One of the hardest jobs at the Olympics is commenting on Simone Biles’s performances. The normally chatty announcers can’t say anything except “Wow!” “Incredible!” “Unbelievable!” I get it. I’ve been an armchair gymnastics fan since I was a kid in the 1980s and ’90s. Biles soars higher than anyone else in the competition. She performs more difficult routines than any other woman. Heck, her vault is so hard that almost no men in the world can land it. And she’s doing all this at a gymnastics “grandma” age of 27. If she wins the most coveted gymnastics prize in Paris — all-around gold — she will be the oldest woman to do so since 1952.
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Opinion | Three big ways Simone Biles changed America
I’m rooting for Biles to win it all not just because she’s the best, but also because she has changed the sport of gymnastics — and her country.
Who can forget what happened at the last Olympics in Tokyo. Biles stunned the world by dropping out of the team competition after a fluke vault. She wasn’t visibly injured. There was no limping or screaming. But she was hurting mentally. Had she kept going, she might have died. Her brain was telling her body to fly and twist, but her body wasn’t complying.
When she tried to explain this, the internet labeled her a disgrace, a traitor, a quitter. She went from “GOAT” to scapegoat for an angry world still largely locked down. Her career seemed over. Yet here she is — back and better than ever with a new tattoo on her collarbone: Maya Angelou’s “And Still I Rise.”
Her actions in Tokyo spurred a shift that affected the world well beyond sports. Suddenly, it was okay to talk about and prioritize mental health. Biles says she wouldn’t have returned to the Olympics without her family — and her therapist. She is transformed. She’s smiling more. And she’s leading her sport. Her parents opened a gym in Houston that has become a haven for Biles and many other elite gymnasts including France’s Melanie De Jesus Dos Santos and Team USA’s Jordan Chiles and alternate Joscelyn Roberson. When Olympian Suni Lee was struggling at the U.S. national championships competition this year, it was Biles, rather than Lee’s coach, who gave Lee the pep talk that made the difference.
Biles has transformed gymnastics from a girls’ to a women’s sport. In the 1970s, ’80s, ’90s and early 2000s, female gymnastics champions were extraordinarily young and thin. Their coaches yelled at them so much, it amounted to borderline child abuse. It took the story of widespread sexual abuse of gymnasts by team physician Larry Nassar to bring the situation into the open. But the brutality wasn’t limited to sexual abuse, especially not in the era when head coaches Bela and Marta Karolyi constantly criticized the girls’ weight and appearance, and urged them to compete while injured. Kerri Strug’s infamous vault on an injured ankle at the 1996 Atlanta Games, as Bela Karolyi yelled “You can do it!” from the sidelines looks alarming to the world today.
“You literally had one job and you couldn’t protect us,” Biles said of USA Gymnastics in 2019. She refused to continue with Karolyi-style training camps. She testified before Congress about the trauma she suffered.
In her new Netflix documentary, she says she still struggles with flashbacks when she arrives at big competitions. But she has found her voice and pushed for change in her sport. Her new coaches put mental fitness first. Her gym has pioneered new training methods. Biles even helped change Team USA leotards — from girly pink to patriotic colors with higher necks and a more elegant, mature style.
She’s also helped diversify the sport, inspiring young gymnasts of all backgrounds to compete. Biles’s personal story is powerful: She lived in foster care until her grandparents adopted her. She had overcome a great deal well before social media trolls criticized her hair, her clothes, her dance moves and even her husband. Today, there is a calm about her. She lets her flips and turns, scores and medals do the talking. China has boasted that the men’s team it is sending to Paris is the most decorated, with 37 Olympic and World Championship medals among its five stars. Biles has won 37 medals all on her own.
America loves a good comeback story, and they don’t come much better than Biles’s. I’m rooting for her to win — for herself, for America and, most of all, to remind the world what a strong woman can do.
COMMENTARY | From Seattle to Spokane, the state of Washington has been a leader in cutting-edge technology. Today, technological advances focus on artificial intelligence.As president of Gonzaga University, I see firsthand how profoundly AI is reshaping higher education. Students are already using generative AI in classrooms. Faculty are rethinking assessment. Entire industries are recalibrating workforce expectations. The disruption is not theoretical. It is here.
Crews are on the scene of a serious crash on I-95 South in Stafford, Virginia.
Virginia State Police confirmed the crash was fatal but has not yet confirmed how many fatalities there were.
All southbound lanes are closed at mile marker 146.
Traffic is being diverted to Route 1 at exit 148.
This is a developing story. Stay with News4 and nbcwashington.com for updates.
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Sounders FC, Starbucks and Washington Youth Soccer launch Washington Youth Soccer Match Pass to celebrate the next generation of soccer across the Evergreen State | Seattle Sounders
RENTON, WASH. – Sounders FC, in partnership with Starbucks and Washington Youth Soccer, today announced the launch of the Washington Youth Soccer Match Pass, a first-of-its-kind statewide initiative designed to inspire the next generation of young athletes across the Evergreen State. As the sport reaches a defining moment across North America, the Washington Youth Soccer Match Pass invites every registered Washington Youth Soccer athlete aged 18 and under to receive a complimentary ticket to select home matches this season, connecting young players and their families across Washington to the heart of Sounders FC matchdays and Pacific Northwest soccer culture.
