Kaleo Kanahele Maclay on parenting

Kaleo Kanahele Maclay, a two-time Paralympic medallist, talks sitting volleyball, being a business owner and a mother to a three-year old son.

Maclay, who represents USA in sitting volleyball, made her Paralympic bow at London 2012, winning silver, before following it up with gold in Rio 2016. But sport is just one part of her action-packed life. 

“I have always wanted to bring Duke and my family along because I do think I can do all three. I can be a mum, I can be a family person, a business owner and an athlete. I don’t think I have to choose one over the other. But it is a lot of work to try and make them all work together," she said.

“And (I own) Cookies by Kaleo, and I just opened Flour and Flower. I started Cookies by Kaleo just because I wanted something creative to do.” 

Maclay also reflects on the importance of having the right team around her, most notably, her husband Matthew. 

“Because we travel so much, Matthew has only gotten to see me play a handful of times but when we lived in Hawaii, he had a very upfront role in training with me," she said. 

"He was tossing all the balls, learning about all the different aspects of volleyball. And with Duke, I couldn’t do it without him.” 

There’s talk of Tokyo 2020, growing up with a disability and a potential future star of the volleyball court!

Learning topics for this episode include parenting, time management, mindfulness, the importance of family and business management 

 

Allianz is a long-standing partner of the International Paralympic Committee. Together, we’re proud to bring you A Winning Mindset: Lessons From The Paralympics. We aim to help you move forward in all aspects of your personal and professional life. 

By hearing from Paralympic stars, you’ll be introduced to stories that inspire and change the way you think. Stories of facing life’s challenges with confidence, determination and excellence, and the true power of having the right team behind you.