Ashleigh Johnson has already made history as the 2016 Olympic water polo gold champion. Today, the 26-year-old champion goaltender is in Tokyo, trying to repeat the feat as a key member of what has been termed the Games’ “most dominant squad.”
Ashleigh Johnson began playing water polo at the age of nine, after learning to swim in her parents’ pool in the Miami suburbs. She attended Princeton while still training with the national team, completing her schoolwork on the aircraft in between. She is currently the first Black woman to represent the United States of America.
With young girls abandoning athletics at a rate that is double that of their male counterparts, Johnson understands the value of her job as a role model. She’s teamed up with Secret for “Just #WatchMe,” a campaign aimed at increasing viewing in support of female athletes. “It’s been incredible to utilize my platform positively to influence the next generation of athletes,” Johnson says, adding that she’s also spent some of her free time writing personal answers to comments from young women on social media.
Before Ashleigh Johnson began competing in the Tokyo Olympics, we spoke with her to learn how she maintains her composure and self-confidence in the face of constant pressure in top sports.
Create Rituals—With Flexibility
I try not to get stuck into a routine because our team has a pretty good routine built in to ensure a stable mindset before a game. But I like to, as an athlete, journal and meditate, those things keep me centered on a regular basis. I try not to be too firm. I really like the flexibility of mind so journaling, meditating, making sure my room is in order, I have a candlelit, those things create the space for me to have a reset. Having a calm space is really important to me. Every Sunday I set out how I want the week to be, how I want to feel, how I did feel and set personal goals in that way.
“Set Goals With a Journal” – Ashleigh Johnson said
Journaling has really been something that centers on me and helps me know where I am. Within journal I of review where I and where I want to be because I’m constantly setting goals and aspiring to meet them but in a kind-to-myself type of way. It helps me stay in the moment and helps me be aware of where I want to go. I have to know what I want and set some structure for myself within the day mentally. Writing things out helps me do that.
Write It Out Before Bed
After a game my adrenaline is pumping, I’m reviewing everything that happened in the game in my mind. I’m reviewing it with my teammates. Going to bed after a game is one of the most difficult things but one of the things that I found that works is writing everything out. Writing the things I want to work on, writing the things I did well, writing the things I’m going to aspire to practice the next day. Getting those things down on paper has been the most game-changing thing for me.
Ashleigh Johnson Makes Time for Moisturizer
Typically in a week, I’ll wash my hair, deeply, 2-3 times and I’ll condition on those days because I’m in the pool twice a day. I use a basic conditioner and sulfate shampoo. In the mornings I use Cerave cream cleanser because my skin gets really dry with being in the sun and the chlorine all day. Then I’ll use Tatcha moisturizer or Tata Harper, I alternate between the two along with Vitamin C and sunscreen. Every time I leave the house, sunscreen always, I use Supergoop! Or Black Girl Sunscreen. At night I’ll use the same cleanser, typically double cleansing, to get off everything from the day. I gua sha my face with some oil followed by a thicker moisturizer and get ready for bed!
I must, must, must have my moisturizer. I need to have my skin moisturized because just being in the pool twice a day every day takes a toll on your hydration. I need my moisturizer and my water bottle, I feel it if I don’t have that.
Listen to Your Body
This past year and a half helped me realize and reprioritize balance in my life and understanding that those rest days don’t mean all or nothing. Exercise and eating well, those things feel really good to me no matter when I’m doing them or how I’m doing them. On an off day I’m going to go on a long walk, or stretch, I’m gonna do something that makes me feel good. My work is exercise so when I’m not working, Ashleigh Johnson knows how my body responds and I take that time to take care of my body.