Madam Athlete (2025)

07/11/2023

On today’s episode, I’m talking to Sports Podcaster Cherie Turner about changing directions.

Cherie is the host of the Women’s Running Stories podcast, which features women athletes running all distances. Cherie’s unique story started out as a professional cyclist after college, unsure of what came next in her career. After finding her footing, she embraced her dream of becoming a writer and began a decades-long career in publishing and editing. Cherie then went about changing directions one more time by throwing herself into the podcast and radio community, finding mentors and teachers who helped her grow into the audio storyteller she is today.

We talk about:
👉 Recognizing the skills we’ve developed in the past and how they helped us get to where we are today.
👉 Putting perfectionism aside to embrace being a complete novice in a new field.
👉 Telling women’s stories, by women and for women, as a way to overcome the established narratives.

🎧 Learn more about her unique career journey and find links to her episode here: https://madamathlete.com/170-changing-directions-with-sports-podcaster-cherie-turner

31/10/2023

On today’s episode, I’m talking to the CEO of WeCOACH Vanessa Fuchs about finding the opportunity.

Vanessa is the CEO of WeCOACH, an organization focused on recruiting, advancing, and retaining women coaches in all sports at every level. A former DI basketball player at Florida State University, Vanessa worked with the NCAA, becoming the Associate Director of Academic and Membership Affairs, before returning to her alma mater. She stayed at Florida State for 14 years, becoming the Senior Associate Athletic Director, Senior Women’s Administrator, and doing a stint as the Interim Athletic Director. Vanessa encourages young professionals to focus on finding the opportunity hidden within each role they take on and to keep an open mind in order to maximize their chances for growth.

We talk about:
👉 Seeking out mentors with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
👉 Expecting to be challenged when starting a new job and using these opportunities for growth.
👉 Finding and prioritizing balance when working in a demanding field, like sports.

🎧 Learn more about her unique career journey and find links to her episode here: https://madamathlete.com/169-finding-the-opportunity-with-ceo-of-wecoach-vanessa-fuchs/

26/10/2023

Words of wisdom from Katelyn Parker – episode 168 on the

Now the Senior Manager of Player Development with the NHL Seattle Kracken, Katelyn shares just how formative her experiences as a DI student-athlete were. Her time on a college team going through a multi-year growth process prepared her for the experience of working with a new franchise in their early years.

🎧 Listen to her episode and check out her show notes at: https://madamathlete.com/168-defining-success-with-seattle-krakens-senior-manager-of-player-development-katelyn-parker/

24/10/2023

On today’s episode, I’m talking to the Senior Manager of Player Development at the Seattle Kraken Katelyn Parker about defining success.

Katelyn is currently with the Kraken handling everything youth hockey and player development for this young franchise. Her background as a former DI hockey player on a quickly growing team set her up well to work in this environment that looks more like a tech startup some days. While it may seem that Katelyn always knew she wanted to work in sports, it wasn’t until after she experienced working outside of athletics that she realized that the part of her day devoted to hockey was what she really looked forward to. Katelyn shares how defining success is different for everyone and how that definition should be free to change throughout our careers.

We talk about:
👉 Starting new roles without firm expectations in order to take advantage of all of the opportunities.
👉 The athlete mentality of being all-in, and how this is both a strength and a weakness in other parts of life.
👉 Taking time to appreciate success and how extraordinary some experiences are.

🎧 Learn more about her unique career journey and find links to her episode here: https://madamathlete.com/168-defining-success-with-seattle-krakens-senior-manager-of-player-development-katelyn-parker/

20/10/2023

Words of wisdom from Andrea Kovalsky – episode 167 on the

High school athletic trainer, Andrea, shares the qualities of her first job after getting her master's that made it a perfect fit. Armed with this self-knowledge about what she values, she was able to make a wise decision about exactly what to pursue.

🎧 Listen to her episode and check out her show notes at: https://madamathlete.com/167-sticking-to-your-values-with-athletic-trainer-andrea-kovalsky/

17/10/2023

On today’s episode, I’m talking to Athletic Trainer Andrea Kovalsky about sticking to your values.

