In the world of basketball, where skill, determination, and passion reign supreme, few players have left as significant of a mark as Cayla George. Cayla is a three-time Olympian, and superstar of the Australian Opals, the Sydney Flames, and the Las Vegas Aces, mum to baby Pearl, and a long-time client of Studio Pilates International Cairns.
Originally from Mount Barker in South Australia, Cayla now calls Cairns home (when she’s not in Sydney playing for the Sydney Flames). We recently caught up with Cayla before she headed to Paris, where she filled us in on her remarkable career and the milestones that have shaped her journey.
What have your top career highlights been so far?
My first Olympics that I was selected for was Rio. So, I think that would be a highlight just being able to make that team!
And then, in 2018 at the World Cup with the Opals, we were able to overcome the host nation, Spain, in the semifinal which was just one of the craziest games I’ve ever been a part of. I got to hit a really big three down the stretch which kind of solidified the win. We ended up losing the following day to a really strong USA, but to claim a silver medal was a really incredible feeling, and to be able to beat the host nation… That was a really big highlight.
Playing on home soil at the Sydney 2022 World Cup and winning a bronze medal was absolutely euphoric. It was unbelievable. To be able to do it next to my closest teammates, some I’ve played with for almost 20 years in that Opals program and with my high school idol, Lauren Jackson (she was on my school books growing up). Just to come full circle and have her as my Opals sister is really special.
So, how do you find juggling being a mum AND being a professional basketball player?
I get asked this question a lot, and I guess it’s probably the same answer for a lot of mums. You just figure it out, you find a way, which is as simple as it gets really. You just don’t allow a whole lot to dictate anything else other than making sure your children are happy.
Since nine days old, she [Pearl] has only known planes, teammates, hotels, travel, team buses, basketball courts… She’s been on over 200 flights! It’s actually silly, but I think she really enjoys it. And I think we might have a little baller in our hands. Who knows? She’s around it enough.
When did you first hear about Studio Pilates?
It was 2020. So, I think down South was pretty locked down, but we opened up a little earlier in Cairns in North Queensland. As soon as everything started to open up I was hopeful to go to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. We eventually did go in 2021, but it was a bit of a confusing and conflicting time for our mental state, as Olympians, “what are we training for? Is it happening? Is it not?” So, as soon as things started to open up, I started to resume my Olympic preparation. I Googled some places in Cairns and Studio Pilates was the dominant one. So, I was like, “Oh, let’s try that out”. And I loved it. I fell in love. I think I was going like every day, sometimes six or seven times a week. I just loved it so much.
And I loved how it made my body feel – really long, lean and strong. I felt really strong doing weights, but I also felt like doing too much or lifting too heavy would get me too bulky. So, I would always do a lot of like low weight, high rep maintenance kind of weights. So matching that with Pilates allowed my movement to be freer. And I felt it got me quicker laterally, especially. I felt like I was leaner and I just felt really good about myself coming into the Olympics.
Anytime I did a Pilates class, I’d love to hate it. I’d finish it, and I’m like, “I love this so much, I’m coming back tomorrow.” There was a real change in how I felt about myself, my body and how I moved on the court and I haven’t looked back.
What advice would you give your younger self or up-and-coming athletes?
Two bits of advice – start Pilates as early as possible and not when you’re 30 [laughs]. Even though it’s very helpful now, I wish I’d started it in my early twenties. Now I’m a massive advocate for it.
And the other bit of advice – just make sure you’ve got a really great circle of friends. The pro sports world is pretty exciting. You can have so much fun. You’ll have more lows than highs, but the social media side of it can be really debilitating if you let it be. Maintain your self-worth by not letting anyone dictate that except for you and the close people around you, which I think is really important.
Cayla George’s story is one of dedication, passion, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Her achievements on the court are a testament to her hard work and resilience, and her insights offer valuable lessons for aspiring athletes everywhere. Congratulations to Cayla and the Opals for securing bronze in Paris! We can’t wait to see what you achieve next.
