Being a champion athlete is hard. Raising a high-level athlete might be even harder, and there's not enough information on how to do it right. On Champion Sports Mom, USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame Member Wendy Hilliard, the first African-American rhythmic gymnast to represent the U.S. in international competition, founder of the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation in Harlem and Detroit, and mom to an elite-level athlete, sits down with champion sports moms (and moms of champion athletes, past and present) to share their stories and valuable insights.
Wendy Hilliard on the Importance of Keeping Kids in Sports
How do you help your kids stay involved in sports? Champion Sports Moms host Wendy Hilliard talks about why it’s so important, especially for teenage girls. She discusses, with podcast producer Pam Majumdar, the factors that lead to sports attrition, how doing sports can positively impact body image, coming back from injury or other breaks, when it’s time to move on, and more.
*Follow Champion Sports Moms on Instagram @championsportsmoms (instagram.com/championsportsmoms)
*Follow the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation on Instagram @wendyhilliardfoundation (instagram.com/wendyhilliardfoundation)
*To learn more about the WHGF, visit www.wendyhilliard.org
21 Mar 2024
How to Navigate the College Recruitment Process with Olympic Gold Medalist Benita Fitzgerald Mosley
1984 Olympic Gold Medalist Benita Fitzgerald Mosley has taken the Olympian mentality and run with it, with massive success in sports as well as business. A member of the 1980 Olympic team, she was the first Black woman to win gold in the 100m hurdles in 1984, and was also an alternate for the U.S. Olympic team in 1988.
Following her stellar athletic career, Benita has served as USA Track & Field’s Chief of Sports Performance; Chief of Organizational Excellence for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee; and CEO of Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA. She is presently the CEO of Multiplying Good and is a member of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum’s Board of Directors.
Benita joins Wendy Hilliard on Champion Sports Moms to talk about helping her daughter navigate the world of college recruitment and how sports prepared Benita for a wildly successful career in business. Benita and Wendy also discuss how the friendships forged in sports builds resilience, the importance of keeping girls in sports, why talent isn’t the most important thing, and more.
*Follow Benita Fitzgerald Mosley on Instagram at @benitafmosley
*Follow the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation on Instagram at @wendyhilliardfoundation (https://www.instagram.com/wendyhilliardfoundation)
*Follow Champion Sports Moms on Instagram at @championsportsmoms (https://www.instagram.com/championsportsmoms/)
*To learn more about the WHGF, visit www.wendyhilliard.org
7 Mar 2024
Wendy Hilliard on How Parents and Athletes Can Deal with the Social Media 'Comparison Trap'
Only take the good stuff from social media, says Wendy Hilliard. On this episode of Champion Sports Moms, Wendy talks about the do’s and don’ts for parents of athletes on social media, how kids look at social media differently, and more.
*Follow Champion Sports Moms on Instagram @championsportsmoms (https://www.instagram.com/championsportsmoms/)
*Follow the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation on Instagram @wendyhilliardfoundation (https://www.instagram.com/wendyhilliardfoundation)
*To learn more about the WHGF, visit www.wendyhilliard.org (http://www.wendyhilliard.org/)
13 Feb 2024
Wendy Hilliard on How to Prepare for Competition Season
Competition season for gymnastics is about to begin. Champion Sports Moms host Wendy Hilliard talks about how to help your child get ready for the season ahead - no matter the sports. She discusses, with podcast producer Pam Majumdar, why it's important not to put too much pressure on the early-season competitions, how to stay supportive, dealing with the transition to college, and more.
*Follow Champion Sports Moms on Instagram @championsportsmoms (https://www.instagram.com/championsportsmoms/)
*Follow the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation on Instagram @wendyhilliardfoundation (https://www.instagram.com/wendyhilliardfoundation)
*To learn more about the WHGF, visit www.wendyhilliard.org (http://www.wendyhilliard.org/)
16 Jan 2024
Paralympic Champion Alana Nichols on the Multi-Sport Life and Helping Your Child Navigate Choices in Sports
Alana Nichols is a pioneer in the world of adaptive sports. The first American female Paralympian to win gold medals at both the Summer Games and the Winter Games, she was also one of the first to go pro. Alana joins Wendy Hilliard on Champion Sports Moms to talk about navigating a life-changing spinal cord injury at the age of 17, the “God moment” that led her to adaptive sports through wheelchair basketball, and why it’s so important for all types of bodies to keep moving. She also discusses her current “momager” life, how to talk to your children about their achievements and make choices in sports, working to make adaptive surfing part of LA2028, and more.
