Meet Brooke Sweat: Groove Life Influencer
Brooke Sweat is one of the best beach volleyball players in the world, but her confidence comes from a different source than simply her skill as an athlete. Today we’re sharing an inside conversation with Brooke as she talks about her secret to success and shares what it’s like to be an Olympic athlete on and off the beach volleyball court. Keep reading to find out more about Brooke and why she loves her Groove ring.
Brooke Sweat is a crazy awesome athlete. She is an Olympian, world-class beach volleyball player, and just straight-up talented! Plus, she has dang good taste in wedding bands. While her list of credentials could fill up the state of California, she does not find her identity in wins or losses, but in something that is much deeper.
We are pumped to have Brooke Sweat as an influencer for Groove Life, rocking that silicone wedding band at every game! She joined the Groove Life team for an interview a few weeks ago and we are thrilled to share it with you today! In this blog post, you’ll meet the real Brooke Sweat, receive some advice on achieving your goals, and find out her favorite chill hobby that (spoiler) has absolutely nothing to do with volleyball.
Who is Brooke Sweat?
Brooke Sweat is a professional beach volleyball player - in fact, she’s one of the best in the world! She placed third at the 2013 Berlin Grand Slam and went on to qualify for and compete in the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Right now she is working toward competing in the 2020 Olympics, and she’s going for gold!
We could probably talk about Brooke’s beach volleyball accomplishments forever but today we will dive a little deeper and get to know Brooke as a person.
What were some moments in your childhood and teen years that set the pace to bring you where you are today?
“I grew up with two older brothers… I had to be strong and stubborn and competitive to keep with them. I think that carried over to life - that’s who I am today. Through summers and stuff growing up, we did hard work with my dad. When I was ten years old I was out cutting down trees, pulling weeds and what-not. I think that kind of work ethic was instilled in me at such a young age and some of that came with me and helped me on the journey to become a professional beach volleyball player.”
Brooke learned early that it takes hard work to set yourself apart in professional athletics. She worked crazy hard to become the beach volleyball player she is today, and it wasn’t just luck or talent that set her on the golden-paved road to success.
What makes Brooke different?
In spite of her unbelievable talent and hard work ethic, Brooke doesn’t rely on her own strength alone. In fact, she doesn’t even have her identity in her success as a beach volleyball player. Her success is rooted in something much different - her faith in Jesus Christ. She may be admittedly competitive from growing up with older brothers, but her humility is what shows up in conversation.
How does it feel to wake up in the morning as an Olympic athlete?
“You know... first and foremost I’m a Christian, and that’s what defines me. Ever since becoming an Olympic athlete, nothing has changed.... I just wake up with a grateful heart, spend some time with Jesus, read my Bible, and get on with my day. Even if I wasn’t an athlete, that’s what I would be doing. So, it’s nothing different than before I became an Olympian.”
Do you feel like your time with God in the morning contributes to your success?
“Yes, absolutely. I think it’s just a matter of trusting His will for my life. If you would ask me what my life looked like maybe ten or fifteen years ago, this is not what I would have said. I think it’s a testament to being faithful to Him and faithful to His plans for my life. I could tell you what I want and what I want to be doing but if that’s not what the Lord has in store for me, that’s not what is going to happen. Every day it’s just waking up, thanking the Lord for another day that I get to serve Him, and asking Him to do His will in my life throughout the day, whatever it might be - whether in practice or at the gym, or things in between.”
Brooke Sweat has to deal with discouragement and frustration on a regular basis in the competitive environment of the sand volleyball court. She shared that she relies on the inner peace that comes from her faith in Jesus to keep her spirit calm in tough moments.
What is it like to be a Christian athlete in the Olympics?
“Honestly, I’m pretty overwhelmed that this is the life and the platform that the Lord has given me to share the news about Him, so I want to use every second on and off the stand to glorify God. I want people to know that being an Olympian is great, but there’s just so much more to life. You’re an athlete because of Jesus, you’re an Olympian because of Jesus… you won that gold medal because of Jesus. And I want people to see that in me. That I’m out there playing volleyball, but that’s not what defines me. It’s Jesus. That’s what I’m out there doing and I want everything I do to glorify Him.”
Brooke shared that, as an athlete, it can be difficult to stay positive when things get tough, but she is intentional to remind herself of what is most important.
“You can get so caught up in a bad loss or you’re just having a really bad day… people are watching you. How you react to those situations is so important. And for a beach volleyball player, there’s a lot of little girls looking up to me and I just have to be aware of how I carry myself - how I’m handling myself. There’s going to be heartache and heartbreak along the way and I just have to be aware of how I’m handling those situations and that God is forefront in everything that I’m doing.
It’s just trying to remember that there’s more to it than beach volleyball. ‘I went out there and did my best and unfortunately, it didn’t go our way.’ It helps to have that inner peace - just a little reminder that there’s more to life than volleyball. I think it’s really important, after those hard losses or tough days in the sand, just to come back to that and center yourself around that.”
