Molly’s Story

My name is Molly Gordon. I was a competitive gymnast for seven years throughout my childhood and adolescence. During that time, I experienced firsthand the effects of unhealthy and abusive coaching practices. These experiences not only caused me to lose my passion for gymnastics but also contributed to the development of eating disorders and other mental health challenges that I struggled with for years after retiring from the sport.

After two years of both inpatient and outpatient treatment, I regained my health and confidence—and with that came a clear purpose: to help create change in the world of sports coaching so that no other athlete would have to endure what I did.

At fifteen, I began coaching recreational gymnastics at the same gym where I once competed. From the start, I was determined to do things differently. I prioritized respect, safety, and the overall well-being of every gymnast I coached. My commitment to better coaching inspired me to continue learning—I completed online courses on coaching young athletes and conducted research for a paper examining how different coaching styles impact anxiety levels in female adolescent athletes.

I created thecoachapproach.org with the goal of educating and empowering current and aspiring sports coaches. Through this platform, I hope to promote positive coaching practices that foster generations of happy, healthy, and successful athletes.