For the Love of Sport

Take a deep dive into the newest installment of the "For The Love of Sport" podcast as hosts Simon and Marie are joined by the legendary swimmer Rowdy Gaines . As a three-time Olympic gold medalist, Rowdy's name is synonymous with excellence in swimming. Beyond his stellar athletic achievements, Rowdy has seamlessly transitioned into the role of a celebrated sports broadcaster, captivating audienc...

Who says cooler weather has to stop golf? In this episode of "For The Love of Sport," hosts Simon and Marie are joined by Chief Development Officer Jeff Clark and National Events Manager Rachel Miller from the awesome organization Youth on Course . The conversation starts with a deep dive into their experiences with youth sports and how these formative moments led them to be part of Youth on Cours...

Get ready for a captivating episode as For the Love of Sport podcast hosts Simon and Marie welcome Gary Charles , the CEO of Advancement of Blacks in Sports (ABIS) , to  For The Love of Sport. Gary's life journey is a testament to his unwavering commitment to empowering young athletes and promoting inclusivity and equity in the sports world. This episode dives deep into Gary's diverse background,...

Welcome back, dear listener! In this episode, Simon and Marie sit with special guests Matt Wixon and Steven Doherty from Frisco ISD . They share their profound love for sports and their respective journeys in youth sports. Hear valuable insights as Matt and Steve discuss essential tips for parents looking to select sports programs for their children and share their secret ingredients for crafting...

For the Love of Sport is revisiting the gridiron this week in an encore episode with legendary Minnesota Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway   Learn about Chad's journey from youth sports to his time at Iowa in the Big Ten, and then the NFL.  Chad also dives into his life now in retirement, impacting youth sports in Minnesota and across the country. Chad talks about trading in his football cleats for...

Ever wondered how a professional athlete transforms into a financial guru while creating a legacy beyond sports? Join podcast hosts Simon and Marie as they unravel Amobi Okugo's incredible journey with " A Frugal Athlete " on "For The Love of Sport." Hear Amobi's secrets of success in sports and business, and get inspired! In this episode, Amobi shares anecdotes from his soccer journey, reflects o...

Step into a world where sports and media converge with Bri Lewerke , a social media manager at Spotify and a prolific sports photographer. Join hosts Simon and Marie as they unravel the layers of Bri's journey, from her youth sports journey to her captivating work in sports photography.  With a touch of camaraderie, this episode explores Bri's dynamic experiences, offering a glimpse into her passi...

Welcome back, Dear Listener! "For the Love of Sport," hosts Simon and Marie sit down with The Community Cultivator: Megan Scremin . Megan is the President and CEO of Special Olympics Colorado. Get inspired by learning how Megan and her team provide children and adults with intellectual disabilities opportunities to engage in year-round sports. She shares her passion for empowering athletes, promot...

Simon and Marie are joined by the Dedicated Developer: Lesle Gallimore . Lesle lives and breathes soccer, she formerly worked as the inaugural commissioner of the Girl's Academy and is the current General Manager of the OL Reign . With a wealth of experience in the soccer world, Lesle shares her insights and expertise on player development and coaching.  As the inaugural commissioner of the girl's...

In this episode of For the Love of Sport, Marie and Simon are joined by self-proclaimed youth sports guy and The Engineer of Engaging Experiences, Darrell DK Taylor . As the director of BNA Sports , DK focuses on developing youth athletes and providing them with impactful, pro-like sports experiences.  With previous experience in player development for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cleveland Browns...

In this special Father's Day weekend episode of For the Love of Sport, hosts Simon and Marie are joined by father and son duo, Jeff and Harrison Burton , from the world of NASCAR. Jeff, a former professional stock-car racer, has transitioned into a successful career as an analyst for NBC Sports and Fox, while his son Harrison is currently the youngest NASCAR driver and a rising star in the sport....

Welcome back, Dear Listener!  We are closing out our series of live episodes from the United Soccer Coaches Convention and exploring the world of international youth soccer academy's with the President and Owner of the  Liverpool Football Club International Academy Michigan, Andy Wagstaff. Andy shines a light on how  Liverpool Football Club  expanded into America, creating a developmental program...