Andrea is the Head Athletic Trainer for Granite City High School in Granite City, Illinois. She’s currently working towards her Doctorate in Athletic Training while also serving on the Illinois Athletic Trainers Association. In each role she’s taken on, Andrea has given herself a few years to fully learn the job and what it requires. She assesses if it fits her values and her goals, and chooses to move on if it’s not the exact right fit. With each move, Andrea has taken lessons learned along with her, confident she won’t make the same mistakes over again.

We talk about:
👉 Learning to be selfish, especially in a role that usually works behind the scenes.
👉 Finding outlets for our true passions, like mentoring, within our current careers.
👉 Shuffling priorities through different opportunities and career stages.

🎧 Learn more about her unique career journey and find links to her episode here: https://madamathlete.com/167-sticking-to-your-values-with-athletic-trainer-andrea-kovalsky/

06/10/2023

Words of wisdom from Patti Phillips – episode 166 on the

As the CEO of Women Leaders in Sports, Patti is not just setting the tone for herself but for the whole organization. She shares how she expertly reframes the situation for everyone, choosing to celebrate the abundance of opportunities to make a difference for women working in sports.

🎧 Listen to her episode and check out her show notes at: https://madamathlete.com/166-reframing-with-the-ceo-of-women-leaders-in-sports-patti-phillips/

03/10/2023

On today’s episode, I’m talking to the CEO of Women Leaders in Sports Patti Phillips about reframing.

Patti is a long-time leader in women’s and girls' sports, from her early days coaching collegiate basketball and volleyball to her current role as the CEO of Women Leaders in Sports. There she helps to break down the barriers women continue to face in the business of sports and change how women are perceived as leaders. Patti is an expert at reframing her mindset and uses this skill to work through events that would have otherwise been challenges.

We talk about:
👉 Pursuing a mission, like advancing women’s sports, rather than going after a single job title.
👉 Celebrating successes while using setbacks for motivation.
👉 Approaching goals with effort and intention.

🎧 Learn more about her unique career journey and find links to her episode here: https://madamathlete.com/166-reframing-with-the-ceo-of-women-leaders-in-sports-patti-phillips/

29/09/2023

I got to catch up with episode SEVEN(!!) guest, Julie Hubbard, this week at her incredible PT center

This smart, passionate, caring, and genius woman was one of my former soccer players at and is now a DPT who’s built her own business and I’m so proud of her and so impressed by her and honestly just in awe of all she’s doing.

So freaking good to catch up with you Julie!! I can’t wait to see how you and your business continue to grow!

28/09/2023

Words of wisdom from Alicia Whittington – episode 165 on the

Alicia feels comfortable sharing that she’s a first-generation college grad in even the most accomplished of rooms. She feels that her lived experiences are just as important as her training as a scientist, both of which have helped her to lead the Football Players Health Study at Harvard.

🎧 Listen to her episode and check out her show notes at: https://madamathlete.com/165-discovering-your-purpose-with-health-equity-researcher-alicia-whittington/

26/09/2023

On today’s episode, I’m talking to health equity researcher Dr. Alicia Whittington about discovering your purpose.

Alicia is the Assistant Director of Engagement and Health Equity Research for the Football Players Health Study at Harvard University. Additionally, she’s the co-investigator of Family Experiences Managing Football Lives, studying the impact of supporting the NFL player on the family unit. Alicia shares how her lived experiences and her family’s history have shaped her career journey and led her to where she is today. Trained in public health research and the sister of two NFL players, Alicia began studying the impact of professional football on players during graduate school and hasn’t looked back. She discovered her purpose and has relied on this knowledge during moments of doubt to remember why she’s doing the work.

We talk about:
👉 Making career decisions one step at a time by choosing the best option from the information available at the time.
👉 Remaining true to yourself and showing up to places with authenticity.
👉 Finding support from your family and network to sustain you through the highs and lows.

🎧 Learn more about her unique career journey and find links to her episode here: https://madamathlete.com/165-discovering-your-purpose-with-health-equity-researcher-alicia-whittington/

21/09/2023

Words of wisdom from Sarah Turner – episode 164 on the

As an athletic trainer, Sarah’s no stranger to being one of the only women in the room. She’s drawn inspiration from her mom throughout her career so that she and her staff can figure out the best path forward together.

🎧 Listen to her episode and check out her show notes at: https://madamathlete.com/164-building-a-community-with-athletic-trainer-sarah-turner/

Madam Athlete