Voice In Sport: Recent Episodes
Stefanie Strack
Voice in Sport® is on a mission to bring more visibility to female athletes and elevate their voice. Sport Industry Executive, Advocate, Former Athlete and Founder of VIS®, Stef Strack explores the journey of female athletes by sharing untold stories on topics rarely discussed like mental health, body image, female specific sports science and nutrition. Stef hosts a conversation with female athletes, at all levels, inspiring us all to raise our voice, keep playing and change more than just the game.
With a Ph.D. In Sport Psychology and an extensive background as an athlete, coach, speaker, and author, VIS Expert Dr. Haley Perlus helps athletes find the tools and mindsets they need to optimize their mental game to achieve at a high level. She discusses the importance of reframing failure to be an opportunity both in life and in sport, instead of getting stuck in an “evaluation zone.” Coming from a competitive ski-racing background, Haley understands why failure feels frustrating, but she shares different mindsets and tools, like visualization, that girls and young women can use in order to grow from failure. Her mantra that “failure is an option, what a relief” helps to keep her going instead of getting discouraged from mistakes. Haley encourages listeners to give themselves grace, but to never let themselves off the hook, and this idea is what helps us grow as athletes.
Olympic Gold Medalist and Team USA hockey player shares what it truly takes to reach the highest level of sport. From dreaming of the Olympics at age three to competing in the 2022 Beijing Games as the youngest player on the roster, she reflects on the journey of building confidence, overcoming setbacks, and embracing every role along the way. Now a national champion and team captain at the University of Wisconsin, she opens up about the transition from being a “sponge” at the Olympics to becoming a leader and top contributor at both the collegiate and international levels. She discusses the importance of consistency, work ethic, and the small daily habits that separate elite athletes. She also shares honest insights on navigating slumps, managing pressure, and finding identity beyond sport, emphasizing the importance of balance and mental well-being. Through it all, she highlights that leadership comes in many forms and that success is about more than just performance, it's about growth resilience, and who you become in the process.
Team USA water polo athlete and Stanford student athlete Ella Woodhead shares what it truly takes to pursue excellence at the highest level of the sport. From growing up in the water and being inspired by her brothers, to competing on junior national teams and training for the Olympics, Ella opens up about the moments that defined her journey, leaving home in high school, becoming a team captain, and navigating the intense pressure of elite competition. She reflects on the emotional challenge of being cut from the 2024 PAris Olympic team and how that experience reshaped her mindset. Ella shares powerful lessons on resilience, leaning on support systems, and finding confidence through growth rather than perfection. Through it all, she emphasizes the importance of attitude, effort, and being a great teammate, reminding young athletes that success is about more than just outcomes, it's about who you become along the way.
Professional golfer and Stanford University graduate Rose Zhang shares what it really takes to build longevity in elite sport.
From picking up a golf club at nine years old to spending a record 141 consecutive weeks as the world's top amateur, Rose opens up about the moments that challenged her most — a persistent neck injury, burning out after 22 units at Stanford, and losing her period for a year and a half — all while competing at the highest level. She reflects on the power of quiet time, gut health, working with a sports nutritionist, and learning to lean on the people in her circle when the pressure felt impossible.
Rose encourages young women athletes to give themselves grace, treat their bodies as a temple, and understand that success isn't just about the scorecard — it's about caring for your whole self. Her story is a powerful reminder that the road back from burnout starts with honesty, self-reflection, and the courage to ask for help.
Registered dietitian and eating disorder expert Jillian Lampert, PhD, joins the VOICEINSPORT podcast to bust three eating disorder myths, and give athletes, parents, and coaches the tools to drive real change.
Drawing on her own eating disorder experience, 30 years in a clinical background, and doctoral research on sport and disordered eating, Jillian breaks down why weight-based coaching is harmful, why eating disorders affect athletes across every sport, and why bullying is never tough love. She also outlines what true recovery looks like, and shares the story of her work with Olympic gold medalist Jessie Diggins and the documentary Threshold.
Jillian offers guidance for athletes, parents, and coaches, including the language shifts that protect girls, the signs of disordered eating to be aware of, and why building a community of support is the most important thing a young athlete can do before entering a collegiate environment.
“If we don’t do this work, who will? I care a lot about people with eating disorders, and if I don’t use my voice, people who don’t care about people with eating disorders, because they don’t know about it, they’re not gonna do it. So if it’s not gonna be me and the people that I work with, who will it be?”
American hockey player, PWHL athlete, and Olympic gold medalist Gwyneth Philips shares what it really takes to stay ready, patient, and committed while building a career in elite sport.
From competing at the highest level with Team USA to navigating the intensity of the PWHL, Gwyneth opens up about the reality of waiting for your opportunity and the mental strength required to stay prepared behind the scenes. She reflects on the discipline it takes to remain consistent, the importance of trusting your development, and how daily habits, both on and off the ice, shape long-term success.
Gwyneth encourages young women athletes to believe in their process, stay grounded in their preparation, and understand that growth often happens in the moments no one else sees. Her story is a powerful reminder that success isn’t always immediate, but with patience, resilience, and trust, the right moment can change everything.
Two-time Olympic medalist and PWHL Minnesota Frost goaltender Nicole Hensley joins us to share her journey navigating self-belief, rejection, and mental resilience in elite sport. From growing up playing hockey with the boys in Colorado to hearing “no” from nearly every college during recruiting, Nicole opens up about the challenges that shaped her confidence and helped her forge her own path in hockey.
In this episode, Nicole reflects on her time at Lindenwood University, where she became the NCAA all-time leader in saves, and shares the mental tools she uses to manage overthinking, reset after mistakes, and stay grounded under pressure. Her story is a powerful reminder that belief starts from within — and that confidence is built through persistence, perspective, and trusting yourself when the path forward isn’t clear.
“You have to believe in yourself before anyone else does.” — Nicole Hensley
Canadian Women’s National Team defender and professional footballer Ashley Lawrence shares what it really takes to build longevity in elite sport.
From leaving college early to play professionally in Europe, to navigating cultural change, competition, and self-doubt, Ashley opens up about the moments that challenged her most — and the tools that helped her stay grounded. She reflects on the importance of mental health support, nutrition, sleep, gratitude, and remembering the joy that first drew her to the game.
Ashley encourages young women athletes to trust themselves, embrace curiosity, and understand that success isn’t just about performance — it’s about caring for your whole self. Her story is a powerful reminder that growth happens when you’re willing to take the leap, ask for help, and reconnect with your purpose — even when the journey gets hard.
Former elite gymnast and UCLA standout Katelyn Ohashi returns to the Voice in Sport Podcast to talk about life beyond competition and what it means to redefine who you are after stepping away from sport. In this episode, Katelyn opens up about leaving elite gymnastics, discovering new creative outlets, and learning how to listen to her own voice after years of external pressure. She reflects on identity, transition, and the freedom that comes with allowing your path to evolve. Her story is a reminder that you are more than your sport, and that growth, purpose, and joy can look different in every season.
Flag football is one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S.—but the pathway to the top hasn’t always been clear, especially for women. In Episode 2, Team USA Flag Football athlete and Olympian Madison Fulford returns to the VOICEINSPORT Podcast to break down the evolution of the sport, the gaps in the development pipeline, and why representation and coaching matter more than ever.
Madison shares how she discovered flag football later in life, what it takes to compete at the elite level, and how she’s now giving back as a coach through MAD Skills Training—working with girls ages 7–18 to help build confidence, skills, and belief. From Olympic dreams to grassroots development, this episode explores how athletes can help shape the future of their sport.
Three-time Paralympian swimmer Lizzi Smith was born with amniotic band syndrome, which resulted in her losing her left hand. She spent years trying to make that part of herself invisible, but through swimming, the pool became the one place where she wasn't afraid to be seen.
Lizzi encourages us to build confidence through adversity, and to find strength in the parts of ourselves we’re tempted to try and hide. She shares honest reflections on the heartbreak that comes with chasing Olympic dreams and the courage required to show up as a woman athlete with a disability, and reminds us how essential owning your space and finding your voice is — especially when everything inside you wants to shrink.
Former elite gymnast and UCLA standout Katelyn Ohashi joins us to share her journey navigating body image, mental health, and rediscovering joy in gymnastics. From the pressure and perfectionism of the elite world to the freedom she found at UCLA, Katelyn opens up about how she learned to rebuild her confidence and love for the sport on her own terms.
In this episode, we also highlight excerpts from her new book, Every Time, I Always Would — a beautiful collection of poetry that reflects her growth from self-doubt to self-love. Katelyn’s story is a reminder that healing takes time, and that true confidence comes from embracing who you are, not who you think you’re supposed to be.
“Appreciate what your body is capable of and give yourself all the love because you deserve it.” — Katelyn Ohashi
Two-time Olympian, Team USA middle blocker, and VIS Mentor Chiaka Ogbogu opens up about her ongoing journey with perfectionism and the mindset shifts that helped her rediscover confidence and joy in sport. Chiaka shares how she learned to redefine success on her own terms, set goals that empower rather than pressure, and use tools like journaling and self-reflection to stay grounded. She also discusses how faith has shaped her mental performance journey, helping her navigate setbacks, silence self-doubt, and embrace progress over perfection. Her story is a reminder that true strength in sport comes not from being perfect, but from learning to evolve with purpose and grace.
“I’m here for a reason… I’ve already done the hard to get here. I might as well see this through with the joy I had coming into it.” — Chiaka Ogbogu
Skylar Park, professional taekwondo athlete and Olympic bronze medalist for Team Canada, discusses how she manages family dynamics being coached by her father and growing up in a Taekwondo family. Skylar opens up on the difficulties in continuing finding love for the sport during the Paris Olympics and how her family was able to help her through that. Skylar provides young women athletes with great advice for managing parents who are coaches and the importance of family support in sports.
Brittany Brown, Olympian, professional sprinter for Team USA, Adidas athlete, and VIS Mentor, takes us inside the world of track and field beyond race day. From her first memories on the track in Southern California to competing on the world’s biggest stage, Brittany opens up about the highs and lows of confidence, nerves, and performance.
She shares the evolution of her pre-race routine—from journaling and visualization to logging off social media and even smiling at the starting blocks—as tools to protect her energy and stay grounded. Brittany also reflects on moments of doubt early in her career, reminding young athletes that their talent deserves recognition, and that confidence can be built over time with awareness and self-belief.
Her story is a powerful reminder that success in sport isn’t just about speed—it’s about mindset, resilience, and finding joy in the journey.
“Your talent deserves to be seen. Don’t hide away from it—because the more you show up as yourself, the more it helps others.” – Brittany Brown
Morgan Hentz, professional volleyball player, three-time NCAA champion, three-time Pac 12 Libero of the year, and VIS mentor, gives us insight into the world of professional volleyball. She has experienced both overseas play and play within the United States and shares with our audience how to go about deciding if playing overseas is for you. Morgan breaks down the new United States pro volleyball leagues, discussing structure, prize money, culture, and benefits. While diving into what professional volleyball entails, Morgan offers great advice to girls looking to pursue playing volleyball professionally.
“My biggest hope is that the sport continues to grow… there’s just such talent” -Morgan Hentz
While dominating in the pool as a 3-time Olympic medalist, Paige Madden has also been quietly fighting a different kind of battle— at age 13, she was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects the thyroid. Behind the scenes of her athletic success, she has faced extreme fatigue, emotional lows, and the mental strain of managing a condition that can be as unpredictable as it is exhausting. Paige opens up about the hidden toll Hashimoto’s has taken—on her body, her mindset, and her identity as an athlete. She shares her lowest moments, what it took to keep pushing forward, and how learning to embrace vulnerability became one of her greatest strengths. Her story is a powerful reminder that even at the highest levels of sport, athletes are not immune to struggle—and no one has to face it alone.
“It'll pull you back if you let it pull you back.”-PaigeMadden
Skylar Park, professional taekwondo athlete, Olympic bronze medalist for Team Canada, and VIS mentor, discusses how she managed to embrace her feminine side as an athlete in a combative, male-dominated sport. Skylar debunks common combative sport myths by sharing her experiences and describes the strides the sport of Taekwondo has made towards equity for men and women athletes. Skylar provides young women athletes with great advice for embracing their athletic selves in sport.
