In today’s episode I interview blogger, two-time U.S. National Team rower, and 2019 World Champion in Lightweight Women’s pair, Cara Stawicki.
I was first drawn to Cara after reading her blog [carastawicki.com]. In her posts, Cara opens up about her struggles and provides incredible resources aimed at supporting and inspiring female athletes.
I highly recommend taking a peak at it!
Cara started out as a competitive swimmer; she didn’t start rowing until college at Lehigh University. Her senior year, she was captain of womens’ varsity crew, most valuable female rower, and Lehigh University’s athlete of the year . She also found success in the classroom, earning a BA in Journalism and Political Science and an MA in Political Science.
Years of hard work, discipline, and relentless drive earned her a spot on the U.S National rowing team.
Despite her success, one of her biggest struggles was confidence in her abilities as an athlete and competitor. In 2018, she went through a huge mental shift. She started working with a high performance coach who helped her develop the mental part of her game, and she started learning through others--using things like athlete blogs, podcasts, and books.
In today’s episode Cara talks about:
-The most critical component of being a top athlete
-How writing helps her show up her best in her sport
-Where her incessant desire to learn comes from-including he recommended books and podcasts
-Her process of developing confidence
-How life experience has made her a better athlete at 37 than she was in her 20s.
-“Confidence is a learned skill that you can develop overtime.”
And more!
Resources
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A list of the 11 books that have had the biggest impact on my life as an athlete HERE
Do you struggle with sleep? If so, you know it’s kinda like taking off a sweatshirt when you’re sweaty AF and your arm gets stuck in the sleeve and you kinda wanna die, but the harder you try to fix it the worse it gets.
You need sleep not only to maximize performance, but also to be able to function throughout your day. And in my case, to be a tolerable human being to be around.
During the onset of my concussion, I struggled with years of severe insomnia. I tried counting sheep, hippos, penguins, pigeons…all the animals, but it didn’t do squat. I have attempted everything under the sun and the moon to restore my circadian rhythms and finally, I can say I sleep pretty dang consistently (I still have some rough nights, but I’m very pleased with my progress). Sleep is something I will never ever take for granted again.
In this episode, I talk about:
-the hacks that have had the greatest impact on my sleep
-the ONE thing that was a game changer for my shuteye
-my go-to evening routine that gets me feelin’ zen
-what I do when I have nights where I struggle to sleep
-how to function during the day when you aren’t well rested
And more!
I hope some of the methods provide you with a little bit of relief.
Sweeeeet dreams
Be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other magical contentHERE
A list of the 11 books that have had the biggest impact on my life as an athleteHERE
Brain Waves binaural beats app
Spectrum blue light blocking glasses
In today’s episode, I interview mom of two, pro soccer player, World Cup champion, and 2x Olympic gold medalist Amy Rodriguez.
If you’ve ever seen Amy play, she’s a feisty, sneakyyy mom (said in the tone of the kid from that viral Jimmy Kimmel youtube video). She’s got a special fire every time she steps on the pitch.
In highschool, Amy was a top recruit and was named the Gatorade player of the year. Her senior year, she made her first appearance for the US National team.She went on to play at USC, where she played a vital role in helping them win their first NCAA championship.
After college, her career continued to flourish. She won gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. The next year she gave birth to her first child, missed the entire year, then made a quick comeback to help the US win the World Cup in 2015.
Since then, Amy has brought another beautiful child into the world, but upon her comeback she tore her ACL. Being the resilient sneaky mom that she is, Amy made a full comeback and now currently plays for and captains the Utah Royals FC. She fulfills all of her team duties, while also being a mom to a 6 and 3 year-old boy. Talk about Superrrr mom!
In today’s episode, Amy talks about:
her crazy, unconventional lifestyle of balancing being a mom and a professional soccer player
how having kids has benefited her both on the field and off
the childhood setback that pushed her to the next level
personal stories from being one of the best players in the US
the mantra that has helped her through the highest pressure moments in her career
the characteristics that she believes allowed her to thrive in her sport
And more!
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A list of the 11 books that have had the biggest impact on my life as an athlete HERE
In today’s episode I interview former Portland Thorns goalkeeper and racial justice activist Emily Kruger.
Emily is someone I really admire because as a pro athlete, she went all in on the social causes that she was passionate about, even if it wasn’t “popular.” I am constantly learning from Emily about how I can be of better service to the world and educate myself about my privilege.
Emily attended UC Berkeley, where she first became really aware of her privilege. From there, she unexpectedly joined the Portland Thorns and continued learning and standing up for social issues.