*Follow Alana Nichols on Instagram at @alanathejane (https://www.instagram.com/alanathejane/ )
*Follow the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation on Instagram at @wendyhilliardfoundation (https://www.instagram.com/wendyhilliardfoundation)
*Follow Champion Sports Moms on Instagram at @championsportsmoms (https://www.instagram.com/championsportsmoms/)
*To learn more about the WHGF, visit www.wendyhilliard.org
19 Oct 2023
Olympic Gymnast and Dance Mom Annia Hatch, with Daughter Faith, on Finding Balance in Sport
Annia Hatch’s gymnastics career took her from a successful career in Cuba all the way to representing Team USA at the 2004 Olympics. Now, she’s an entrepreneur and mom to a nationally competitive dancer! Anna joins Wendy Hilliard on Champion Sports Moms to talk about the world of dance, her daughter Faith’s current journey as a competitive dancer, communicating with coaches and teachers, and being a parent while also raising an athlete. Annia also talks about the difference between competing as a teenager versus competing as an adult, and her legendary took her from Cuba all the way to representing Team USA at the 2004 Olympics.
*Follow Annia Hatch on Instagram at @anniahatch (https://www.instagram.com/anniahatch/)
*Follow the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation on Instagram at @wendyhilliardfoundation (https://www.instagram.com/wendyhilliardfoundation)
*Follow Champion Sports Moms on Instagram at @championsportsmoms (https://www.instagram.com/championsportsmoms/)
*To learn more about the WHGF, visit www.wendyhilliard.org
5 Oct 2023
Getting Back Up and Doing It Again: Wendy Hilliard on Dealing with Delays and the Importance of Patience
It’s World Championships week! As the men’s and women’s artistic gymnasts of Team USA compete in Antwerp, Belgium, Champion Sports Moms host Wendy Hilliard reflects on getting to the world level. She discusses the importance of cultivating patience, how athletes and parents can deal with bad meets, injuries, and other delays, how coaches look at sports development differently, and more.
*Follow Champion Sports Moms on Instagram @championsportsmoms (https://www.instagram.com/championsportsmoms/)
*Follow the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation on Instagram @wendyhilliardfoundation (https://www.instagram.com/wendyhilliardfoundation)
*To learn more about the WHGF, visit www.wendyhilliard.org (http://www.wendyhilliard.org/)
21 Sept 2023
Amy Hughes on Pivoting and Parenting in Sports
As the mother to not one but two Olympic figure skaters, Amy Hughes has navigated the sports mom journey like few others…not to mention four other children-athletes and now grandchildren-athletes! Amy joins Wendy Hilliard on Champion Sports Moms to talk about the worlds of figure skating and hockey, the Olympics during massive successes, being an advocate for breast cancer awareness and how it changed the family and training dynamic, why she and her husband didn’t homeschool their children, and much more.
*Follow Champion Sports Moms on Instagram @championsportsmoms (https://www.instagram.com/championsportsmoms/)
*Follow the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation on Instagram @wendyhilliardfoundation (https://www.instagram.com/wendyhilliardfoundation)
*To learn more about the WHGF, visit www.wendyhilliard.org (http://www.wendyhilliard.org/)
7 Sept 2023
Life Lessons from Sports with Rutgers University Head Gymnastics Coach Umme Salim-Beasley
Since making her mark as an NCAA gymnast (West Virginia University), Umme Salim-Beasley has been a college gymnastics coach for Temple University and, currently, Rutgers University. Umme joins Wendy Hilliard on Champion Sports Moms to talk about raising three athletes (none of them gymnasts!) and now navigating the world of Track & Field as a parent. Umme and Wendy discuss the pressure of youth sports, how to change coaches if needed, teaching young athletes to communicate directly with their coach, and much more.
*Follow Umme Salim-Beasley on Instagram @usbeasley (https://www.instagram.com/usbeasley)
*Follow Champion Sports Moms on Instagram @championsportsmoms (https://www.instagram.com/championsportsmoms/)
*Follow the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation on Instagram @wendyhilliardfoundation (https://www.instagram.com/wendyhilliardfoundation)
*To learn more about the WHGF, visit www.wendyhilliard.org (http://www.wendyhilliard.org)
24 Aug 2023
U.S. Olympic Rhythmic Gymnast Aliane Baquerot Wilson on Raising Multi-Sport Athletes
A family history of sports. 1996 Olympic Rhythmic Gymnast Aliane Baquerot Wilson joins (her former coach!) Wendy Hilliard on Champion Sports Moms to talk about her rhythmic gymnastics career and now raising two sports-minded sons with husband, and 3X Olympian, Blaine Wilson. Aliane talks about starting rhythmic gymnastics late, at the age of 10, training under Wendy Hilliard and competing at the 1996 Olympics, followed by a career dancing on Broadway, film/TV, and more. Hear about how she met now-husband Blaine Wilson at a post-Olympics gymnastics tour, her advice on raising children who are competing in different sports, managing travel schedules for two competitive athletes, and the mental aspect of sports. Plus, she shares her advice for families without a sports background, letting kids take the lead, and much more.
