Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:00:00) – The views, thoughts and opinions expressed by the host and guests on this podcast are their own and do not represent the views, thoughts and opinions of UCLA Athletics, UCLA gymnastics, or the Bruins gymnastics alumni community. The content of this podcast is strictly for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice.
Samantha Peszek (00:00:22) – Getting it done to its fullest. And what I mean by that, if I have a task or something mundane like how can I, at the end of that day, feel like I impacted somebody else? You know, whether it’s my team at the beam bootcamp or the audience on television, like, how have I been able to positively make an impact on someone else’s day?
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:00:49) – Welcome to the Bruin gymnastics edition of the Resilience to Brilliance podcast, where you’ll be inspired by riveting behind the scenes stories of UCLA gymnastics legends. I’m your host, Kim Hamilton Anthony. Here we go. Overcoming challenges is something that each of us must do just about every single day. There always seems to be something for Samantha Peszek that something happened to be injuries, and they took place at the most inopportune times.- Samantha was the youngest member of the US national team at age 12. She won team gold medals in the Pan American Games and World Championships, and the team’s silver medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. At UCLA. She was a three time national champion and 17 time All-American. She became a sports broadcaster for Pac 12 networks and has since moved to ESPN and NBC. Samantha is also the founder and CEO of beam Queen Boot Camp. Sam and I sat down for a little chat where she shared her resilient story, something you may not have known about her Olympic experience, and how a significant setback at UCLA actually led to a shift in mindset that brought clarity to what she truly wanted in life. Samantha, welcome to resilience to Brilliance. Thank you so much for being here.
Samantha Peszek (00:02:29) – Thank you for having me. I’m so excited to chat with you mostly. But also, you know, maybe share some fun things.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:02:35) – Yeah, I appreciate that. Well, as you know, the program is about your resilience to brilliance. So I’m going to start us off by asking you to describe what it was like being in Beijing 2008. You’re about to live your dream of competing in the Olympic Games. And what was that like? What was the atmosphere like? What was going through your mind at the time?
Samantha Peszek (00:02:58) – Oh my gosh, I mean such, such a loaded question when think about the Olympic Games, because it had been a dream of mine since I was five years old, um and when I was five I wasn’t very good and it didn’t really feel possible at all. And I didn’t even know what it meant to, you know, have hard days in the gym, right? Uh And then, you know, you just keep plugging away every day in the gym. And lo and behold, you’re standing at the Olympic Games. And for me, I had this, like, really surreal moment because the 96 Olympic team is the team that inspired me. When I was five years old and I, there was a scene in Magnificent Seven where the girls would walk in and the crowd was chanting USA, USA! And I just always remembered that moment from the movie. And so in 2008, when we went in the arena for the first time, even though we were in China, for some reason, I could only hear our USA fans and they were chanting USA! And I just had this like weird flashback of like my whole life, I had envisioned that moment of wanting to be one of those girls and it finally, finally came true.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:04:10) – That just gave me chills. Oh, just to think about it. So you’re in this space that you’ve longed to be in for so long, and things didn’t quite go as expected for you. Describe the scene and what took place that changed what the Olympics would look like for you.
Samantha Peszek (00:04:31) – Yeah, I mean, gosh, it if I had to paint my perfect Olympics, this was not it for sure. So I think we have to back up almost because my I think hardship for the Olympic Games happened before we even left American soil. I made the Olympic team and I got to the national team training center, and I think we had a couple of weeks to train there together before we left for China. And it was one of our last, you know, verification days. I was doing a vault, and I remember I got a correction that I’d never heard before. And, you know, us gymnasts want to be perfect. And so I tried to make this correction on hard ground, and I landed, but my body kept going, and I knew it really hurt my knee. But I didn’t say anything to anyone. I didn’t say anything. My coach. I didn’t say anything. My trainer. I was like, you know what? It’s just sore. I’m tough. It’s fine. I woke up the next day and my knee was so swollen, I think I, like, shrieked when I got out of bed. Because I think when you’re in that mode, you don’t even feel pain. So it wasn’t even like it was painful. It just it was like this shock of, oh my gosh, I just made the Olympic team. What did I do to my knee? And so I had to go get X-rays right away. And I was just bawling the whole time, assuming that I’d done something really tragic. And they’re like, well, there’s good news and bad news. I’m like, okay, great. They’re like, the bad news is you tore your meniscus. The good news is you can train on it. It’s just going to be pretty painful and you’re not going to do more damage to it. Yeah.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:06:04) – My goodness. This is how long before the Olympics oh gosh.
Samantha Peszek (00:06:08) – Maybe maybe two weeks.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:06:11) – Oh my goodness.
