differently, right? And you're like evidence of that right here."
"It's so important. It is definitely a difference-maker. And even if you have to preface it like, 'Hey, I don't want to hurt your feelings, I love you guys, but this is just what I need right now. And I just really would love and appreciate that support.’"
"It's never just yourself, it's always this army that you have behind you. And so that's what makes it really special."
Links:
Laura’s Social Media:
Connect with Jessica:
95. Courage is a Learned Skill with High Diver David Colturi
Laura joins forces with professional cliff diver, coach, and performance expert, David Colturi for this week’s installment of the Pursuit of Gold podcast. One of the standout cliff divers over the last decade, David has accumulated 14 podiums in 52 starts, including becoming the youngest ever winner of a World Series event at the age of 24. After returning from the enforced World Series break, he was narrowly edged out of the permanent places in 2021 and will return to the 27m platform as a wildcard this year. David also currently serves as a coach, runs high performance workshops, and is a gifted public speaker.
Together with Laura, David embarks on an exhilarating journey that delves deeply into various riveting topics, such as his awe-inspiring transformation from a budding diver to an experienced professional, the pivotal role of balance in the pursuit of one's dreams, and the fearless approach required to confront and conquer personal fears head-on. From his early days as an athlete determined to conquer the heights of high dives to the heart-pounding moments during his debut at the Red Bull Cliff Diving event in Corsica, this episode is a treasure trove of adrenaline-pumping narratives and invaluable life lessons. Our dynamic duo also go on to share intimate anecdotes and profound insights into the psychological and emotional battles they've waged during their illustrious careers. From grappling with fear and self-doubt to contending with the physical toll exacted by high-speed impacts, they shine a light on the indomitable spirit and tenacity that define success in extreme sports. Their conversation here today transcends the realm of diving and touches upon the profound importance of setting well-defined objectives, aligning actions with one's authentic values, and embarking on a purpose-driven journey throughout our lives. Whether you're a thrill-seeker or an individual seeking inspiration to confront your personal trials, this episode guarantees to leave you profoundly moved and ardently motivated.
If you’ve been wanting to make some crucial mindset shifts like David, in order to perform better, love your sport again or grow your confidence, start getting excited for my awesome Black Friday bundles that are here now but only for a limited time! Every single amazing bundle also comes with a FREE ticket into a new workshop I’ll be hosting in January called Turning Obstacles into Opportunities. Make sure you don’t miss this window of opportunity- go check out these special bundles at LauraWilkinson.com/blackfriday!
Episode Highlights:
David’s remarkable journey
Dedication and sacrifices
How college athletes grapple with the decision of pursuing their sport professionally or exploring alternative career paths
David's unexpected leap into professional cliff diving
Red Bull Cliff Diving events
David's inaugural experience in Corsica
Unforeseen setbacks and the power of resilience and a positive attitude
Overcoming fear and early challenges in high diving
The journey toward control and focus
The role of peer pressure and accountability in overcoming platform hesitation and building confidence
Quotes:
"Courage is a learned skill just like anything else."
"These tough days, these are the ones that define you. This is the good stuff."
"You're just competing against yourself... all you've got to do is be better than you were yesterday."
"You’ve just got to sometimes do what you’ve got to do. And it can be a scary road, but I think you learn a lot of lessons in that, too."
"So it's kind of just learning to take those skills we learn in our sport and applying it into our life."
Links:
Laura’s Social Media:
Connect with David:
60. It's Only Gymnastics with Olympic Gold Medalist Coach Cecile Landi
You may know today’s guest, Cecile Landi, as Simone Biles’ coach or for coaching multiple gymnasts to Olympic medals, World Championship titles, and numerous full-ride scholarships to D1 schools. What you might not know is that Cecile was an Olympian herself; she claims to have been a late-bloomer, but once she made the French Senior National Gymnastics team at fifteen, there was no stopping her. Cecile competed at three European Championships, three World Championships, and the 1996 Olympic Games. She’s always up for a challenge and constantly wants to be pushed to the next level in everything she does, yet manages to maintain her calm throughout it all. Today, she walks us through her journey from gymnast to coach and how she and her husband Laurent make an unstoppable coaching duo. She also discusses the difficult time during the Tokyo Olympics last summer and the beautiful silver lining that came from it.
