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Mother of Olympic gold medalist Katie Nageotte on raising an athlete: Mom Squad with 3News' Maureen Kyle

Diane Nageotte says her Olympic gold medalist daughter, Katie, was an athlete all her life. But she talks with Maureen Kyle about when she realized Katie was elite.

CLEVELAND — As we watch different athletes compete on the Olympic stage, we see their parents and family's reaction – lately from watch parties at home. The families sacrifice just as much as the athletes themselves.

In this week's Mom Squad, 3News' Maureen Kyle caught up with the mother of Katie Nageotte, Diane, after her daughter recently won Olympic gold in pole vault during the summer games. They talk about what it was like to not be able to travel to watch her daughter compete due to COVID protocols, and what it was like to raise a child who goes on to compete in the Olympics.

RELATED: Olympic winner Katie Nageotte reveals mental health struggle with motivation following gold medal win, shares advice for 2022 Winter Olympics athletes

“I thought, she has her own coaches, they're the experts depending on how good they are. And they really didn't need me breathing down their necks," Diane says. “And I just think it's important to let the kids dictate the direction they go; it’s got to be a passion for them or they're never going to succeed.”

During the podcast, Diane talks about when she realized Katie was Olympic-caliber. For some athletes, they train all day and get school tutors, but Katie grew up playing multiple sports, getting into track and field in 7th grade.

To listen to the entire conversation, you can download The Mom Squad Pod wherever you get your podcasts.

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