Ep. 1 • In The Fishbowl

Yesterday, I had a conversation with Anika Wida ‘24, an uprising senior at Punahou School, who I also happen to be on the school’s diving team with. We talked about how she started gymnastics at a young age and how she grew up in the gym with her mom being one of her coaches. She talked about how it was somewhat difficult having her mother become, not only her mom but now, her coach. “It was putting a lot of strain on our relationship,” Wida said. “It just wasn’t very healthy for my mental health.”

She also mentioned how she had gotten some comments on her body while being fitted for a leotard and how she had heard about a girl on the mainland being told to put on shorts by male judges because her leotard was “too distracting” for them. How comments and suggestions like these have stuck with her even til now. 

After gymnastics, she took on diving as well as track. She talked about how had to overcome having everyone watch the divers as she and her team practiced due to the somewhat public spot the pool is at on campus. “Everyone’s watching you, your friends are watching you, and you feel like you’re in a fishbowl,” she said.

Listen to the full episode here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/ioMrumjIZAb or go to Spotify/Apple Podcasts and look up, “Next Wave Hawaii In The Fishbowl”.