Briley Casanova | Moms and Tots to College Gymnastics
What got you involved in the sport, and who were the people who helped you get into the sport?
When I was almost 2 years old, my mom got me started in gymnastics with a "mom and tot" class. Ever since then, I kept going in the sport until last year. I owe my parents the credit of getting me involved in the sport, since I probably wouldn't have participated in it without them.
What has been your biggest achievement to date, and what is your ultimate goal in gymnastics?
My biggest gymnastics achievements to date would probably be being a part of the USA National Team while training at WOGA and being a part of the University of Michigan's team. Both teams allowed me to compete at the highest level in the sport. With those experiences, I got to represent my country, my family and myself in a sport that I dedicated much of my life to, which is quite an achievement.
Who has been your biggest role model outside the gym, and who is your biggest in?
My biggest role models outside of the gym were my family members, especially my parents and my brother Cole. I always looked up to my parents and their values. Also, while in the gym, I had the privilege and blessing to have wonderful coaches at WOGA that I got to train under. I idolize them to this day! To name someone in particular, Mary Lou Retton was always a gymnast that I admired, too. She set the standard for future Americans in the sport to win, and I appreciate her sportsmanship and how she has stayed involved in the sport since her career ended.
Gymnastics is known to only last for so long and most gymnasts retire by their early 20's. What is your plan now that you're retired?
Since I am now retired at 22, I plan to stay involved in the world of sports through sport psychology and performance counseling one day. I am attending graduate school to learn as much as I can about increasing mental and physical performance. I want to help athletes reach their goals in whatever sport they participate in. For now, I want to stay fit and active through dancing, taking long walks, jogging and lifting weights occasionally.
Gymnastics is known to have long term effects on growth/ your body, what is something you’d tell parents of kids interested in the sport about this?
If I had to give parents of athletes advice for participating in gymnastics, I would say to listen to your child. At the end of the day, they should be the one deciding if they want to be a part of it or not. If they are enjoying the sport, let them enjoy it and encourage them to continue. If they aren't enjoying it, don't force them to stay involved. It's not for everyone, but I would encourage everyone at some point in their life to at least try it.
What sorts of training outside of gymnastics do you do, and why do you do it?
When I was a gymnast, the other training activity that I would do to stay fit was running. While this wasn't my favorite part of training, it was a way for me to maintain my cardio endurance. Also, we as a team would have to condition and do exercises that helped keep us strong. Conditioning consisted of both lifting weights and just using our own body weight. We did extra exercise to not only stay strong, but to prevent injury and stay in shape for competition.
How has gymnastics changed your life?
I don't think gymnastics really changed my life, only because it was my life. Until this year, I didn't know what life was like without gymnastics, so I guess I'll never know what it would have been like growing up without it. I am so glad it was my life for so long, because it shaped me into who I am. It gave me morals, standards, relationships, and skills that I don't think I could have learned from anywhere else. Gymnastics was my first true love, and I will always cherish it and appreciate it for all of the experiences it gave me. I owe many of the opportunities that I earned from gymnastics alone.
What is your favorite cheat meal, and what does your diet consist of?
My favorite "cheat meal" is anything sweet or anything with carbs in it! That includes a lot, but if I had to pick my favorite sweet thing right now, I would say homemade baked goods! Anything sweet that can be baked, like homemade cookies, is always something I enjoy. My diet is currently very balanced. I always prioritize eating lots of vegetables and protein before I get dessert, but with that in mind, I don't limit myself to cutting out desserts completely. I have gotten so much better about listening to my body and allowing it what it wants. I have learned to not go overboard as much. I eat when I'm hungry, and I stop when I'm satisfied. My key diet priority is just to listen to my body.
What do you do to prepare for a competition? How do you maintain a healthy lifestyle?
When I used to compete, I would prepare for competitions by doing a lot of visualization. Seeing myself compete each routine successfully was key thing to me. I made sure to always be in a positive, relaxed state of mind before every competition, and that helped me perform well. Listening to music and closing my eyes to see myself do each routine in my head was key for me before competing. Deep breathing always keeps me grounded as well. To maintain a healthy lifestyle, again, I really try to listen to my body and give it what it wants. If it craves sweating and working out, then I make sure to do that. If it wants vegetable or meat or carbs or a dessert, I give it that. I have learned to truly listen to my body and make sure to nourish it. Also, if there is anything to take away from what I have said to this point, no matter what, drink water. You can never have too much water. It is so so so important.
For people starting out in the sport, what are some tips you would give?
For people starting out in the sport, I would say that participating in it has to come from you. Your parents cannot make you do it, your coached can't make you do it, no one else can make you do it. You have to really love it to commit to it and do well, so make sure it is right for you, and everything that comes with the journey will be worth it. Make sure to set goals for yourself to keep you motivated. Surround yourself with good friends, teammates and coaches to inspire you, too. Keep making sure you are happy with what you're doing and you will do great things. Don't give up when it gets hard though, too. The hard days make the good ones even better.
What defines health and healthy to you?
To me, being healthy is treating your body with love and respect. That can mean different things to different people, but as I have mentioned before, I listen to what my body wants. I also make sure to get enough sleep. I know that if I don't get good food, hydration or sleep, I can't function properly. So, I would say health at the end of the day is giving your body what it needs. Prioritize proper food, hydration and rest so you can perform at your best, whether you're an athlete or not.
How has gymnastics helped your self-esteem? Are you confident with your body because of gymnastics?
Gymnastics did help my self-esteem in a few ways. While I didn't have a perfect relationship with my body throughout my career, looking back I realize how big of a blessing it is to have a gymnast's body. If being strong and able to flip and fly on different kinds of equipment is different than the average looking girl, I would take that any day! I wish I could go back and do it all again and still have those muscles. Today, I feel very blessed and happy to have my body the way it is. I may not be thin, but I know that I used to be able to flip and fly whenever I wanted to, and that makes me feel special and beautiful. I am more confident now, after being an athlete, than ever before. I wish I had only realized that earlier, and while I was still in the sport!
Gymnasts are often viewed as intimidating due to the muscles they gain from the sport. How have you coped with this? Do you embrace it or is it still an insecurity?
Only a few times did I come across the "intimidation" behind gymnastics. I only encountered that with people outside of the sport, which was also very rare, so it didn't really bother me that much. I can see why people view gymnasts as intimidating, but at the end of the day, we're all just people. I don't think I ever took to heart the things that people have said about my muscles or the fact that I competed in a really intense support. If anything, most people really supported me and were very proud of me, so it was easy for me to embrace and enjoy. If anything, being a gymnast made me fell special and stand out from the crowd, so it was really nice to feel special in my own way while growing up.
What was an obstacle you faced and how did you overcome it?
An obstacle I faced many times as a gymnast was fear of doing certain skills. I distinctly remember being scared of doing overshoots on bars and aerials on beam. I got over those fears by learning visualization skills, using mats until I felt ready, and getting my coaches to spot me. With all of that being said, I did need to be pushed sometimes, and my parents and coaches got me to learn that you can only move forward and progress if you get outside your comfort zone with new skills. So, I learned to start getting comfortable with being uncomfortable, and then learning new skills became fun and I wanted to do it all the time.