‘So much more to life’: Boise State gymnast is published author, mental health advocate
Talia Little can be just 15 minutes into a conversation when the distractions of the coffee shop have faded.
Her words resonate, and she speaks clearly and confidently — with the voice of someone who is wise beyond her years.
“Everybody struggles with mental health issues, and it’s something that people need to talk more about,” Little told the Idaho Statesman. “I have always felt different than other people in ways that I couldn’t explain. And I kind of felt like I had to hide who I was to fit into my surroundings.”
At 16, Little started writing as an outlet for her feelings, and she turned that into a novel about finding hope in a hopeless place. That book, “Not One Of Them,” is available on Amazon, and the Boise State sophomore gymnast is ready to share her struggle publicly, with the aim of helping others who might be searching for meaning in their lives.
Maybe it’s hard to imagine a 19-year-old college student on an athletic scholarship having such problems, but Little, a psychology major, says she has overcome more than one might think — as do many others who look fine from the outside.
“All the things I’ve been through in life is what makes me more interested in psychology and made me realize that a lot of people struggle with mental health issues, and that what I had was not something wrong with me,” Little said. “It was something that a lot of people struggle with and something I could actually be open about. It’s not something that I need to hide.”
Growing up, Little was busy. Dance, gymnastics, cheerleading, softball and Girl Scouts all required time. She excelled in school, and eventually got so good at gymnastics that she was practicing 34 hours a week, she said.
Little said she didn’t have a social life and didn’t feel as if she fit in.
“Constantly focusing on one thing and then another thing was part of what I thought gave my life meaning,” Little said. “Gymnastics gave my life meaning, dance gave my life meaning. Doing good school work and getting good grades gave my life meaning. But I think life is more than that, and I struggled to see that.
“I focused so hard on doing good in gym and doing good in school, I forgot that not everyone is perfect and you need to live in the moment. So part of what my book is about is that there’s so much more to life than just one thing.”
‘I almost lost my sport,’ Boise State athlete says
During gymnastics practice her junior year, Little was on the bars when she suddenly felt as though someone had stuck their finger or a cotton ball in her right ear. She couldn’t hear, and she said that she became so dizzy, she couldn’t walk in a straight line.
Doctors told her that she’d experienced permanent sudden sensory hearing loss, which severely affected her balance and thus her ability to compete in the sport she loved and had devoted so much time to. It happened just a few weeks after she had verbally committed to Boise State.
“I almost lost my sport. I didn’t know if I was gonna be able to compete again, because I couldn’t see the beam when I was walking on the beam, it would spin,” Little said. “... It was really tough. I was definitely struggling with my mental health, because I was losing the one thing I had focused my whole life on.”
With the support of her family and coaches at Rochester Gymnastics Academy in Rochester, New York, Little gradually returned to form and ended up winning the all-around, bars and beam at the 2019 U.S. Junior Olympic National Championships, which is the highest Junior Olympic skill level just below the elite level.
“I didn’t even know about her hearing loss until earlier (this school) year when she mentioned it,” Boise State gymnastics coach Tina Bird said. “... I know that it was a tough period of time and she had to learn how to do things a different way to get through it, and I think that’s just made her an even better gymnast.”
Broncos open season with win
Little competes on bars, beam and floor for the Broncos, who opened the 2022 season Friday night with a 194.850 to 194.700 win over No. 19 Southern Utah.
Boise State had its first two meets of the season canceled because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols within the Broncos’ program, and Friday’s meet was the first in front of a crowd for the Broncos’ sophomore class.
“This was a great season opener,” Bird said. “I’m so proud of the team for battling through it tonight. We stuck together and made some big things happen. I’m extremely proud of the freshmen who had a great night and showed they will have great careers here at Boise State.”
The Broncos won individual titles on bars (Emily Muhlenhaupt, 9.950), beam (Adriana Popp, 9.875) and in the all-around (Hope Masiado, 38.900). Little scored a 9.750 on beam, 9.650 on her floor debut and an 8.875 on bars after having to take an extra swing.
Boise State returns 14 members from last year’s team, which advanced to the NCAA Regional Championships for the 13th consecutive season. The Broncos will be back in action Saturday, Feb. 5, at BYU. The meet begins at noon in Provo, Utah.
“Not One Of Them”
Where to get it: Amazon.com
Author: Talia Margaret Little
In her words: A society where punishment for crime lacks justice, and a murderer and a school bully could have the same fate. “Not One Of Them” follows Margaret’s psychological journey as a prisoner for the choice she made. A story about not belonging, feeling lost, and searching for meaning in life. “Not One Of Them” shows the impact of perspective.
BSU gymnastics remaining home schedule
All meets at ExtraMile Arena
Feb. 12: vs. BYU, 7 p.m.
Feb. 18: vs. Utah State, 7 p.m.
March 19: Mountain Rim Gymnastics Championships, 6 p.m.
This story was originally published January 30, 2022 at 4:00 AM.