“Be confident in who you are and … believe in yourself wholeheartedly” -Sklyar Park
Morgan Hentz, professional volleyball player, three-time NCAA National Champion, three-time Pac-12 Libero of the Year, and VIS Mentor, shares her best performance mindset tips. Morgan breaks down how working with a sports psychologist helped her develop new skills to overcome game-day performance anxiety. Morgan discusses strategies like breathwork, visualization, and communication with teammates, which have helped her to perform at her peak. Having access to mental health resources at Stanford helped Morgan balance her identity in and out of sport. Morgan wraps this episode with game-changing dos and don'ts—what coaches, parents, and teammates should (and shouldn't) say to athletes on game day.
“Effort, attitude, focus, being a great teammate—those four items you can always control" -Morgan Hentz
Christine Monjer, the President of the Los Angeles Sparks, joins us to share her inspiring career journey, which includes leading brand strategies for the Las Vegas Aces and major shows at MGM Resorts International. She takes us through her dynamic career journey from marketing at Quaker Oats and MGM Resorts to shaping the brand identity of the Las Vegas Aces. Christine shares the power of being fearless in her professional life, emphasizing how important it is to speak up, take risks, and pursue what truly excites you. She also reflects on the lessons she’s learned from her career transitions and how transferable skills have played a pivotal role. Our personal and professional journeys are seldom linear or predictable. Christine speaks from personal experience about how the unpredictable can be a source of growth and strength. Christine opens up about the importance of giving herself emotional space, especially after facing significant personal challenges; this practice helped her grow into the successful leader she is today.
“Ask for the coffee, ask for the promotion, speak up in the meeting. If you see that something’s going left and it needs to go right, say it. Be less afraid of saying the wrong thing. Stay present and be fearless” - Christine Monjer
In this episode of the Becoming President series, President and COO of the Atlanta Dream, Morgan Shaw Parker walks us through her career journey from being an intern at the Kansas City Chiefs, to becoming the first female Vice President of Communications in the NFL, and eventually to the C-Suite of the Dream. Shaw Parker shares the importance of being intentional in curating a team ready to ‘roll up their sleeves and get in the mud together.’ Success comes from teams comprised of people with a shared mission, perseverance, and mutual respect. Ultimately, Morgan encourages us to embrace diverse perspectives and pave the path for other women.
“Be open to taking on any challenge, especially things that scare you, especially things that are outside your comfort zone. Go in eyes wide open and figure it out because you wouldn't be there if you weren't smart enough to figure it out” -Morgan Shaw Parker
In a new, exclusive Voice in Sport podcast series featuring women presidents, we dive into the stories of trailblazing leaders shaping the future of sport. This episode highlights Keia Clarke, the President & CEO of the New York Liberty, who shares her incredible journey to the top of one of the most iconic teams in the WNBA. Keia began her career at the NBA/WNBA League Office, prior to joining the New York franchise. Among her many awards, Keia was named to Adweek’s Most Powerful Women in Sports list, Sports Business Journal’s Game Changers Class of 2023, and most recently, CNBC’s Changemakers Inaugural Class of 2024. Clarke’s story is one of persistence, learning, and trust-building. Reflecting on her career growth, she discusses the challenges she overcame, the importance of mentorship and building trust, and encouraging innovative leadership. From Clarke's first chapter, “Sport Adjacent” where she stepped outside her comfort zone fresh out of college, to her current role in chapter, “Point Guards Lead From the Front” as the President & CEO, her journey is a remarkable trajectory of personal and professional growth.
"You always want that feeling of we did this, not, I did this” - Keia Clarke.
In a new, exclusive Voice in Sport podcast series featuring WNBA presidents, we dive into the stories of trailblazing women shaping the future of basketball. This episode, Jennifer Rizzotti, a basketball legend and current President of the Connecticut Sun has had nothing short of a remarkable career. She is a former standout point guard at the University of Connecticut, national championship winner, WNBA professional athlete and two-time WNBA championship winner, and 2013 inductee in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. In this conversation, Rizzotti shares insights into her leadership journey, the lessons she’s learned from building teams, and her passion for developing the next generation of female leaders in sports. Reflecting on her 17 years of head coaching at the University of Hartford, her continued work with USA Basketball, and entry into the C-Suite at the Sun, this episode is packed with inspiration for aspiring athletes and leaders alike.
“There’s no dream that's too big, right? If your goal is to be a president of an organization, put the work in, build the relationships, and just be somebody who wants to learn all the time" - Jen Rizzotti.
Dr. Lennie Waite is a VIS Expert andIndustrial-Organizational Sports Psychologist who specializes in team dynamics, motivation, and performance. In today's episode, Dr. Waite shares her expertise on the science behind eating disorders and disordered eating. She discusses how unhealthy habits can manifest in young athletes, what the warning signs are, how these habits can spread throughout teams, and the ways we can support athletes who struggle with these challenges. Dr. Waite also delves into the current culture surrounding eating disorders within the NCAA and running community with the goal of better informing coaches, athletes, teams, and parents on how to talk about these topics in healthy, supportive, and constructive ways. Overall, Dr. Waite encourages everyone to stand up and use our voices for positive change.
"You only have one body, and it has to last us our entire lives” - Dr. Lennie Waite, VIS Expert
Athing Mu, a professional track & field athlete and 2x Olympic gold medalist in the 800m and 4x400m relay in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, shares her journey of having success in running at an early age, and the transition to becoming a pro athlete. In this episode she takes us through growing up in a Sudanese family in New Jersey and the impact her seven siblings have had on her passion for running. Athing discusses her time as a high school and college athlete and what it was like turning pro, landing Nike as a sponsor and winning a gold medal all before the age of 20. After a disappointing result at Worlds in Budapest - she takes us through how she managed the pressure and disappointment and the steps she took to build a strong support system around her and climb back to the top of the 800m podium at the Diamond League Championship by setting a new World Record. While running is a huge part of Athing’s identity she emphasizes the importance of having hobbies and passions outside of sport and surrounding yourself with inspirational teammates that help keep the joy of sport front and center.
““Pressure’s always going to be there. It’s about how to take that pressure and use it to fire you up for what you need to do and accomplish””. - Athing Mu
CLIF endurance athlete and a leader in the space of ski-mountaineering and endurance sports, Caroline Gleich shares with us how she has built her career and broken barriers as a woman and as an activist. She began her ski career while attending University of Utah and then went on to become the first woman to ski all 90 lines of the Chuting Gallery, climb Mount Everest and has competed in several ultra-marathons. Carolines legacy extends beyond her expeditions as she combines her passion for sport and advocacy as an activist for gender equity and environmental policy, traveling to Washington DC to testify in front of the House and Senate and organize climate rallies. Today she shares with us the pros and cons of social media, how to best protect yourself as a woman when faced with online harassment and how to build your brand with a powerful community of women and mentors. Caroline explores with us the path to becoming a pro and how to tear down the harmful narratives in sport around the “ideal” woman's body type.
"Sometimes I feel like if I fail on an expedition that I'm not just failing for myself, I'm failing for all women and that's just simply not true.” - Caroline Gleich
Emma Schieck, Paralympic sitting volleyball player and gold medalist in the 2021 Tokyo Paralympic Games, shares her journey into adaptive sport and the challenges, relationships, and unforgettable rewards within it. She takes us through her childhood growing up without a knowledge of paralympic sports. She gives us an inside look at what it felt like to serve in the match point of a gold medal game. She emphasizes the importance of honoring our passions, never giving up, and believing in ourselves against all odds. Emma expresses hope for a future where paralympic sports gain more viewership and respect. She is such an inspiration for all female athletes and especially those with disabilities who dream of achieving their own goals.
“They're challenging and competitive. No matter what your disability is, no matter what your sports background is, playing a paralympic sport is going to push you and it's going to be different.” -Emma Schieck
Kaitlin Hawayek is Team USA Ice Dancer and a 2022 Pyeongchang Olympian. She is a 5x Bronze Medalist at the National Figure Skating Championship, 2018 Four Continents Champion, 2018 NHK Trophy Champion, and 2014 World Junior Champion. Kaitlin takes us through her junior career, highlighting the lessons she learned in competing in a multitude of environments at a young age. She shares her journey struggling with an eating disorder and how she grew into a healthy relationship with her body image. Later in her career, facing near career ending injuries, Katilin discusses how she took a pause from sport in order to take care of her physical and mental health. Through her journey, Kaitlin shares incredible advice for women athletes on how to take care of our bodies and minds, to advocate for our needs, and to find and develop resources for both our personal and athletic success and longevity.
"I am limitless. I am neither who I was or who I want to be, but I am who I am right now. I am a human that has so many values beyond sport. Sport is what I do. Art is what I share. But I love myself because of my kindness, because of my resilience, and because of my passion and creativity." - Kaitlin Hawayek
Sasha Digiulian, professional rock climber and CEO of Send Bars is a key figure in the world of climbing. She has won the World Championships for Female Overall and has placed Silver in the Bouldering World Championships, as well as Bronze in the Duel. Sasha has been the undefeated PanAmerican Champion from 2004 to the present, and also a three-time US National champion. She joins us to share her journey in the world of climbing, the mindset of a risk-taker, and how she navigates body image and scrutiny in the age of social media. Sasha also teaches us how she manages fear and self-doubt when performing her difficult climbs, and the lessons she’s learned from becoming a champion in climbing - which she also writes in her new upcoming book “Take the Lead: Hanging On, Letting Go, and Conquering Life's Hardest Climbs” available September 26, 2023. Sasha’s impact reaches far beyond climbing, she is an example to many young women to embrace their own potential and carve out their own paths.
“It's women achieving something that opens the floodgates to other women seeing inspiration and possibility.” - Sasha DiGiulian
Dr. Allison Brager, an Army Neurobiologist who specializes in sleep and circadian rhythms, shares her college athletic journey as a track and field athlete and how she got into studying sleep and its importance for athletics. Brager graduated from Brown and Kent State with a Ph.D of psychology, and also serves as a VIS Expert, where she conducts sessions about sleep. She shares with us the science behind sleep and gives us tips for how to create a sleep routine that benefits our mental, physical, and emotional health. Allison dives into her role on the NCAA advisory board and the importance of athletes finding hobbies outside of sports to realize they are more than just an athlete. She reminds girls that sleep is the secret weapon in athletic performance. “This [sleep] is how the pros got to how they are, starting out at your age and doing the same things you were.”- Dr. Allison Brager
Ali Riley, captain of Angel City FC in NWSL and captain of the New Zealand women’s national soccer team, joins us to share her journey in women’s soccer. She has represented her country in four Olympic Games and five FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments, most recently helping New Zealand to secure their historic first World Cup win against Norway in this year's FIFA Women's World Cup. Ali has gathered a host of experiences playing professional soccer, both in the United States and around the world. Most importantly, Ali’s impact is reflected in her work off the pitch as she is a champion for empowerment and equality, using her platform to advocate for women athletes and for marginalized communities everywhere. In this week’s episode, we dive into her resilience in facing and overcoming obstacles in her career, the importance of representation, and her hopes for the future of women’s sports—from visibility to equal pay.
For more information on equal pay, the Voice In Sport Foundation, and its initiatives, head to https://www.voiceinsport.com/press/side-of-equity
“You don't have to have thousands of followers. If you just are yourself and confident and do something that you love and are passionate about, it's going to make an impression on someone younger than you.” - Ali Riley
Becky Sauerbrunn, 2x World Cup Champion, 2x Olympian, 3x NWSL Champion, and formercaptain of the U.S. Women’s National Team, joins us as we unpack her journey to becoming a leader in the world of women’s soccer. She speaks candidly about her time with the youth national teams, her collegiate soccer career at the University of Virginia, as well as her professional career—highlighting how she gradually grew into her role as a leader over many years. We dive into how Becky has channeled this leadership as captain of the USWNT and the intricacies of how her leadership manifested itself in the fight for equal pay for women’s soccer players. Becky challenges us to both reconsider our preconceived notions of what a leader is, and to channel the leadership within us to advocate for gender equity and accessibility of sport for all.