Samantha Peszek (00:06:12) – Then lesson. So yeah I mean it’s not something that was really publicized or talked about, but it was like that moment of okay, I can still do this, I can that’s my option. Of course I’m going to sure. I’ll be in a little bit of pain. We’re gymnasts. We’re always in pain. Right? Like, great. It’s fine. Tack this one on to the list. And so, you know, the the national team coordinator at the time was like, listen, you know, we’re going to let you rest for the few days that we have until we get to China. But the second we land in China, you have to do all your skills. And as if this didn’t happen, and if it looks like you’re struggling a bit, then we’re going to have to call in the alternates. And I was like, okay, no freaking way that’s happening. So I landed and just was like, first of all, had a lot of like, did I trust my knee? Was it working? Like, did I have power in it? I hadn’t I also hadn’t done my Seals in like a week. So was I ready? Um so everything when I got there was just sheer willpower, I would say. And I was also terrified to do that vault on the hard ground again. I hadn’t really trained it at all. So every, every day I went. I was just like, oh God, please let me just, like, land on my feet. And actually, practices were going well, you know, of course, I was taking a lot of ibuprofen and they were taping it and all the things, but every practice that I finished was kind of like a, like a badge of honor for myself, I think, and gave me a little bit more confidence. And the ironic part is the the morning of warm up, I was having the best day of my life. Everyone was like, wow, Sam is like peaking because I have this seven days off, you know? Wow. And I was feeling amazing. And so the last five minutes of warm up, I was warming up my very last pass on the floor, and I landed my two and a half and punched on my ankle sideways. And I landed and a teammate came over and she was like, hey, are you okay? I heard I heard your ankle pop. And I was like, yeah, like I heard it too. And no, I am not okay. And she was like, okay. So they were like, okay, let’s go get a cortisone shot in you. But at this point we had like 15 minutes left to warm up maybe. So I had to run out, get a cortisone shot. And then the last two minutes they were like, can you go do a back handspring to see if you can compete? Like, we have to decide if we’re going to change the lineup right now. And so I was like, okay. And I had warmed up all my other passes. So if I was fine, then I was fine. But I did a round handspring and I think I just like crumbled it just it wouldn’t. The cortisone shot didn’t kick in yet and I couldn’t I had no ankle mobility. And so I was just like stunned. Like oh my gosh. Like what happened? Like everything was just a whirlwind. And they were like, all right, you got to get line to march out. And like you’re pulled. So I’m like, okay. Like. Like, I couldn’t even have time to be emotional about it because I was just so shocked of like, what just happened. So, you know, I walk in and they were just like, listen, like, you need to be a supportive teammate. I’m like, yeah, of course. I kind of just knew that my role changed from being the athlete to the cheerleader. And so the whole time they were competing on floor, I was begging Marta to like, let me do vault. I’m like, I knew I was going to do vault bars and beam because the cortisone shot had kicked in. So I’m like, at least let me warm up. Do, let me, let me, let me do my touch. And, you know, I was like a nagging her. Like like tapping her on the shoulder like, okay, can you think about it? Can you? And I was like, really pushing. And so she just looked at me in the eyes and was just like, listen, I know you can do your vault. That is, I know you’re going to make it on your feet, but we need you to hit this bar routine. And like, I wasn’t going to score the best on bars, but they needed someone to hit a solid routine, and she knew that I could hit. So she just asked me, she goes, can you make your bar routine? I was like, yeah, of course, like I got you. And she was like, okay, that’s all we need. I need you to do your bar routine. And then after bars you can decide if you want to do beam or not. So I said okay and then made my bar routine. And it was like the greatest thing of my life. Because, you know, when you hurt your ankle or a body part, like you’re just off center, like it must have been so swollen because even, like handstands, you know, you’re so in tune to every ounce in your body that didn’t warm up with my ankle like this. So I was trying to adjust mid routine of like, can I am I hitting handstand like I just need to make it to my feet? I didn’t warm up a dismount. Can I land I don’t know. That’s a story. It’s crazy.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:10:55) – That is pretty wild. I mean, you’re 16 years old. You are in this high pressure situation. You have this injury. And I mean, of course, you’re you’re wanting to get out there, but they need you on the bars. And you talk about how being your best self is really important. So your best self in the Olympic Games would be you competing all of those events, but you weren’t able to. So you had to do this little pivot, this shift right in the midst of that. So what did being your best self look like for you after that injury?
Samantha Peszek (00:11:32) – Yeah, I mean, it was really hard, but actually, you know, it’s interesting that I shared this story about me walking into the arena and hearing the USA because I was so upset. But in that right after I hurt myself, I walked in. That’s when I heard the USA and it was like the like splash of cold water needed of, okay, this is not about you, this is about USA, this is about the team. And so, you know, I felt bad. I felt guilty that I couldn’t do my job. And so I just automatically went into the like, okay, what can I do for each person on this team right now to like help them be at their best? Like I am going to cheer for them like my life depended on it. I’m going to have water when they finish their routine, like whatever they need. Like I’m going to be that like heartbeat is what I really wanted to do. And so I really, I think quickly just adjusted to that and was in the moment. And I mean, were there training, they felt bad for me. So I was trying to put on a happy face so that they didn’t have to feel bad for me. So yeah, there was a lot of just tough moments, I think throughout that whole journey. And, you know, people ask me all the time like, what’s the Olympics like? And of course it is amazing and it’s incredible. And it’s like it’s you can’t even describe what it means to represent your country. But for me, there’s all these layers of like different hardships that I had to go, that just being there was such an accomplishment for me in itself.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:13:04) – Absolutely. Now I’m just so proud of you, the way you handled yourself. It was so selfless. Sam, I don’t know if that was your personality before that happened or if it just happened on the spot. You just chose to be resilient in that moment and do what you could for your teammates. But I’m just so proud of you.
