Ruling Sports

During six days in 2020, Sarah Fuller achieved a life-long sporting goal and shattered a glass ceiling she never planned on cracking. In November 2020, the then Vanderbilt women’s soccer player received her first call-up to start. After a rough few seasons that had her questioning if she should continue playing, it was a momentous occasion. But the momentum didn't stop. A call came that changed Sa...

Andrew Alexander King is an African American explorer who climbs, surfs and free dives and is the founder of the Between Worlds Project, a nonprofit aimed at highlighting the humanity of cultures globally. Voted one of the top-20 most influential people in the outdoor industry, Andrew has climbed over 50 mountains globally, from Kilimanjaro to the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere. He is...

In today’s complex economy, financial literacy is more important than ever. For athletes—who earn the majority of their lifetime’s wealth in a short timeframe—the importance is even greater. Today’s guest is Maura Attardi, the Director of Financial Wellness at Money Management International. Money Management International is a nonprofit helping consumers find solutions to everyday financial challe...

Dr. Sam Maniar is a practicing Sport Psychologist who has worked with NCAA and professional athletes for over 20 years. After completing an M.A. in Counseling/Sport Psychology and Ph. D in Counseling Psychology and Sport Psychology, Dr. Maniar became a sport psychology consultant for Washington State University's Department of Athletics. In this role, Dr. Maniar watched a team that went 4-7 the pr...

B-Boy Ronnie has been at the epicenter of the rising growth and popularity of break dancing (breaking). What began as a way to have fun with his brother has since taken Ronnie around the world to compete in world championships and perform in front of dignitaries. In this episode, we explore Ronnie’s fascinating journey through breaking, learning how he first took up the art form to how he helped s...

Todd Burach is the Senior Vice President of the Entertainment Division at City National Bank, where he manages banking relationships with some of the world’s most exciting athletes, helping them achieve their financial goals. A graduate of Syracuse University, where he was a member of the Syracuse Orange Men’s Basketball team, Todd later completed his MBA at NYU. He has worked in financial service...

Sarah Flynn is the Chief Marketing Officer at 35V and Boardroom. 35V is a multi-faceted media and investment company founded by NBA champion and MVP, Kevin Durant, and Rich Kleiman. In 2019, 35V launched Boardroom, a media network covering the business and culture of sports and entertainment. In this episode, Sarah not only takes us deeply behind-the-scenes of all that went into launching Boardroo...

Kenny Vaccaro is an eight-year NFL veteran who was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Born and raised in Brownwood, Texas, he went on to play college football at the University of Texas. Kenny retired from the NFL in 2021 to pursue entrepreneurship as the founder and CEO of Gamers First, a professional esports organization putting esport athletes’ mental an...

Erin Ashley Simon is a multi-media personality, host, producer and consultant within esports, gaming and entertainment. Erin is a leading face of Puma’s esports line and has worked with leading organizations—from Evil Geniuses and Riot Games—to provide more industry-focused opportunities for those from underserved, underrepresented and marginalized communities. Today, Erin is the co-owner of one o...

Karin Kildow is the owner and CEO of Content Capital Group, a social media advisory for high-profile, high-net-worth individuals dedicated to building influence — not influencers. Karin has worked with hundreds of athletes to develop and scale their social media brands, including in roles at Red Bull and LeBron James' Uninterrupted. In this episode, we discuss how growing up in a hyper-athletic fa...

Bishop Sankey was the first Running Back drafted in the 2014 NFL Draft, when he was selected by the Tennessee Titans. A top college Running Back for the University of Washington, Bishop Sankey discusses committing to the University of Washington after verbally committing to Washington State University. In this episode, Bishop talks about transitioning out of the NFL and gives advice on athlete tra...

Dr. Morgan Heinzelman-Weisbaum is a former intercollegiate athlete, who is now a neurologist, completing a fellowship in the areas of sports neurology and pain medicine. In this episode, Dr. Heinzelmann-Weisbaum tells us about the unique moment in her athletic career that cemented her desire to focus on neurology. While she wanted to be a doctor from a young age, her own experience with a traumati...

Rashad Jennings is an eight-year NFL veteran who competed for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders and New York Giants. After competing in football, he went on to star in--and win-- Dancing With the Stars . He has since become an author, with his first book-- The If In Life: How to Get Off Life's Sidelines and Become Your Best Self --becoming a New York Times bestseller.  In this episode...

Greig Carlson is a former USC Trojan football player who won a National Championship with the team in 2004. Today, he has teamed up with former USC teammate, Matt Leinart, as the CEO of Hall of Goats, an NFT platform connecting amateur athletes with their most loyal fans.  In this episode, Alicia and Greig discuss the keys to the early-2000s USC football teams' unprecedented successes and les...

Heidi Marsh is the Executive Chef for one of the world's most renowned esports franchises, Team Liquid. In this episode, we discuss how she has partnered with Team Liquid to use food and community to foster and reimagine well-being amongst esports athletes. Not only do we go into the nutritional program she’s built for Team Liquid athletes, but we explore the unique nutritional needs of esports pl...

Taylor Griffin enjoyed an eight-year professional basketball career, competing in the NBA, G-League and leagues in Belgium and Italy. He was drafted by the Phoenix Suns in 2009. That same year, his younger brother, Blake Griffin, was drafted first-overall by the L.A. Clippers. In this interview, we talk about Taylor’s upbringing and what it was like playing high school basketball for his father, T...

Lucy Westlake is an American mountaineer, who since the age of 12, has broken world records in the sport. In May 2022, Lucy became the youngest American woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest en route to completing the Explorer's Grand Slam, a mountaineering challenge requiring participants to reach the North and South Poles and climb the high points on all seven continents. In this episode, t...

Hey there! I’m Alicia Jessop, the founder of Ruling Sports, where we explore how to achieve the highest levels of success and accomplish the unprecedented through the lens of sport. I’m here to tell you about the new Ruling Sports podcast, which I’ll be hosting. The show will give you unparalleled access to athletes, entrepreneurs and innovators. Through intimate conversations, we explore the road...