For more information on equal pay, the Voice In Sport Foundation, and its initiatives, head tohttps://www.voiceinsport.com/press/side-of-equity
“It's gonna get better, but we need everyone to own and feel responsible for where women are going in this country when it comes to sport.” - Becky Sauerbrunn
Julie Foudy, former captain of the U.S. Women’s National Team, 2x World Cup Champion, 2x Olympian, National Soccer Hall of Fame member, and espnW Writer and Commentator, joins us as we unpack her experiences in the soccer world. She shares with us her journey in finding joy in sport and building confidence and how this not only led her to an incredible career with the USWNT from 1987-2004, but it also led to the eventual foundation of the leadership academy that she runs today for young women athletes. In our conversation, Julie emphasizes the importance of leadership that transcends the sports field; we see this in her discussion of the ongoing fight for equal pay in sport and her partnership with CLIF that supports her activism efforts. Julie Foudy is an inspiration to young women athletes everywhere, and her confidence, joy, and determination are truly gifts that we all can learn from.
For more information on equal pay, the Voice In Sport Foundation, and its initiatives, head to https://www.voiceinsport.com/press/side-of-equity.
“If we can teach these women to be amazing athletes, that's great. But most importantly, let's create amazing humans who wanna give back into their communities and realize that every single one of them is a leader.” - Julie Foudy
2022 Olympic All Around Gold Medalist and decorated NCAA Division 1 gymnast Suni Lee, shares her journey growing up as a Hmong American gymnast. She shares with us her experience at the Tokyo Olympics and her transition to competing at Auburn University, delving into the differences of the collegiate and elite competition levels. Suni guides us through her pre-meet rituals and training tips. She emphasizes the importance of visualization, repetition, and confidence. Suni shares why her partnership with CLIF and VOICEINSPORT Foundation help her to pursue her advocacy efforts towards building mentorship and representation. Suni's inspiring journey exemplifies dedication, hard work, visibility, and believing in oneself.
Adrienne Smith, a professional football player, serial entrepreneur, and VIS mentor shares her journey in sports and business. A 5 time WFA champion, 2 time gold medalist with the US Women’s Tackle National team, WFA career leader in reviewing yards, and 9 time WFA all-star, Adrienne shares how she mentally and physically trains and performs as an elite athlete. She discusses the importance of discipline, recovery, and mindset. Off the field, Adrienne discusses the inspiration behind her numerous entrepreneurial projects: Harlem Hip-Hop Tours, Gridiron Queendom, and Blitz Champz. She reminds us to pursue our dreams no matter what anyone else says.“If you think you can be something, you can be. That's it. Regardless of what the world is saying to you in that moment. If you think you can achieve it, then I got my money on you. You can achieve it.” -Adrienne Smith
Toni Breidinger is a Professional NASCAR Race Car Driver for Venturi Motorsports where she drives a number 25 Toyota Camry. She has the most wins for women in United States Auto Club history with 19 wins! Toni shares her journey in the sport of race car driving beginning with how she entered the world of motorsports at the age of nine. Toni talks about her new partnership with Victoria’s Secret while working with the company to spread body positivity and shift the narrative around beauty ideals . She talks about how to deal with performance anxiety, lifting other women up in sport, and encourages other young girls to compete in motorsports. “Your body isn't a trend. You don't need to look at all these people who probably Photoshop their photos and everything like that. I think if you're just strong and you're healthy, like that's the most important thing and your body's beautiful.” - Toni Breidinger
Sheera Goren is the co-founder of Zygo, the first submersible headset for swimmers that receives radio frequencies from a poolside FM transmitter which is paired with your smartphone - enabling athletes to listen to music underwater, receive coaching and of course listen to the VOICEINSPORT Podcast. Sheera graduated from UCLA with an undergraduate degree in Communications. She reminds young women that the degree you achieve is just one part of your story - and never limit yourself to go a different direction after graduation. We love the inspiring conversation of rolling with your mistakes, and using them as learning experiences. It’s never too late to start something new and as Sheer Goren shares with the VIS community “I think failing is not ever starting something.”
Jenny Nguyen, entrepreneur, chef, and founder of The Sports Bra shares with us her journey in starting her own business. With a culinary background and love for women’s sports, Jenny took her passions into the restaurant and business industry. Inspired to create a sports bar that was centered around women's sports and more inclusive, The Sports Bra was born. Jenny emphasizes the importance of community as seen through her partnerships with local woman owned and operated businesses.
“Have you ever felt like you didn't belong at a sports bar? And why? Because those are the reasons why I opened The Sports Bra.” -Jenny Nguyen
On today’s special Entrepreneur Series, we are chatting with Jordan Robbins, Founder of Revly Sport. REVLY Sport is a swimwear brand designed for women with active lifestyles. Their goal is to take the stress out of swimwear so that women athletes who wear it can confidently live and enjoy their lives. Jordan is a former volleyball player for UCLA and UWisconsin, who overcame severe scoliosis to compete in college. Her sports and entrepreneurship story is incredible.
Welcome to the 100th episode of the VOICEINSPORT Podcast! Thank you for being on this journey with us, we are so excited to be able to share the stories of so many incredible women athletes, experts, and advocates.
In this 100th episode, we are celebrating the highlights of the Voice in Sport podcast around the four core VIS topics; MIND, NUTRITION, ADVOCACY, and BODY. Our producers, Zosia, Elizabeth, and Kate, have put together a compilation of their favourite quotes and will introduce and explain why these quotes resonated with them!
Before we get started, we wanted to share some of the amazing statistics of the guests we’ve had on the podcast. In the past 99 episodes, we’ve hosted 48 Olympians, 20 Olympic Medalists across 20 different sports. We hope that as you’re listening to today's episode you’re inspired to check some of those great episodes out! Enjoy!
2-time Olympian and VIS League Mentor, Rosie Brennan is a professional cross country skier who has had multiple top 15 performances at the 2022 winter olympics in Beijing. Previously, Rosie attended Dartmouth college where she competed on the ski team.
Rosie has had multiple ups and downs in her career including being cut from the National team twice, suffering two freak accidents including a bike and a car crash, and coming down with mono during her first Olympic Games.
While Rosie may have thought about quitting, she never did and always came back with an even stronger fire. Today, she talks about her resilience and gives advice to young girls who may be going through similar obstacles.
“It made me realise that part of the joy of competing is to have that feeling of being so immersed in something that you can have that many emotions and one of my biggest takeaways from the Olympics was how lucky I am to have had this experience that allows me to feel so much.” - Rosie Brennan
VIS Expert, Dr. Paige Roberts, a sports psychotherapist, athlete mental health advocate and a peak performance expert speaks about trauma injuries and how to recover from them. Paige specializes in helping athletes overcome performance anxiety, recover fully from sports injuries or failures, and rebound from performance slumps or blocks. As a high school and college athlete, Paige faced numerous challenges including overuse injuries, an eating disorder, addiction and multiple concussions. Today Paige shares the neuroscience behind overcoming all of them, and dives deep into the technique she uses called Performance Neuro Training, which is a combination of sports psychology, brainspotting, and hot & cold photobiomodulation laser-light therapy. This draws upon techniques from clinical social work, exercise and neuroscience along with health and wellness lifestyle coaching.
“When we look at the results of Performance Neuro Training, athletes are loving sport again. They're energised, they're sleeping well, they're not having as intense anxiety.” - Dr. Paige Roberts
Lexi DuPont, professional big mountain skier, bush pilot, and entrepreneur talks about an exciting new event, the Sister Summit! The Sister Summit brings women snowboarders and skiers together to build a community, create more visibility for the sports, and learn about mindfulness and nutrition, much like the mission of VOICEINSPORT! Lexi also dives deep into her relationship with nature. She shares how she cultivates confidence as a love for yourself, for life, and for the people around you. Finally, Lexi’s journey with her mental coach highlights how beneficial it can be to learn to let go.
“When we drop in on the mountain and we're going, we are unstoppable. I am unstoppable. I am fierce and I am going to charge down this mountain.” - Lexi DuPont
Andi Sullivan, professional soccer player, captain of the Washington Spirit, collegiate national champion, and Hermann trophy winner shares her journey in soccer. She takes us through her experience through the US Women’s National team programs from her early teens and then as only one of six players to land a spot on the women’s world cup roster before attending college. Andi highlights the importance of prioritizing mental health as she shares her recruitment process at a young age and how she overcame injuries. Andi shares important advice on how to build confidence through value-driven progress rather than result or statistic based metrics. Andi urges us to focus on our individual narratives, all the while bringing up the people around us to create stronger communities and teams!
“Even when things were difficult and frustrating… every day I’d drive to the facility and say: I can control my attitude and my effort”. -Andi Sullivan
Julia Landauer, Champion Race Car Driver and VIS League Mentor speaks about her journey with sexism in racing, sponsorships and dealing with bad races! Julia is an incredibly accomplished competitor in a sport where women and men compete against each other. She was the first and youngest woman to win the Skip Barber racing series at 14 years old, and was the only female to be invited to the 2016 NASCAR Next Program. Julia is currently racing in the Xfinity Series for Alpha Prime Racing, and was the only woman at her debut race in July 2022. Today, she explains how to navigate a male dominated sport that is so reliant on sponsorships, and shares so many wise tips on male allyship for women athletes!
“Focus on where you wanna be and then you'll have a better chance of getting there.” - Julia Landauer
Blake Bolden is a professional Ice Hockey player for the Boston Blades, where she won two national titles and works to pave the way in the sport for young black girls such as herself. She is also an NHL reporter on ESPN and a professional scout as well as a growth and inclusion specialist for the LA Kings!
In this podcast, Blake discusses her journey with ice hockey from a young age to her mid-thirties and her struggles to fit in, accept who she was, and deal with the ups and downs that come with being an elite athlete.
“Just tell yourself you can do this, you can be bold and face whatever fear, whatever doubt. Just face it, head on.” - Blake Bolden
Dr. Stacy Sims, VIS Expert, a performance physiologist and researcher specializing in women athletes, shares the science behind periods and performance.
As a former runner, rower, and cyclist, Stacy dove into studying movement and sports sciences at Purdue University. In her Master’s program, Stacy researched sex differences and overtraining in women athletes. As a professional, Stacy has directed research programs at Stanford, AUT University, and the University of Waikato that focus on women athlete health and performance.
In today’s episode, Stacy brings her expertise and experiences as an athlete to share her research and work about menstrual cycles, training, and nutrition. We also discuss the underrepresentation of women in scientific studies, the misconceptions about women’s physiology, and the myths relating to our periods.
“At any point in the menstrual cycle, you can come and bring your A-game.” - Dr. Stacy Sims.
Sierra Brooks, a gymnast at the University of Michigan, NCAA Champion, 2022 Big 10 Gymnast of the Year, and 13x All-American shares with us her dedicated relationship with athletics and academics. As a highly competitive gymnast and also an avid learner, Sierra gives us great advice on how we can better ourselves inside and outside of sport. Sierra also encourages us to seize career and professional opportunities to better understand ourselves and interests. With a focus on the importance of relationships, Sierra shares just how crucial our support systems are.
“Once you really buy into the mindset that you're doing things as a team, you're more successful individually” -Sierra Brooks.
Chari Hawkins, the 2022 US Indoor Champion in the Heptathlon, and creator of the “30 Days with Chari” program, talks about mental health and the importance of this program for young athletes in the VIS community. ‘30 Days with Chari’ is a 30-day mental and physical strengthening plan. Each day participants accomplish three tasks: listening to a podcast hosted by Chari, completing a fun mental challenge, and crushing a workout.
On today’s episode, Chari breaks down three days: accountability, dreaming big, and purposeful rest.
“I think a lot of people who win and who get their goals have a little bit of a secret sauce and I think it's that they have a little bit more control over their mind, especially within their sport.” - Chari Hawkins.
Head to charihawkins.com to check out the program! Today, VIS listeners can get 33% off with code “VIS” at checkout.
In this week’s episode, we are talking with VIS League Mentor, professional runner for Nike and Stanford alumna, Vanessa Fraser. Vanessa graduated from Stanford in 2018 as a 10-time All American and school record holder in the 5000m. Today, Vanessa speaks about why she chose Stanford, how she recovered from her double Achilles surgery, and how she pursues her audaciously big goals, with small, bite-sized steps!
