Mary Lou Retton is opening up about her divorce from ex-husband Shannon Kelley. foreverourlegacy.org. "I will pick and choose some appearances, but I need to take care of these kids and support them and love them. With a famous mom like Olympic gymnastics superstar Mary Lou Retton, there must be some pressure for her daughter, McKenna Kelley, to take up the mantle of gymnastics greatness. All images are used with permission or licensed. All four of their children have been involved with gymnastics, like their mom, who, at 53, is working in sports once again, managing a new competitive tour. https://twitter.com/mckennamckelley/status/1120331854186536962. Mary Lou Retton and McKenna Kelley | Mary Lou. [emailprotected]. In addition to McKenna, Retton has three other daughters with ex Shannon Kelley: Shayla Rae, 24, Skyla Brae, 19, and Emma Jean, 16. Did having her mom there make Kelley nervous? Though Retton admits shes a pretty private person, she decided to share the news about her divorce in such a public manner so that she could be transparent about everything she had been going through. "I don't think I understood the enormity of what she did and the groundbreaking gymnastics she did at the time," she told Today of Retton in 2019. That's all she is.". One gold, two silver and two bronze. [23], In 1997, Retton was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. But she and her siblings were never forced to continue doing it if they didn't want to, which McKenna noted to Tiger Rag, an LSU magazine. A women's gymnastics competition tour open to USA Gymnastics, NGA, & AAU levels 1-10 and Xcel divisions. '", Despite her daughters' success in their athletic pursuits, Retton has said that the main thing she's focused on is their happiness. [18], In 1985, she received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement presented by Awards Council member General Chuck Yeager. She won gold, 2x Bronze, and 2x Silver medals at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Growing up, I never had that pressure, Kelley told espnW as a freshman competitor. They'll always second guess themselves, from what they say to how they look. Posts. A native of Tyler, he is a graduate of John Tyler High School, Tyler Junior College and The University of Texas at Austin. Retton's daughter McKenna Kelley followed in her mother's footsteps, competing in gymnastics for Louisiana State University in 2019. See Her Now. Now, she says, shes ready for a new chapter. Back when I competed, it was the pretty little butterflies, which I was not. Shayla was on her college's acrobatics and tumbling team. McKenna won her first gymnastics competition when she was 17. 1995), McKenna (b. McKenna and her mom co-host the women's gymnastics tour, "For Mothers and Daughters Forever Our Legacy." McKenna, who's now 24, was co-championof the Nastia Liukin Cup, an annual U.S. competition hosted by the former Olympian, in 2014. Houston pitmaster goes viral after hilarious TV interview, Astros GM Dana Brown has more praise team's top prospect, Principal fired for reading 'I Need a New Butt!' At 26 years old, Shayla is Retton's eldest daughter. I just felt this is my chance to really be clear and to be transparent to people. Her university profile notes that, as a junior, Shayla qualified in three events at the National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association's Individual Championships and won one. RELATED:See Michael Jordan's Three Oldest Kids All Grown Up. And I feel like people have a hard time believing that. I think me coming out with that did help a lot of women., For Retton, the opportunity to participate on DWTS came at just the right time following her divorce, as she was looking to get away. The teenage beauty was pictured wearing the traditional graduation attire a navy blue graduation gown with oversized sleeves and cap. Ever. Retton won two international events in 1983 and entered the Olympic year, with the Soviets boycotting the Games in Los Angeles, picked to win the all-around silver medal behind Ecaterina Szabo of Romania. Kerri Strug's Heroic Vault Was 25 Years Ago. Registered gymnasts will receive a custom GK leotard. For some fans in attendance, watching Kelley's mom cheer on her performance brought back heartwarming memories of those Olympic games. But 30 years ago, the equipment we worked on wasn't so forgiving. A post shared by Emma Kelley (@emmajeankelley). pic.twitter.com/FayDig23lR, LSU Gymnastics (@LSUgym) April 21, 2019. [14] She recovered just in time for this most prestigious of tournaments, and in the competition, which was boycotted by the Soviet bloc nations except for Romania, Retton was engaged in a close battle with Ecaterina Szabo of Romania for the all-around gold medal. She had gone away and I knew she was in there that strong, powerful, confident woman and I found her.. