Inside the Lines: Reclaiming your joy with gymnast Katelyn Ohashi

From her viral floor routine to her unwavering candidness on all things mental health, Katelyn Ohashi is the gold standard in more ways than one. Here are a few highlights from her on-mat career before we dig into her conversation on Inside the Lines with A.J. Andrews.

✨ Ohashi was a 10-time All-American at UCLA, won the 2018 national team title with the Bruins, and was the 2018 national co-champion on floor. Trophy case bursting at the seams.

1️⃣0️⃣ Ohashi scored a remarkable 11 perfect 10s across her college career, with nine on floor and two on beam. Sorry, Hannah.

🇺🇸 In her junior career, she was a four-time member of the USA Gymnastics Junior National Team, winning the 2011 junior national title.

🗣️ In 2019, Ohashi called out cyberbullying and attacks on women in sports through a poetic ESPYs “Best Play” acceptance speech. So inspiring.

🥇 Last year, Ohashi participated in Simone Biles’ “Gold Over America Tour,” a live performance that’s helping showcase the brilliance of gymnastics across the country.

Today’s topic is “Reclaiming Your Joy” through the grind — a challenge athletes face through the highs and lows of their careers and an issue that’s impacting more and more people each year. Depression rates are on the rise, and those numbers are increasingly impacting women, making this conversation extra near and dear to our hearts.

• Ohashi and host A.J. Andrews, a former LSU softball star and current pro, get candid about Ohashi’s time away from her sport and the steps she took to find her spark again.

Andrews: What moment do you feel like you reclaimed [your joy] when you went to UCLA?

Ohashi: I think it was probably my sophomore year…It’s not like you just turn the page and everything just happens all of a sudden. But I remember that was the first time when I was like, “Okay, do I actually want this?”’…. That was the start of my reclaiming my career…I got interested in things outside of gymnastics…I was no longer a gymnast, I was somebody who got to do gymnastics.

Andrews: It is truly an experience that so many women have to go through of having to appeal to this desired look of perfection that is just quite literally unattainable.

• From listening to what people had to say about you, to having to overcome that, to you then realizing and knowing you are beautiful and who you are, you need this body, this is your vessel to perform the way you need to perform and be who you need to be. Can you tell me about what that healing journey looked like for you?

Ohashi: Healing is not linear and [has] its ups and downs… It's not like every day you're going to wake up and feel like you're that girl or feel confident in your skin…. I think people even sharing their journeys was really helpful for me. And that's why I wanted to keep sharing my stories and continue healing in that way.

• I think similar to sports, our weakest [skills], we try to make our strongest. And that's what you kind of have to do when you're not confident in certain body parts. You give it extra love, you fake it till you make it.

Andrews: What is your definition of joy?

Ohashi: We're not always going to be happy, we're not always gonna be excited about life. But I think joy is accepting all those things in between. It's not just about where you finished, but it's about all the bumps along the way and accepting them wholeheartedly.

• Accepting what life tosses you, I think, is my joy, my definition. Finding the things that we love to do and feeding our soul.

Inspired by Ohashi, here are a few takeaways from her Inside the Lines convo to find joy in your day-to-day life:

✏️ Write it out. Ohashi spoke about the power of journaling and poetry as she worked to reclaim her joy, even publishing a book, Every Time, I Always Would. As Ohashi said, “Our mind knows what we want to write before we do” — sometimes putting pen to paper is just what we need.

🤝 Connect with your inner circle. Ohashi was quick to shout out the people in her corner — like her teammates and her UCLA coach, the legendary Valorie “Miss Val” Kondos Field. Whether it’s an IRL hang or a quick phone call, speaking with the ones who know us best can make all the difference.

🏀 Shoot your shot. Ohashi recounts being struck with imposter syndrome while participating in the NBA All-Star game, passing up her opportunity to take a shot. She cautions against letting fear dictate your life — so send that email or drive to the basket, because you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take…literally.

🎧 Listen to the full episode. Queue up the first installment in our series for your next Hot Girl Walk. We promise, hearing Ohashi’s inspiring and uplifting story will immediately bring a smile to your face.