Beneath the spotlight and flawless routines, gymnasts fight a battle far tougher than any vault or tumbling pass. The bruises and injuries are visible; the mental strain is not. In the relentless world of NCAA gymnastics, the pressure to be perfect has pushed countless athletes to a breaking point. Now, a Georgia Gymnastics freshman has stepped forward, her viral admission exposing the silent toll the sport continues to take on young talent.

“so jokes over. can you take me back to club gym days?!?!! i actually hate college,” wrote Kelise Woolford on a video posted to TikTok in which she appeared exhausted and sad.

Her words reflect a difficult reality: transitioning from club gymnastics to the NCAA can be overwhelming. The expectations, training demands, and competitive landscape are vastly different, and trying to juggle academics, a social life, and high-level gymnastics often pushes athletes to the point of mental and physical saturation, especially as freshmen.

Her video quickly went viral, prompting an outpouring of concern from fans who checked in to see if she was doing okay. Overwhelmed by the support, she later took to her X handle to share an update on how she’s holding up.

“I’m good, y’all ❤️I’ve always been transparent with my supporters, so let me say this clearly…I love my team, I love competing as a DAWG, and I’m grateful for every opportunity here. Just a freshman missing home a bit, but I’m locked in & doing fine. See y’all Dec 13th.”

Taking to Instagram, the NCAA gymnast also shared several snapshots of her beam routine and captioned, “The struggle may feel big, but the One in the room is bigger.” It served as a gentle reminder to herself that the future holds far brighter days than the difficulties she is facing right now.

NCAA gymnastics has always been a demanding stage for young athletes fighting to make a name for themselves. However, as times have changed, so has the culture surrounding how mental fatigue is understood and addressed.

USA Gymnastics now prioritizes young athletes’ mental health

The culture is shifting fast. Mental health in sports is no longer a footnote; it has become a non-negotiable priority for athletic directors, gym owners, and organizational leaders. USA Gymnastics, the National Governing Body under the USOPC, has rolled out some of its most decisive reforms yet, overhauling its hiring, staffing, and training standards while expanding access to multiple tiers of professional mental health support.

When Inside Gymnastics asked the USA Gymnastics President and CEO Li Li Leung about her thoughts on the new program, she said, “USA Gymnastics has implemented multiple new wellness resources over the past several years.”

“Some of which include an emotional support dog program, increased presence of sport psychology providers at camps and events, funding for visits with mental health providers for both athletes and coaches, mindfulness sessions at premier events, as well as nutritional resources, to name just a few,” added Leung.

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For example, last year’s Olympic gymnastics trials featured a golden retriever therapy dog named Beacon, there to comfort athletes and coaches by offering up belly rubs and pets. Such USA gymnastics events now also have mental health professionals on call along with regular doctors.

A big reason behind the increased emphasis on mental wellbeing is the advocacy done by gymnasts like Simone Biles and Sam Mikulak. Biles in particular played a big role in destigmatizing mental health, while Mikulak has been open about his mental struggles and going for therapy.

Gone are the days when athletes were told to keep their emotions to themselves, and the frustration has now been buried. “The well-being of athletes and their support teams is a core priority for us.” Support must now be present during competition, on the road, in practice, whenever athletes need it most.