Simone Biles, of the United States, celebrates winning the gold medal during the medal ceremony in the women’s artistic gymnastics individual vault finals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File) From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!

Philadelphia will welcome gymnastics legend Simone Biles on Friday as she headlines the “Gold Over America Tour” at the Wells Fargo Center, showcasing her renowned acrobatic talents alongside other stars. Among many undoubtedly eager fans is a group of young gymnasts who look up to Biles and her teammates for inspiration. Philly in Movement’s competitive team, ranging in ages from 9-17, will be in the audience. “I’d say I’ve seen the excitement since a little bit before the summer,” chuckled Teresa Dabback, head coach for the gymnastics team at Philly inMovement. “We went back in 2021 to the tour and it was awesome there, as well. And this time around they know what to expect and are still just as excited.”

Joining Biles onstage are Team USA’s Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Hezly Rivera, as well as other world-class gymnasts. At practice, the impact of these gymnasts is evident. “A few of them have done nicknames where they’re like, ‘Okay, I’m Jordan, you’re Simone,” said Dabback. “They’re pretending to be the Olympians during practice, so they were calling each other those names and it was very cute.”

Sparkling anticipation shone in each girl’s eyes at the mention of the tour and the idolized Team USA. “I’ve been looking forward to seeing [Simone Biles] for a while,” Frannie, 10, shared. “I have, like, 30 of her books.” “I’m really excited ’cause I’ve never seen, like, this many gymnasts in person like this many famous gymnasts,” said Josie, 12, who is most excited to see Jordan Chiles.

Dahlia, 12, underscored the significance of representation when talking about Biles. “It’s cool to see someone who looks like me doing gymnastics,” she said. “I can look up to her that way.”

Biles and Chiles are portraits of persistence – even these preteens can sense that. While in the public eye, each of them have emphasized the importance of standing up for yourself and prioritizing mental health in and out of the gym. Biles notably withdrew from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to mental health concerns. In the wake of that decision, Biles faced backlash – but she used her platform and experience to advocate for protecting one’s mind and body in such a demanding sport. “I just had this idea that Olympians just never had mental blocks and never had to deal with challenges like that,” said Dabback. “But then it was like, wait, Simone Biles is just like me.”

While Dabback is now a coach, she grew up doing gymnastics and still participates in Philly inMovement’s adult program. As a longtime gymnast, she sees the value in Biles sharing her mental challenges.

She has so much power in gymnastics,” Dabback said about Biles’ global influence. Yet despite Biles’ talent, Dabback also shared, “I feel like her biggest feat is what she’s done for mental health and that really puts the bow on top of her being the greatest of all time.”

Taking from her past experiences growing up as a gymnast and her current perspective as a coach, it’s clear to Dabback the need for mental health advocacy for the benefit of all ages. “I think that’s really important for young athletes to understand and get from a young age,” Dabback said. “That it happens to everyone, and, you know, you can still become a champion at the end of the day and work through it.”

Biles’ outspoken advocacy is changing the mental health conversation within the gym. Learning from the GOAT herself – an acronym that stands for “greatest of all time” young athletes are able to identify and tend to their own well-being. “I did go through a couple mental blocks and I did eventually get over some of them,” Dahlia said, relating to Biles’ struggles. “So, her doing that was kind of inspirational.”

Simone Biles’ decision to prioritize her mental health a sign of American culture shift Along with Biles, Chiles has made waves in the gymnastics world by using her voice to advocate for herself. Chiles was awarded an individual bronze medal Aug. 5 for her performance in the Women’s Floor Exercise final – making history alongside teammate Biles and Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade as the first ever all-Black gymnastics podium in the Olympics.

Days later, she was stripped of the medal due to a scoring issue. As she continues to fight, she asserted that it is not about the medal but about her skin color. Chiles has felt silenced in the past and is now fighting to make sure she doesn’t feel that way again in the wake of this decision. Chiles returned to the University of California, Los Angeles this fall to finish out her college career and intends to compete in the 2025 season. Josie has followed the controversy, is inspired by Chiles and wants to become a collegiate gymnast like her one day. “Especially, after [losing] her bronze medal that I think was hers,” Josie quietly asserted with a smile. “When she lost that, I think going back there with confidence is really brave.”

With each high-flying flip and precision twist, Biles and Chiles are inspiring young gymnasts across the country, even as they overcome personal challenges. After the Philadelphia stop, the Gold Over America Tour heads to Brooklyn as part of its national run, set to conclude in November. “It’s really like a kind of a dream come true,” said Dahlia. “So, I’m just really excited for the event.”