Women Unscripted

The Ocala Jockey Club Three Day Event took place last weekend in Florida and Chris Stafford went along to watch several of the top US riders do battle in the final major event of the season. It was an unseasonably cold few days but the courses rode well and spectators watched as two riders made their mark returning to the sport at this level. Chris spoke to the winner of the CCI4-Short competition...

Our guest is British ultra endurance cyclist Emily Chappell who started cycling as a commuter before becoming a courier in London for six years. But she eventually swapped the narrow roads of London Town for the open countryside to challenge herself in ultra races and long distance cycling.  In 2011-13 she cycled across Asia and from Wales to Japan. A year later she took on Iceland. And then in fi...

On this episode The Lovely Biertrix offers a preview of the 2019 International WFTDA Championships taking place November 15-17 in Montreal, Canada. We hear about the participating leagues and get predictions for where the final battles will play out.  The Lovely Biertrix will be announcing at this year’s event—her first championships—in the Quebec city. For show notes and related links for this ep...

Nancy Gillen and Chris Stafford discuss the top stories in women's sport this week. Sam Kerr signs with Chelsea FC Women’s football weekend USWNT granted class action law suit Mizuki Noguchi to be first torch bearer at Tokyo 2020 World Para Athletics Championships India Tokyo 2020 boxing trial England Women Announce Squad For Pakistan Tour First World Cup Slalom in Levi Nov 23-24 For show notes an...

Sports Psychologist Dr. Jenny Susser explains ways that athletes can prepare for their life as a college athlete by being prepared and creating your own community. The collegiate coach is one of the most important relationships an athlete will have as they will play an immeasurable role for the athlete and have a big hand in the success or failure of the athlete’s career. This episode discusses ma...

Helena Hlas, 27, was born to Czech parents and are up in Winnipeg, Canada. Later, she spent several years in Calgary pursuing alpine ski racing dreams before discovering rowing during her studies at the University of Calgary. She completed her Masters of Kinesiology at the University of Western Ontario in London, on the theme of doping in sport before relocating to Prague to race with the Czech Na...

Triathlon and open water coach Penny Harris is a firm believer that the sport is so adaptable anyone can compete in triathlon at any age because it’s not always about the result.  She has always enjoyed biking and running and as we often hear it was the swimming that challenged her. Now in her mid fifties she specializes in coaching open water swimming and helping athletes overcome their fear. All...

Patricia Gregory is an historian of women’s football in the UK who is embarking on her first book on its history. Patricia became the Hon. Assistant Secretary of the Women’s Football Association from its inception until taking over as Hon. Secretary from Arthur Hobbs in 1972.  A position she held until 1981 when through her encouragement a full time official was appointed –  a full time job, runni...

Chris Stafford & Nancy Gillen discuss this week's top stories from women's sport: Equal Pay for Matildas https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-05/matildas-and-socceroos-to-earn-equal-pay/11671102 Green Army qualifies for Tokyo Nicola Adams retiring https://www.bbc.com/sport/boxing/50322708 Dutch Olympian jailed https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/05/sport/madiea-ghafoor-drugs-dutch-spt-intl/index.html Minna...

In Episode 28 of The WeCOACH Podcast, Megan Kahn chats with Northwestern head women’s lacrosse coach, Kelly Amonte Hiller. She is coming off one of her most impressive seasons to date, having garnered Big Ten Coach of the Year and IWLCA West/Midwest Regional Coach of the Year in leading the Wildcats to the national semifinals. Kelly’s success at the NCAA-level and the international level give her...

Di Lampard was the only female Chef d’Equipe among 17 at this year’s FEI Nation’s Cup Final in Barcelona, which for equestrian sport is not a true reflection of the gender equity among riders, trainers and owners. But by that time she had achieved her team’s main goal for the second time in her tenure of qualifying for the Olympic Games.  Building her team takes time and this year was a building y...

WiSP Ambassador Naya Tapper just returned from the UK where she and 11 other teammates took part in the debut of RugbyX, a new 5-a-side format for the game.  Naya tells us what it was like and explains the 1v1 play and why she would love to play this format again.  We also hear about her upcoming rugby clinic and to round off the year the team will be heading to Dubai and South Africa for the seve...

