Today we’d like to introduce you to Betsi Flint.
Hi Betsi, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in a small town in South Dakota where my siblings and friends participated in sports year-round. I moved to Arizona in middle school and was introduced to volleyball and beach volleyball. It was then that I decided to stop playing basketball and softball and stick to volleyball instead. Fast forward years later, and I earned a scholarship to play indoor volleyball at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. There, I played both indoor and beach volleyball at the collegiate division-1 level.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Nothing easy is worthwhile. One “struggle” along the way was having a baby. I was determined and expected myself to be back into competition months after having her, but I was not ready physically or mentally. At 3 months, I didn’t have a stable routine or my daughter’s schedule set. At the time, I was getting back into coaching full-time at LMU while also training as an athlete full-time. I am grateful LMU provided paid leave, where I took 4 months from coaching. I can’t imagine having to go back to work after 6 to 8 weeks like in other states, it puts so much stress on mothers and babies alike. In the fall of 2021, I felt like I was drowning, doing too much – training and competing full time for 3 to 6 hours a day, coaching full time, all while being a mom to a newborn. Realizing it was too much, I decided to resign from LMU to focus on my athletic career and being a mom. I was far more present as I narrowed my focus.
Aside from the working-mom hurdles, my body had changed so much after having a baby. I had to regain muscle, re-learn how to engage my core, get back into shape, and find a new beach volleyball partner, all while being sleep-deprived and figuring out how to care for my daughter. There was so much self-doubt along the way, but I am grateful to find an incredible support system in my husband, family, and the USA volleyball staff that fueled me with confidence, belief, and the reassurance that I could do it. 6 months later, after a ton of hard work and determination, I was competing in the finals of the AVP Manhattan Beach Open against the 2021 Olympic Gold Medalists. That moment was reassuring; I knew I was right where I needed to be.
Now, I’ve found that being a mom has brought out a softer side of me. On the court, I still have an aggressive, competitive mind, but off the court, I love supporting and empowering other women in their endeavors, whether that’s motherhood or anything else they’re striving for.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Being a mom and a beach volleyball player makes me proud; it’s what sets me apart from others! Training full-time on minimal sleep gives me some edge. Normally, athletes can go home, relax and recover, but instead, I’m chasing my toddler and getting extra workouts in while chasing her around on her scooter or bike; it’s both hard and so rewarding. Now, I need to actively schedule recovery modalities to maximize my practice and competition performance.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you, and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Covid-19 led to big changes for us. Before Covid, we were always on the go without any downtime, but like it did for most, Covid changed that. Our landlords at the time were both essential workers and with no daycare to leave their two kids at, we had the opportunity to watch them in exchange for our rent. It was then that we decided to start a family of our own. It’s hard to time when to start a family, especially as a female athlete, knowing it completely changes our bodies, but since Covid shut down our beach tournaments, we found it a great opportunity for us to try and have a baby. We welcomed our little girl in January 2021, and I was back competing at a high level 5 months later!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://betsiflint.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betsiflint/
Image Credits
@lisakdietrich