In today’s episode, Emily talks about:
-the backlash she received from teammates and coaches when she proposed linking arms during the national anthem
-how our unwillingness to be uncomfortable or feel like a “bad” person prevents us from dealing with problems like racism
-how to expand sports to be more inclusive
-how her interactions with police officers was very different than black people in the same city
-advice for someone to take when they’re first unpacking their white privilege
-race being the “great connector” of so many other important issues (LGBTQ, capitalism, climate change)
Resources:
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In this episode, we are keeping it rollinnnnnn with part 2 of the interview with deep thinker, incessant learner, former NFL player Elvis Akpla.
Last week, Elvis gave us a look into the neglected parts of American history and how he believes we can end racism.
Today, he tells his fascinating personal story from growing up in poverty to finding a way to be successful and happy.
Elvis has a pretty incredible and challenging background that has helped shape him into the man he is today.
In this episode, Elvis talks about:
-The stark differences in racism between his home town and Africa and the United States
-Why he frequently slept over at 10+ different family friends throughout high school
-The key ingredient that helped him overcome poverty and be successful
-How being an athlete protected him a bit from racism
-The last minute track and field scholarship her earned that eventually led him to the NFL
-The importance of athlete’s using their platform to share their voice
And more.
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A list of the 11 books that have had the biggest impact on my life as an athlete HERE
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New podcast episode with the deep thinking, passionate, former pro football player Elvis Akpla.
Elvis is one of the most curious, intellectual, constantly-expanding guys I know. Like, we’re talking photographic memory, constantly engaging in thought provoking convos, and will talk your ear off-in the best way- about the stuff that lights him up.
Today he brings that fire to offers his unique perspective on the neglected parts of American history, and how he believes we can end racism and reconcile people who have different opinions than our own.
Elvis was born in Dakar Senegal on the west coast of Africa. At a young age, his single mom and him moved to the United States-the first place he ever experienced racism.
Elvis’ mom made sacrifice on sacrifice on sacrifice to ensure he received a good education. He ended up earning a last minute scholarship for track and field at University of Oregon. Freshman year, he walked on to the football team. He later transferred to Montana State where he became an All-American and graduated with a degree in cellular biology and neuroscience. After college, he had a brief stint with the Philadelphia Eagles, b and is currently earning two masters degree in Special Education and Biomedical Sciences.
Elvis is full of knowledge and is just getting started. Shoutout to his beautiful fiancé Kara who low key to high key is his better half :) .
This interview is split into two parts.
In this episode (Part 1), Elvis talks about:
And more!
Resources:
Be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other magical content HERE
A list of the 11 books that have had the biggest impact on my life as an athlete HERE
In today’s episode I interview cat lover, sci-fi fantasy aficionado, 2x World Cup champion, Olympic gold medalist, Becky Sauerbrunn.
Y'all, no two ways about it, Becky is a baller. She is one of the most consistent players in the game of soccer. But, one of my favorite things about Becky is how she just straight up does her. She doesn’t change who she is to fit in. She speaks her opinion, about sometimes difficult topics, And she stands up for others. She is one of those leaders who leads by example and treats everyone with respect. I think that’s why she’s admired so much by all of her teammates.
Becky was born in St Louis Missouri. She played basketball and volleyball, but always knew soccer was her number one love.
Becky played at the University of Virginia, then went to the pro level and currently represents the USWNT.
She has played professionally for the Washington Freedom, magicJack, DC United, Utah Royals FC, Roa IL, FC Kansas City, where she won’t two NWSL championships. She is now a Portland Thorn, which is lovely because Portland is the place she calls home.
In the NWSL, she has earned the NWSL best 11 every single year and is a 4x defender of the year.
Becky is a regular call-up for the national team. Like I said, she is a 2x World Cup Champion and an Olympic gold medalist. She captained the team from 2016-2018 and is currently the president of USWNT Players Association. She is huge advocate for equal pay.
And I just want to reiterate she is a freakin’ good human being.
In today’s episode, Becky talks about
-how, as an introvert, she has trained her whole life for this quarantine
-what sets national team players apart from other players (hint: not a lot)
-dealing with having a huge dream, but so much of it being out of your control
-the story of a youth national team coach telling her she had no speed or presence, and how she turned those “weaknesses” into strengths
-why she named her cats Missy Elliott and Olive Oil
-owning her nerdiness
-what it was like when she opened a letter from her idol, Ruth Bader Ginsburg
-her belief in aliens
And more!
Resources
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A list of the 11 books that have had the biggest impact on my life as an athlete HERE
Writing is my release. Whenever I need to vomit out of my thoughts, I place my phalanges (lol what a word) on my computer keys and let them type away. It’s not pretty. I typically swear a lot because that’s just how I am and I don’t give a fuck who’s going to read it. It’s for me and only me to process things.
In this week’s podcast episode and blog, I have released a completely unfiltered raw journal entry from 7 months into my concussion recovery, and first time I decided to let go of soccer, but the Universe wouldn’t let me.