Samantha Peszek (00:13:25) – Oh thank you. Yeah. I mean, I think, you know, things happen so fast that you didn’t even you’re just reacting right. Like I didn’t even have my coach on the floor with me during that time because they only have a couple of coaches. So, you know, of course I have my sisters and my, the girls competing, but they’re focused on their job. So I was like, it was like a slow motion car crash, but how can I make the best of it in the moment? Because there just wasn’t even time to think about poor me, when, you know, my heart really just wanted the team to do well with or without me.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:13:59) – Yes And they did well with you. And you went on to win the silver medal as a team, and you were a big part of that. Sam, it’s wonderful to hear. So a couple years later, after the Olympics, you chose to go to UCLA.You received a full scholarship, and I’m sure there were other schools recruiting you. So why did you choose UCLA?
Samantha Peszek (00:14:23) – You know, I think Miss Val hates when I tell this version of the story, but it’s it’s the truth. So I want to share it here, especially because it’s I feel like I’m such a Bruin and could not imagine myself at any other school. But when I was being recruited, the other schools that I was looking at, I loved them. I really love them. And, you know, people kept saying like, you know, when you go to campus, you’re just going to know. And I would go to campus and I would go on a visit and I’d come back and I’d be like, hey, guys, I’m going to this school. And I would only wear that school’s name on my chest for like weeks. And, and I would tell everybody, I’m going to go here. You know, then my mom was like, well, why don’t we take our next visit? You know, you agreed you committed to going to the next visit. Great. When to that school? I’m like, oh, wow. No, this is the school I’m going to go to. Like, I felt like I fit in and I had friends at a lot of other schools. I’m sure that that helped. But then coming to UCLA, I just it was not like I had this epiphany where I was like, this is it. I actually had a really hard decision picking what school and ultimately what did it for me was something that Val said. And, you know, a lot of other schools were giving me like this utopian four years. Like, it’s going to be so fun. It’s going to be so easy. Like, you know, here’s your class list. Here’s this, like, if you want, if you want, you know, trail mix with the peanuts picked out. We have donors for that. You know, we have this for that. Yeah. And I was just like, wow, you’re right. That is awesome. And then go to UCLA. And like the gym is like so small and much older than a lot of the other schools and much older than the gym. And I trained at. And I was like, oh my gosh, people train in here like, this is crazy. But Miss Val was like, listen, if you if you think about the other schools, you were going to have the best four years of your life, the easiest four years of your life, but if you come here, it’s going to be the most rewarding four years of your life, and you’re going to set yourself up for success. And like, ultimately, I feel like I achieved a lot before I got to college in terms of gymnastics. And of course, wanted to do well in gymnastics, but academics was so important for me and I needed to hear that that was going to be a priority from my future coach, too. So her focus of like developing me outside of being a gymnast and like I’ve always loved gymnastics. It’s always a part of me. But I never really felt like it was my identity the same way. I think other athletes struggle in that way. And so hearing her validate that I was going to go there and be a student athlete like that was like music to my ears that like, I wasn’t just this girl that was like expected to keep up with her school and then like, mostly just be a good gymnast.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:17:12) – Um hmm. That’s pretty cool. I think being a student athlete at UCLA is such an honor, and the level of education that we received was just impeccable. And Ms.. Val was right. You do set yourself up for success when you attend UCLA. There’s just no doubt about it. Yeah, I think both of us are witnesses to that.
Samantha Peszek (00:17:39) – Yeah. And I was going to say, you know, what’s funny is, like, I actually looked at the girls on the team that had graduated and looked at what they were doing now, and they were like lawyers or doctors or, you know, sports broadcasters or, you know, and it wasn’t always about this, like cool field, but it wasn’t like they were in the gymnastics world because they didn’t have any other options, you know, and like, I’m in the gymnastics world, so I can say that. And but I felt like if I wanted to get out of the gymnastics world or do something else, I was going to have the tools and resources to do that. And to me, that was like, so cool, because at the time I was burnt out and I didn’t want to stay in the gymnastics world.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:18:22) – Um hm. Absolutely. And now you’re doing some amazing things that I want to touch on later. But there’s a story. You and I were at an event earlier this year, and we sat at the same table, and you mentioned to me that you wanted to become a cheerleader at UCLA. Now, we didn’t get to finish the story, but I do want to hear about that.
Samantha Peszek (00:18:44) – Um, yeah. So, you know, I went to the Olympics when I was going into my junior year of high school, and my last few years of high school was a lot of me just rehabbing and getting surgeries and putting my body back together and trying to find joy in the sport and dealing with a lot. And, you know, coming to UCLA. I hate to say this, but this was the truth. I mean, I didn’t think that college gymnastics was cool or like a big deal or, you know, I didn’t really think it was going to be that hard. You know, that’s how we were kind of brainwashed to think about it on the national team. Honestly, it’s very sad looking back because I obviously didn’t finish my career thinking that way, but I just kind of went into it being like, I want to really just be a student and I want to like, have fun and like, do all the things that I didn’t get to do in high school. So when I got there, I was like, okay, I’m going to join a sorority, and I definitely want to join the cheerleading team. And so I got there and I the rush week. I asked Ms. Val, I was like, oh, what’s what’s our schedule this week? And I’m sure she knew, like why I was asking. And she was like, you’re busy. And I was like, huh? Really? Am I busy the whole week? Like, how can you tell me I’m busy the whole week? But yeah, somehow school started and I quickly realized that, like, if I wanted to be semi-decent as a student and a gymnast, I should probably not join the cheerleading.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:20:12) – That’s so funny. Now, now, was Ms.. Val okay with you even considering joining the cheerleading team?