Welcome back, Dear Listener! In this exciting episode of  For The Love of Sport, Simon and Marie sit down with Chief Soccer Officer: Skip Gilbert , the CEO of U.S. Youth Soccer and a retired professional soccer player. Skip brings his wealth of experience and passion for youth sports to the forefront as he discusses his role in advancing the world of soccer for young athletes. Skip delves into his...

Let's get Bananas! The latest episode of For The Love of Sport features special guests Kyle Luigs and Tyler Gillum from the Savannah Bananas . Luigs, the starting pitcher for the team, and Gillum, Head Coach and a two-time winner of the CPL Coach of the Year award , discuss their own journeys in youth sports and how they have brought their passion to the Savannah Bananas organization. The Savannah...

Welcome back, dear listener; this week, we sit down with, The Artistic Activist Adam Andrasko. Adam is the CEO of USA Artistic Swimming and Board Chair at the National Council of Youth Sports. Adam has an impressive background working with the U.S. Olympic Committee and numerous National Governing Bodies. He shares his passion for youth sports, safety, and growing the sport of artistic swimming. ...

We are heading to Summer camp! Simon and Marie are back and joined by The Director of Development Jeff Bell . Jeff is the Director of The Susquehannock Camps in Northeast Pennsylvania, a program for youth athletes to practice and grow their skills through moral, social, and physical development. Jeff shares his extensive background in youth sports and explains how his role as Director allows him t...

It's National Youth Sports Safety Month which means it's a perfect time to hear from the CEO of The U.S. Center for SafeSport and the Passionate Protector, Ju'Riese Colón . Ju'Riese's passion for protecting youth athletes shines through in her discussion with Simon and Marie as she shares what she's learned in her many years of experience working in youth sports safety and how her team is working...

Dust off your golf clubs; it's time to hit the links. Professional golfer Rory McIlroy joins the podcast to share his youth sports experience. Rory shares some of the most important lessons he learned from youth sports and the memories he takes from his childhood playing days. Rory highlights his excitement to be a future youth sports parent and talks about his partnership with Youth on Course , a...

For the Love of Sport is playing on the gridiron this week. Special guest and legendary Minnesota Vikings linebacker, Chad Greenway joins the podcast to talk about his own youth sports journey, playing in the NFL, and how that brought him back to youth sports. Chad shares his experiences playing and coaching youth sports and talks about how he’s working to impact youth sports in Minnesota and the...

Live from the USC Conference, For the Love of Sport is back for another bonus episode and is joined by special guest, the Maven of Mentality, Jenn Ireland . Jenn sits down with us to talk about her role as a mental skills coach for female soccer players and her journey through youth sports. She reflects on the lack of mental training she received as an athlete and how that led her to founding Expa...

Sports are a mental battlefield in the same way they are a physical one. The Maestro of Mindset, Alex Wulbecker-Smith , joins the podcast this week to talk about her experience playing sports and how her experience has helped her in her career as an Athletic Counselor working with youth athletes and performers at Premier Sports Psychology .  Alex helps us get our heads in the game. She talks about...

Nobody knows the impact of a great coach like an athlete. This week we are joined by a highly accomplished athlete and the Ignitor of Inspiration, Marti Reed . Marti grew up playing a myriad of sports all year long, but where she really excelled was softball. Marti played Division 1 softball at the University of California Los Angeles where she won a national championship in 2010. She has remained...

Sitting down with Joe Cummings , known in the soccer world by nearly everyone and forgotten by no one, it feels like you're sitting down with an old friend. We had the privilege of meeting and dare I say, becoming "old friends" with Joe at the United Soccer Coaches Convention this past January and the conversation was flowing like your favorite Gatorade after a tough workout.  Joe has enjoyed an i...

“It can be challenging to balance the act of coaching your kids while maintaining a level of expectations, especially when you have experience playing sports at a competitive level.”Coaching your kids can create a strong bond, but it can leave families questioning "who's enjoying the game now" and "who are they playing for." Cleveland McCoy of Quarterback Football Training breaks down his unique i...

In our first episode LIVE from the United Soccer Coaches Convention, we welcome Mr. Liam O'Connell to the show. Liam works as the Technical Director at the United Soccer League, which means every day he gets to work with USL clubs across the country to help develop and grow their Academy programs.  We dive deep into Liam's youth sports experience, which started with many sports but ended up with h...