“Never let anyone tell you that your dreams are too big, or that you are too audacious and bold in the pursuit of those dreams”. - Vanessa Fraser
Courtney Gano, a professional softball player in the Athletes Unlimited league, Team USA member, and former member of the University of Washington women’s softball team shares how vulnerability, injury recovery, and mental health challenges have shaped her highly successful softball career. Through lessons of self-embrace, Courtney emphasizes how we can learn to take care of ourselves and become better versions of ourselves by seeking resources like a therapist or sports psychologist; her numerous injuries forced her into learning how to find the much needed resources she utilized to grow into the best version of herself. These recovery cycles catalyzed her firm belief that sport does not completely define us and that we can foster a more compassionate and caring sports environment that benefits every athlete. Courtney compassionately reminds us that love and motivation for sport is not always constant, so “when you can take a step back and get a different perspective, you can find that love again, figure out why do I play this sport? Is this something that I wanna do? Because if you're not having fun with it, you're not gonna be at your best.” - Courtney Gano
In this special series for National Suicide Prevention Month, Dr. Kristin Tugman breaks down seven common myths about suicide. She gives us ways in which we can have better conversations about mental health in order to prevent future suicides. Kristin is passionate about mental health and has just started a non-profit called Community Action for Mental Health. If you or someone you love is struggling with mental health and experiencing suicidal ideation, always feel comfortable in calling the suicide hotline at 988 or reaching out to your surrounding support system.
“It's hard for someone's brain to really allow themselves to decide that yes, this person is at risk for dying by suicide, which again is why it's so important to have the open lines of communication and feel like it's something that we can easily talk about just as we would ask about our physical health.” - Dr. Kristin Tugman
In a special series for September, National Suicide Prevention Month, VIS Expert, Dr Kimberly O’Brien discusses mental health and suicide prevention for student-athletes. Dr. O’Brien is currently a Clinical Social Worker in the Sports Medicine Division and Female Athlete Program at Boston Children’s Hospital. She is also a Research Scientist and Assistant Professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Kimberly played ice hockey at Harvard University and obtained her Masters in Social Work and PhD at Boston College. She continued on to complete a postdoctoral fellowship at Brown University where her research focuses on the development and intervention for suicidal adolescents.
In this episode, Kimberly speaks about suicide prevention and suicide awareness. She shares with us important mental health resources and ways that we can speak about suicide in order to best help ourselves and the people around us. Most importantly there are resources if you or a loved one is struggling, and “sometimes it just takes finding the right fit and it's out there for you.” -Dr. Kimberly O’Brien.
If you or someone in your life is struggling with suicide, you can dial 988 for the National Suicide Hotline or you can reach out to a counselor or doctor; on the VIS platform we also have a network of incredible counselors and experts like Kimberly. Please know you are not alone.
Canadian Olympian turned sports agent, Georgia Simmerling, and Maddy Price, Junior Olympian in the 200m and 400m, and Tokyo Olympian in the 400m talk about all things sports agents and representation! As a road and track cyclist as well as Alpine and Ski cross skier, and the first Canadian to ever compete in three different sports in three different Olympics, Georgia shares her experience on both sides of the athlete-agent relationship. Maddy and Georgia discuss how their relationship evolved, and give us tips on what to look for in an agent, what to avoid, and how to advocate for ourselves when beginning to work with an agency. They also share strategies for marketing ourselves on social media, and illuminate what brands might look for when partnering with athletes.
“Things are changing globally and now is the time to invest in women's sport and it's happening. TV rights are going up, sponsorship dollars are going up because there's more exposure on TV and they're seeing the opportunity is there for women. So I'm just trying to stir the pot a little bit and have some tough conversations and they're starting to happen.” - Georgia Simmerling
Sika Henry is a professional triathlete for team USA. She attended the University of Tufts where she competed in High Jump on the Track and Field team, becoming a NCAA All American. Since then, she has been recognized as the first Black woman professional triathlete, been inducted into the Hall of Fame for National Black Distance Running, became an IronMan World Championship finisher, a two-time Champion One City Marathon Winner, and earned a spot on the podium in a 70.3 ironman five times. Sika uses her platform to gain visibility for Black women in sports like herself and encourages others to follow along in her footsteps. In this podcast, she talks about what it took for her to become a professional triathlete, the adversity she’s overcome, and how we can better support Black women athletes. “Sometimes you're in those deep dark tunnels and it feels like it's going on forever and you're never going to get out of it. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes you just need to keep going forward and you don't know what awaits you at the end. And usually it's something great.” - Sika Henry
Paralympic track and field athlete, Scout Bassett, joins us on the VIS Podcast to talk about her childhood as an adoptee from China, overcoming adversity and disability, and important life lessons that go beyond the realm of sports. Scout has tremendous strength and grace with dealing with challenges, and shares the beauty of sport in bringing different people together, as well as the importance of community, asking for help, and never giving up no matter what life throws at you. “Everything that I have struggled with in my life, it's going to mean something. I think that what running really gave me was just that feeling of okay, not only do I belong, but I matter.”- Scout Bassett
Olympian, and professional rock climber, Kyra Condie, shares her journey in sports. She talks about the highs and lows of joining a male dominated sport, what it was like being one of the first rock climbers in the Olympics, and maintaining self-care as an athlete. Additionally, she addresses the struggles she faced as a rock climber with scoliosis and how she not only overcame but continues to overcome this challenge in order to remain successful in her sport. Kyra provides advice for young women who may be interested in pursuing rock climbing or any underrepresented sport. Additionally, she talks about the work being done in order to bring more attention to the sport of rock climbing as a whole. “I think confidence is hard to come by as a woman in our world and so we should definitely foster it and make sure that young women especially, don’t get told that it’s wrong.” - Kyra Condie
Allie Ostrander, a middle distance runner specialising in the Steeplechase shares her journey in sport, specifically with disordered eating. Allie is an incredibly accomplished graduate of Boise State where she was the NCAA Steeple champion in 2017, 2018, and 2019 along with many podium finishes in Cross Country and on the track. Since graduating college, Allie has been a powerful voice in the running community, speaking out about healing from disordered eating, as she is going through it. Today, Allie shares how her experience with disordered eating first started, and gives her advice on dealing with harmful narratives around body image. Allie also highlights that whenever we make decisions about our health now, we have to consider how they will impact our minds and bodies later.
“You're not good because of your body. You are good because you're talented and driven and you work hard and those things won't go away just cause your body changes.” - Allie Ostrander
Kayla Wood, a professional lacrosse player in the Athletes Unlimited league, former member of the UNC women’s lacrosse team, and three time ACC champion shares with us her unique college recruitment process. Kayla gives us advice on how to work through personal adversities and find the resources and support we need. She also shares the importance of being a good teammate while working to improve ourselves as athletes by becoming the best version of ourselves rather than comparing ourselves to others on the field. “My biggest thing with everything in life is to always take things one moment at a time. So, don't get too ahead of yourself and try not to live too far in the past. Just try to focus on the present moment.” - Kayla Wood.
Melissa Humana Paredes, a pro beach volleyball player, 6-time FIVB Gold Medalist, 12-time FIVB Medalist, 5-time Canadian Champion, 2-time AVP Champion, Commonwealth Champion, and most recently, a World Champion shares her journey in sport! Melissa shares how she started her professional career very young, and how she continued to grow in the sport. She tells us about the mistakes and errors she’s made along the way, and how she learned to grow from them. In this episode, Melissa touches on the topics of body image and confidence. She also talks about how to stay engaged and avoid burnout in an individual sport like beach volleyball. Finally, Melissa reminds us that how we respond to failure is the most important determinant of our careers, on and off the court, and that when failure does happen, we need to give ourselves grace. “ I think it's how you respond to the failures that's going to be able to guide the rest of your career.” - Melissa Humana Paredes
Team Canada High Diver Molly Carlson, three time NCAA All American Diver, three time ACC MVP of the year, two-time junior pan-american champion, two-time junior world champion finalist, and seven time junior national champion speaks with us about her journey in diving, her mental health challenges and triumphs spanning from her high school to professional career, and her social media efforts promoting mental health awareness. In this episode, Molly speaks candidly about her journey and advice on how young women athletes can approach their journey inside and out of sport as one that includes improving mental health. Molly emphasizes, “ If you're up there every single day, and you're so positive and happy to be there and working on changes and allowing yourself to fail, then those beautiful dives will come your way. And it doesn't matter how. Big, small, beautiful. All bodies are beautiful.” - Molly Carlson
Olympic Gold medalist in Tokyo and English swimming star, Anna Hopkin, shares her journey in sports. Anna started competing nationally at a very early age, but today she explains how stepping away from the sport for four years in her teenage years helped her find balance and learn to love swimming again. This decision helped her prioritise her mental and physical health and have a long career in the pool when it mattered most, ultimately leading her to win an Olympic gold medal in the Mixed 4x 100m Medley Relay. Now, Anna swims for Arkansas University where she recently placed second at the NCAA’s 100 yard freestyle. In today’s episode, Anna also shares her Olympic experience, and dives into how she maintained her motivation throughout Covid when she could not swim. “If you don't enjoy what you're doing, then you're never going to achieve what you want to, whether it's in a sport or in a job or in a relationship” - Anna Hopkin.
Jamaican-American hurdler, CeCé Telfer, shares her journey to becoming the first openly trans-gender woman to win an NCAA title. CeCé talks us through her experience at Franklin Pierce University, and how her transition has allowed her to break down doors for trans-athletes to follow. In this episode she shares how she is continuing to push the boundaries of sports and change the culture of athletics. “You're valid in your feelings and you're not alone. You can do it too. At the end of the day, standing up for yourself and living your truth are the most important. You deserve to live your life. And you deserve to go all the way to the top, and you deserve a coach, and you deserve to be trained because you matter and fighting for that is right.” -CeCé Telfer
Olympian Hailey Swirbul, a professional cross country skier, and a member of the Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center & US Ski Team on the A-team, and member of the Women’s Ski Coach Association shares her journey in sport. We learn about Hailey’s highly active upbringing in Colorado which led her to skiing at age 10. After being the only skier at her high school, she transitioned to college where she skied for both University of Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Pacific University before beginning her professional career. Hailey walks us through her experiences with an eating disorder, anxiety, and depression. She shares with us her challenges through college burnout and how identifying and reframing her motivators served as primary factors to recovery and success. This episode, Hailey gets real with us and reminds us, “it's not considered a failure until you actually give up on it. No matter what it is, no matter if it's being the best version of yourself, if it's chasing a goal for a result, if it's being a great teammate.” - Hailey Swirbul
On Global Running Day, professional heptathlete Chari Hawkins, the 2022 USA Indoor Champion in the heptathlon shares her journey with sports and mental health. In the heptathlon, athletes compete in 7 events: hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m run, long jump, javelin, and the 800m. Chari is one of the best heptathletes in the world, and is currently ranked 6th globally. In this episode, Chari shares her journey with sports psychology and how she turned mental health into her biggest strength as an athlete. She also shares how she learned detach her identity from performance, and write down her dreams, goals and obstacles in order to create her own story. Chari’s journey shows the importance of mental health in sports and performance. Despite performing really well in college and winning conference as a freshman, Chari struggled with severe performance anxiety. Today, she is an inspiring advocate for overcoming anxiety and panic attacks as a professional athlete at the highest level.
Annie Kunz, professional heptathlete and olympian at the 2021 Tokyo olympics guides us through her journey in sports. She shares with us her journey with mental health, nutrition, and body image, and reminds us that we are all on our own journeys so we shouldn’t compare ourselves to other athletes but instead embrace ourselves for who we are and strive to be the best, strongest, healthiest version of ourselves. Annie also discusses the importance of our period and how our cycles can help us to be more in touch with fueling or balancing our hormones. Annie continues to be an inspiration through her work on and off the track. “Keep showing up every day, even when it's hard, even when it feels like you aren't capable, and it doesn't feel fun. If you are passionate about something, you have a dream just keep showing up. If you show up every day and give your best, it will pay off in the end.” - Annie Kunz
Monica Abbott is one of softball’s greatest, with four World Championships, two Olympic medals, three Canada Cup titles, and five National Pro Fastpitch Championships under her belt. Being the first woman to sign a million dollar contract, Monica continues to set a new standard for not only softball players, but all young girls who aspire to profess in their sport. She tells us how the balance of time management, preparation, and positive self-talk contributed to her success, and how it can contribute to yours as well. “Just go for it, go all in. At some point someone's going to open a door for you. That might be a little crack in the door. It might be big wide open door, but it's up to you to like run through it as fast as you can and don't look back.” -Monica Abbott
Haleigh Washington, Olympic gold medalist, professional volleyball player and VIS League Mentor shares her journey in sport. Haleigh speaks about how she got into the sport and the sacrifices she and her family had to make for her to play volleyball. She dives into her collegiate experience, and how she prepared herself to play professionally. Haleigh also shares what playing abroad in Italy is like, and describes her experience at the Tokyo Olympics! Beyond her journey, Haleigh gives us great advice on embracing our emotions as athletes, learning to fail and taking deep breaths every day. Haleigh is an inspiration, reminding us that we might find ourselves struggling with anxiety or depression, but all that aside, we are who we are and that is what makes us beautiful. “You have to honor who you are, which is a very difficult thing to do, because it means that you have to know who you are” - Haleigh Washington.