Cecile starts the episode with her story of growing up in gymnastics, telling her parents at age seven that she wanted to be an Olympian, and getting invited to the National Team Training Center at age nine. She discusses her transition from not being the hardest worker to deciding she wanted to be pushed to be better and how that let her break through to the Senior National Gymnastics Team. Cecile then gives an insight into her competitive experience, describing her favorite memories of going to her first World Championships and to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, before moving on to describe how she decided to continue with gymnastics at the club level following her Olympics experience. She follows that up with the story of how she got into coaching and moved to the US, how she and Laurent balance their professional partnership and their marriage, and their journey to coaching at the elite level, a journey that brought them an amazing opportunity. Cecile and Laurent were on a break from coaching and in the process of buying their own gym when they got a remarkable offer—to coach record-breaking gymnast Simone Biles at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Cecile discusses how the couple couldn’t turn down the opportunity, how she coped with the pressure of training a superstar, and the impact of the pandemic on their preparations. She also goes into detail about what happened when Simone began experiencing the twisties, including how they dealt with the fallout and put together a beam routine that would win Simone and Team USA a bronze medal. And finally, Cecile discusses her latest success, winning level ten in Texas, and gives her trademark advice to other coaches—be there for your athletes and remember that it’s only gymnastics and the sun will rise tomorrow.
Episode Highlights:
Cecile’s experience growing up in gymnastics
Breaking through to the national team
Cecile’s most memorable experiences at the national level
Going to the ’96 Olympics
Choosing to continue in the club world
Becoming a coach
Moving to the US with Laurent
Coaching at the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy
How Cecile and Laurent work together and maintain their marriage
Stepping up to coaching elite athletes
Taking a break in 2017
Getting the call from Simone Biles
Coaching Simone and coping with pressure
The impact of the pandemic on training
What happened at the Tokyo Games
Dealing with the fallout of Simone’s decision
Figuring out the medal-winning beam routine
Winning level ten in Texas
Cecile’s advice for other coaches
Quotes:
“I started when I was five. And it was just one club in my city of 40,000 people. And I just started because my sister started. She’s three years older than me. And by the age of nine, doing some little competition, I ended up being invited to the national team training center.”
“I didn’t feel pushed. And I wanted to feel it. So we had a couple of Chinese coaches that were there. And they had the best kids. And I wanted my chance to be there. And most of the people there were like, 'I don’t think you’re going to survive. I don’t think you’re strong enough to do it.' And actually, it helps me. When someone tells me I can’t do it, I’m going to prove to you that I can.”
“When I was younger, I wanted to be a nurse like my mom. And then she told me really early on, 'Don’t do it, it’s too hard, you don’t make money, you work too much.' And I look at her now and say, 'Look what I do. I work way too much. I don’t make a lot of money. And I’m not a nurse.'”
“I have a lot more respect for my coaches and anyone who coaches because it does not get any easier as the years go on. It’s just, it’s a hard job. It’s a hard job. Sometimes, a lot of people think it’s a hobby. It’s more than that. It has to be more than that.”
“Year by year, we just kept working. Kept working with the girls, and they were just learning so fast. And they followed our leads and the process and trusted that we had the best interest for them. And it just worked out.”
“We went back to Dallas, and we looked at each other, we’re like, man, we can’t pass this opportunity. We can always open a gym later. But working with the most talented athlete I’ve ever seen in my life, it’s not going to happen again.”
“The pressure for us was toward her, we didn’t want to disappoint her. We wanted to make sure she got the chance that she deserved. And other than that, I didn’t really care what anyone else was saying. You’re not in my shoes, and I do know that I’m doing the best that I can to help her. And as long as she knows that, then the rest doesn’t matter.”