Samantha Peszek (00:20:19) – Listen, I think she said yes very quickly and then was like, I’m going to figure out a way for that to never happen.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:20:28) – Where you’re.
Samantha Peszek (00:20:29) – Not me being the bad guy.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:20:31) – Ah, okay. Got it. Or she realizes on her own that it’s not a good idea.
Samantha Peszek (00:20:37) – Yes, yes. I think that she knew how stubborn I was. Probably. And it would have upset me. And like, I would have just I don’t know, I think I think she was probably like, yeah, she’s going to learn on her own that that was that is a bad idea.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:20:54) – So when you started out at UCLA, you set out your first month, I believe, with a fractured foot, but it didn’t hold you back because by the end of your freshman competition season, you won the national beam title. Congratulations, which is a huge feat. So one of the things that you’re known for is being the first gymnast to do a standing full on the balance beam in collegiate competition, the beam queen they call you. This is true. This is true. So you talked about how on the national team, you’re kind of conditioned to believe that gymnastics in the at the collegiate level is no big deal. You just kind of go there to die. And I grew up in that same thought. How was it different for you to compete in? College versus club gymnastics.
Samantha Peszek (00:21:53) – Well, like you said, I mean, I started. I was excited to compete. I loved competing, but then I fractured my foot right before freshman season. And so I just was kind of working to get some sort of skills back to compete. And really, I hadn’t done much competition since the Olympics, and I was really nervous. I didn’t realize how nervous I would be. And then, you know, you spend all of pre-season getting to know the girls and the team and kind of fighting together. And so then I feel like there’s almost more pressure on you in a way, because you don’t want to let everybody down. You don’t want to let your team down. And for me, it was like I had this. I think a lot of athletes that do college gymnastics have to go through this too where, you know, we didn’t have the numbers that we are used to having in the elite world to feel prepared for the competition. And so, you know, for me, even though the skill level was a lot easier, I feel like, you know, my body was going through a lot of changes. I was coming off an injury like I wasn’t super confident and a lot of things at that moment. And so it was about just like learning how to trust the years of training that I had before I got to UCLA even, and lean on my teammates versus like feel like, oh my gosh, everyone’s going to be mad if I make a mistake. And not that they never said that, but I feel like competing in college, like you just feel that weight sometimes of like the pressure, which I loved competing with pressure, but for some reason, like it did take me a second to adjust from competing to elite to competing in college.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:23:29) – Mm mm. Now, you did quite well your freshman and sophomore year, and then your junior year came up, and then you had another setback. Tell me about what happened.
Samantha Peszek (00:23:41) – Yeah, I was I was training for the best pre-season of my life. I was in really good shape. I had trained all summer. I just really wanted to have a good year. And I think this was really the year that I think fully bought into college gymnastics of wanting to be the best I could be in college, which before that I’m not sure I had that mentality yet. And it was the last practice before we left for Christmas break, and it happened to be my 21st birthday that weekend, and so me and some of the girls on the team had our bags at the gym because we were going right from practice to Vegas for a couple of days, which I’m sure Ms. Val and the coaches were not excited about. But we’re only going to like two, two nights. Um, and last five minutes, I don’t know what’s up with me and like the last five minutes, but I was last up for a mock meet last pass punch to do a double pike, something I do in my sleep, and I just, like, faced it. And I look up and I’m like, that was weird. Like that was really. I’ve never fallen on a double pike before. I’ve never been short. And I look at Ms. Val and she’s looking at me like I could tell her in her head was like, oh, she’s thinking about Vegas. She’s not. You know, I could see like, her fuming. Just like looking at me. And I look down in my I can’t move my foot. And so I look up and I’m like, don’t freak out. And the whole team is just standing there looking at me like we’re all just like, what happened? So I just looked up and I was like, don’t freak out. But I just tore my Achilles. And so the trainer trainer comes over Loretta and she’s like, can you move your foot? I’m like, no, I just told you I tore my Achilles.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:25:22) – Wow. So you knew.Right off what had.Happened. Oh, gosh.
Samantha Peszek (00:25:25) – Yeah, it was a divot in my. Oh yeah, clean, clean tear. But it didn’t hurt at all. It was like the weirdest injury. That’s why I was like. I was just fine, and I just couldn’t walk on it. And then they. They told me that I couldn’t go to Vegas. And then I cried, obviously, but but yeah. So I think that year was particularly tough for me because that was the year that I really wanted it and I couldn’t have it. And so it was ended up being the best year of my life because I went back to the drawing board of like, okay, like, even though this is college gymnastics and maybe the skill level is easier, like, why am I only giving, like, you know, not 100% every single day to be the best that I can be. And like I did vision boards and I did a lot of like mental rewiring that year of like, who do I want to be? Do I want to come back? Like, do I want to chance getting hurt again? Like if I come back, I only want to give 100%. And so I think because of all of that time that I had to kind of think about the athlete that I wanted to be and how I wanted to finish my career. It ended up being like the year that I needed, like almost the bow and arrow year where like, you get worse before you get better. And so, you know, in the grand scheme of everything happens for a reason. Like, I truly believe that I needed that year in order to come back stronger and healthier and more fit and just a better leader, I think, to finish my career.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:26:54) – Mm. What do you think you learned about yourself during that time?
