After Addressing College Gymnastics Harsh Realities, Bailey Ferrer Seeks Comfort

Bailey Ferrer has made significant contributions to the world of college gymnastics. She joined the team in January 2019 and contributed to the vault, bars, and floor. Despite not competing in 2020, she made LSU’s bars lineup at the NCAA Championships. However, her journey was not without its challenges.

She also competed at multiple Nastia Liukin Cups, P&G Championships, and Secret U.S. Classic. Ferrer placed sixth on the floor, seventh on the bars, and third overall and in the vault at the 2017 J.O. National Championships. Her candid revelations have attracted attention both within and outside the athletic community.

Seeking solace beyond gymnastics

In a recent Instagram story, Bailey Ferrer shared her experience of attending a church evening. The former gymnast at Louisiana State University (LSU), has been open about her struggles with mental health and the harsh realities of college gymnastics. She sparked a discussion about mental health among college athletes and expressed the taboos she faced in her school and college gymnastics.

Ferrer’s journey began as an elite gymnast, where she faced a culture that scrutinized every aspect of her appearance, from her tan to her makeup. The pressure to maintain a certain weight led her to extreme measures, such as skipping meals, which eventually resulted in her battling eating disorders.

She Went Through a Lot of Untold Struggles

Bailey Ferrer, like many NCAA gymnasts, found herself in a toxic culture that was eerily similar to the intense club programs she had previously been a part of. Instances of body-shaming, verbal abuse, and mental health struggles were rampant, impacting her mental and physical well-being. The behavior of the coaches led to a degradation of mental health, with athletes feeling unsupported and unsafe, and some even being driven out of the sport.

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Despite efforts to address systemic abuse in gymnastics, including the creation of oversight organizations, change in college gymnastics has been limited. The decision to retain the coach raised concerns among the athletes who reported mistreatment. These untold struggles had a significant impact on Ferrer’s life, raising larger concerns about student-athlete welfare.

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