Two local water polo players are training to compete in the Summer Olympics in Paris this year.
By Sharon Stello
With the Olympic Games in Paris approaching this summer, two locals are training hard in preparation to play their sport on the world’s biggest stage.
Water polo players Maddie Musselman and Kaleigh Gilchrist, who both grew up in Newport Beach, will soon be headed to the Games, which run from July 26 to Aug. 11. Both helped the U.S. women’s team win gold in 2016 and 2020 (held in 2021 due to a delay by the pandemic). But even for these seasoned athletes, it’s exciting to think about returning to the Olympics.
Gilchrist says she feels “giddy” just thinking about representing the U.S. at another Olympic Games. Reflecting back on her past Olympic wins, she says, “It really is a surreal and euphoric experience, but the older I get, the more I realize it’s about the entire journey leading up to standing on top of the podium that really matters.”
Musselman echoes that sentiment, adding that “It is always an honor representing this country. … To possibly go to my third Olympic Games and have my husband, family and friends there to support is something I will never take for granted.” Having her husband, Patrick Woepse, with her this time is especially poignant for Musselman as he is undergoing treatment for lung cancer, but has encouraged her to keep working toward her Olympic goal despite his diagnosis.
“Patrick has been my inspiration through this journey,” Musselman says. “He is steadfast in his love for me as I train for the Olympics and while he battles cancer at the same time. It’s been amazing to navigate this together and find ways to enjoy this life we are creating—as hard as it is at times. We are trusting God’s plan for us and praying continuously for his healing and comfort.”
With the Olympics less than two months away, the water polo team recently returned from a test event in Paris, training against France, playing a game in front of a sold-out crowd in the Olympic venue and even attending a Taylor Swift concert in the arena where many of the team’s Olympic quarterfinals and semifinals will be held.
“[We] got to sightsee and experience the venues we will be in,” Musselman says. “Once we go back for the Olympics in July, it is all business and no adventures outside of the Olympic events. I am looking forward to connecting with my team and displaying everything we have worked so hard for.”
For the Love of the Game
Water polo is a passion for both Musselman—who played for Corona del Mar High School then University of California, Los Angeles, graduating in 2022 with a degree in physiological science—and Gilchrist—who played with Newport Harbor High School then University of Southern California, graduating in 2014 with a degree in communications.
Sports have always been part of Musselman’s life as her dad played professional baseball for the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets.
“I was lucky to have parents who invested time in sports and so, when it came time for us as their kids to play, it was enjoyable and competitive,” she says.
Musselman says water polo has challenged her in many ways, from the time she started at 8 years old to now, at 25. “I am so thankful water polo is a team sport and I get to find my strengths within a group of people who I have come to trust and respect so much,” she says.
Gilchrist says what keeps her playing, first and foremost, is that it’s fun. But it’s also incredibly demanding. “I would argue that it is one of the toughest and hardest sports out there,” she says. “The game is fast paced and takes a lot of physical and mental strength. I also love the community: It’s a tight-knit group of wonderful people.”
Musselman and Gilchrist train with the rest of their team for a year leading up to the Olympics.
“Everyone takes a break from … school, playing abroad, coaching, etc., to … train in Long Beach six hours a day, six days a week. … It’s a full-time job,” Gilchrist explains.
Musselman adds that they travel abroad about once a month or every other month to train with other countries that have qualified for the Olympics.
Both attackers on the team, each brings their own set of skills and personality. Gilchrist shares that, as a water polo player, Musselman is “confident, crafty, fast [and] intelligent with a nasty shot, [but] outside of the water, she is so much more than that: She’s smart, driven, empathetic and kind.”
“Maddie is one of my best friends thanks to this sport,” Gilchrist says. “…I’ve seen Maddie grow into not only one of the best water polo players in the world, but an amazing person of high character who I love dearly.”
When it comes to Gilchrist’s strengths in water polo, Musselman says, “She has the vision that not many players have in the water. In my opinion, she’s one of the best passers in the world.”
“Kaleigh is truly the most special teammate I have had,” Musselman continues. “… We have experienced a multitude of memories that will stay with us for the rest of our lives, from winning gold together [to times of] injury, life moments and … just being supportive friends.”
Overcoming Obstacles
It hasn’t all been easy swimming for these two. As in any life, there are challenges. Musselman must train for the toughest level of competition while being there for her husband as he goes through cancer treatment. And Gilchrist was put to the test after a near-death incident in 2019 in South Korea while celebrating the team’s Wold Championship victory. “An illegally built balcony collapsed at the nightclub we were at,” Gilchrist recalls. “I was on top of the balcony and fell down a story and got pinned down by the rubble. I was rushed to the emergency room and underwent surgery for a deep leg laceration in a foreign country. I woke up with … hundreds of stitches and torn muscles, but, fortunately, missed my nerve by millimeters. This gave me hope I could play sports again.” After four months of healing and intense rehabilitation, she was back to playing water polo, but not without some bumps along the way. “The incident took a toll on my mental health, … suffering multiple panic attacks due to the PTSD,” Gilchrist says. “I dove into therapy and still struggle today with certain things, but now have the tools to work with these struggles. It was quite the journey and now a big part of my story. If it taught me anything, it’s that life can change in a blink of an eye and to live in the present with a grateful heart.”