Samantha Peszek (00:27:01) – That’s a great question. I think I learned a lot. I mean, I think it was really tough for me to go from. Competing all four events and being like a contributor to having to be on the sidelines and having to, you know, be the waterboy, so to speak. You know, like, how can I be helpful without actually doing it? And I guess I did that in 2008 to some degree. But it was just, you know, a few meats, but having to go into practice every day and just be on the sidelines and cheering for everybody and kind of getting out of my own bubble and seeing like, okay, this person trains like this, this person trains like this, like, how can I help these people feel more confident on being like, that’s what I felt like I could give. So I don’t know, I think I think that it was a really tough year for me, but also a big year of personal growth for me. It was also the year that I realized I wanted to do sports broadcasting. I started my own show called Bruin Banter, which I think they still continued, and I don’t know if they’re doing it this year, but, um, you know, that was a really cool thing that’s been passed down. And so for terms of like personal growth, career growth and just like who I wanted to be, it was almost like the coming of age year for myself.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:28:23) – That’s fantastic. And Bruin banter has become a very popular show for UCLA gymnastics. People love to watch it and it started laughing.
Samantha Peszek (00:28:34) – Yes, and I’m laughing because it started as a way for me to practice doing interviews. So we would have a coach or an athlete kind of recap the the meet weekend and I would come up with questions and, you know, oh my God, I hope they’re not on YouTube still. Or maybe it’s good to kind of see where you started sometimes, but it was rough. I was not comfortable. I think my questions were bad, like mic placement, eye contact and, you know, now they do Bruin banter in a way where like they have these like amazing video like overlays and cuts and like this was like just raw. No one was editing it. It was just going up. And so, I mean, I actually love the fact that it is evolved so much and it’s become this like really cool thing that I love watching.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:29:24) – Right. And then it prepared you for the career you have today, which is pretty cool. Pretty. Yeah.
Samantha Peszek (00:29:31) – That is that is pretty cool. Exactly. So that was a it was a it was a bad year but a good year at the same time.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:29:38) – Mm hmm. So let’s focus on that brilliant portion of your story, that brilliance that enabled you to overcome the injury and go on to win not only another balance beam national title, but also you won the National All-Around title your senior year as well. So you were able to come back. And I want you to talk about some of the things that you did between the time of your injury and that comeback, your senior year.
Samantha Peszek (00:30:09) – Yeah, well, I’m just like hearing this Val’s voice in my head of being like, you’re maniacal. You’re just so maniacal and think it was, you know, the year that I didn’t love spinach, but I did all this research of, like, why do I keep getting hurt at the worst times? And so, like, I did my own research on, like, how can I increase certain like vitamins and foods and like, how can this make me stronger? And like, what do I need to be doing to like, take care of my body better? And so I really, really did not like spinach. And so but I knew that it was helpful for, you know, your body strength and recovery and all this. And so I was making, like this green smoothie that I hated every single day. Um, you know, now it’s funny because I love spinach and I love all that stuff, but like, I was doing all these things that I really just didn’t want to do, but for the purpose of, like, being the best athlete that I could be. And every time I would go in the gym and, you know, walk around, I would do so many stretching, so much stretching, because that was like a weak moment. I would, you know, do ab conditioning. I would do everything in my power. I would visualize to like, be the best college gymnast that I felt like I could be. And so that when I came back, I was just really I almost had the elite mindset. I mean, it was an elite mindset, but like my elite mindset from when I was training for the Olympics of like waking up and like, you know, feeling inspired and then having my green smoothie that I didn’t want and then eating like a healthy, nutritious meals and like, really making sure I’m getting enough sleep. So I feel like I really made that a bigger priority than when I first got to school.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:31:53) – Hm. Well, I’m told that because of all of the work you put in during that time that you literally transformed your body and you transformed your gymnastics. That’s what I’m told.
Samantha Peszek (00:32:06) – Yeah, I know exactly who told you because I can hear it in my. Yeah, yeah. And, you know, I didn’t love yoga and I started going to hot yoga because I could do that. And so I was like spending money I didn’t have on core power yoga at the time of, like, sweating and like, figuring out, like how I could be more malleable and flexible for when I came back. So, yeah, I mean, it was it was it was a tough year. But like, I really feel like I did everything in my power. And, you know, ultimately when when I did hit the pinnacle and I did win the all around and that being title, it was like, wow, I have zero regrets in my career. And it was all because I chose to, you know, be the best that I could be in what that meant for myself those last few years.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:32:56) – Yes. And you also in finals of of the balance beam competition, you could have watered down your routine, but you chose to do your standing full.What’s the mindset.That work there? Yeah.
Samantha Peszek (00:33:11) – I’m just my first thought always. And someone asked me about this and like, I am so happy. That worked out for me because every every year I would train the standing full at practice. I wouldn’t make beam finals. And so my last year I’m like, you know what? It’s been a while. I haven’t done it in a long time. I’m definitely not going to train it, and I definitely don’t want to jinx myself. So I did not train the standing bull that year. And so no, no. And so like I would do a couple on the floor here or there, but like I didn’t really do them on the beam.I didn’t want to jinx myself. I was not training them. So I got to NCAA championships event finals. It was like maybe the last year they did it event finals or second to last year. And during warmup, I think I fell in like eight out of ten. Like that’s how like one was low, one was left, one was right. Like it was. It was like not a consistent thing. I was warming up. So I kept doing it on the floor just thinking like, okay, do I got it? Like, do I feel it? Am I, am I going to, am I going to make this like can usually tell. Like, am I going to make this? So I was like, yep, I’m going to do it. And I just remember missile coming up being like, you know, are we sure? Like, are you. We could just water it down. You know, you could still win with a water down. And I was like, no, I can’t, I can’t and I like won’t feel good about it.
