Growing up in Wisconsin, she took piano lessons. She played volleyball and basketball. She went to swimming and skiing lessons. She also liked ice sport, debating, ballet and “precision dance.” She took ballet for as many as 35 hours a week during middle school and high school. Her mother says ballet taught her "criticism and discipline, poise and confidence."
In high school Mayer was also on the curling team. She was a "pompom" girl and a debater.