Hometown Heroes
Newport Beach is meaningful to Gilchrist and Musselman because it’s the place where their athletic endeavors began and Olympic dreams took hold.
“Newport is home, always has been … and hopefully will always be,” Gilchrist says. “This town has shaped me into the athlete and, more importantly, the person I am today. The people are some of my dearest and best friends and have supported me along this crazy journey.
“… We’ve been fortunate enough to be a member of the Balboa Bay Club and that club taught me how to swim and has supported me greatly through my endeavors. We [also] love to post up at the beach out front at 30th Street and, of course, I love surfing there in the winter and 54th Street year-round.”
Gilchrist, who lives on the peninsula, says her go-to local dining spots are Alta Coffee, Al Cappuccino coffee house, Bear Flag Fish Co., Ho Sum Bistro, Buddha’s Favorite for sushi, Carnitas La Villa and The Cannery.
Musselman says she currently lives with her husband in Costa Mesa, not far from all of her favorite places she went while growing up.
“I am known to be a Hillstone restaurant foodie,” she shares. “I celebrate every birthday, sports success and anniversary at R&D Kitchen. I have gotten my husband more hooked on it and my family absolutely loves all the memories we make there.”
Musselman adds that she loves Newport because “it has been the birthplace of my passion in sports and love for the ocean,” plus it’s a comfort also having her church and family nearby. “Newport has been a supportive community for my sport and Olympic dreams,” she says. “… It is also where I married my husband and that memory will always hold a special place in my heart forever.”
Diving Deeper
So what do these water polo players enjoy doing in their little free time?
When Gilchrist isn’t in the pool, she can often be found in a bigger body of water—surfing. She has competed in the past and plans to get back at it after the Olympics. World Surf League ranked her No. 51 in 2022/23 for the Women’s Qualifying Series and No. 39 the previous year.
“Growing up as a tomboy on the peninsula, I did whatever my group of friends did,” she says. “When we were 8, we started playing water polo and started surfing. I loved both sports and continued to excel. I’m stubborn and competitive and didn’t want to have to pick one or the other. My schedule in trying to be the best in the world at both sports was hard and most people thought I was crazy, but I wouldn’t change anything.
“I do plan on competing after Paris and getting back to the surfing, which has been put on the back burner for too long. My favorite place to surf is home when the waves are good and all my friends are out. I also love Fiji and Indonesia. There are still a lot of spots on my bucket list.”
But, mostly, when she has a spare moment, Gilchrist likes to “enjoy my family; friends; my 3-year-old corgi, Splash; and home.”
For Musselman, reading and cooking are favorite pastimes. “I have recently been enjoying fantasy books,” she says. “Our entire team has been invested in ‘A Court of Thorns and Roses’ and other series that help make travel trips go by easier. Olympic training is tough and so it’s nice to escape with a good book.
“I [also] bake and cook all the time. I enjoy Italian food and Mexican food so my meals are mostly involving foods of that sort. Patrick and I are foodies, so we also love exploring new restaurants in Newport Beach all the time.”
Gilchrist also has an entrepreneurial side. She started a T-shirt company, I Miss South Central, referring to the area around her alma mater, USC. What started as an idea for a shirt to wear to homecoming herself turned into a business when the shirt received a big response from other alums.
“It’s been a small side project that most times gets neglected, thanks to my schedule,” she says, “but I still love getting orders and seeing strangers wear my shirts at game days.”
Oh, and she’s planning her wedding with fiance Tom Gehret while juggling everything else. The ceremony is less than two weeks after the Olympics.
“We have been engaged for nearly two years, so that has helped us manage the wedding planning along with Tom being super involved and the both of us being pretty organized people,” she says, also giving kudos to her wedding planner, Tyler Speier. “I knew I didn’t want to get married during this full-time training year. I wanted to focus on water polo, end that chapter of my life and start my new chapter with Tom.”
Their wedding date is Aug. 24, in tribute to Kobe Bryant—his last Lakers jersey was No. 24—who has been her biggest sports inspiration and became a mentor after her near-death incident.
While Gilchrist has a wedding coming up, Musselman just tied the knot in September. The newlywed met her now-husband at a friend’s wedding in January 2022, then the couple got engaged last summer.
“Patrick played water polo all his life, just like me,” Musselman says. “He grew up in Tustin, went to UCLA—won two NCAA championships—and has been into swimming in his post-collegiate career. He recently swam the English Channel before finding out about his diagnosis. He is truly a competitor and we have bonded over sports.”
In sports and in life, Musselman and Gilchrist have shown they are true contenders who don’t just sit on the sidelines. And all of Newport, no doubt, will be cheering them on during this summer’s Olympic Games.