That day was one of the most insane days of my entire life. And it was my first glimpse into the power of truly surrendering.
A single phone call caused a complete 180 degree shift in my perspective. Before the call, I was 100% convinced that I was going to do whatever it took to make a full comeback. After the call, I had this instant, unexpected realization that I didn’t care about coming back to play pro soccer, I was over feeling like shit every day, and just wanted to feel like myself again.
I truly, with every fiber in my being let go of coming back and rested in this knowing that I would be okay, even if I never played soccer ever again.
The sudden mindset change, itself was wild, but then, the next day, something Tiger-Level wild happened. Which led me to healing more in week than I had in the entire 7 months since my initial concussion. And I ended up not leaving soccer.
Surrendering is some powerful punch. yall. I encourage you to drink it.
Resources:
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In today’s episode I interview WNBA Atlanta Dream player Elizabeth Williams on playing a game with no fans (b/c of COVID-19), the value of education, and her love of jeopardy.
Elizabeth’s parents were born and raised in Nigeria. After getting married, they moved to England so her dad could enroll in pre-med classes. While there, Elizabeth was born, and shortly after, they moved to the United States.
Elizabeth started playing basketball because a family friend mentioned that Elizabeth’s tall stature could make the sport a good fit for her. So, Elizabeth joined a team and ended up loving it. Eventually, she found a trainer who turned into a mentor, and got her to believe that she could be really good at this basketball thing.
Throughout her childhood, her parents, both in the medical field, instilled the importance of education.
Elizabeth decided to go to Duke to challenge herself both off and on the court. While at Duke, she studied pre-med with the intention to become a surgeon. On the court, Elizabeth earned National Freshman of the Year and NCAA Defensive Player of the Year honors She set school records for blocking shots, and was the first duke player to be named AP all American her first two years.
After college, Elizabeth continued her career into the WNBA. She has earned accolades as WNBA Most Improved Player of the Year and is a 2017 WNBA All-Star. She has played overseas in Turkey, China and Russia, and has represented the US at the U-16-U-19 levels.
Elizabeth was playing overseas in Turkey when the COVID outbreak began, forcing the league to cancel their season.
In our conversation, Elizabeth talks about:
-what it was like playing a game with no fans (because of COVID-19)
-why she watches jeopardy every night
-the time she sat in on an 8 hour spinal surgery
-what it was like being an WNBA all-star
-her passion for education and the importance of getting kids involved in STEM
-the game she blocked 3 shots in one possession
-how she’s gotten to level 5,000 of Candy Crush
And more!
Resources:
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In today’s podcast, I interview the technical soccer goddess, Yael Averbuch.
I first knew of Yael from afar, as I watched her YouTube videos that she posted of her dribbling and juggling drills. And I was like ‘damnnnn this girl is a hard ass worker and she’s got silky smooth touches that make me feel things.’
We recently got to know each other through a mutual friend and we bonded over the fact that we are both, what I like to call, “semi psycho obsessive human beings.” Or fully psycho, depending on who you’re talking to. People who are obsessive about their dreams are my kind of people.
If you’re one of those people, I know this episode will resonate. Come join the club.
Yael won two NCAA college cups with the North Carolina Tarheels. She has won three championships during her pro career with Sky Blue FC, Western New York flash, and FC Kansas City. She’s also played overseas in Russia, Sweden, and Cyprus.
Yael has played for US at at every level of the youth national teams and represented the full team from 2007 to 2013.
In 2018, Yael was forced to step away from playing due to ulcerative colitis. Despite not currently being on the pitch, she is still heavily involved in the game. She is the executive director of the NWSL Players Association. She is also the founder of Techne Futbol, a soccer training app that provides personal training for soccer players. I highly recommend checking the app out…like I said her touches make me feel things.
In our conversation, Yael talks about:
And more.
Resources:
In today’s episode, I interview Ellevest Financial Advisor and former pro soccer player Kate Krieger.
Kate works for Ellevest, a booming start-up investing platform dedicated towards redefining investing for women. Ellevest’s mission is to close the gender investing gap and get more money into the hands of women.
I like the sound of that.
And so does Kate.
Kate played pro soccer for Seattle Reign FC, Iceland, Germany, before feeling it was time to move onto something else. She had no idea what that “something else” was.
It was through connections from her athletic career that she stumbled upon finance. She quickly found this career path to be a great fit for her as an athlete because it’s highly competitive, fast paced, you get to make relationships with people, and there is no ceiling to what you can accomplish.
Speaking of competitive, Kate got married last year and competed in a triathlon a week before her wedding and beat her husband (who is also a very competitive athlete). Girl powaaa.
That same year, she landed her financial advising position for Ellevest. I highly recommend checking out Ellevest’s insta-they are constantly putting out $$$ resources (insta lives, answering questions, posting articles) to educate women all about money.