Samantha Peszek (00:34:29) – And I was like, if I fall then I’m going to just do a front tuck. I’m going to do all these skills to my routine, and I’m going to go out with a bang, and I don’t care how many times I fall. And she was like, okay. And so I just remember saluting and I was more nervous for that beam routine than any routine that I’ve ever done in my entire life. Because make it or fall, win or lose, it was the last routine I would ever do. And maybe you felt like that too on your last routine, but that moment of like, it’s just the last one. Like there are no redos like there’s no redos in masks, but there’s always like another meat. Not this time. So I just remember being like, oh, shoot. And so I went up there and I was like, I land my standing to make make it perfectly. And I just, like, was so happy that I think the next pose I did, I started wobbling and I had to improv my dance and I was like, oh gosh, okay, I cannot remember my internal dialogue being like, okay, you can’t just like throw it off after you like, do one good thing. And I was trying to like, look around and enjoy the moment and take it in. And then after that I was like, nope, I am focusing and I am going to, you know, not wobble and get off this beam. And so, you know, like I think that like internal dialogue, the like inside joke I have with myself was like it was just such a funny routine and such a, you know, it was a great way to end my career. So I’m glad I did it. It was, it was there was a lot riding on that and thank God it worked out because I did not make very many.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:36:02) – So incredible, incredible. So what do you recommend to the athlete who is listening to you right now? And they may be dealing with an injury that appears to be derailing their dreams. What do you say to them?
Samantha Peszek (00:36:17) – Would just say. And especially in a sport like gymnastics, there’s always something that you can do to get better. And it may not be what you want to do. And most of the times it’s not what you want to do. But I felt like the times when I had to overcome an injury or, you know, recover from a surgery or an injury was always the time that I got so much better when I came back. And so whether it’s like visualizing or, you know, having better positive self-talk in the gym and just having those be your automatic thoughts to whatever your weakness is. Are you a flexible gymnast and you really need to work on your strengths, or are you a strong gymnast and you really need to work on your flexibility? Usually it’s like one or the other, right? And so figuring out like, are you working on your dance? Can you do dancers with your arms? Like, what can you do to stay busy and just to like, feel comfortable on the equipment with what you can do? And then I think the second thing is, you know, how can you, outside the gym, feel like you’re still an athlete and still like giving everything you got each day and think for me, like when I went to bed at night, even when I had an injury, I would visualize all my routines and then I would go to bed and it was just this like last little bit of, you know, you are doing everything in your power right now. And like the next day you wake up and maybe you can do one more heel raise after your Achilles surgery or whatever that means to to you and your injury, so that when you come back, it’s going to be one. You’re refreshed and sometimes injuries happen because you just need a break, especially a sport like gymnastics. So taking that deep breath, you know, metaphorically of figuring out like how can you be rested, refreshed and in a better place so that when you come back you can hit the ground running?
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:38:05) – Great advice. Really great advice. Now, one of the biggest challenges most athletes face is the fact. And we touched on this a little bit earlier, that we can’t compete in our sports at an elite level forever. So there has to be a transition that we all go through and it can be difficult. You said, thank goodness, thank goodness.
Samantha Peszek (00:38:25) – Could you imagine?
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:38:27) – Oh my gosh, we would.
Samantha Peszek (00:38:27) – All probably still be like like I don’t want to say the word forced, but like we would all feel like we have to wake up and be like, oh God, we got to keep going, you know?
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:38:35) – Yes, yes. Always. Right. But for some people, that transition from the world of gymnastics and I find this with the different professional athletes I’ve worked with, it’s difficult to transition from a sport into, I don’t know if the real world is the right terminology, I’ll figure out a different word to use another time, but into this world where everyone else operates, right? Because there’s no there’s no amount of applause and there’s no feeling of ecstasy or whatever it is that you’re feeling when you’re out there in front of that audience performing at your very best. That’s not always the case when you transition into this, this new world after sports. What was that transition like for you, and how are you taking what you’ve learned in gymnastics and applying it to what you’re doing now?
Samantha Peszek (00:39:34) – Well, yeah, I think I think it’s always a scary thing, right? That you have this like, athlete mindset for so long and then all of a sudden you just wake up and you’re just not an athlete anymore. And you know, for someone like me that I genuinely love the sport of gymnastics, I loved conditioning, I loved the annoying things, I loved competing, like there was so much about gymnastics that I loved, that I actually was nervous for myself to wake up and be done. But I remember the morning after NCAA’s waking up and like the first thing I said to myself was, wow, you never have to flip again if you don’t want to. And like for some reason it was just like freeing moment of like the first day of the rest of my life. And I, since that day, have never wanted to be a gymnast again. I don’t miss the grind of it the way I did, like thoughts that I would like. Of course I miss my teammates and I miss competing. And there’s yeah, of course. But like, there’s not that like sadness or like. Anything surrounding my me being a gymnast. Like I was just excited to, like, try something new and like to travel and not have my life revolve around gymnastics. And so it was more exciting for me. I did not know what I was going to do with my career. There was like a job fair and I got an interview at Deloitte, and so I wanted to like, maybe be a consultant. Um, and then the day of the interview, I called and I was like, I canceled. I was like, this is not what I want to do. I do not want to dive into a career that I don’t want. But I wanted to start my own company and I wanted to be a sports broadcaster, so I didn’t know what any of those look like. I didn’t know how it would happen. But, um, Ms. Val was like, I think you should fly to San Francisco and just say that you’re in the area and ask to get a meeting with the Pac 12 network. Like what? Ask for a meeting.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:41:22) – I can’t, just like, that’s such a Miss Val thing to say. That that’s so Miss Val.