Laura Thweatt, professional marathoner for Saucony and VIS League™ member shares her journey in sport. Laura speaks about her experience with underfueling and the resultant cycle of injuries she had to overcome in college. She takes us through how she learned to value her own journey, and understood that there are many paths to success. Laura is an inspiration, reminding us to believe in ourselves and persevere through failures, in order to chase our dreams. She shares how this determination helped her grow after college, going from uncertainty about whether she could have a career in running, to becoming one of the best marathoners in the United States. Laura reminds us that our individuality is a strength and our uniqueness is a superpower. “There is power in owning your journey, and there's power in remembering that there are a thousand different ways to get somewhere. There is not one way to get anywhere. You are your superpower.” - Laura Thweatt
Karelle Edwards, a 5x Team Canada hurdler, licensed mental health counselor and mental performance consultant, and co-owner of Embrace Your Pace, shares her journey in sports. Karelle walks us through how she advocates for change in sports, especially around abusive coaching relationships. She shares her experience with a negative coaching relationship, giving us coaching red flags and tips on how we can bring awareness to inappropriate behaviors like emotional abuse, harassment and assault. Karelle shares how, despite all the challenges she had to overcome in her athletic journey, she has learned to trust herself. Her journey shows us that performance and mental health can coexist, and her perspective as a professional athlete who is also a mental health professional, is so valuable for all female athletes to hear. “Don't be afraid to speak up. You are unique and you have a unique journey. Follow your own path. You deserve to be there. Trust yourself and celebrate yourself.” - Karelle Edwards
VIS Expert, Clinical Assistant Professor at Stanford University, Dr. Emily Kraus speaks with us about her experience growing up in Nebraska as a multi-sport athlete, her journey into sports medicine and research, and her current projects: The Healthy Runner Project and FASTR. Dr. Emily Kraus shares with us important injury prevention tips, the importance of our general energy availability, both the implications and ways to prevent RED-S and the female athlete triad, and the existing gap in sports medicine research between male and female athletes. “There's been this need to better understand these physiological differences between sexes so we can better understand the injuries, treat those injuries, and both improve health and performance and longevity in sport.”- Dr. Emily Kraus
Kate Courtney, 2020 Olympic mountain biker, Team USA member, Redbull athlete, and World Cup champion shares her journey in sport. Kate walks us through her high school journey in mountain biking, and reflects on her experience at Stanford. She shares how she balanced a full course load and a professional training schedule. Beyond college, Kate talks about her transition and experiences as a full-time professional athlete. With an emphasis on mental health, using WHOOP data to inform her training, nutrition and body image and the positive impact of her sports psychologist on her overall well-being, Kate shares excellent advice on how to elevate our journeys in sport. “I felt like the combination of those experiences, again, a success and a failure taught me that mental strength, mental toughness, resilience. It's something that you can build. It's a skill that you can train. It's something you can get help with, and that you can strengthen over many, many years.” - Kate Courtney
VIS Expert™ Carrie Jackson, a mental performance consultant specialising in mental training, resilience and injury psychology shares how to overcome injuries and come out stronger than ever. Carrie explains the importance of having a positive mindset when recovering from injuries. She walks us through some of the mental drills that can help us alter our internal conversation, and see injuries as opportunities for growth, rather than obstacles. Carrie reminds us that reaching out for support and getting access to mental health is never a sign of weakness, it is a sign of strength. She also emphasises that injury is a part of the journey that all athletes go through. We are never alone in this hard experience, and being injured does not make us a worse or a weaker athlete. “Your recovery is now your sport, and all of the energy and effort you are putting into competition now needs to go into your recovery” - Carrie Cheadle, Injury Psychologist and VIS Expert™.
Katie Rainsberger, professional middle distance runner and recent graduate of the University of Washington shares her journey in sport. She takes us through the transition from high school to college, and how the pressure to perform impacted her fueling, leading her to develop a cycle of injuries. Katie shares the importance of having a regular period, even during hard training blocks. She highlights that we are the ones living our life, and we have to do what is best for our bodies in the long term. Katie also takes us through her transition from the University of Oregon to the University of Washington, and the challenges of being a collegiate athlete during the Covid pandemic. Finally, Katie shares her mantra, “persistent consistency”, and takes us through how it helped her see progress over time. “You have to own your journey. You have to own your body, you have to own your training, the choices you make and own your why. “ - Katie Rainsberger
Kelsey Robinson, VIS League mentor, Olympic volleyball player, photographer, blogger, and now designer speaks with us about the release of her new clothing line, the Kelsey Marie Capsule Collection! As a guest on the first Voice in Sport podcast episode, Kelsey talks us through the evolution of her creative journey. Speaking from her own experience in and out of sport, Kelsey discusses the importance of rooting her new brand in sustainability and ethical labor. She also highlights why we need to be inclusive of all bodies in the fashion industry. “We are more than just athletes and for me being creative is the most important element to great mental health. When I’m creative, I’m joyful and present. And I’ve found that without this, I can’t do my sport.” - Kelsey Robinson
Jaylyn Agnew, VIS League member and professional basketball player shares her journey to the draft, along with her experience in the WNBA and playing overseas in Russia. Being drafted, going abroad, and facing a season-ending injury all during a global pandemic, Jaylyn speaks with us about all of the unexpected variables that occurred during her rookie season, and her journey of regaining strength and confidence in the midst of such an uncertain period. “If I have a tough day, I give myself time to sulk and be a little upset, but then I'm going to attack the next day harder. I'm going be better in rehab. I'm going to be better on the court. I just try to get out of my own head and make that next day even better”- Jaylyn Agnew.
Olympic silver medalist, Emma Weyant is a member of Team USA Swim, and a collegiate swimmer at the University of Virginia. She is a three-time US National champion and has won gold for Team USA in the 400 IM at the Junior Pan Pacific Nationals in 2018 and 2019. This past summer, she won silver at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. In this episode, Emma reminds us that confidence comes from preparation, and that success comes from stepping out of your comfort zone. Emma shares the sacrifices she’s had to make to become successful and how she balanced the student-athlete life during the Covid pandemic. She also emphasises the importance of finding a support system. “I think finding your people and finding your place is one of the things you can look forward to when you're in a place where you don't know if you can keep going.”- Emma Weyant
Gwen Jorgensen, professional marathoner and Gold Medalist in the triathlon at the 2016 Rio Olympics, as well as 17-time ITU World Triathlon Series Winner, shares her journey in sports. She takes us through being a two-sport athlete in running and swimming at the University of Wisconsin, and how this shaped her into the athlete she is today. Gwen shares the importance of taking care of your body, physically and mentally in order to have longevity in the sport. She takes us through how she handles pain during races and how she builds her mental strength in training. Gwen emphasizes the importance of focusing on what you can control and having self-confidence. She is such an inspiration for all female athletes with her incredible experience across three sports. “I like to set really ambitious goals, and I'm not afraid to say them out loud”. - Gwen Jorgensen
Breezy is fast and fierce on the hill, landing her on the world cup podium seven times. She carries this tenacity into other aspects of her life, to deal with controlling emotionally abusive coaches, recover from injury and be a leader in the U.S. skiing community. Breezy reminds us that you don't always win when you work hard, but trying your best is important and worthy of being proud of. “You have the world at your fingertips. And so, go out there, love what you do and work hard at it and watch the magic happen, because, win or lose, that is how you become a champion.” - Breezy Johnson
Gia Trevisan, a professional 400 meter runner for Team Italy, explains the importance of having a growth mindset in training and in competition. She shares how learning to see obstacles as opportunities for growth has helped her succeed at the University of Arizona and in her Professional career. Gia shares great tips on how to develop a growth mindset and manage race anxiety in the podcast and takes us through how she fell in love with track as a senior in high school, and worked her way to winning Italian nationals in 2019. She explains how the pandemic and the lack of races reinforced her growth mindset and how it helped her develop as an athlete. Gia reminds us that the destination really is the journey and that competing is a process of feeling content with where you're at, but knowing you want to be somewhere else. “I made hard work a habit”
- Gia Trevisan
With the ability to speak from the perspective of a woman, athlete and college coach, Kristen can closely relate to the everyday struggle that student athletes face. In this podcast, we directly discuss what common issues occur both physically and mentally and unpack the root causes. Kristen explains the importance of finding your “why” and how that can affect your motivation. Discussing the data that has been found during her time with WHOOP, Kristen explains how this data is taken and can be applied to shifting our everyday habits in order to improve our performance.
As a former professional volleyball player, entrepreneur, New York Times best selling author, co-founder of XPT Extreme Performance Training, Creator of HIGHX, Executive Member of Laird Superfood, Podcast Host of “The Gabby Reece Show”, wife, and mother, Gabby Reece seems to do it all. In this episode, a good listen for parents and athletes alike, we unpack the transitions that Gabby has tackled and she advises us on how to adapt through change with both grit and grace. Gabby encourages us to reflect on and act according to our values by asking ourselves “who am I really?”
Lydia Jacoby, a Gold and Silver Medalist in the 100m breaststroke and 4x100m medley relay at the 2020 Olympics, shares her journey to Tokyo. She takes us through how she overcame the difficult age of 12-14 when all of her friends began dropping out of sport, all the way to becoming an Olympian at 17 years old. Lydia shares the difficulties of training during the pandemic, and highlights the importance of having people who support you, be it the community from her hometown in Alaska, or coaches and family. Lydia also emphasizes the importance of personalizing our training and listening to our bodies; knowing when they need time off and when to push in training. She reminds us to “Find your type of confidence, find your type of training, remember to take breaks and recognize that that's all okay.”- Lydia Jacoby.
Ifeoma Onumonu, a professional soccer player for FC Gotham and a member of the Nigerian National Team, as well as a member of the Black Women’s Players Collective and a VIS League Mentor shares her journey in sport and advocacy. She takes us through her experience with injury in college and her struggles with confidence while moving through different teams in the NWSL. As a BWPC board member, Ify uses her voice and her platform to increase exposure to soccer in Black communities. She explains, “I think it can be very bleak when you're in a space where no one else looks like you. But, fortunately, now with the BWPC, we are providing role models that you can look to and be like, this is somewhere I belong.”
On today’s episode, Voice in Sport Founder and CEO, Stef Strack speaks with professional soccer player, Lydia Williams. Lydia is a goalkeeper for both Arsenal, in the FA Women's Super League, and the Australia Women's National Soccer Team. In this episode, she discusses how her upbringing in Australia played a role in her adolescent years and professional life. She shares her personal experiences and gives us advice on family dynamics, cultural disparities, empowerment, and overcoming obstacles. Lastly, she covers how her children’s books, “Goal” and “Saved”, encapsulate her identity growth and life experiences.
**Jordan Chiles, a 9-time Team USA Gymnastics member and a Tokyo Olympic Silver medalist, shares the importance of having a strong support system and how it has helped her overcome difficult situations in life. She takes us through her journey, starting gymnastics at age six, and making her first National Team at age 12, all the way to becoming an Olympic medalist. Jordan shares the many ups and downs of that journey, describing the destructive coaching relationship, and she nearly lost her love for the sport. Jordan reminds us that having someone to talk to and let our emotions out is incredibly important for our mental health. She emphasizes that we need to use our voice, and advocate for ourselves, and just to “Be you. You’re beautiful. You have every right to show what you want to show and express what you want to express.”
- Jordan Chiles.**
Hilary Knight, a Professional Hockey player for Team USA, and the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association shares her experience of the inequalities between women’s and men’s sports. She takes us through her journey at the University of Wisconsin and as the youngest member of Team USA, describing the different levels of support that her women’s hockey team was given at each stage. Hilary reminds us we need to change the future of women’s sports not only for ourselves, but for a whole generation of athletes following in our footsteps. Even though the fight for equality may be tough, Hilary emphasizes the importance of advocating for change with empathy because “because we know we deserve better. We've earned better. We need that, our next generation needs that.”- Hilary Knight.