10 Aug 2023
Wendy Hilliard on Making a National Team and Big College Decisions
On this solo episode of Champion Sports Moms, podcast host Wendy Hilliard talks to Champion Sports Moms producer Pam Majumdar about her journey as a mom to an international elite athlete, BJ Mensah (Tumbling & Trampoline). Wendy discusses making the national team, managing international travel, the decisions athletes face when they’re college-age, factors to consider if you’re thinking of changing coaches or training gyms, the line between coaching and parenting, and more.
27 Jul 2023
Olympic Mentality: Sabrina Monday on Managing a Family of Athletes
Sabrina Monday, National Sales Director for Mary Kay, joins Champions Sports Moms with Wendy Hilliard to discuss what it's like to be the "momager" to a family of athletes...when you're married to an Olympic Gold Medalist! She talks about how to manage when you have some kids who do sports as well as kids with other interests, coaching your kids (or not), dealing with social media, giving back through sports, and much more.
13 Jul 2023
Kathy Johnson Clarke on When to Quit and When to Keep Going
Kathy Johnson Clarke, Olympic medalist (gymnastics) and sports commentator, joins Champions Sports Moms with Wendy Hilliard to discuss her athletic journey and now parenting a champion pole vaulter. Kathy talks about running track before starting gymnastics at the age of 12, her almost-journey to being a pole vaulter a decade after retiring from gymnastics, and all about her son’s journey in pole vaulter. She discusses when and how she coaches her son, plus her thoughts on moving on from competitive sports:
29 Jun 2023
“Control Your Controllables” - WNBA All-Star Kym Hampton on Parenting an Athlete and Finding Your Greatness
Kym Hampton (former WNBA player and presently the Community Partners Retail Specialist for Nike) didn’t play organized sports until she was a high school freshman. Yet she went on to be named the top female basketball player in the state of Kentucky her senior year, set over 40 records at Arizona State University, and achieve All-Star status during her three years playing for the WNBA’s New York Liberty.
Kym joins Wendy Hilliard on the Champion Sports Moms podcast to talk about her athletic journey; learning the “Olympic mentality” in college; how she realized early on that she would not be able to coach her own daughter in basketball; what being “coachable” really means; navigating the journey as the parent of an athlete; and much more!
15 Jun 2023
Michelle Dusserre-Farrell - Building Accessible Places to Play
Michelle Dusserre-Farrell, 1984 Olympic Silver Medalist (Gymnastics) and senior director of athlete, curatorial & programs at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum, joins Wendy Hilliard for the episode 2 of Champion Sports Moms! On this episode, Michelle talks about her gymnastics career, including how watching Nadia Comaneci was a turning point, and her current mission to build universally accessible spaces for athletes. Tune in to hear about Michelle’s experiences competing at the 1984 Olympics in her hometown, managing parenthood and her daughter’s spina bifida diagnosis, and her daughter Abby Farrell’s journey trying different sports as a kid to now being an internationally competitive wheelchair basketball athlete. Michelle and Wendy discuss how to be OK stepping back as protector and letting your child-athlete figure things out on their own, the power of teaching your child self-advocacy, and more!
15 Jun 2023
Joetta - Strong Body, Strong Mind, Strong Future
Joetta, a 4-time Olympian (Track & Field) and a leading authority on achievement and health/wellness, joins Wendy Hilliard for the inaugural episode of Champion Sports Moms. On this episode, Joetta discusses her incredible athletic career, which included ranking in the top-10 in Track & Field in the world for 15 years as well as being the no. 1 American for 8 of those years. She talks about a family history of sport excellence and the lessons she learned in sports that she’s passed down to her daughter Talitha Diggs, who currently competes for the University of Florida. Joetta talks about Talitha’s athletic journey, why she never pushed Talitha to pursue running, managing the mental aspects of sports, how to be involved in your children’s athletic careers without being intrusive, how to check in with your child-athlete, and much more!
14 Jun 2023
Trailer: Champion Sports Moms with Wendy Hilliard
Being a champion athlete is hard. Raising a high-level athlete might be even harder, and there's not enough information on how to do it right. On Champion Sports Mom, USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame Member Wendy Hilliard, the first African-American rhythmic gymnast to represent the U.S. in international competition, founder of the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation in Harlem and Detroit, and mom to an elite-level athlete, sits down with champion sports moms (and moms of champion athletes, past and present) to share their stories and valuable insights.
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