Life and Work with Kaleigh Gilchrist

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaleigh Gilchrist.

Kaleigh, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My road to becoming an Olympic Gold Medalist Water Polo Player and a Professional Surfer has been a unique journey filled with many peaks and valleys. Having an Aunt, Uncle and Father who all swam in two Olympic Games may have given me the dream at a young age, but I was never forced into my sports. Growing up as a tomboy in Newport Beach made competing with the boys a daily occurrence. I wanted to be better than them no matter what sport or what subject in school. If my group of friends signed up to play football, then I was leading them in the huddle as the starting quarterback. This is where my competitiveness began.

Before surfing and water polo there was my first love, basketball. I dreamt of playing for the Los Angeles Sparks and looked up to Kobe Bryant and Lisa Leslie. I started all sports around the age of 8 and by high school, I had to choose two of the three.

High school was where my talents began to get recognized on a national level. I competed on the USA Surf Team in four International Surfing Association World Games representing the best 18 and under surfers in the World, while winning a CIF Championship in water polo with Newport Harbor and getting recruited to top Universities.

I put competing on the World Surf League as a professional surfer on hold after winning an unprecedented back-to-back US Surfing America Champion. I chose to follow in my Dad’s footsteps at the University of Southern California. At USC, I helped lead the polo team to an NCAA Championship. A month later, I won another championship for the school. This time, as an NSSA Collegiate Surfer.

In 2014, I was asked to join the USA Senior National Water Polo Team in hopes to qualify for the Olympic Games and make the final roster. In 2016, we competed in Rio and won the Gold Medal. The two highlights of the Games were, singing the national anthem with my teammates who became family while wearing the Gold Medal around our neck and finally being able to hug my family who has been there for me throughout the entire ride.

After Rio, I was finally able to give surfing a shot. After a year on the tour and finishing 70th in the World, I took a step back and realized I missed the team and the sport of water polo.

My goals have shifted a bit throughout the years, but I am hoping to make one more Olympic water polo team for Tokyo 2020, 56 years later, after my Dad competed in Tokyo 1964 and then finally commit to surfing.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No road to the top is smooth and if it were it wouldn’t be worthwhile. Those bumps or struggles are what make the top that much more enjoyable and fulfilling. In every phase of my water polo career, I wanted to quit and surf. In high school, it was my freshman year hell month, college it was my entire freshman year, on the national team it was the first time I was asked to train and commit for a summer. Each time I planned to quit, drafted an email (or sent one), but for whatever reason, I stuck around. I endured the tough times and was able to see the light. Looking back on my journey now, I am forever grateful for the people who told me to stick it out. I laugh thinking I was so close to giving up this life. I encourage any women to hold on during the tough times. To find your people. The connections and relationships gained throughout the journey are what I cherish most. Sure, winning is great, but people forget about gold medals, they don’t forget about how you made them feel and the memories along the way.

Please tell us about your business.
My work consists of training to become the best water polo player and teammate I can be while balancing becoming the best surfer I can be. We spend 6 days a week, 6 hours a day training water polo and the other free time, I spend in the ocean surfing.

I’ve learned over the years that being one the best in the world at your craft is not a task to take lightly. First off, it’s an honor that many people dream of. Remembering this helps put things into perspective even during the toughest of training. I’m proud of my journey, thus far, but I am always striving to accomplish more and be better; be a better athlete and be a better person. Life is about continually improving as the years passed and that’s what I’m hoping to do.

Were there people and/or experiences you had in your childhood that you feel laid the foundation for your success?
There was not one significant experience that I can think of, but more of my childhood as a whole. I was fortunate to grow up with a group of friends that had great support from their parents and who all loved competing. The crazy days of surfing and playing water polo from sun up to sun down as a grom are some of my fondest memories. There was no pressure to perform, it was all out of stoke and love for the sports and the people I shared those sports with. Although the stakes may seem higher at the level I’m at now, I think this is the same reason I dedicate my life to the two same sports. It also wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t mention my family. Having them not only support me in going after my dreams but having my dreams become theirs has been the greatest blessing in my career.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kaleighgilchrist.com
• Instagram: @kaleighgilchrist
• Twitter: @KGilchrist15

Image Credit:
Tom Cozad

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.