Cayla George, a current WNBL basketball player in Australia, speaks out about her long journey in the professional world. From starting to play in the WNBL when she was 16 while attending the Australian Institute of Sport to her training now, 15 years later after competing overseas in the WNBA and going to the 2016 and 2021 Olympics with the Australian national team. Cayla talks about the places in which she found motivation- thinking about her goals, her family, a support system, and using tools she picked up from various specialists. With all this experience, Cayla decided to start a mentorship program in November 2019 and talks about her experience with her program so far. She talks about her struggles with confidence and how everyone goes through times when we may doubt ourselves but in the end we are not alone in our struggles. Along with individual struggles, Cayla highlights the struggles women and girls in sport face everyday and how she’s had to work hard to combat these. Aside from basketball, Cayla has other passions she talks about and reminds us there is a life to look forward to after sports. Cayla is optimistic, bubbly, and shares some important steps she’s gone through in her journey! “You've just got to embrace who you are and what you want to do in life, because you're always gonna have people on the outside, trying to dim your light.” - Cayla George
Double European Indoor champion, World Indoor champion and 4 time British national champion Perri Shakes Drayton talks about the ups and downs of her long career in the athletics world. From signing her first contract at the young age of 16 to competing in multiple World and European championships, she was on top until she suffered a terrible knee injury in 2013 at the World Championship finals. However, after 4 years of rehabilitation, journaling, and hard work, Perri was able to make it back to the World Championships in 2017 and earn a silver medal. Perri talks about the struggles she had with body image, starting at a young age and continuing through her career and injury. After an amazing career, Perri decided to stop running and start a family, becoming a mom to her new son. Perri’s grit, determination, and persistence is inspirational and her unique story shows us how strong we can be. “There's no one else that is like you, there's no other version of you. Be the best--the best version of yourself.” - Perri Shakes Drayton
Madison Hammond, a professional soccer player for the OL Reign of the National Women’s Soccer League describes her decision to go pro and her journey to becoming the first indigenous and African American player in the league. Madison strives to represent her people, family, and culture and is devoted to paving a path for women athletes who might follow in her footsteps. She shares some steps that should be taken towards dismantling systemic racism and racial structures. Her passion for increasing soccer accessibility and decreasing the pay-to-play barrier is truly inspiring. She discusses the courage it takes to enter a space where you may not see others like yourself: “If you're not seeing yourself in a certain space, be the person. Be the person that enters the space and don't be afraid of it. Instead, just embrace it because somebody might be coming after you.”
Georgie Bruinvels, PhD, research scientist at Orreco, specializes in research on the menstrual cycle and women athletes, led the development of FitRWoman, an app tailored to tracking your period as a woman in sport. Georgie is also a phenomenal athlete, having represented Scotland and Great Britain internationally in lacrosse and running, respectively. Throughout this podcast, Georgie brings us through her research, and educates us on why our period truly is our super power. We dive into how your cycle affects your performance, and what to pay attention to within our bodies, such as menstrual dysfunction, etc. Today, Georgie is helping us change the conversation around periods from a topic that is stigmatized to our body’s unique and extremely valuable tool for performance. “If you want to be the best version of yourself, you need to look after yourself at all times in your cycle.” - Georgie Bruinvels
Jasmyne Spencer, a Professional Soccer player for the Houston Dash and the National Women’s Soccer League, as well as member of the Black Women’s Players Collective shares her journey in sports and beyond. She takes us through becoming an entrepreneur and starting her own sustainable fashion brand, called Jas It Up. Jasmyne shares the challenges she faced in her soccer career, and explains how she turned those into lessons to build an inspiring business with a mission to help the environment and the next generation of black female soccer players. In this episode, Jasmyne reminds us that everyone fails sometimes, and that failure is not something to be ashamed of. Instead we should “follow our hearts, work hard, try new things. Be okay with failing”- Jasmyne Spencer
Kylie Ohlmiller, a Professional Lacrosse player for the AU, 4x All American, Team USA Lacrosse player and Brine sponsored Athlete, shares her journey to becoming pro and how starting her own program, called KO17 Lacrosse and launching the next evolution of Brine has brought joy and meaning beyond the field. Kylie shares the challenges she faced in her lacrosse career, and the lessons she learned during her time in college and on Team USA Lacrosse. In this episode, Kylie reminds us that the journey to become a professional athlete is not easy, and that we will face many obstacles along the way. Although as athletes we love to set goals and focus on the future we should also enjoy the moments that are happening now. Celebrate the wins, find meaning in the struggles and always remember to stay true to who we are both on and off the field. “Enjoy what's going on around you, enjoy the moments that are happening now, your future is going to come. Don't worry about it so much, but enjoy the moments that you have now” - Kylie Ohlmiller
Angie Asche (MS, RD, CSSD) is a VIS Expert™, registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, owner of Eleat Sports Nutrition and author of a new book called FUEL YOUR BODY - How to Cook and Eat for Peak Performance. In this episode Angie speaks out about the importance of fuelling for women athletes. Angie explains the four food groups that every athlete should be familiar with, and gives us great examples of a pre and post workout meal. She also talks to us about the importance of eating enough, both on hard training days and rest days. We dive deep into why we should not categorize foods into “good” and “bad”, and why even elite athletes eat cookies and dessert. Angie reminds us all, that food is so much more than just fuel and that there is no one perfect way to eat. Finally, Angie shares a few warning signs that we can look out for when we think we might be under-fueling as women athletes.
“Your weight has absolutely nothing to do with how amazing of a person you are.”- Angie Asche
Brisa Hennessy, Professional Surfer of the World Surf League and VIS League™ Member, shares her experience growing up surfing. Growing up around the ocean influenced her holistic approach to sport and life as she continually seeks to balance Mind, Body and Nutrition. She attributes her successes and her ability to overcome challenges, such as her experience as a rookie on the WSL Championship Tour circuit in 2019 to her family and the many countries she has surfed during her journey. A true citizen of the world, Brisa shares about her life in Costa Rica, Hawaii, and Fiji, as well as traveling the globe while living out of her suitcase on the WSL circuit for over a year. Brisa shares with us her passions for a plant-based lifestyle, cooking, and the ongoing importance of protecting the environment. Over the last year she has found joy developing her passions, leading to a more balanced lifestyle whilst continuing to be a fierce competitor. "I think finding that balance is actually one of the most beautiful things, because you are this unique, incredible human being, and you are this unique, incredible athlete.” - Brisa Hennessy
Nina O’Brien, a Professional Alpine Skier for Team USA, opens up about the peaks and valleys she faced in her career and how she learned to build confidence in herself and her abilities. She takes us through how she went from being a young athlete living in California and having to drive several hours to ski on the weekends, to winning her first National Title at age 17 and eventually landing a spot on the World Cup circuit as part of Team USA. Nina highlights the importance of believing that your best is good enough on race day, and talks us through how she learned to perform for herself and let go of external pressure. She explains how building confidence is one of the most critical skills to hone as you transition from one level to the next. Nina reminds us that our dreams are not that far away, if we believe in ourselves and are willing to put in the work.
“When I put my mind to something I really am capable of making changes and there's no magic way to make that happen other than diligent work.” - Nina O’Brien
Maddie Alm, VIS Expert™, Professional runner, Registered Dietitian (RD), and Former Division I Athlete at University of Colorado-Boulder and with an M.S. in Nutritional Sciences from San Diego State University joins us to demystify common phrases and challenges we all face in sport. Maddie walked onto the cross country and track and field teams at the University of Colorado-Boulder, eventually earning All-American Honors. Her experiences with learning about the power of nutrition in undergrad inspired her to become a registered dietitian. Maddie now trains as a professional athlete while working with female athletes of all ages on their own nutrition. In this episode Maddie helps female athletes demystify common phrases surrounding sports nutrition, in effort to help us fuel ourselves properly and reach our greatest potential. Maddie is an incredible athlete, nutritionist and in addition to helping athletes at Voice in Sport as a VIS Expert™ runs her own company called Fueling Forward.
“You're only given one body… So you're not just fueling for your time as an athlete. You're fueling for this body that you have.”- Maddie Alm
On this episode of the Voice in Sport Podcast we welcomed Nikki Hiltz! Nikki is a 6 time NCAA All American and Professional runner for Adidas. Nikki has had quite the first few seasons as a pro, winning and PR’ ing left and right. But even more importantly than Nikki’s accolades on the track, is that she is helping others become their authentic selves by sharing her coming out story. Once Nikki was true to herself, her success in sport accelerated and she says it’s no coincidence. Today we discussed her journey in sport; coming out to friends, family, and teammates; how to have conversations with people in her life who weren’t very supportive at first; the ins and outs of transferring schools; her advice for staying grounded as a pro runner; and what it felt like to drape the Pride Flag across her shoulder after her win at Adidas Boost Games. Nikki is using her platform to drive change, speaking up for queer athletes and other underrepresented communities such at the Black community and the Transgender community. Although Nikki spends so much of her time helping others, she also touches on the importance of helping oneself, mental health, and the power of sharing emotions and talking with others. Nikki believes that sports have the ability to drive change, and it starts with being open minded.
“Once I was open and honest, my times took off and my running really took off and that's not a coincidence at all.” - Nikki Hiltz
Our guest this week is Professional Soccer player Dani Weatherholt with the OL Reign! After her college career at Santa Clara University, she made her pro debut with the Orlando Pride and she was called up to the US under 23 national team. Dani has an incredibly inspiring journey, going from five years on the B team, to becoming the varsity team captain and making the national team camp all during her freshman year of high school. She believes that being on the B team for five years shaped who she has become today. Today she still believes in putting her self worth into tangibles and controllables rather than what others think of her. Dani shares thoughtful guidance on: picking a college, body image and nutrition, surrounding yourself with positive people, entering her time in the pros with the right mindset and how to rewire your mind to be positive. She is dedicated to empowering and building others up and recently joined the VIS League as a Voice in Sport mentor.“Stay in the moment. No matter where you're at, there's an opportunity to grow and get better. Every day we have an opportunity to improve, and you're meant to be where you are.”- Dani Weatherholt
SoccerGrlProbs, a viral social media platform turned lifestyle brand, was founded by Fairfield University Division 1 Soccer Players Alanna Locast, Shannon Fay, and Carly Beyar. The founders share their story of the founding of SoccerGrlProbs: starting off as a comedic outlet for their college soccer team, their Twitter account and Youtube channel went viral practically overnight. In the months that followed, the founders explain how they capitalized off of these viral platforms by expanding to apparel, a podcast, a book and more, as well as the opportunities and the challenges they faced along the way. Alanna, Shannon, and Carly share how they continually transform the SoccerGrlProbs business to not only help empower the female athlete, but also make an impact on the greater sports community in the fight for equal pay and increasing sports media coverage for female athletics.
“You don't have to work a day in your life if you're that passionate about what you're doing.” -Shannon Fay
AJ Andrews, Professional Softball Player for Athletes Unlimited, Broadcaster and Host, speaks out about the challenges she faces as a black woman in the predominantly white sport of softball. She takes us through how she overcame colorism in the Little League to become a Division 1 student athlete at Louisiana State University. AJ highlights the importance of loving yourself not in spite of the color of your skin, but because of it. AJ’s courage in breaking barriers, such as becoming the first woman to receive the prestigious Golden Glove award, inspires us all, and she reminds us that in order to change the game, each one of us must dare to dream big.
"You have the power always to write your own destiny and to write your own path. You are the creator of your life. You are the creator of your success.” - AJ Andrews
Elyse Kopecky, Author, Runner, and mom, spent her college cross country and track careers at UNC with Olympic marathoner Shalane Flanagan. This began their friendship and unanticipated journey toward co-authoring cookbooks; so far they’ve published “Run Fast. Eat Slow.” and “Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow,” and their third book “Rise and Run” is set to launch in October 2021. Elyse focuses on a proper diet, after not having a period for several years and having multiple bone injuries due to underfueling. After realizing the connection between diet and running health, Elyse enrolled in the Natural Gourmet Institute; she’s now an opponent of restrictive diets, supporting sustainable nourishment for runners. In this episode, Elyse shares her experience of not getting a natural period until age 30, going on birth control to force a period, getting many stress fractures in her running career and eventually changing her whole food philosophy. Now she’s sharing her knowledge about fueling with the rest of the world with her cookbooks.“Don't stress about the small moments because they'll all add up to big moments.”- Elyse Kopecky
Sophie Cunningham, WNBA player for the Phoenix Mercury and former Student Athlete from the University of Missouri, shares the power of hard work and a positive mindset in this week’s episode. We explore the difficult transitions from high school to college and from college to the WNBA and the mindset of embracing your role along the journey. Sophie shares the importance of having strong female role models in her family life, and how these empowering women helped her to look outside the box and push the limits for females in the Midwest. Finally, Sophie reminds us about the incredible power that we have as female athletes.
