Championship Mindset: Sydney Soloski
The following quotes were adapted from an interview with Sydney Soloski and Untold Athletes.
I started gymnastics when I was 5. I have an older sister, who was seven at the time, and I’d go watch her practice. At the gym, there was a viewing area up top and I used to run around up there. They noticed that I had really defined quads for five year olds, and were like, ‘Can we have her tryout for our competitive program?’ I’ve been in gymnastics ever since.
When I was 12 years old , I quit the sport for about six months. I had an abusive coach, and it was something that I just couldn't couldn't bear. I didn't love it anymore and I had no desire to even go into the gym. It put a large strain on my relationship with my family because I wasn't opening up about what was actually going on in the gym. It wasn’t great stuff to have to deal with as a young kid. I actually ended up going to a psychologist who kind of force it out of me with my parents
My club coach who I've had for my entire career, was the one that got me back into the gym and in a safe environment. She taught me how to re-love the sport of gymnastics again. She was willing to protect me and ask what she could do to get my back in the gym. At that point, it was allowing me to go into the gym alone when no one else was there. She was probably the biggest reason as to why I am still doing gymnastics today.
When I committed (to Utah) I was in ninth grade. I ended up making the right decision but I was terrified. I took visits to the schools that I was most interested in, but when I came to Utah it just clicked. It felt like home. The coaches cared about more than just gymnastics, they cared about my family, and my schooling, and my life after gymnastics. I think a lot of elite athletes don't understand that they're also a person, and not just an athlete. Your coaches should care about more than just what you can do in the gym, and I really felt that at Utah.
The majority of my struggles came at the beginning of my collegiate career. When I was 16 I broke three bones in my foot and then right, as I was cleared to practice two months later, I broke the exact same three bones in my foot doing the exact same thing in the gym. I had to have three plates and twelve screws put into my foot, which are still there today. While I was recovering, I tore my meniscus in four different places, and had to have surgery. I wasn’t able to compete in the sport I loved for nearly 2 years and when I came into college my motivation was at an all-time low.
I hadn’t trained, I’d gained a lot of weight, I wasn’t feeling motivated and then I joined a team that was none of those things. The beginning of my freshman year at Utah was really hard. My scholarship was on the line for many months. It wasn’t the happy ending I had imagined and for a moment, I just wanted to go home and move on from gymnastics.
At that time I was really, really close with all the girls on the team and I owe them everything because they were the ones that kept me in it. They encouraged me to keep pushing and see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I wasn't pegged to compete. I was eight on the depth chart when two girls went down before the first meet, and it was my turn to go. That night there were 15,000 fans screaming and cheering. There were so many external distractions that I honestly couldn’t think about the fact that I was a little underprepared. Sometimes being thrown in the deep end is the quickest way to learn how to swim. I think that that was a defining moment of how I have achieved success over the last four years. I haven’t looked back since then.
The day it was announced that we’d be granted another year of eligibility, my decision was made. I decided to come back, for a multitude of reasons. One of the biggest factors in my decision was that my parents couldn't travel to see me compete my senior year because of COVID. It wasn’t fair to them, with everything they’d sacrificed for me. It broke my heart thinking they may not be able to be there for my last few routines. I want my family to be able to experience this last year with me. I want the fun stuff of bonding with my teammates and competing in front of crowds.
The other part of it is that we finished third at Nationals, and our returning roster is really deep. This year, we can win it all. We are suited up to have one of the most talented teams and most hard working teams and I want to win. My goal coming into college was to win a national championship and giving myself an extra year to achieve that seems like a no brainer, so the decision to come back was really easy. I love this program and I love my coaches. If I could live this part of my life for the next however many years, I would, but I just want to soak up what's going to be five years of my life.
It’s brutal that international student-athletes can’t capitalize on the NIL changes. I have to sit in on a lot of meetings, and none of it pertains to me so that can be pretty frustrating. It’s hard to be mad at anyone because this isn’t an NCAA decision, it has to do with our visas, and I don’t know who runs the Department of Homeland Security, so there’s no one to channel that frustration at. It’s hard to get emails and have to pass up on opportunities that I dreamed about and would love, so fingers crossed that something can change.
I put in a lot of work this past year to really build my brand, and though I can’t make money at the moment, I’m going to continue to put in work for when that opportunity does come. There’s a silver lining to everything. Now rather than diving into something, I can put my focus more towards things I’m actually passionate about. People like to make fun of influencers but it’s not easy. It takes a lot of work and can be detrimental to mental health. Constantly looking at a camera and thinking ‘Oh my gosh, I look horrible right now’ can really take a toll, so I think moving forward, I just want to stay authentic to who I am and to my brand so that when I am done with gymnastics, I really won’t have to switch gears.
I think people undervalue what being an athlete can do for you later on in your life. I’ve learned how to work on a team, to put aside differences, and dedication, and resilience. When looking to get a job, I don’t think anything will be as hard as being an elite gymnast. I may be ignorant, but I feel totally prepared for any challenge that will be thrown my way. I don’t think my job will put me in a hospital and force me to have surgery in a foreign country, so I think I’m prepared for anything.
We’re staying humble and hungry. Right now it’s time to grind, it’s not time to think about what could be. We know what we want and we’re working towards that goal. We have talent, depth, and every attribute needed to be successful, but we’re going to work like we don’t have any of it. It’s a long journey ahead, but we’re motivated.
The advice I would give younger Sydney would be if you’re going to do something, go all in. If you’re going to be in the gym, be in the gym to be the best you can be. Take every opportunity to soak it up. Go all in, and you’ll never have any regrets.
