https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv By Simone Biles en-us 2019-11-12 22:03:24 UTC 2020-01-20 03:26:28 UTC hello@padlet.com taylomad003 https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/410285305 Simone was born into a family of 4 later to be a family of 5. In the early years she lived with her mother, older sister and brother, and younger sister Adria. She lived with her birth mother Shanon for a few years until she was placed in foster care because of neglect.  ]]> 2019-11-12 22:09:36 UTC https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/410285305 taylomad003 https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/431619281 The first foster home she was placed in with her 3 siblings had ups and downs for the children. Simone states, "In foster care, Ashley and Tevin missed Shanon a lot, but I didn't really mind out new situation" (Biles and Burford 24). Since Simone and Adria were so young they didn't miss Shanon very much. The older two wanted the way they lived to stay the same. They lived at this new home until her grandparents flew out to take the children while Shanon figured things out. ]]> 2020-01-14 22:54:12 UTC https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/431619281 taylomad003 https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433131588 Luckily for the children they were familiar with their next home. Their grandpa often visited them but they didn't know their grandmother very well yet. Her grandparents were still  raising their two sons and were worried about adding four more to the mix. Her grandmother was not fully on board until a women shared some inspirational words about her experience with foster care. She stated, "I can't imagine what my life would be like if I'd passed up this great blessing" (Biles and Burford 27). After speaking with this woman, Simone's grandmother agreed to take the children in until Shanon could give them what they needed. ]]> 2020-01-17 20:09:47 UTC https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433131588 taylomad003 https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433344934 Shanon visited the children while they were staying with their grandparents. While her two older siblings were overjoyed, Simone and her little sister hardly recognized their mother. Her older sister and brother wanted to live with their mother very badly but Shanon kept failing drug tests which made her parenting rights be taken away. Her older siblings still wanted to be close to Shanon so they moved in with another relative and Simone and her little sister Adria were adopted by their grandparents. Simone recalls, "In my room, I flopped backward onto my bed and let out a happy sigh. Adria and I were finally and forever home" (Biles and Burford 40). ]]> 2020-01-19 04:23:40 UTC https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433344934 taylomad003 https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433362050 The first time Simone went to a gymnastics gym was on a filed trip with her daycare when she was 6 years old. Simone's uncles who became like her brothers taught her how to flip on their trampoline before this, so Simone was very excited. While Simone was practicing a back flip an employee asked if she ever had any gymnastics training which at the time she did not. The employee recommended that her parents sign her up for classes so they did.   ]]> 2020-01-19 07:38:37 UTC https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433362050 taylomad003 https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433366242 Simone was filled with excitement going to her first few practices. She began to learn the proper way to execute the skills she learned on the trampoline. Her coach Aimee remembers, "I saw this teeny, petite thing with rippling muscles who was just full of energy and couldn't stay still" (Biles and Burford 48). She was leveling up very quickly and soon joined their Junior Olympic program.   ]]> 2020-01-19 08:36:21 UTC https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433366242 taylomad003 https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433367830 Simone's great grandma who she knew as  Grandma Caye came from Belize to live with them while her husband stayed in a nursing home due to his stroke. After a year of staying in Texas with Simone's family, she sadly passed away. Later, they moved their grandpa from Belize to Texas so he could receive care at a nursing home near family.]]> 2020-01-19 09:01:18 UTC https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433367830 taylomad003 https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433435587 Simone was starting to advance further into gymnastics and skills began to get more difficult. She had a really bad fall on a bar trick and felt like she could never do it again. Her coach saw this and had her do it again even though she was terrified. After getting her confidence back she was able to preform the skill. ]]> 2020-01-19 19:08:56 UTC https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433435587 taylomad003 https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433436890 To qualify for the regional competition she would have to get a high score at Western Championship. Simone and her father made a deal that if she qualified for Westerns they could get a dog, which they did. She ended up placing first on floor and second all around. ]]> 2020-01-19 19:17:29 UTC https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433436890 taylomad003 https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433438637 Simone attended a five-day very intense gymnastics camp with professions watching her at every second. Even though the camp was very difficult it really pushed Simone to the next level. ]]> 2020-01-19 19:29:36 UTC https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433438637 taylomad003 https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433439540 Even though she worked super hard, Simone fell one place short of making the national team. This devastated Simone and left her sobbing for hours. When she got back to the gym she had a new attitude,  which is now known as "Simone's bratty period". ]]> 2020-01-19 19:35:05 UTC https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433439540 taylomad003 https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433440266 It took Simone a long time to choose between going to high school with her friends and homeschooling to get more time