It’s our pleasure to introduce Beau Legault, a 2014 Men’s Artistic Gymnastics athlete from Calgary, AB, Canada who trains with Kyle Ryley at Calgary Gymnastics Centre.

Read below to learn more about Beau and hear how he maintains his competitive edge!

Interview

Weʼd love to begin by learning about your early gymnastics career. When and where did you start your competitive program? And, what did you love most about it?
I joined Super Kids, the pre-competitive program at Calgary Gymnastics Centre in 2018 when I was 4 years old. I loved being at the gym and seeing all the older boys training. And my first coach, Kristy made all the hard training so much fun.

What was it like to compete for the first time? Did this experience shift for you as you gained experience?
When I competed for the first time it was exciting and nerve-racking all at the same time. But I did score well giving me confidence at my next competition.

As you continued training and competing, what were some of the challenges you faced? And, how did you overcome them?
I’ve only competed for a few years, but I have had some fear when learning new skills, and I over came it by working on the new skills and not giving up. I really want to do well, so I just keep trying. I do sometimes get frustrated when its hard and my coaches have helped me work through this.

Who and what has been most influential in your gymnastics career? And, how have you stayed dedicated and motivated?
I stay dedicated and motivated with my gymnastics training because I want to do well and I want to be able to show my family all the new skills I work hard on during the year.

One of the aspects of gymnastics that we appreciate so much is that senior competitive athletes often participate in coaching younger competitive athletes. From what we hear, this is pretty standard in the sport and, we have to say, we think itʼs ingenious! Athletes who are new to the sport get to know their role models, which is so inspiring; Senior athletes deepen their knowledge by teaching skills in ways that resonate with boys who have myriad learning styles; and the gymnastics community benefits by having those who are participating in the sport literally shape its future. We’re curious: Does your gym also use a model like this?
Yes

Could you talk about your perspective on this practice and share your experience growing up within it, if applicable?
I alway felt welcome and included because even at 4 or 5 years old some of the older boys would say “Hi Beau” or “great work” when I got a new skill.

Could you please share what grade you’re in and what plans and aspirations you have for the future?
I am in Grade 4 and will compete in P2 for my second year.

Lastly, do you have any advice for younger athletes who are interested in MAG? Both in terms of gymnastics and in general?
Keep working, next year anything can happen!

LIGHTNING ROUND QUESTIONS

If you could eat one food for the rest of your life it would be:
Peas

If you were told the internet was going to disappear forever, what would you put on your hard drive? (Movies, shows, music, photos, etc.)
Video games

If you could meet one person (dead or alive), who would it be?
The first “Legault” (my ancestor)

Your morning drink/meal of choice is:
Apple juice

On your days off, what do you LOVE doing?
Playing with my big brother

Your three biggest priorities in life are:
Gymnastics, school and finishing a video game

Describe your go-to style in and out of the gym:
Onesie

THAT’S A WRAP! THANK YOU, BEAU!

We hope you found Beau’s interview fun and inspiring! Here at the Grizzly Classic, our goal is to increase participation in Men’s Artistic Gymnastics across Canada. We thought it would be fun to share stories from athletes competing at every level and every age to create a sense of connection among these extraordinary athletes and give newcomers a window into the MAG community.

We hope you found this interview interesting and helpful.

If you have feedback, we’d love to hear it! And, if you know an athlete who would like to be featured, please direct them to the Grizzly Classic Featured Athlete Profile Form.