This Mother's Day looks a little different for two-time Olympian Alexa Knierim.

After a career highlighted by two Olympic medals, two World medals and five U.S. titles, Knierim has found a new love beyond the ice. Now, she's navigating a new kind of balance that involves coaching, family and raising her son, Braxton.

"Some days I go to the rink from morning to evening, and I work straight through while my parents watch Braxton," Knierim said. "But then there are three days a week when I teach, and I bring him with me to the rink."

When he goes to the rink, parents and coaches lend a hand to care for Braxton while Knierim works, a community effort she's grateful for every day. For Knierim, it's a unique and meaningful way to stay connected to both parts of her life.

"I feel lucky to have an occupation right now where I can bring him with me on certain days and spend that time watching him grow up," she said.

Alexa and Chris Knierim welcomed their son to the world in July 2025. Three weeks later, they brought him to the rink for the first time, a "fulfilling and calming" experience that held deep meaning for the pair.

"He was so little, and we were super careful, but it just felt right to stand on the ice with him when we worked so hard to get through the pregnancy together with IVF. It wasn't easy, and it wasn't quick. The resilience from skating… also played into my IVF journey."

Becoming a mother was always part of Knierim's vision, even during the height of her career. But the journey required patience and perseverance. She has spoken openly about her experience with IVF and the emotional toll that came with it.

When she and her husband, Chris, finally welcomed Braxton, the moment felt like a deep sense of accomplishment.

"I was proud we didn't give up," she said.

Motherhood has given Alexa a new lens through which to see everything, including the sport that defined so much of her life. As a competitor, there was one singular focus. As a mother, her priorities shifted entirely.

"When we're athletes, every single choice you make as an athlete is for yourself and what will make you successful," she said. "Once you become a mom, your choices and decisions are centered around the child.

"And it's a humbling experience, but it's a hard transition. When you move into motherhood, you have to leave that part of you behind to give your child everything they need."

It was a tough transition, but one she embraced wholeheartedly. What Alexa didn't expect was just how profound the emotional shift would be.

"My passion for skating was once something I thought nothing could ever match. It shaped who I was. And then I became a mom — and I discovered a love that doesn't compete, doesn't compare. It just expands everything I thought I knew about love."

That realization has brought clarity to her post-competitive life. Not long after stepping away from competition, she admits it was difficult to watch from the sidelines without wondering if she should still be out there. Motherhood changed that.

"When I entered motherhood, I knew that I was in the right place now," she said.

The lessons Alexa learned as an athlete, patience, resilience and trust in the process, have carried over into parenting. But motherhood brought a new lesson: acceptance.

"As an athlete, there was so much pressure on being perfect every day," she said. "As a mom, I know I'm not going to be perfect… and there's a bit more acceptance of that."

That shift has shaped not only how she sees herself but also how she approaches coaching, with a focus extending beyond technique.

"I want my child to feel loved and supported," she said. "As a coach, I also want to prioritize my students' feeling loved and supported when I'm with them on the ice."

Through every step of this new chapter in Alexa's life, Chris has been a constant source of support, from encouraging her to return to coaching on her own timeline to sharing in the responsibilities of parenthood. Now, Braxton is already immersed in the world that brought his parents together. Whether he chooses to pursue skating or carve his own path, Alexa hopes the lessons he learns will extend far beyond sport.

"I just want whatever sport he's in to teach him life skills of discipline, determination and never giving up," she said. "And to lead his life with his heart and show kindness to everyone."

This Mother's Day, Alexa is measuring success by the meaningful moments with her family and by sharing her love of skating in a new way. While skating will always be a part of her story, motherhood has become a defining chapter.

"Skating is one chapter in my life," she said. "But hopefully, a family is many, many more."