On this week’s show Dr Jenny Susser unpacks the many intricate personality traits that make the difference between participating and winning in sport.  We discuss egoism, self-importance, selfishness, narcissism and how these are all on a spectrum with no one size fits all.  What kind of person is attracted to individual sport versus a team sport. Is there room for selfishness in a team environmen...

This month, we check in with former Olympic athlete Beatrice Faumuina winner about diversity and life after sport, American academic Dr. Nicole La Voi about the importance of sport, academia, the role of men in women's sport and media coverage of women. We bring you another Cricket World Cup 2021 profile. And of course, it's not Fair Play without an update from the toilets at the Basin Reserve.  W...

Chris Stafford & Nancy Gillen discuss this week's top stories from women's sport: Alice in Wonderland Israel Olympic medal hope embroiled in scandal after relationship with coach Spanish football players going on strike EOC General Assembly gender equality stuff WTA Finals Vlatko Andonovski is appointed Head Coach of  U.S. Womens Soccer replacing Jill Ellis Lisa Keightley Appointed England Women's...

Shellie Edington has reached a crossroads in her crossfire career at the age of 55 with medals in every color she is now focusing on new goals. In the 54 CF Games from 2014 to 2017 she has won five gold medals, a silver and bronze. Nowadays Shellie also has a business to run having developed Tumblin4Kids, a mobile gymnastics program with her background as a gymnast when she was a teenager. Her pas...

The WiSP Sports Desk is hosted by Nancy Gillen and Chris Stafford with a roundup of the latest news in women's sport. This week's stories: Iran officially suspended by International Judo Federation and could miss Tokyo 2020 Russian doping scandal: 'Russia must expect 2020 Olympics ban’. Helen Phillips has become the first female President of British Gymnastics. Rugby league World Cup to offer equa...

In episode 27 Megan Kahn’s guest is Julie Manning, the executive associate athletics director and senior woman administrator at the University of Minnesota. Julie has not only proven herself as a successful administrator, but what makes her so unique is that she also was a 20-year successful head golf coach at Iowa State. Julie’s humble and kind approach for developing people shine through in the...

Brandi Mitchell is the founder of San Diego Soccer Women for women over 30 who play recreational soccer. With more than 1000 players in the San Diego area the teams play through the year with a break over the holidays in the fall. Brandi’s social media efforts and partnerships with women's soccer organizations around the world have brought visibility to the athletes playing in their senior years,...

My guest this week is 17 year old Emma Reichow who is been having a bumper year in the equitation and jumping arenas. Together with the nine year old Dutch Warmblood mare Forever Alve won the Neue Schule/USEF Junior Jumper Championship at Harrisburg Show.  Emma already won a team silver and finished fourth individually at the Adequan/ FEI North American Young Rider Championships this year.  She al...

Maria Stuber has recently founded the Women Ski Coaches Association, which is a grassroots organization that gives women ski coaches a voice.  The WSCA goals are to develop, retain and advance women in ski coaching leadership.  It already has over 90 members and has unanimous support from women head coaches and program directors in US cross-country skiing. Maria is the Head Men’s and Women’s Ski C...

The WiSP Sports Desk is hosted by Nancy Gillen and Chris Stafford with a roundup of the latest news in women's sport. Boxing World Championships Report These three women just made history: Simone Biles,  Coco Gauff,  Brigid Kosgei World Beach Games WSL IAAF Athlete of the Year Nominations IAAF rule transgender female athletes must further reduce testosterone levels Lana Haddad becomes IOC chief op...

The transition to athlete retirement is commonly said to take 2 – 3 years. While that may seem like a long time, it pales in comparison to how long it takes to become a great athlete. Not only preparing for this but also, keeping this in perspective are powerful tools for the retiring athlete. Identity is not a single entity, but a combination of influences, innate responses, and personality influ...

British long distance swimmer Beth French, has broken multiple records around the world’s oceans and now in her early 40’s has found peace in those achievements and her personal journey. She is now channelling her adventurous spirit with her 11 year old son Dylan in remote areas of the world. Beth’s story takes her from being wheelchair bound due to ME from the age of 10 to 17 and finding her feet...

Our guest this week is 55 year old Neringa Jakstiene a U.S. track and field athlete who just this year has broken six world records; four indoors ,and two outdoor. At the 2019 USA indoor championships alone she broke four world records. Neringa then went to Poland and broke three more world records.  Overall she broke world records 14 times + 4 records that she repeated. Her indoor 4WR: Pentathlon...