I couldn't agree more with everybody. This thread brought to mind an excellent book I read back in the 90s about this very subject. My house has eaten my copy, so I went to the mighty river to see if it was on Kindle (it isn't), but there's an updated edition with some further material, so - guess what - I bought it again. It's WELL worth a read:

Little Girls In Pretty Boxes: The Making & Breaking of Elite Gymnasts & Skaters