Samantha Peszek (00:41:28) – Yeah, yeah.I was like, I’ve never, like, never rented a car before. I don’t think I’ve ever purchased my own flight. I had no money. I’m just reminding everybody I just had no money. And so this just felt like, what if what if they don’t give it to me? So I like, built this, like 20 slide deck on like my ideas and how we could grow the sport of gymnastics and like, you know, football. And I did all this research like it was like I was taking the bar. So I emailed and they were like, yeah, we’d love to speak with you. So I got in and I’m like, I’d love to show you my presentation. And like two slides in. She was like, oh yeah, no, you’re great. You’re hired. And I was like, oh yes. Do, do you want to see the rest? And she’s like, mean, sure. But unless you like have someone that’s going to like budget that, like give us money for this, like it’s not going to happen. And I was like, allright, I’ll take what I can get here, you know? So I’m like, okay.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:42:23) – You’re hired is good
Samantha Peszek (00:42:25) – Hired is good. So I was like, okay, I don’t even know what that means. But so that first season after I graduated, I did I was an analyst for the Pac 12 networks, and then I was still doing camps in the summer. And I had this idea of like, how can I give back to the sport that gave me so much. And because I was traveling to all these different camps in the summers, I was exposed to like a lot of things that I liked about it. And so for me, I’m like, there was this idea that I had I used to hate being. Now I love beam. And I kind of figured out, like the mental side of, like, what made that my secret weapon. Like, I would love to teach kids this because that camps didn’t feel like I had a long enough time with them to help them with the mental side of beam. And so I had the idea for about an entire year. I just like, sat on it and didn’t tell anybody. I just was in my journal and writing the structure and like, man, the gymnastics world does not like change. Like, this is not going to be good. I told a few people and they were like, oh, I don’t I don’t think that’s a good idea. And I was like, yeah, but like think about the vision. And they’re like, no, like I don’t see it. Like, why would someone pay for a camp for just one event? And I’m like. Yeah you’re right. But, like, I really think I really think that there’s something here. And so, um, I even met with one of the professors at UCLA, the Anderson School of Business. He’s an entrepreneur, professor. And he was like, no, I don’t think that this is a good idea. He’s like, show me projected numbers. And I’m like, okay. So I have like a lot of people that that weren’t bought into this idea. And I knew it sounded crazy, but I have this vision that I’m like, we have to do it this way. So I’m like, I’m just going to do one event and see, I was not trying to create a company. I was like, let’s just do one a year and like, have it be something fun, easy. And so after a very first event, we had gyms from 23 states and three different countries reach out saying, how can how can we bring this to our gym?
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:44:27) – Wow. That’s incredible. Sam.
Samantha Peszek (00:44:32) – Yeah. So after that and it was sold out, the first event ever was sold out. And so after that, I was like, whoa. Like I knew this was going to work, you know? That kind of like what I was feeling. So we did a few more that year, kind of call that year zero. And then the next summer we kind of did a think we did like 8 or 10. And then the next year we did a few more and then it was Covid. And so it’s really kind of expanded. But I think what’s made Beam Queen unique is the fact that, of course we’re teaching gymnastics. Their coaches teach them gymnastics, other camps teach them gymnastics like gymnastics. Coaching was not the unique part. What’s unique is that we’re trying to teach the life skills component in conjunction with gymnastics. So they have an entire rotation of confidence training, which I think is what makes great beam workers. But I also think that balance beam is the event that the most it’s most synonymous to life, and it’s the easiest to learn all of those life lessons at a young age. And so I think that that component is what’s made it really unique. And we don’t really advertise. It’s kind of been a slow growth, I would say in terms of like other gyms finding out. And so for us, it was like we asked people, oh, how’d you hear about us? Oh, someone came back from our gym and told us about it. And so that’s kind of our thing they asked me about. I’m like, don’t ask me. Ask someone. That’s been obviously I’m going to I’m biased. I love what we do. I love this community. But like, ask a gymnast that doesn’t know me, that is not, you know, wanting to be biased about their experience. And I think that’s really like the the niche aspect that we’ve hit.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:46:14) – Um. Well, I’ve gone to your website, the Beam Queen Boot Camp website, and it looks like so much fun. It looks it looks incredible. Can you tell our audience how to find more information about the Beam Queen Boot Camp?
