There was a time, not long ago, when Joscelyn Roberson stood quietly in the shadows of legends. Surrounded by Olympic gold medalists, she absorbed every detail. But as the lights now tilt in her direction, Roberson has made a choice that surprises some and energizes others. She has left the familiar orbit of Simone Biles’ family gym and embarked on a new chapter. One she insists has made all the difference. And if you’re wondering what pushed her to make that leap, here’s how she describes it.

The 19-year-old gymnast enters the 2025 U.S. Classic with a confidence that was neither forced nor borrowed. Just a year earlier, she had been the youngest among giants. Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, Sunisa Lee, and Jade Carey are all part of a World Championship gold-winning team. After finishing as an alternate for the Paris Olympic squad, Roberson transitioned to college gymnastics, representing the University of Arkansas. There, her individual qualification to the NCAA Championships revealed a more complete version of herself. With the college season concluding in April, she began the steep climb back into elite shape. 

The core of that transformation, physical and mental, began with a deliberate shift in environment. After parting ways with the World Champions Centre, the gym founded by Simone Biles‘ family, Roberson placed her trust in Chris Brooks, a 2016 Olympian and now her coach. The change, she explains, has been nothing short of liberating. “But being in the gym every day with Chris has been so much fun,” she told Inside Gymnastics. “It’s definitely a different experience, but I’m loving it.” The tone in her voice is neither nostalgic nor guarded. It is sure. “I honestly had no expectations for myself. I didn’t know if I was going to be able to get back to the level I was at. But I’m really excited about where I’m at right now and I’m excited to keep going.” Roberson speaks about her new environment with a sense of shared discovery. 

Brooks, while well-versed in the gymnastics community, is learning the contours of Roberson’s competitive rhythm just as she adapts to his. “I mean, this is his first time at Olympia, right? Yes, but he knows so many people just being in the college world… Recruiting, and then he’s an Olympian, so he knows the other Olympians,” she said, laughing. The image she paints is not one of rigidity or pressure, but of a healthy, evolving rapport. “He’s talking to everyone and saying hi. It’s been so much fun and I’m like, ‘Hey Chris, I need this mat,’ and he’s like, ‘Oh yeah, I got it, I got it, I got it.’ Because he’s talking and I’m like, come on. And so it happened.” As the U.S. Classic approaches, Roberson no longer stands as the apprentice.

She is now one of the veterans, guiding a new wave of hopefuls through the unspoken chaos of Olympic season. Yet her tone remains grounded, not grand. Roberson quickly added, “Yeah, but I love it. It’s been so much fun.” There is no trace of bravado in her reflection. Only the steady confidence of an athlete who knows precisely what she walked away from, and exactly what she has found. And as she looks ahead, Roberson has made her intentions clear to make the Worlds this year.

Joscelyn Roberson sets her sights on Worlds after standout NCAA debut

The 19-year-old has not allowed proximity to the Olympics to eclipse her longer-term vision. While her designation as an alternate for Paris might have concluded one chapter, it has done little to quiet her focus on what lies ahead. The American gymnast has already begun redirecting her efforts toward the 2025 World Championships, approaching the post-Olympic period with a sense of clarity that many athletes struggle to summon.

“I’m training to keep my elite skills, try and stay in shape. My goals are to make – hopefully – Worlds later this year,” Roberson said during an appearance on the University of Arkansas’ Hog Pod podcast. Her statement, modest in delivery but precise in intent, reflects the balancing act she currently maintains between NCAA responsibilities and elite aspirations. Now based in Fayetteville, following a move from Houston earlier this year, Roberson has had to adjust both environment and expectation. She acknowledged the scope of this transition by adding, “We’re just taking it one step at a time… I just moved from Houston to Fayetteville, and everything’s changing.”

And yet, her freshman campaign with Arkansas has revealed little sign of distraction. Roberson competed in the all-around at nationals and produced a 39.425, the highest-ever all-around total by a freshman in Razorbacks history at the NCAA Championships. Her Second Team All-America distinction on beam and strong scores across the board indicate that she remains firmly grounded, with a trajectory that continues to rise. Whatever lies ahead in selection committees or training cycles, her ambition to return to the world stage seems not only possible, but probable.