“The pandemic had been such a mental struggle for everybody, but nobody wanted to talk about it. And I think she was the one who said, ‘Hey, I’m not okay. And it’s okay to not be okay. And I’m struggling.’”
“We started training, and something was said by our national team staff that she took wrong. And her demeanor changed. And I saw that pressure on her shoulders even showing up more, and she was not practicing as well. And that’s when she started having her first case of the twisties on the floor.”
“She looked at me, she looked really good. I was pretty confident that, you know, she was okay. But she said as soon as she stepped into the arena and the lights, something just clicked, and she just lost her confidence in everything, and she started panicking, but didn’t want to say anything, so went for the vault.”
“She said, ‘Those girls, they need a medal, they deserve a medal, and they will get a medal without me. If I compete, we’re done.’”
“In a sport like gymnastics where, like you said, you’re landing on a hard surface, and if you don’t know right side up from upside down, and you land on your head, you break your neck, like this could be it, you know, like, like life-altering, ending.”
“Understanding what she couldn’t do in that moment, to say she couldn’t compete, I feel like was a very impressive thing to do. I’m actually really, really impressed by that choice that she made. I think that was really smart. But it had to be excruciatingly hard.”
“When she hit that dismount, that was just, the relief, like, she did it, she’s safe, she competed the way she wanted to compete. She proved to herself that she could do it, and it’s going to help her on the healing process. For me, that was what was important. It was, I know if she can do this, it’s going to help her.”
“Time will tell what she decides to do. We told her, if you come back again, it has to be for you. Can’t be for us, can’t be for anyone else but yourself. And we’ll be here if you want us to be.”
“Even if it’s an individual sport, they’ve noticed that they only get better if the team is better. And so that’s why, really, we want them to understand, the stronger your team is, the stronger you’re going to be.”
“At the end of the day, you are here for the athletes. They’re not here for you. You’re here for them. It’s your job to figure out how you can help them become their best. And the sun will rise tomorrow. It’s only gymnastics. It’s going to be okay if today is not perfect.”
Pursuit of Gold Podcast is brought to you by Kaatsu Global.
Links:
Life at 10 Meters: Lessons from an Olympic Champion
Connect with Laura:
Connect with Cecile:
50. Worth the risk with aerial skiing Olympian Emily Cook
Joining Laura on the podcast this week is 3 time Olympian and 6 time National Champion in Aerial Skiing, Emily Cook. Currently the manager of sport and human potential at Skullcandy, Emily also manages programming for the non-profit, Classroom Champions, coaches young athletes at the Utah Olympic Park through the US Ski Team’s Elite Aerial Development Program, and is an ambassador for Right to Play and Kids Play International. Throughout her career, Emily has routinely demonstrated her ability to overcome obstacles and elevate her game to new levels, and she shares her inspirational story with listeners here today.
In today’s episode, Emily discusses her commitment towards her sport, her experiences at the World Cup and the Olympics, and the multiple emotions she went through while training. She also delves into dealing with injuries, making difficult decisions, and compares being a coach to being an athlete. She brings the conversation to a close by sharing details about the important work she does these days. An inspiring model of perseverance, Emily has so very much to share here today that is sure to motivate all who listen.
Episode Highlights:
-Emily’s realization of her love for aerial skiing
-Dealing with injuries as an athlete
-Her experiences at the Olympics
-Emily’s work at The Speedy Foundation
-How she had trust in her coach
-Emily’s commitments in the sports sphere
-Being a coach vs. being an athlete
-Emily’s work outside the sports sphere
Quotes:
“So, I always determined before a training block, whether it was a three-week training block or something, what my negative thought stoppers would be, and, you know, exactly what mindset I wanted to be in on the hill. I use music a lot as well.’’
“And then, every once in a while, like, as humans, we’re just not reliable, we’re not reliable to our own commitments.”
“But regardless of who’s there watching, you know…you’ve accomplished something that you set out to do so many years earlier, and it’s an incredible feeling.’’
“And so, it was a daily choice, it was a choice of showing up and showing up 100% no matter what, no matter what my mood was, no matter what was going on around me.’’