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. RELATED: Kerri Strug's Heroic Vault Was 25 Years Ago. Senior night topped off with a PERFECT 10 on the floor #priceless #beyondproud #mckennasmom," she gushed in the caption. She now has her own YouTube channel, which she started in 2015. Now live in Houston with her husband and their four kids. Show More Posts from marylouretton. A lot of people were surprised.. She'll be starting her junior year this fall and is in the Alpha Phi sorority. #allthefeels #lsugym @mckennamckelley @LSUgym pic.twitter.com/DbmbuWFazK, Alison Stevens (@AlisonMichele93) April 21, 2019. See Her Now. Kerri Strug's Heroic Vault Was 25 Years Ago. Daughter of Mary Lou Retton and Shannon Kelly Her mother Mary Lou Retton won the gold medal in the all-around at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles Her father Shannon Kelley. Mary Lou Retton was born on January 24, 1968, in the United States in Fairmont, West Virginia. She also competed in multiple club gymnastics competitions when she was in high school. Related . The perfect tummy control bodysuit, a popcorn gadget, more bestsellers starting at $8. The former Olympic gymnast is executive producer and star of the show, a series for children ages 6 and under. See Her Now. She graduated from Baylor University in 2017 with a major in Health Science. All four of my children were born here, and my husband is from here. They'll make their remarks with a straight face, even if they're joking. I hadnt done that in over 30 years. The couple got married in January 2020. She has done an amazing job.. For her performance, she was named Sports Illustrated Magazine's "Sportswoman of the Year." Mary Lou Retton was the first American female to have an Olympic all-around gold. I dont think another year of gymnastics could give me anything I needed more, she said, adding that her team at LSU has been so special and she wants to finish her college journey with them. 1984 Olympic Gymnastics all-around champion, President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017, List of Olympic female gymnasts for the United States, List of Olympic medal leaders in women's gymnastics, "Mary Lou RETTON - Olympic Gymnastics Artistic - United States of America", "Amazing Moments in Olympic History- Mary Lou Retton", "Biography of Mary Lou Retton, Olympic Gymnastics Champion", "Boston.com Local Search Boston Globe Archives", "Doing it her way: Mary Lou Retton teaches healthy attitudes to her kids and, now, the rest of us", "HBU Huskies Football Names Shannon Kelley Offensive Assistant Coach", "Mary Lou Retton Divorces Husband Shannon Kelley After 27 Years of Marriage: 'I Felt Very Alone', "Mary Lou beams after sticking her vault to capture the all", "Mary Lou Retton Reflects On 1985 American Cup Win, Retirement Decision", "Election 2004: Republican Convention Schedule and Viewer's Guide", "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement", Retton, Hammill most popular American athletes, "Houston Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2020 - HCHSA | Harris County Houston Sports Authority", "For Retton, the Gold Still Glitters;Pressure, Time and Change Mature '84 Olympic Gymnastics Champion", "Prowess alone won't get an athlete on Wheaties", "Text - S.534 - 115th Congress (2017-2018): Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017", "Facing Congress, Some Sports Officials (Not All) Begin to Confront Sexual Abuse", "Mary Lou Retton. See Her Now. Mary Lou Retton a member of the 1984 Olympic gymnastics team won five medals in LA. All four of their children have been involved with gymnastics, like their mom, who, at 53, is working in sports once again, managing a new competitive tour. She graduated from Baylor University in 2017 with a major in Health Science. ** FILE ** Mary Lou Retton is shown during her perfect performance in the floor exercise in the Olympic individual all-around finals of the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Calif., in this Aug. 3, 1984 photo. 07/25/2001 - Mary Lou Retton relaxes while talking to actress Alicia Church (who plays 'Jumpy') on the set The Flip Flop Shop at KUHT studios on 7-25-01. There were women saying theyve been in the same predicament as myself [with a] long marriage and thanking me for giving them the hope and courage to continue, she says. One gold, two silver and two bronze. Retton, 51, was in the audience watching as her daughter's performance earned a sky-high score of 9.95, mere hundredths from the coveted perfect 10. And I just can't help myself!" Still, Retton is supportive of her daughters aspirations, as you may have been able to tell by her beaming face in the video. The retired Olympic gold-medal-winning gymnast revealed her split from her husband of 27 years publicly for the. . Retton is executive producer and star of the show, a series for under-6 set. I popped a rib last week, so thats pretty painful. I showed the world what the sport was going to be - power and athleticism as opposed to just the graceful, artistic side of things.". I'm gonna sit down like most of the other parents and just clap when you go and be quiet and civilized.' We were arguing towards the end a lot, but I think that they were shocked that it actually happened.. Last Christmas, she shared a photo of her and her sisters in matching pajamas on Instagram. By Uplifting Today / April 24, 2019. Im excited scared, but excited.. Born with hip dysplasia and battered by years of constant training as a teenager, she has undergone 19 surgical procedures, including replacements for both hips and underwent back surgery in June prompted by a degenerative bone disorder. Retton was thrust back into the spotlight when the USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal hit the news in 2016. 