The Good In Sports: Recent Episodes
Kurt Johnson
Beyond the scores and statistics, sports provide real-life examples of people and their inspirational stories that teach life lessons, stories of perseverance and achievement that go beyond the numbers on the scoreboard. On The Good In Sports Podcast, we share stories about the positive impact of sports, stories that inspire, that entertain, that celebrate the best in athletic competition.
When it comes to Utah high school sports, Amy Donaldson has covered it all. She's also covered the state's college and professional teams and a number of Olympic games. Amy's unique experiences as a woman covering sports are a powerful part of her story, but it's her skill as a storyteller that makes me a huge fan. We talked about her nearly 30-year career in journalism and this is part one of our conversation.
Matt Bushman grew up with all of the opportunities for growth that come from athletic training and competition. Inspired by the off-the-field work of NFL star JJ Watt, Matt decided to give something back. In this interview, he talks about the life lessons he's learned from sports, the new insights gained while recovering from an Achilles injury, his hopes for a future in the NFL, and his new foundation, modeled after the one founded by JJ Watt near the end of his college career.
The COVID pandemic has forced sports to make major changes during 2020 and into 2021. That impact has forced college athletic directors like Tom Holmoe to make decisions in areas that had previously not been part of their domain. I spoke with the Brigham Young University athletic director about managing sports during a pandemic, and we talked about what it's taught us about The Good In Sports.
Dusty Litster and Dane Stewart have had front-row seats to the best of Utah High school sports for more than a decade. I talked with Dane and Dusty about their most memorable moments covering the athletes, coaches, and teams in the state. They shared their favorite stories and also some thoughts on what it's been like to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.
On March 13, 2020, the governor of the state of Utah closed all schools in the state, as the COVID-19 pandemic swept the country. Eventually, schools in all 50 states discontinued in-person learning, which also led to the cancellation of spring sports and school activities. The Utah High School Activities Association began the process of navigating a pandemic and getting back to high school sports for the fall season. We spoke with UHSAA executive director about the decisions made and the impact he's observed in our latest episode of The Good In Sports.
The thing about dreams is that sometimes the circumstances of life lead us to change them. Bailey Nixon was a big-time volleyball star with big dreams until a serious injury changed her plans. Her brother, Dalton, fought through injuries, but had his dream of an NCAA tournament run with BYU basketball derailed by a pandemic over which he had no control. Both Bailey and Dalton are thriving with a new set of dreams, in part because of the life lessons learned through sports. Hear about their experiences in their own words, with a a little story about Andrew Luck thrown in as we talk about changing dreams on this episode of The Good In Sports.
As the world grapples with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on all aspects of life, we've had the chance to see the goodness come out in a lot of people. Dustin Smith, the founder of a Utah-based program called Especially for Athletes, has been working for a few years to help young student-athletes find that goodness in themselves. I spoke with Dustin and some of the participants in the Especially For Athletes program - Ryan Grunig, Kyle Campbell and Ella Ballstaedt. The experiences they shared are great messages for all of us at all times, but especially right now.
No one would have expected to see Jonny Stott take the field for senior night or any other night. The Green Canyon High School student was born with spinal muscular atrophy lower extremity dominance, a condition that makes everything difficult. Jonny's story teaches all of us about pursuing our dreams, no matter the obstacle. We also include other stories about chasing dreams - Jim Abbott, Jimmer Fredette, and even a little Charlie Brown reference.