In our conversation Kate talks about:
-why women are afraid to talk about money (there’s a stat that shows we would rather talk about our own deaths and sex than money!) and how we can change that
-why women need to invest differently than men and how to do it
-tips on how to ask for what you are worth
-the basics of investing and how you can take steps today to get dat bread
-books, podcasts, and resources to up your $$$ game
And more!
Resources:
Follow Ellevest on instagram
Check out Ellevest website
Be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other magical content HERE
In this episode, I interview firefighter, former professional soccer player, and farmer Keelin Winters Pattillo.
Keelin is a force of nature. It appears as though everything she touches turns into a success. I believe Keelin accomplishes whatever she puts her mind to because she’s one the most disciplined people I know.
Keelin grew up living in a multitude of cities around the US, as her father was a NBA coach and was constantly on the move. Although her 5 siblings chose to dedicate themselves to basketball, the sport wasn’t physical enough for Keelin. So, she chose to play soccer.
Keelin went on to play at University of Portland, earning West Coast Conference Player of the Year. She won a goal medal in the U-20 World Cup. She was drafted 6th overall in the WPS to the Boston Breakers. She’s played overseas with FFC Turbine Potsdam in Germany and the Western Sydney Wanderers in Australia. She played four years with Seattle Reign FC, winning two NWSL Shields, for finishing 1st in regular season play. She also earned a contract with full US national team.
On most of those teams, she wore the captains armband, a testament to Keelin’s supreme focus and leadership skills.
In this episode we talk about,
-why she chose to spend her honeymoon with her wife Paige living in a camper van while playing in Australia
-what it was like having five siblings, a disciplinarian mom, and an NBA-coaching dad
-how she’s in even better shape than when she was playing professionally because of living on a farm
-her decision to get dreadlocks in college and how they helped her find herself
-the make-you or break-you pressure of US national team camp
-why she retired even though she was in her prime
-the advise her sports psychologist gave her that helped immensely when she was feeling burnt out
And more!
Resources
Follow Keelin HERE
Join Friday Feelz HERE
A list of the 11 books that have had the biggest impact on my life as an athlete HERE
Be the first to know when a new podcast or article drops, and receive other magical content HERE
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Click “write a review” and show me love <3
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Yall, if there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that “obsessive athlete” and “being told to hunker down” do not belong in the same sentence. Quarantine has the potential to be an athlete’s worst nightmare. But it doesn’t have to be. There are so many different ways to continue growing physically, emotionally, and mentally during this time. I’m excited to share my insights.
Yall, if there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that “obsessive athlete” and “being told to hunker down” do not belong in the same sentence. Quarantine has the potential to be an athlete’s worst nightmare. But, it doesn’t have to be. There are so many different ways to continue growing physically, emotionally, and mentally during this time. I’m excited to share my insights.
In this episode I talk about:
why the advise “be positive!” makes me want to vomit
how to process the fear of missing out on big games, tournaments, trainings etc.
helpful questions to ask yourself during this uncertain time
incredible online resources I’ve found to continue exercising (if you feel called)
tools I use to determine what my body really needs for me
And more!
Just so you know, whatever you are feeling is valid as fudgsicles on a hot summer free-to-roam-wherever-you-want kind of day. Sending you lots of love <3
Resources
Schedule free one on one mentor consultation here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=18029218
Learn more about my one on one mentor program: https://arrowliving.com/1-on-1-mentoring
In today’s episode I interview Portland Thorns goalkeeper Britt Eckerstrom. Britt is a really special soul. If you ever meet her, you’ll instantly feel her positive vibes. She is someone who is always down for adventure and incredibly open and accepting of everyone she meets. Britt grew up in Maryland. In high school, she ran cross country and played soccer. She then committed to Penn State. Britt captained the team her senior year and led them to win an NCAA championship-which she considers the greatest accomplishment of her career thus far. Britt was then drafted to the Western New York Flash, and later traded to the Portland Thorns, where she won an NWSL championship. She’s also played overseas in Australia with the Newcastle Jets, where she was a nominee for the leagues Player of The year.
In our convo we talk about:
-why she likes putting herself in uncomfortable situations
-her newfound competitive ping pong career
-the wild story of how the day before she was leaving for her first professional season, her family house burnt down. She reflects on how she dealt with losing nearly everything she owned
-why spending her off days hiking is one of the best things for her playing career
-what it means to be in a flow state
-the reason she always drives with her windows rolled down, regardless of the weather
And lots more!
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We back!!! In this episode, I talk about what you can except with the podcast moving forward, what I’ve been up to, and I read the most vulnerable piece I have written about my love-hate relationship with soccer and my decision to step away from it for now. relationship with it.
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