Samantha Peszek (00:46:31) – Yeah, well, I’m laughing first. And I love that you said that because, you know, part of our philosophy that we tell our coaches that come in is that we’re trying to rebrand the big, bad, scary beam into a beam party. So it’s it’s like fun. And we want to make it a party. We want to make beam, like, cool and fun. But yeah, if you want to find out more information, you can go to BeamQueenbootcamp.com. We also have a YouTube channel, and so we vlog after all of our events. So you can kind of see the behind the scenes of all of these amazing NCAA athletes coming to give back and just be really silly and interacting with the the young girls. And so it’s it’s it’s so cool. And again, I know I’m biased, but you know for anyone that comes like it’s just a really great community and it feels very college. So I feel like I took a lot of what I loved about being a college gymnast and wanting to have these girls who are in the monotonous stage of Matics just have a little bit more fun.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:47:33) – Mm. Well, it looks absolutely fantastic. I wish that I had that camp when I was in club gymnastics, and it would have been phenomenal, and it would have definitely given me more confidence and help me to love beam a lot more than I did. So yeah, so I appreciate that you’re doing that.
Samantha Peszek (00:47:54) – Thank you. And can I share one more story?
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:47:56) – Absolutely.
Samantha Peszek (00:47:58) – Okay, so at the end of our beam queen season last year, we were just spent we it was our 26th event. We were so exhausted. Our staff was like still putting on a smiley face and high energy, but like behind closed doors, we were all just like, oh my gosh. Anyway. And I kind of was reminding them, like, guys like, this is our last one last hurrah, you know? Everyone was excited for it. So there was this girl, I did the confidence session and there was this girl. She was probably a teenager who was like, kind of like looking off. And, you know, there’s always one that kind of feels like his attitude, judy and just, you know, and I’m like, I’m like, I’m definitely not resonating with her. Just kind of like doing her own thing. We rotate them. Didn’t really think much about it. The next day, the girl came up to me and pulled me aside and was like, can I talk to you? Like, yeah, of course. Like, what’s going on? She just immediately starts bawling. And she was like, I have to tell you that I, I scratch myself, which what I learned was that she was cutting herself. She was like, I scratched myself. And after your session yesterday, I’ve never felt more confident in myself than I ever have in my whole entire life. And it’s this moment right here that I’m going to tell my parents about it. And I want to I wanted to tell you the impact. I’m like tearing up thinking about it because it was like, it’s not about gymnastics, you know? It’s just like that impact. And like me telling the staff of like, guys like we’re impacting these girls lives. Like, for her to feel comfortable, to share that with me and then also like seek help and like want to be confident and want to do this stuff. Like how powerful is that? And so that story is just always, like so vivid in my mind when like we’re exhausted traveling and we’re like, you know, just wanting to be done. It’s like, you never know. And she was the one that was acting like she wasn’t paying attention and just kind of like. And so I tell them, like, you never know who you’re who you’re impacting.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:49:59) – So using gymnastics to change lives. I love that, Sam I love it. Yeah. It’s cool. Before we close out our interview, I have one final question. I believe that there’s this state of being where individuals are operating out of the fullness of who they are, and all they have to offer. They’re utilizing their greatest gifts, their talents, personalities, their quirkiness, everything that makes them who they are. And they’re experiencing this level of fulfillment that just makes their heart sing. And I call this brilliance mode. So my question to you is, what does brilliance mode look like for you?
Samantha Peszek (00:50:42) – Oh, wow. That’s a good question.Mm. I think brilliance mode to me is like waking up and I feel like, you know, as gymnasts, we’ve always had jam packed schedules. So for me, it’s like having a jam packed schedule, but getting it done and also like to its fullest. And what I mean by that is like, you know, if I have a task or something mundane like, how can I, at the end of that day, feel like I impacted somebody else? You know, whether it’s my team at bootcamp or the audience on television? Like, how have I been able to positively make an impact on someone else’s day, like the story I just shared, like it was that girl, you know, times a million. That story is crazy. But, you know, even the mundane stuff like that is when I feel like I’m at my best, when I am like, giving that inspiration to the world, or when I’m helping somebody else be at their best as well.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:51:51) – Wonderful, wonderful. Samantha Pesek, thank you for taking time out of your day to chat with me, I appreciate it.
Samantha Peszek (00:52:00) – Thank you so much. This is awesome. We should hang out more often.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:52:03) – I know, I would love that. Let’s do it.
Kim Hamilton Anthony (00:52:12) – In addition to the great advice she gave. Here are a couple of things that I’m taking away from Samantha’s interview. First of all, I take away how sometimes an injury can actually be a blessing in disguise because of her torn achilles, which sidelined her for the season. Sam was put into a position where she was forced to slow down. She had an opportunity to think about what she really wanted in life, and as a result, she completely shifted her mindset and transformed how she ate, how she trained, and even how she slept so that she could come back in the best shape possible. Her resilience? Well, it set her up for a very successful career finale at UCLA and a powerful post gymnastics career where she is doing what she absolutely loves and is changing lives in the process. As you get to know me, you’ll find that I am all about changing lives. Another thing that stood out to me was how Sam followed her dream of doing a balance beam camp, even after she received so much negative feedback, even from the best of the best. I mean highly qualified individuals in their fields. You know, she could have easily taken their advice and kept that dream in her journal and lived the rest of her life wondering. What if? But she didn’t. She took a risk and did something that has never been done before. Beam Queen boot camp. And it’s a huge success. So the next time someone tells you that your dream or your vision won’t work. Think about Samantha Peszek. Go with your gut and try it anyway. Even if you fail, you just make adjustments and press on. It’s better to take the risk than to live the rest of your life with regret.
Thanks for listening. If you want to find out more about Samantha Pesek, check out our show notes on InBrillianceMode.com/podcast and to connect with Brewing Gymnastics alumni on Instagram. Follow us @UCLAGymAlumni.
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