Shawn Johnson Reacts to Daughter’s Request to Do “Big Girl Gymnastics”

“I will have to have my coach move here if that were ever the case,” she said of the Iowa-based pro. “Or he’ll help me find a coach. We’ll see.”

Because as much as Drew may have a genetic advantage, Shawn knows the biggest leg up is a love of the mat. “I have a lot of friends who will say, ‘Oh, is my daughter good? Do I need to be putting her in X, Y and Z?'” the athlete explained. “And I always tell them, ‘The greatest chances of success with any kid is for a kid to love what they do. Because a lot of times the people who make the Olympics aren’t the best and most talented. They’ve just loved it enough to work through every hurdle that has come their way.”

Which is why she’s here to shepherd Drew’s fascination with flips and 2-year-old brother Jett‘s obsession with bikes. “Can’t get the little boy off of the bike: inside the house outside the house, off the stairs,” Shawn shared. “He’s a wild child.” 

No matter the hobby, she explained, “the more a kid loves it, the more effort they’re willing to put in. So just put them in everything and find what sticks.”