More than a ticket initiative, the Washington Youth Soccer Match Pass is rooted in a shared belief that soccer belongs to everyone who plays it. With over 90,000 registered Washington Youth Soccer athletes eligible for the program – which includes access to additional discounted tickets for friends and family members – the Washington Youth Soccer Match Pass celebrates those that continue to shape the sport’s strong foundation across the state. Coming at a significant moment for soccer in the region, with Seattle hosting six matches during the FIFA World Cup 2026™ this summer, Sounders FC and its partners are joining together to invest in the players, families, clubs and communities that fuel the game year-round.
“The Washington Youth Soccer Match Pass is about recognizing that every young player across Washington is already part of the story of this club,” said Sounders FC President of Business Operations Hugh Weber. “The Sounders are not just Seattle’s club – it’s Washington’s soccer club. Many of the players who wear our crest today, including Jordan Morris, Paul Rothrock and Jackson Ragen, grew up playing in Washington Youth Soccer. Their journeys are proof that the connection between local soccer communities and Sounders FC is real, lasting and deeply rooted.”
The program is available for the Rave Green’s final 12 MLS regular-season and Leagues Cup home matches of the 2026 campaign, beginning with Seattle’s first contest after the 2026 FIFA World Cup break against archrival Portland Timbers on Thursday, July 16 (7:30 p.m. PT / Apple TV, FS1, iHeartMedia Seattle, El Rey 1360 AM). Eligible Washington Youth Soccer athletes can access the offer through a **dedicated online portal** using their WYS Player ID.
With Seattle as its hometown, Starbucks is deeply rooted in communities across Washington and beyond. Starbucks serves as the initiative’s founding partner to make professional soccer more accessible for families throughout the season. A longtime Sounders FC partner, Starbucks joins the club in its commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for youth athletes and their families across Washington, reinforcing shared values of community, connection and access to the game.
“We are proud to partner with Sounders FC and Washington Youth Soccer to expand our support for youth soccer across our hometown of Seattle and communities across Washington,” said Starbucks Senior Vice President of Global Marketing Erin Silvoy. “At Starbucks, we believe sports are a powerful force for connection, that brings people together through shared rituals and moments of joy. By helping more youth experience soccer first-hand, we hope to inspire the next generation while supporting the athletes, coaches and families who make our communities stronger.”
Founded in 1961, Washington Youth Soccer is one of the region’s leading youth sports organizations, helping shape generations of players and families through recreational and competitive opportunities across the state for more than 60 years. Affiliated with U.S. Youth Soccer, U.S. Soccer and FIFA, Washington Youth Soccer works alongside nearly 200 member clubs and local associations to help grow and strengthen the game at every level, creating accessible pathways and enriching experiences for youth athletes and their families throughout Washington.
”We see this partnership as a catalyst to inspire the next generation of youth soccer players,” said Washington Youth Soccer Executive Director Roger Levesque. “There is something unique about attending a Sounders match at Lumen Field – the sights, sounds and world-class soccer all contribute to a goose bump-inducing experience. But the true inspiration comes from living the highs and lows of a match together, alongside family, friends and thousands of fans, who for 90 minutes, are all on the same team. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with Sounders FC and Starbucks to bring this experience and the joy of soccer to the Washington Youth Soccer community.”
MLS is currently amid an extended break from play for the FIFA World Cup 2026™, with Seattle returning to action on Thursday, July 16 against the Portland Timbers on the Emerald Queen Casino Pitch at Lumen Field (7:30 p.m. PT / Apple TV, iHeartMedia Seattle, El Rey 1360 AM).
ABOUT SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
Born in 1974 and a member of Major League Soccer since 2009, Seattle Sounders FC is one of North America’s leading professional soccer organizations. The club has captured nine major trophies since its inaugural MLS season, and following its Leagues Cup victory in 2025, Seattle became the first team in U.S. soccer history to win every major competition (Concacaf Champions Cup, MLS Cup, Supporters’ Shield, U.S. Open Cup, Leagues Cup). Since the club’s MLS debut, Sounders fans have set the standard for soccer support in North America, leading the league in attendance for eight-consecutive seasons (2009-2016), routinely ranking in the global top 30 among all professional clubs and never finishing outside of MLS’ top three.
Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to responsibly sourcing and roasting hi-quality arabica coffee. Today, with a global footprint of more than 41,000 company-operated and licensed coffeehouses and a growing presence in consumer-packaged goods, we are the world’s premier purveyor of specialty coffee. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at about.starbucks.com or www.starbucks.com.
ABOUT WASHINGTON YOUTH SOCCER
Washington Youth Soccer (WYS) is the largest youth sports organization in Washington State, serving more than 90,000 players through a network of over 200 member associations and clubs statewide. WYS is committed to fostering the physical, mental, and emotional growth of youth through the game of soccer by creating opportunities for players of all backgrounds and ability levels to learn, compete, and thrive. Through leagues, tournaments, player development programs, coaching education, community partnerships, and initiatives supported by the Washington Youth Soccer Foundation, WYS works to grow the game and create meaningful experiences for young athletes across Washington.
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