Paris 2024 Olympics: How tapping into sports psychology helped Casey Kaufhold become the best-ranked archer in the world
Casey Kaufhold and archery – the two are synonymous with one another.
From picking up a bow at age three to joining a club at eight, her progression in the sport has been steady but inevitable.
It has been a constant juggling act of education and shooting, but her commitment paid off at 17 when she became an Olympian for the first time.
Kaufhold represented Team USA at Tokyo 2020, while still in high school.
Three years later, she is ranked no.1 in the world and is participating at her second Games, at Paris 2024.
“I think I’ve grown a lot as an archer and as a person from Tokyo until now,” Kaufhold told Olympics.com in an exclusive interview.
“In Tokyo I was new, I was young [and] didn’t really have a lot of experience under my belt; now I have a lot of experience shooting in high-pressure situations over the last three years.
“I’ve been able to manage the pressure a little bit better and I think I’ll just apply a lot of what I learned over these three years – trusting myself, my training, and my process.”
Prior to her bid for gold getting underway on Thursday (25 July), Kaufhold discussed how working with a sports psychologist has raised her game, her love of the Olympics, and her advice for the next generation.
Casey Kaufhold shooting at Paris 2024.
Casey Kaufhold: I handle pressure a lot better now
A lot can change in three years, specifically when it comes to an Olympic cycle.
One year you are making your Games debut, and then suddenly you’re coming into your second as the one to beat – which is the case for Kaufhold.
She was just a teenager in Tokyo and has gone from strength to strength since then.
But with that comes great expectation and a lot of pressure – something she has learned to deal much better with, thanks to the help of a sports psychologist.
“I think sometimes what athletes struggle with is that their sport can feel all-consuming,” she said.
“I sometimes struggle if I don’t do well at events, it feels really heavy because this is all I have – but it’s important to have that outlet to express your worries, emotions, thoughts and feelings because it’s tough to keep that bottled up and stay functioning.
“That’s been a huge change in my routine over the last year [and] it’s definitely changed my archery, I feel like I handle pressure better now. I pay attention to my breathing a lot more.
“Just small things that you sometimes overlook here and there can be so important and my sports psychologist really helped me realise that.”
Striking the perfect balance starts at home for Casey, where she can take a step back from shooting a bow and instead try her hand at something a little more creative.
What was initially challenged into painting and drawing has now turned into renovation, after becoming a home-owner last December.
But more importantly, the Pennsylvania native likes to give herself a constant reminder: “I’m not just an archer… I’m also a daughter, a sister, a friend, a girlfriend.
“I [have] hobbies I love doing, so It’s important to find value in other things rather than just your main job.
“That keeps me level and keeps my life balanced.”
Casey Kaufhold on inspiring the next generation
She may only be 20, but Kaufhold is already a name that many young archers look up to.
To achieve what she has so far, almost all of which came while competing as a teenager, is nothing short of inspiring for those hoping to follow in her footsteps.
“No matter what, I always want to be a good representation of the sport and always give back,” she said.
“It is surreal to me that they (young kids) look up to me that way, but it’s always an amazing feeling so I do my best to be a good role model for the kids coming into the sport.”
But still, coming into Paris 2024 as the no.1 ranked in the women’s recurve doesn’t stop Kaufhold from soaking up all the knowledge that she can.
Working alongside world no.2 Brady Ellison, who has been shooting since before she was born, has given her the chance to take on board valuable advice.
“The biggest thing that he usually tells me is to just be you – don’t try to shoot differently than normal because your shot is good enough,” Casey revealed.
“He always [tells me to] be you when you get up there, be yourself.”
To have an archer of Ellison’s calibre as a point of refernece has helped the young star hone her craft over the years.
Now she wants to help others do the same, offering her own advice to up and coming archers, saying: “The biggest thing I would want to tell them is to have fun with it, not just archery but sports in general.
“I think you should do something because you enjoy doing it – I’m a big believer in that.
“Make sure you enjoy the ride first before you get too serious and competitive with it.”
Team USA archery, featuring Kaufhold and Ellison.
Casey Kaufhold: I was starstruck by gymnastics
Despite being the best in class in archery, in an alternate timeline we could have seen Kaufhold compete in gymnastics.
The acrobatic discipline was her first experience of competitive sport – and of the Olympics.
“I remember watching the Rio 2016 games and watching Simone Biles, Aly Raisman… all those huge names, and I was starstruck by that,” she said, reminiscing.
It’s quite the change-up, going from gymnastics to archery, but Casey continues: “I’m glad that no matter what sport it was, I was able to compete at the Olympic Games and for this to be my second one is awesome.”
The significance of competing alongside the aforementioned Ellison is not lost on Kaufhold, who is in awe of her teammate.
“He’s been one of, if not the, best archers the US has ever seen,” she added.
“So to be able to be his teammate and go to all of these events with him is just mind-blowing.”
Kaufhold will be back in action on Sunday (28 July), when the USA take on Chinese Taipei in the women's team event.