How Paralympic Snowboarder Brenna Huckaby Prioritizes Her Mental Health As an Elite Athlete

The SI Swimsuit legend reminds us that ‘small, consistent steps over time lead to the biggest changes.’

Brenna Huckaby was photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Professional snowboarder Brenna Huckaby is currently training for the 2025 World Championships in Switzerland in 2025, as well as the Winter Paralympics in Italy in ’26. Despite her rigorous schedule, the 28-year-old athlete, who is also a proud wife and mom to two daughters, makes sure to prioritize her emotional well-being, no matter what’s going on in her life.

Not only does doing so allow Huckaby to ensure she has the emotional and physical energy to fully enjoy life, it gives the SI Swimsuit legend a mental health boost.

“When I started to view self-care as more than just skincare and baths, and instead as making intentional decisions to facilitate healing, it became much easier to prioritize,” Huckaby tells us. “I now see my emotional well-being as just as important as sleep, nutrition and exercise. Luckily, when I prioritize those areas, my mental health naturally improves.”

Brenna Huckaby was photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. Dress by Georges Hobeika. Shoes by Miu Miu. Jewelry by Charlie Lapson. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

A few of the three-time Paralympic gold medalist’s favorite practices for maintaining her mental health include exercising, journaling, going to therapy and being intentional and mindful throughout her day.

“Sometimes, my mindfulness comes while cooking dinner or playing with my kids, and other days it’s a meditation session on a mat before journaling in the morning,” she explains. “Both approaches are valid ways to prioritize your well-being, and both have a significant impact on mental health. Small, consistent steps over time lead to the biggest changes.”

Huckaby certainly understands what it’s like to have a hectic schedule, as she’s often juggling various professional pursuits, family life and training, and reminds us that focusing on one’s mental health doesn’t have to be a daylong affair. She’ll often carve out 20 minutes between competitions or training sessions for a quick meditation to “recharge” before moving onto the next task on her agenda.

“Life, to me, is a juggling act where we constantly pick, choose and rotate different activities depending on the phase we’re in,” Huckaby says.

The Louisiana native, who was the first Paralympian to be featured in the SI Swimsuit Issue in 2018, uses her platforms to be open and honest about her struggles with mental health as an athlete, mom and, well, human being, in order to help others feel less alone.

“Mental health is still heavily stigmatized, with only a few diagnoses being ‘safe’ to talk about because they are more universally understood. I hope that by sharing my own mental health stories, we can start to break down these taboos,” Huckaby says. “My goal is for more people to feel comfortable sharing their experiences and to seek help they may not have realized they needed.”