“In the end of the day, knowing exactly what I wanted to accomplish, and then debriefing exactly what I did accomplish, so that I knew what I needed to change the next day in order to perform even better.’’
Links:
Life at 10 Meters: Lessons from an Olympic Champion
5 Smart Strategies to Confidence
Laura’s Social Media:
Connect with Emily:
17. When the competitive spark is reignited with gymnast Chellsie Memmel
The gymnast in Laura is geeking out more than a little bit this week as she welcomes six-time World medalist and Olympic Silver medalist, Chellsie Memmel, to the podcast today. In addition to being only the third U.S. woman to achieve World all-around gold, Chellsie led Team USA to its first-ever World team gold medal in 2003, earned the all-around silver medal at the 2011 CoverGirl Classic, and has served as an official at the 2016 P&G Gymnastics Championship and the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials for women's gymnastics. Currently, she is preparing for her comeback with an eye to the 2021 Olympics, and she talks about that and so much more in her conversation with Laura here today.
Chellsie and Laura cover her entire gymnastics career all the way from her beginnings in the sport up to her recent comeback attempt, and explore the very high moments of her many successes, as well as the many times that injuries impacted not only her ability to perform, but also her mindset. Throughout this review of her career, they also discuss the role her father played in coaching her, the role that both parents played in helping her during her times of recovery, the importance of acknowledging, grieving and moving past injuries, and how different her training, mindset, and confidence are now during her comeback. They conclude with a description of Chellsie’s current YoutTube channel videos, and just how much Laura loves them. Chellsie Memmel’s tale of success and perseverance through injuries is a truly inspirational one not only for athletes but for all who experience setbacks in pursuing their goals. There is so much that she has learned from these experiences, and she shares it all in this week’s thoroughly intriguing episode.
Episode Highlights:
· How Chellsie got started in gymnastics
· The highs and lows of her competitive career
· Having her father coach her
· Her many accomplishments in 2005
· Chellsie’s shoulder injury and her parents’ help during recovery
· Acknowledging, grieving, and moving past the impact of an injury
· Her story of qualifying for Beijing and her experience at those Games
· Olympic processing
· Maintaining her mindset
· What she did after Beijing
· Celebrating her career
· The story of her current comeback
· The pandemic’s impact for Chellsie
· The hardest part and most surprising part of coming back
· Her mindset and confidence now
· A typical day for Chellsie now
· The current gymnastics qualifying process
· Her weekly videos
Quotes:
“You’re kind of coaching him on how to coach you.”
“What are you learning from this situation so you can get better?”
“It was just, like, sheer mental strength at that time of just being able to pull that out…so that part of it was not great.”
“Looking back now, I can be super proud of what we did, but just in that moment, it was tough and it was bittersweet.”
“You’re like the Bionic Woman!”
“It is so amazing like, how competitive I truly am, like, when it’s something…that I care about.”
“I always tried to use gymnastics as a way to get in shape, and this is the exact opposite.”
“The gym just is empty – it needs gymnastics, so I started doing more.”
“I want to be able to give something my all.”
“Don’t stand in your own way of doing something just because you know how hard it’s going to be.”
“It’s keeping me healthy, it’s keeping me sane…but I’m still making progress.”
“To be doing better than I ever was before…I just attribute that to the kind of conditioning that I’m doing and the different appreciation I have for my body and how I am treating it and conditioning it.”
“I just obviously know from experience that a positive attitude is always much better to have.”
“I already feel like I’ve won.”
“It’s been really cool to share this process…I feel like it’s really neat to have people be a part of the journey…to also see the struggle and to see me getting nervous when I’m trying something new.”
“Take a little bit of time for yourself…I think it will make everybody happier.”
Links:
Mental Training: https://www.laurawilkinson.com/learn
Laura’s Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lala_the_diver
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheLauraWilkinson
Connect with Chellsie:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmemmel23/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ChellsieMemmel23
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CMemmel
Website: https://chellsie-memmel.com/