What would you be doing if you weren’t a volleyball player?
“I’d probably already be a mom but if that didn’t happen I’d maybe do something with interior design.”
What is Brooke’s secret to success?
Looking at Brooke’s unbelievable story of victory as a world-class athlete, the question arises: “how did you do it?” The road to success is not wrapped up in one secret, but there are many choices Brooke makes daily that keep her motivated and moving forward.
What does a normal day look like when you’re not competing?
“I practice for a few hours in the morning. After practice, I’ll grab some food and then head to the gym. I lift/condition 5-6 days a week. 2 or 3 days a week I have physical therapy - which is about a 45-minute drive (on a good traffic day) but totally worth it! I usually get 1-2 Pilates workouts a week in there too. It usually ends up being a pretty full day.”
What is your exercise routine?
“My workouts are constantly changing - depending on if we are in season, offseason, pre-season, and also on how my body feels and what my body needs. My strength coach and physical therapist communicate so we can make sure that I’m getting every possible gain from my workouts without harming/injuring myself. “
What are your favorite foods for staying in shape, and for cheat day?
“I eat a lot of ground turkey, ground beef and chicken. Portion control is key with anything you eat. For a cheat meal, I’ll basically eat anything from a kids menu! :) Chicken fingers are probably my favorite!”
If you were motivating a friend to achieve his or her goals, what is one piece of advice you would share?
“I kinda get asked this quite a bit and it just comes down to the fact that it’s going to be hard. Anything you really want in life - it’s going to be hard. It’s going to be tough to get it. I think that it’s pretty simple. You lean on Jesus, and you don’t give up. And that’s basically how I live my life. Obviously, I’m working toward the goal of competing in 2020 and winning the 2020 Olympics, so I think it’s something I live by… That’s what I would tell anyone and any of my close friends, that it’s going to be hard: that you need to lean on Jesus and not give up. It’s hard work but well worth it.”
Brooke may be goal driven, but she loves to kick back and relax, too. Her favorite chill hobby is totally relatable and we love her for it.
What is one random hobby that you love to do, or a fun little-known fact about yourself?
“Well, I love The Wheel of Fortune, The TV game show. I grew up watching it with my family and it’s something that I still do to this day. I have some friends that live with me out in California and every night we’ll watch The Wheel of Fortune. It gets very competitive, but it’s something I never want to miss. I have a dream of being on there one day with my best friends. So, maybe after I’m done with volleyball, I can move on toward pursuing that goal.”
We asked Brooke to share a quick, one-word answer to some fun questions!
Favorite music?
Country
Favorite animal?
Cows
Favorite place in the world to visit?
Gstaad, Switzerland
Favorite place to play volleyball?
Florida!
Why does Brooke Sweat use a Groove ring and watch band?
As a professional athlete, Brooke cannot always wear her wedding band. The wear and tear of workouts could damage the ring and put her fingers at risk - and that’s not a risk you want to take as a volleyball player. Groove Rings have been a literal game-changer for her.
“I’ve worn other rings like this and for some reason, I feel like the material is a little more comfortable. I can do all of my lifting, my workouts, my practices, all my trainings, and I don’t even notice that I have a ring on. It’s so comfortable, I don’t have to worry about it getting caught or scratched or injuring my finger. It’s nice to have peace of mind about that. ‘Cause I want to wear a ring!”
Brooke has been married to the beach volleyball player, Nicholas Sweat, for twelve years. Although she often has to travel, she loves that her Groove Ring is a daily reminder of her husband, even when she’s in a tournament across the world from him.
“It’s great to have a little reminder with me wherever I am in the world, that my husband is with me. I’m not going to travel with my wedding band so it’s nice to have my Groove rings with me, even if I’m over in Asia or Europe or something so, it kinda keeps us connected.
I used to not even take my wedding bands and I wouldn’t really wear anything so it’s kinda nice to have rings to travel with to keep him on my mind.”
Brooke has a variety of Groove Rings but her favorite design might surprise you!
“I have so many! I love them all. I love that there are just so many colors and designs to choose from, and you guys even have camo and that is my absolute favorite!
I also have the watch band. I wouldn’t wear anything else. I’ll be wearing these rings for the rest of my life. Even after volleyball is over, I’ll be wearing these rings.”
Brooke Sweat stands out as a bold, courageous athlete, and we are so proud to see her wearing her Groove ring and watch band as she dominates beach volleyball. We are definitely cheering her on as the 2020 Summer Olympics approach.
Now, not sure about you, but we’re probably going to go watch some Wheel of Fortune… maybe we’ll catch Brooke on there someday, living her next big dream.
Brooke Sweat uses a Groove Ring and watch band and they’ve been a game-changer for her! You can own your own Groove gear, too! Click HERE to see our bestsellers!
Keep Groovin’!