to work at gymnastics. This was a very difficult decision for Simone to make but she ended up choosing to home school. Simone states, "If it turned out that all the extra hours I'd now be putting in at the gym didn't give me enough of an edge to make the national team next year, I could always go to public high school for tenth grade" (Biles and Burford 131). ]]> 2020-01-19 19:39:57 UTC https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433440266 taylomad003 https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433443640 The next year she competed for a spot on the National team she got a spot! Simone recalls, "As the six of us lined up in our red-white-and-blue tracksuits, beaming as photographers snapped our team portrait, all I could think was, finally!" (Biles and Burford 142). ]]> 2020-01-19 20:02:55 UTC https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433443640 taylomad003 https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433451444 While on the national team, Simone and her teammate Katelyn got assigned to compete at the American Cup. Simone remembers, "Katelyn and I were like, Yesssss! We turned to each other and high-fived with both hands; we couldn't have been more excited to be going on assignment together" (Biles and Burford 146). Simone learned a lot about carrying herself at an elite level. Even though she fell on beam she got right back up and finished her routine. She ended up placing second and Katelyn placed first.  ]]> 2020-01-19 20:58:59 UTC https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433451444 taylomad003 https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433454766 A few months before Worlds, Simone dreamed about just getting on the Worlds team, not even thinking about winning gold. After she was chosen to compete she felt a ton of pressure to represent her country for the entire world to see. When her coach saw that she was overwhelmed she told her, "Simone, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain at Worlds. Just take it day by day, and set a name for yourself" (Biles and Burford 167). Even though she was anxious Simone nailed all her events and ended up taking all around first and received a gold medal. ]]> 2020-01-19 21:23:22 UTC https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433454766 taylomad003 https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433462184 Simone competed at the World Championships again in 2014. Except this time she was way more stressed because the competition was set up differently than the first year. This was because there would be a team and individual competition. Even with this change Simone received another gold metal. She looks back and states, "It turns out I was worried for no reason" (Biles and Burford 191).]]> 2020-01-19 22:21:09 UTC https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433462184 taylomad003 https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433462786 After her head coach left the gym she has been training at forever, she decided to follow her. Her coach wasn't sure where to go but Simone's mother had an idea. She though of, "Well, why don't I build my own gym?" (Biles and Burford 184). The gym took a while to build so in the meantime they practiced at a small warehouse. When the World Champions Centre was finished it was a very spacious and offered many classes. Simone's mother looks back and says, "I had no idea how complicated this whole process would be" (Biles and Burford 186). Even though it was difficult, they made a successful gym where Simone and many others could train. ]]> 2020-01-19 22:25:47 UTC https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433462786 taylomad003 https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433465454 Simone felt pressure to deliver a three-peat at Wolds 2015. No woman has ever done this before, so Simone would be the first. She competed well in all of her events and was relieved when her coach told her she won. ]]> 2020-01-19 22:45:25 UTC https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433465454 taylomad003 https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433469555 Simone had to make a very hard choice, she either could do college gymnastics and experience a school sport or she could go after her dream of being in the Olympics. After a long time of debating she chose to turn pro and compete at the Olympics. After she competed at the Olympics she planned on joining college gymnastics. ]]> 2020-01-19 23:21:09 UTC https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433469555 taylomad003 https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433471246 Simone was selected to represent the U.S.A in the 2016 Olympics located in Rio. Her team called the Final Five because it was the last team her coach was mentoring. After lot's of training  in Rio they were ready to compete. Simone had a good run and ended up winning bronze on beam, silver on bars, and gold for floor, vault, and all around individual preference. Simone states, "As incredible as my Olympic journey has been, my greatest gift had been the chance to being joy to those who loved me most--- my family" (Biles and Burford 246). Overall Simone's journey was incredible even with the ups and downs, it really shows that things always happen for a reason. ]]> 2020-01-19 23:38:48 UTC https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433471246 taylomad003 https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433492083 Biles, Simone, et al. Courage to Soar: a Body in Motion, a Life in Balance. Zondervan, 2016.

Smith, Judith, et al. “What Is Foster Care?” YouTube, YouTube, 19 May 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=on8r5TXKfYY.

Game, The Post. “How Simone Biles Got Started In Gymnastics -- It Was By Accident.” YouTube, YouTube, 9 Aug. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfHFsSVcelM.

Gymnastics, USA.“Simone Biles - Balance Beam - 2013 AT&T American Cup.” YouTube, YouTube, 5 Mar. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2KH2vXL61c.

Network, Universal Sports. “2013 All-Around Champ Simone Biles - Universal Sports.” YouTube, YouTube, 5 Oct. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpUfQzllwXo.

Olympic. “Simone Biles' Rio 2016 Individual All-around Final Routines | Top Moments.” YouTube, YouTube, 26 Apr. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW94mABPEpw.]]> 2020-01-20 01:58:27 UTC https://padlet.com/taylomad003/qccdxfvhdrv/wish/433492083