Some families bake together, some go on beach vacations, and others create and produce music videos from their trips to Home Depot. If you are the Freehling family, you just happen to do all three.
As impressive as this checklist sounds, that is not nearly all they do. The family also owns its own gymnastics training center, where the father, Brock, coaches, and daughters, Riley and Brynn, have trained and developed their skills and admiration for the sport itself. Riley's and Brynn's younger brother, Brody, has done his fair share of flips in the gym as well, although he doesn't compete in the sport. As the family has grown together, the Freehling children have also advanced in skill, which gave Riley Freehling (Southington, Conn.), a junior at the University of New Hampshire, a chance to excel on the UNH gymnastics team. Riley and her siblings
Taking one look at this family and its many hobbies, it is clear that passion and a positive attitude have led to many amazing memories on and off the gymnastics apparatus. Balance is in their blood, as they manage to juggle their lives in the gym with their time spent together as a family.
Before she could even walk, Riley was already taking in the sights and sounds of life as a gymnast. "I was always there, I'd fall asleep at the gym and they'd put cones around me and still practice," said Riley. "I'm such a gym baby." Riley has loved being at the gym since she was a baby.
She was exposed to the sport at such a young age thanks to her father, Brock, who had been a gymnast at the University of Pittsburgh, and went on to own and coach at his own gym. Brock, or Mr. Broccoli as he is known by his gymnasts, has been by Riley's side as both a father and a coach throughout her whole career.
Riley's coach at UNH, Gail Goodspeed, praises the family's ability to find balance in the hectic life often created by such a unique and demanding sport. "Brock finds the ability to incorporate the fun and enjoyment into the process of training and competing with a gymnastics club," said Goodspeed.
Clearly, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, as coach Goodspeed described Riley in the same way. "We tell the girls, try to enjoy the process, but when you're in the gym practicing every day it's kind of 'get the job done'. She knows how to separate those. Plus, she likes to have fun before meets, and tries to get everybody going, but she's also focused on her job." Riley performs her beam routine as a UNH Wildcat during the 2018-2019 season.
Fun is something the Freehling family is oh-so familiar with, and it would only take one look at Riley's YouTube channel to realize this. The most popular video on her page, a music video, takes place in Home Depot. An unlikely location, but this shows just how spontaneous the family is.
"We went to Home Depot and as my mom was shopping we just thought, 'Let's make a video.' I don't know why, but it was so funny," said Riley. "It took us an hour to make but we had so much fun. I just posted it on YouTube for fun and there were so many views, I was like 'What's happening!' It's just our family at Home Depot, but it was so fun."
Little moments like those are ones that are often remembered for years to come. The family has also experienced more monumental moments that have made the gymnastics life that much more important to them.
Life levels out in many ways, and one form comes in experiencing both the hard times and rewarding times, which Riley knows first-hand. During her senior year of high school, Riley experienced a moment that made it all worth it. Riley had already been to Nationals the past two years, but this year, she had made a personal goal to score an all-around score of 38.00, along with finishing in the Top 10. She ended up scoring a total of exactly 38.00 and finishing in 10th place, reaching her goal.
"That was my last meet ever with my dad, so I was hysterically crying, all of my coaches were crying. It was so emotional because that was my final goodbye at CGA, but it couldn't have ended better. All those days where you wanted to give up, and you were ready to call it quits, it made it all worth it." Riley and her father, Brock, at Riley's Level 10 Nationals Competition.
Thanks to her family, the good times have been made even better, and they have helped her realize important aspects of life, both as a gymnast and as a person.
"Always push through those hard days because it is always worth it in the end. I know it stinks at some points, but I promise it is worth it."
She has been able to experience this herself throughout her gymnastics career, and the motivation and support from her family has helped her come this far.
Regarding her future, Riley has several ideas about possible paths she would like to pursue. At the top of her list? Working for Cirque du Soleil, becoming a Soulcycle instructor, or her most ambitious option, becoming a Taylor Swift backup dancer. Riley laughed as she thought about the third option, as she quickly added, "But that's never going to happen because I can't even dance, but still."
If she doesn't end up pursuing any of her top three careers, Riley says, "I have all of these things I want to do but realistically I will probably end up going back to CGA and coaching, which would be fun."
No matter what she ends up doing, Riley knows her family will be there to cheer her on and give her support, and she would love to do the same. "I love motivating people and helping them do their best, so as long as I'm doing that I'll be happy."
From falling asleep in her family's gym at two years old to placing 10th at Nationals at the last meet with her father, Riley's gymnastics journey has been made that much more special thanks to the ongoing dedication from her family. Riley has loved competing in gymnastics since she was a young girl.
"My family is everything to me. They're always there for me, giving me advice and encouragement. They have given me the best opportunities I can to succeed, and I appreciate them for that. I wouldn't be where I am without them."
Moments in the gym along with those other special memories, like making a Home Depot trip into a music video production, help Riley realize her family is there for her every step of the way, on or off the gymnastics apparatus. Watch the Freehlings take on Home Depot
Come watch Riley and the rest of the UNH Gymnastics team compete on Saturday, March 23 at 2 p.m. as UNH hosts the 2019 EAGL Championships, presented by the Mall at Fox Run, here at the Whittemore Center. For tickets and more info, visit www.unhwildcats.com/eagl2019.
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