“For us females who have made it, it is our duty to give back to those people who don't have that background of having strong women in their lives.” - Sophie Cunningham
Michelle Tumolo, Member of the U.S. National Team, former Division 1 Lacrosse Player at Syracuse University and Coach at Wagner College discusses her journey with identity and finding her voice while rising to the top level of her sport. Michelle emphasizes the importance of representation for the LGBTQ+ community within the sports world, and she shares how coming out has impacted her life as a woman, an athlete, and as a coach. As she describes her transition into coaching, Michelle addresses the need for diverse representation in roles of power in sport and beyond, and she truly embodies what it means to be a powerful woman.
“My mission is to help everyone feel more comfortable with who YOU are. It doesn’t matter what you identify as, know that I will always be on your team.” - Michelle Tumolo
Lynn Williams, Professional Soccer Player for the North Carolina Courage of the NWSL, Member of the USWNT, 2016 NWSL Most Valuable Player, and former Division I Student-Athlete and Pepperdine University, speaks out about her experiences as a black female athlete in the predominantly white sport of soccer. She discusses the trials and tribulations that she faced at each level along the way, and she emphasizes the importance of diverse representation in the world of sports. We need to provide young girls with inspiring role models that look like them so that they know that their dreams are possible. In her own life, Lynn has been dedicated to driving change in the soccer world by using her voice and being part of the creation of the Black Women's Player collective.The time for change is NOW. Together, we can change more than just the game.“At the end of the day, don’t let anybody take away your love from the game.”- Lynn Williams
Alice McKennis Duran, Olympian and World Cup Alpine Ski Racer, shares her inspiring journey overcoming four major injuries during her professional career. During her recovery, she learned the importance of listening to our bodies, surrounding ourselves with a strong support system, and building our mental strength. She also discusses the power of visualization and self-coaching in order to enhance our performance in any sport. This must-listen episode is packed with valuable advice for any female athlete in recovery mode and for anyone aiming to become the best version of themselves in sport and beyond.“You have to listen to your body and your body is really the only expectation that you need to meet.”- Alice McKennis Duran
Carla Williams, the first black female Athletic Director in a Power 5 school. Currently the AD at the University of Virginia, she shares her career journey to the top level of athletic administration. Carla is a force, growing up in a small town and earning a position as the Athletic Director of a Power Five NCAA conference. She played Division I basketball at the University of Georgia, where she became an assistant coach and then became involved in sports administration, working her way up from the bottom. Carla shares with us today her journey through the world of sports, and how her belief in herself led to her success. She urges us to be our own champions, and that if we are willing to work for it, nothing can stop us. Carla also shares her perspective on how collegiate athletes can make what seems like a setback into an opportunity that we can take advantage of and use to better ourselves.
“If you don't believe in yourself, who else will? If I listened to people that said “You can't do that,” I wouldn't be here. And so, you really have to be a champion for yourself.” - Carla Williams
Tziara King, former Division 1 Athlete from NC State and Professional Soccer Player in the NWSL playing for Kansas City in 2021. At 22 years old, Tziarra not only made a name for herself as an outstanding soccer player in her rookie season, but more importantly as being an outstanding leader off the field. The 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year Nominee has been an active voice fighting for social justice and inclusion in America. King has joined several other incredible players to start the Black Women’s Player’s Collective which is a place where black women and girls can support each other and be heard. The consistent effort Tziarra has shown to use her voice to drive change is why today she is now a VIS League mentor on the Voice in Sport platform.“It's rewarding in the end, in terms of knowing that your voice is being heard and knowing that you're standing up for something bigger than yourself.” - Tziarra King
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Brittany Brown, Team USA Track & Field athlete, professional Adidas sponsored sprinter and 2019 world champion medalist joins us on this week's episode to speak about the lessons she has learned throughout major transitions during her athletic journey. She emphasizes the power of creating a strong support system and the importance of physical and mental health. We dive into the very real feelings we all face about our bodies and the desire to feel validation from others both in and out of sport. During her Division I career Brittany achieved All American status 11 times but it wasn’t without heartbreak and challenges. She now heads into the professional world with a new perspective that we can all learn from regardless of what stage in our sport careers we are currently in today.
“Now I'm built, I'm more muscular, and that doesn't make me less feminine. That doesn't make me less of a woman, and that doesn't make me overbearing and too strong. It makes me "me."- Brittany Brown
Colleen Quigley, Professional Runner for the Bowerman Track Club, Olympian, VIS League™ Member, and 9x NCAA All-American at Florida State University, discusses her incredible journey in sport. Although she grew up in a family of athletes, Colleen faced a fork in the road in HS: pursue professional modeling or college track & field. She chose sport and met a strong and inspiring female coach at FSU and fell in love with her new team & program. After an incredibly successful collegiate career, Colleen began running professionally; it was at this point in her career where Colleen truly began to tap into the mental side of performance.
In this episode, Colleen discusses the power of journaling, meditation, and therapy, and how focusing on mental strength has improved her mindset and well-being. These tools have helped her to overcome self-comparison to cope with the inevitable disappointments, and to find happiness in her sport. Colleen’s path has led her to help other athletes along their own mental health journeys through Fast Braid Friday and her next venture helping elite athletes gain access to mental health resources. Above all, Colleen reminds us of the power that we have as female athletes, and she envisions a future where women occupy roles of power within the sports world and beyond.“It's just a piece of metal. It doesn't matter. Everything that you need is inside you.”- Colleen Quigley
JaNay Honest, Sports Broadcaster and Former gymnast at UCLA, describes her journey in sport as empowering, fulfilling, and inspiring. From a young age, UCLA was always JaNay’s dream, and although she was told time and time again that she would never be good enough to compete for UCLA, she never gave up on her dream. JaNay continued to believe in herself, to embrace the joy of her sport, and to deny all odds as she walked onto the team her freshman year and later became a 2018 NCAA Gymnastics Champion, a 2016 PAC-12 Uneven Bars Co-Champion, and competed in 43 consecutive meets for the Bruins. In this episode, JaNay shares her journey from youth gymnastics to recruitment to her time as a walk-on at UCLA and highlights the powerful message that no dream is unattainable.
“Trust that you are on the right path of the life that you were meant to.”- JaNay Honest
Grayson Murphy, Professional Runner, University of Utah alum and 5x All-American for Cross Country and Track and VIS League™ Member shares her incredible and unconventional journey in sport. She is currently running for SWAP, “Some Work All Play,” and formerly for NAZ Elite. Grayson has been successful in numerous distance running events ranging from the 1500m, 3k Steeplechase, to trail running, where she earned the title of U.S Mountain Running Champion after winning a USATF National Title, and many events in between! Grayson’s path looks a little different than most D1 runners because she started college as a soccer player. Today, Grayson opened up with us about topics such as transferring schools, changing sports, switching pro groups, all in the pursuit of making the right decision for herself. With these changes, inevitably comes changes in one's body and she explains how different sports and events will likely lead to physical changes and that this is totally normal! She also goes into detail about her struggles with anxiety and teaches us how to build our own personal “toolkits” to navigate one's anxiety. She wraps it up with advice on how to stay true to you.“Have the courage to be brave and believe in yourself.” - Grayson Murphy
Ella Eastin, Professional Swimmer, World University Games Gold Medalist, VIS League™ Member, 4x individual NCAA champion, and former Division 1 Swimmer at Stanford University shares her journey in sport through the struggles and triumphs surrounding her nutrition and body image. She openly discusses the barriers she overcame in finding the right way to fuel her body and her journey to forming a positive relationship with her body and sport. Ella reminds us that our bodies are strong and powerful, that we should avoid comparison, lean on our peers and teammates as we learn to love ourselves, and that we must always listen to and appreciate our bodies.“Remember that your body is built for a specific purpose and for the pleasure of playing the game that you love.” - Ella Eastin
Guest Jade Baker and Co-Host Jasmine Baker are not only powerful black female athletes, but they are also sisters. Jade Baker is a former Track and Field Junior Olympian, University of Virginia Hammer Throw record holder, and currently studying law at Georgetown University. Jasmine Baker was a Voice In Sport intern in the summer of 2020, grew up as a multi-sport athlete, and currently is studying Broadcast Journalism at UNC. Today, they share their experiences growing up as young black female athletes in predominantly white communities. Through their stories and Jade’s open letter, we dive deep into the topics of racism, privilege, microaggressions, and the pressure and burden of representation. Jade and Jasmine encourage young girls to embrace their blackness, to raise their voices, and to fight for change. Together, we have the power to strive for true equality and to change more than just the game.
“Every single person has a platform and that's your power. Your voice is your power.”- Jade Baker
Jenna Gray, Professional Volleyball Player, Former 2x All-American in Javelin and Volleyball at Stanford University and VIS League™ Member, describes her journey in sport in 3 words: unconventional, tears, and family. In this episode we are guided through how Jenna started playing many sports and continued that journey into college as a 2 sport athlete. Although she ended her college career receiving the Honda Sports award in 2020 she discusses the challenges she faced with confidence, seeking validation from others and finding balance. She emphasizes the importance of communication and confidence both on and off the court and talks about how she didn’t do it alone. She built a strong support system, focused on balance, put in the work and ultimately checked in with herself to make sure she was having fun. “Instead of thinking of pressure as a bad thing, I think of it as more of a privilege. And, they always say that diamonds are made under pressure. So you might as well enjoy it.” - Jenna Gray
Kendall Ellis, Professional Runner, New Balance Athlete, VIS League™ Member, and Former Division I student-athlete at the University of Southern California describes her journey in sport in three words: transition, transform, and transcend. Kendall talks about the highs and lows of her journey in sport as she dives into the transition from high school to college, the truth about the process of becoming a pro, and her battle with performance anxiety, confidence, and mental health and how she ultimately overcame these obstacles. Kendall reminds us that everyone has fears and anxieties, but we all have a role to play in breaking the stigma on mental health and promoting personal growth.“There's so many moments that I have robbed myself of by just being really, really nervous and kind of taking it too seriously... Don't forget the innocence of it all, and that you started because you were having fun.”- Kendall Ellis
Betsy Brandon, Professional Soccer Player for the FTC Női Labdarúgás and former Division 1 Student-Athlete at the University of Virginia and VIS League™ Member describes her journey in sport in 3 words: rollercoaster, hard, and worthwhile. Betsy shares her journey in sport, from growing up as a multi-sport athlete and her transition to club soccer, youth national teams, college soccer, and her professional career today. She sheds light on the topics of confidence highs and lows, body image, and overcoming physical and mental battles with an objective mindset and faith. She reminds us to approach challenges objectively and that our worth is not defined by what we do, but rather by who we are as people. “Your identity is not who you are on the field. It is how you treat people, and it's the way you love the people around you. You, as a person, is more important than you as an athlete.”- Betsy Brandon
Emma Gee, former Division 1 runner for BYU and rising Temple University runner and Master’s student shares her journey as the first-ever openly LGBTQ+ athlete at BYU. Emma is striving to become an All-American in the 3000 m Steeplechase, but she is also committed to changing more than just the game. Emma openly addresses her discontent with BYU’s policies as they fail to protect and support the LGBTQ+ community at the university, and her involvement in the school’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee We discuss an important challenge we all face in life - which is a conditioned way of thinking about sexuality and relationships. Emma speaks on her own experience in sport with coming out, and she emphasizes the importance of self-acceptance, building a strong support system, and utilizing therapy and journaling as methods to truly process finding your identity. Emma reminds us while we may be faced with resistance and judgment in finding our truth, nothing beats the feeling of being true to ourselves.