1 day ago, by Yerin Kim 1997), and Emma (b. She was married to former University of Texas quarterback and Houston real estate developer Shannon Kelley, who now works for the Houston Baptist University athletic department. Skyla is lucky enough to get genes from a renowned talent like Retton, and she now has many of her mother's fans looking forward to her future endeavors. [] book to class, Turner: TEA is giving Houston ISD two optionsclose school or be taken over, Two ocelots were photographed crossing a road in rare South Texas sighting, Willie Nelson's new album is a lovely tribute to a fellow country legend. McKenna then took her gymnastics career to the collegiate level at Louisiana State University. ': What Happened to the Stars of the Iconic Series through the Years, Csar Domboy's Girlfriend: All We Know about the 'Outlander' Star's Dating History, Girl Bans Single Mom from Her Graduation after Learning She Works as a Cleaner Story of the Day, Pat Sajaks Son Insists the Star Calls Him Dr Sajak While His Daughter Follows in His Footsteps - Meet Them, Woman Visits Orphanage She Left 16 Years Ago and Sees a Girl Who Is Her Carbon Copy There Story of the Day. "She's never made us feel like we had . 1 day ago, by Victoria Edel var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); She's Mom to me, just like anyone else's mom." Kelley, 22, is one of Retton's four daughters (McKenna was the second), all of whom did or still do gymnastics. Mary Lou Retton wrote "Gateways to Happiness" to share her philosophy about success and life. Opening up about her decision to step away, Kelley shared that she feels so at peace.. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. That would be really amazing if I found myself a dancer. That's all she is.". "No one had ever seen a gymnast like me. Im scared!, I guess I got to find myself a dancer, dont I? she adds. This is your last routine, she shared. As to whether she has gotten a chance to step back into the dating pool, Retton says, Not yet!, Im scared a little bit, she says. Those #goals aren't what they seem. She also participated in several cheer competitions, per Yahoo! Legendary Olympians Who've Been Honored on Wheaties Boxes. RELATED: Nadia Comneci Scored a Perfect 10 at the Olympics 45 Years Ago. Born and raised in Fairmont, W.Va., (her father, Ron, at 5 feet 7, was a co-captain with Jerry West on West Virginia's 1959 NCAA Tournament finalists), Retton came to Houston at age 14 to train with Bela and Martha Karolyi, who trained the great Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci before coming to the United States in the early 1980s. A post shared by shay schrep (@shaylaschrepfer). 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Wonderful final performance for her career at @LSUgym pic.twitter.com/DR9R83G9P8. pic.twitter.com/tedB7SG2jv. See Her Now. Retton was inspired by watching Nadia Comneci outshine defending Olympic two-event winner Olga Korbut on television at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, when she herself was eight years of age, and she took up gymnastics in her hometown of Fairmont, West Virginia. Retton could be spotted in the stands blowing kisses and holding up 10 fingers for a perfect 10. Among them, a bona fide gymnastics icon: Kelley's mom, Mary Lou Retton, the first American woman to win an Olympic all-around gold, who was flashing perfect-10 fingers, blowing kisses to Kelley . RELATED: Gymnast Carly Patterson Won Olympic Gold 17 Years Ago. (Not in Picture). [4][5], Mary Lou Retton was born on January 24, 1968, in Fairmont, West Virginia. "I try to make every competition I can," Retton said in a 2016 ESPN feature. Her path was different than mine and Im so proud of everything.. Im really excited for what this new chapter is going to bring instead of being that scared person that I was a couple of months ago. She attended Fairmont Senior High School, but did not graduate. Videos Tagged. Retired American gymnast, Mary Lou Retton, took to social media to celebrate her look-alike daughter, Skylas graduation from high school. After nearly 30 years of marriage, the couple divorced in 2018, but they still share their four daughters: Shayla Kelley, McKenna Kelley, Skyla Kelley, and Emma Kelley. "If it didn't work out, I would go back to Fairmont, W.Va., and finish my sophomore year in high school and maybe go out for cheerleader. The tour benefits The McKenna Kelly Foundation, which donates to non-profits focusing on mental health. She also scored a perfect 10 on a floor exercise at a meet against Oregon State University.