Redemption, Perfection, and the Possibility For More with McKenna Kelley

Samantha Peszek is on a mission to connect athletes, coaches, and parents with the best resources the gymnastics world has to offer. Utilizing Samantha’s gymnastics network, (she really does have cool friends) guests will be experts in their field and shed a light on hot topics, tips for improvement, and inspiration. Listeners will have the opportunity to learn from some of the sport’s greats, participate in giveaways, and apply relevant tips to everyday life, in and out of the gym.

Sam welcomes McKenna Kelley to the podcast. McKenna is currently a senior at Louisiana State University (LSU) where she recently scored a perfect ten competing in her latest meet. In this episode, Sam and McKenna talk about McKenna’s collegiate gymnastics career, from overcoming a devastating Achilles injury to the possibility of competing in a fifth year. They discuss their thoughts on the new postseason format and their predictions for which teams with be the final Four on the Floor. Finally, McKenna shares her dream of becoming a motivational speaker and writer after graduating college.

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Key Takeaways

• Sam thanks her sponsors, Tumbl Trak and Destira
• Introducing today’s guest, McKenna Kelley
• Sam and McKenna recall early memories of each other
• McKenna recaps LSU’s latest meet against Oregon State
• How McKenna felt taking the floor before her perfect ten performance
• McKenna talks about the importance of having the right mindset
• Techniques McKenna employed in order to get a perfect ten
• McKenna describes feelings of love, support, and relief after getting a ten
• Sam and McKenna explain their love of college gymnastics
• How it felt getting a perfect ten on the heels of Sarah Finnegan and Lexie Priessman’s perfect scores
• McKenna’s journey back from tearing her Achilles
• Sam shares her experience with injuries
• Expectations vs. reality of the 2019 season
• McKenna discusses her admiration for her teammates
• McKenna talks about being the teammate who pumps up everyone else
• How McKenna and her teammates feel about the new postseason format
• McKenna gives her prediction on which teams be the final Four on the Floor
• What makes LSU a championship contender
• McKenna talks about the criticism that LSU is a team that peaks at the wrong time
• Sam takes a moment to thank her sponsors once again
• The decision to attend LSU
• McKenna talks about the possibility of taking a fifth year
• What McKenna will miss most about collegiate gymnastics
• What McKenna will miss least about collegiate gymnastics
• McKenna’s dream job for after college
• McKenna describes her family members
• Advice McKenna would give to a younger sister stuck in the shadow of an older sibling
• The expectations McKenna had as the daughter of an Olympic gymnast
• Sam and McKenna talk about floor music
• McKenna reveals one thing people can do to get 1% better each day

Tweetable Quotes

“College gymnastics gives you a new definition of gymnastics, you could say. You’re fighting for a team. You’re representing those three letters across your chest. It’s so much bigger than you.”

“For the first time in my gymnastics career I really dealt with fear. I’ve never been a gymnast with mental blocks. I’ve never had that anxiety with a certain skill or anything. And I was really struck with fear with my other Achilles.”

“This team is so tenacious. I think we’re very focused on our goal, especially the past few meets and where we’ve come from in the beginning of season. I’ve just seen a hunger in the gym and I’ve never felt that before within a team.”

“You have to own yourself. You have to own what you’ve been given and work with that.”

“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”

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