“Educate yourself, listen, be respectful, and open-minded. Find your truth by processing and honoring personal identities beyond conditioned thinking.”- Emma Gee
Kayla McCoy, Professional Soccer Player for the Houston Dash of the NWSL, Jamanican National Team Member and Former Division I Student-Athlete at Duke University describes her journey in sport as challenging, rewarding, and fun. Kayla speaks openly about her journey in sport and all the highs and lows with injuries, nutrition, balance, and the transition from the college level to pro. Kayla reminds us that in life, we will face adversity everyday and how we approach and overcome those obstacles will shape our journeys in sport and beyond. Prioritization, hard work, and intrinsic motivation are the keys to our success.“The motivation has to come from yourself and so you have to be motivated. No one else can motivate you from the outside.”- Kayla McCoy
Elise Cranny, Professional Runner for the Bowerman Track Club, VIS League™ Member, 12x All-American and 4x NCAA Division 1 Runner-Up for Stanford University discusses her incredible journey in sport. Growing up, Elise was inspired by her parents who were triathletes and she played multiple sports all throughout high school which built the foundation for her success as a runner. Elise speaks openly about the challenges she faced as a runner surrounding nutrition, body image, periods, and injuries, and how she overcame these struggles to become an even stronger runner and person. Elise emphasizes the importance of building a strong support system, appreciating our own individual journeys, finding confidence in ourselves, and embracing change.“The mind is like a muscle, and you have to continue to train it and work at it.”- Elise Cranny
Emily Day, Professional Beach Volleyball player, VIS League™ Member, and former Division I Volleyball Player at Loyola Marymount University, describes her journey in sport in 3 words: family, dedication, and rollercoaster. Emily Day speaks openly about her journey; she discusses not only the highs of being a collegiate student-athlete and discovering her love for beach volleyball, but she also uncovers the lows of missing out on the 2016 Olympics, her thoughts of quitting, and how she overcame those challenges. Emily reminds us of the importance of hard work, a positive mind, a strong support system, and finding our true passion in sport and in life.
“We're all going to make mistakes, and it's how we can respond to it that really matters.”- Emily Day
Marie McCool, Professional WPLL Lacrosse Player for the Brave, Member of Team US Women's Lacrosse, VIS League™ Member, and former Division 1 Athlete at UNC describes her journey in sport as challenging, transformative, and amazing. Marie shares her journey in lacrosse, from her discovery of the sport in third grade to where she is now in her professional career. She sheds light on topics such as avoiding burnout in sport, the importance of communication, and the power of building a positive mindset, confidence, and an undying determination to succeed in sport and in life."When you're not taking risks in life or you're not willing to fail, then it's really hard to succeed.”- Marie McCool
Mary Cain, Professional Runner and VIS League™ Member, describes her journey in sport as one of struggle and courage. Mary became the youngest American athlete ever to represent the United States at a world championship at just 17 years of age. Following her high school career, she ran professionally for the Nike Oregon Project under Coach Alberto Salazar. Today, Mary opens up about the physical and mental abuse that she faced from her coach regarding her body weight, and she walks us through the disordered eating patterns that she developed as a result and how it manifested into mental struggles and suicidal thoughts, as well as physical struggles through RED-S, amenorrhea, and the injuries that followed. Most importantly, she discusses how she overcame these challenges, and she reminds us to be willing to ask for help, to keep the journey fun, and to strive to change more than just the game.“There's literally nobody out there who has it all together... it's more about learning how to be okay with who you are, proud of who you are, love who you are.”- Mary Cain
Imani Dorsey, NWSL Player for Sky Blue FC, 2018 NWSL Rookie of the Year, former Division I Student-Athlete at Duke University, 2017 ACC Offensive Player of the Year, describes her journey in sport as "invigorating, draining, but rewarding." She shares the ups and downs of her incredible journey in sport through adapting to new positions, facing criticism, and also setting and achieving lofty goals. Imani sheds light on her challenges with mental health and emphasizes the importance of balance and a strong support system in molding our lives on and off of the field. Imani encourages us to build confidence through what we bring to the team and to also find happiness outside of sport, and she reminds us all that it is okay to not be okay. “We're always taught that we have to be tough and we have to be gritty and push through things, which is important in sports. Determination is good, but not at the cost of your own mental health and your wellbeing.”- Imani Dorsey
Elizabeth Williams, WNBA basketball player for the Atlanta Dream, WNBA’s Most Improved Player in 2016, and a former Four-Time All American Athlete from Duke University describes her journey in sport as dependable, a bit stressful, and resilient. Not only is Elizabeth an incredibly talented athlete, but she is also a VIS League™ Member and the secretary of the WNBA’s players association where she fights for equality for women in sport. Elizabeth discusses her journey in sport, and she shares the importance of building a strong support system, women empowering other women, working hard, and using our voices to change more than just the game.“My existence in this pro sports world means that it's possible for you too.” - Elizabeth Williams
Kathryn Plummer, Professional Volleyball Player, Member of the U.S Volleyball and Beach Volleyball Teams, former Division I Student-Athlete at Stanford University, and 3x National Champion, describes her journey in sport in 3 words: bumpy, competitive, and growth. In her collegiate career, Kathryn collected honors such as NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding player, and espnW’s First Team All-American and National Player of the Year. Kathryn plans to travel overseas this season and play volleyball in a professional league in Japan. Today, she shares her incredible journey in sport and offers a powerful perspective on being vulnerable and asking for help. She also reminds us all to embrace our athletic bodies and to be positive and gentle with ourselves. “If you're feeling pressure, it probably means that you're doing something right.”-Kathryn Plummer
Darian Jenkins, Professional NWSL Soccer Player for the OL Reign and former Division I Athlete at UCLA describes her journey in sport as impatient, persevering, and joyful. In this episode, Darian discusses the highs and lows of her journey in sport, from her experience with youth national teams to her recruitment process to her professional career in soccer today. She also shares untold stories of her struggles with body image, doubt, and criticism, and how she overcame these challenges in order to perform at the highest level. Darian reminds us all to love our athletic bodies, to be present, and to be positive in every situation that life throws at us - even harsh words and injuries. “You just have to learn to appreciate how your body is, and don't ever let somebody put you down for how you look.”- Darian Jenkins
Rachael Adams, Professional Volleyball Player, Olympic Bronze Medalist, FIVB World Championship Gold Medalist, and former Division 1 Volleyball Player at the University of Texas at Austin describes her journey in sport as rewarding, perfectly imperfect, and fun. Rachael shares her incredible journey, and she discusses her philosophy of learning every single day, the importance of positive self-talk in building confidence, her thoughts on nutrition, and the importance of making the journey fun."Take up space . . . You are enough exactly the way you are." - Rachael Adams
Jordan DiBiasi, a Professional Soccer Player for the NWSL Washington Spirit and former Division 1 Athlete at Stanford University describes her journey in sport as trying, rewarding, and enjoyable. We discuss how Jordan fell in love with soccer at a young age and the adversity and opportunities she faced during the transitions from high school soccer to college soccer and eventually onto professional soccer. Jordan emphasizes the importance of adaptability, positive self-talk, and a strong support system. She shares untold stories that will make us smile and teach us how to deal with feedback that we might not be ready or wanting to hear."Do more of what you love and less of what you're just tolerating."- Jordan DiBiasi
Abbey Weitzel, Professional Swimmer, 2x Olympic Medalist, and former Division 1 Swimmer at the University of California Berkeley describes her journey in sport as unsteady, happy, and inspiring. Today, Abbey provides a powerful perspective on her journey in sport, and candidly shares her struggles and triumphs. She also discusses the ever-important topics of body image, confidence, happiness, and balance, and how they have shaped her into the powerful athlete that she is today. "Stand tall and be proud of the way you look, who you are, what you're doing, and to enjoy the journey all the way."-Abbey Weitzel
Taylor Cummings, Professional Lacrosse Player in the Women’s Professional Lacrosse League, a Member of Team USA, and a Two-Time National Champion at the University of Maryland shares her journey in sport, from the youth level to the WPLL. She emphasizes the importance of strengthening our minds and our bodies by shedding light on her struggles with self-confidence and body image and how she overcame them.
“Enjoy the moment. Be present. Embrace every high, embrace every low because, especially in college, you only get four years and it flies by quicker than you can imagine.”- Taylor Cummings
Alanna Smith, WNBA Player for the Phoenix Mercury, Member of the Australian Women’s National Team, and an Olympic hopeful describes her journey in sport as rocky, rewarding, and relentless. We discuss her journey from a 12 year-old girl who feared failure and wanted to quit basketball to the brilliant female leader that she is today in the WNBA. She shares the vitally important, yet untold struggles that she faced with mental health along the way, and how she defeated these obstacles with her strong support system, gratitude, and her passion for the game. Alanna’s incredible journey is truly an inspiration to us all.
“Give yourself time. Be kind to yourself.” — Alanna Smith
Lia Neal, Professional Swimmer, a 2x Olympic Medalist, and former Division 1 swimmer at Stanford University shares her incredible journey to the highest level of her sport at a young age, and dealing with pressures surrounding both her mind and body as she transitioned to the collegiate and professional levels. We also discuss her mindset while facing adversity in sport, the importance of resisting self-comparison, and the power in finding your purpose.
“Be present. Be grounded. Live in the moment. Embrace every moment, every struggle, every happy moment because they're all important” - Lia Neal
Paige Monaghan, Sky Blue FC NWSL player, 2x All-Big East First Team player at Butler University and the 2017 All-Big East Offensive Player of the Year, shares her journey in the sport of soccer and highlights the important role her coaches, teammates, and family had in her continued success. Throughout the highs and lows of her soccer career, she continued to focus only on things she could control and developed an internal voice with self-talk like “on to the next” that helped her overcome adversity. She was fueled by her lifelong love of the game and her incredible support system.
"Whatever your opportunity is, whatever your passion is, whatever your love is, do it to the fullest. Do it with your full heart and your full might because I'm telling you, it'll be worth it." -Paige Monaghan
Simi Adeagbo, Nigerian Olympic Skeleton Racer, 1st ever female African Olympic Skeleton Racer, and 4x All-American at the University of Kentucky in Track in Field describes her journey in sport as uncomfortable, purposeful, and fun. We discuss her journey and how “failures” to actualize one dream simply serve as opportunities to reimagine and pursue another dream. Simi also shares how mental toughness, determination, and heart have guided her to success and impact in sport and beyond, as she helps to shape the true narrative of Africa and to inspire young girls through her unique story.
“Why not me, and why not now?” — Simi Adeagbo
Kiah Stokes, 3x National Champion & WNBA player for the New York Liberty. After graduating from the University of Connecticut in 2015, Kiah was a first round pick for the New York Liberty. Originally from Iowa, at UCONN she led her team to three National Championship titles. Kiah also earned individual awards, such as the 2014-2015 American Athletic conference defensive player of the year. She saw early success, playing for the USA Basketball U16 team when they captured the gold medal at FIBA Americas. Kiah shares her advice on various topics that as female athletes we can use to achieve success. We discuss the college recruitment process, transition to a D1 university and the power of visualization. We hope you enjoy our candid discussion on the reality of dedicating one's life to sport.
Kikkan Randal, 5x Olympic Cross Country Ski Racer from Alaska. The First American Skier to win a Gold Medal at the Winter Olympics in Women’s Team Sprint Event in Pyeongchang in 2018 describes her journey in sport as strong, patient, and fun. Kikkan inspires us all to not be afraid to DREAM BIG. She describes the power of setting goals and how putting things together one step at a time will ultimately lead to crushing your biggest goals. Kikkan inspires us all, regardless of sport, to set a goal and create a plan to achieve it - she emphasizes the power of creating a great team to do it with you and how mastering visualization and how studying the craft of your sport can lead to Olympic medals.
“Think about where you want to go, how you are going to get there and then get excited about heading on the journey to get there” - Kikkan Randall
Kelsey Robinson, D1 athlete, Pro Volleyball Player, 2016 Olympic Medalist, 2014 World Champion and current Team USA Member describes her journey in sport as one of discovery, passion & commitment. We explore the power of intangibles that make a great player, her battle with confidence and how it led to an incredible level of commitment to her craft. Kelsey shares untold stories about the pressures she faced as a female athlete and the importance of fueling her body with the right nutrients to find “your power” on the court.
“Who you are is unique, there is no one like you - so find your power.”- Kelsey Robinson