The Unpaved Path

My guest today is a former Captain of Boston University's Men's Track & Field, who is now living his best life in Colorado and finding what he loves outside of athletics. He's also one of my favorite people on this planet, who I met on the first day of our summer internship. He holds a special place in my heart, and I hope one day everyone gets a chance to meet him (or someone like him)! We cover so much ground in this episode. We talk about how he dealt with injury both mentally and physically in high school, how athlete identity can impact you negatively, what it was like transferring to another college just two miles down the road, and how it feels being an LGBTQ+ athlete and the challenges it can pose. This was such an awesome episode to do. I learned so much about someone I've known for a long time, and I know the people that hear his story will feel similarly. If you want to follow along on Johnny's journey, he can be found on Instagram @johnnykemps.

My guest today started her college career as a track athlete at Simon Fraser University, but after she made a bet with a football player at a party, that changed. She's now the first woman from Canada to earn a football scholarship in the NCAA, and shortly after this episode, she scored her first field goal. In this episode, we talk about her first days on the football team, how her mindset has changed as a kicker over the past couple of years, and how she did her best to stay mentally ready during her first football game. She also shares some hilarious stories that definitely help you get a picture of what she goes through as the only woman on her football team. This episode is definitely worth a listen! If you want to follow along on Kristie's journey, she can be found on Instagram at @kristie.elliott

My guest today is a current member of the McDaniel College Women's Lacrosse team. She's super passionate about elevating the stories of women in sports and is doing so much to help develop women's sports coverage whether through More Than Just Balls, AU Pro Sports, or The Hidden Opponent. In this episode, we talk about her journey through sports, being sidelined due to injury, her passion for showcasing women breaking glass ceilings, how she began to recover from her eating disorder, and what she hopes to accomplish in the future. I don't even know where she finds the time to do all that she does, but she was an amazing guest and has the potential to do so many great things. If you want to follow along on Kaylen's journey, she can be found on Instagram at @kaylenb_13.

If you look up the definition of a sports enthusiast, you would find a picture of my guest today. She's grown up playing, watching, and supporting sports of all kinds. When we filmed this, she was working as the Social Media Manager for The GIST, but she's recently gotten a new opportunity working as a Social Media Lead for NBA Top Shot at Dapper Labs. In this episode, we talk about how she found her love for sports, how she feels looking back on her first viral video, first interview, and first posts as a social media manager, and we get her thoughts on the growth of women working in the sports industry. There's a ton of good knowledge for anyone who is looking to get their start working in sports. If you want to follow along on Carrie's journey, she can be found on Instagram @coehmer!

My guest today is a former Duke Women's soccer player and currently playing for North Carolina Courage in the NWSL. She also hosts her own podcast called The Mental Matchup and has been super open and honest about her mental health journey. We cover so much in this episode from her recruiting process with Duke to playing professional soccer in Prague to how she's navigating her new journey post-college and finding what she's passionate about. She's so humble and relatable, so I'm excited for you to get the chance to hear her story. If you want to follow along on Schuyler's journey, she can be found on Instagram at @schuylerdebree :)

If you're looking to hear a real Boston accent, my guest today is your guy! He's a former college baseball and ice hockey player from Massachusetts and has a famous dad that many of you know as the captain of the 1980 Olympic ice hockey team aka Mike Eruzione. I loved this episode today because it talks about some big parts of sports that aren't usually discussed like athletes feeling pressure from parents to excel, dealing and pushing through injuries, and how men deal with mental health issues. Paul brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and reflection through his journey with sports and beyond. Whether you're a parent, athlete, or someone experiencing a mental health battle, I think everyone can take away something from this episode. If you want to follow along on Paul's journey, he can be found on Instagram at @p_eruzione.

My guest today is a former Harvard track star, host of the podcast Aesthetics and Athletics (@aesthetics__athletics), and is currently working for Outdoor Voices as a brand marketer. In this episode with Ngozi, we talk about moving across the country in the middle of high school, how she got recruited to run track at Harvard, and adjusting to life in college. She details how she grew throughout each year and what she learned to better herself as an athlete and person as well as how she is finding her way through her new life without competitive sports. If you want to follow along on her journey, she can be found on Instagram @NgoziMusa!

In this episode, Ryan Straschnitzki takes us through his journey with ice hockey from the very beginning of his career to his dream of becoming a Paralympian for Team Canada's Sledge Hockey team. For those of you who don't know Ryan, he is a former Humboldt Broncos defenseman and one of the 13 surviving members of the Humboldt Bus Crash that happened in April 2018. His journey and his attitude are incredible, and I'm super grateful he took the time to come on the podcast. If you want to follow along on his journey, he can be found on Instagram at @rstraz_.

Hi everyone! We're super excited to bring back The Unpaved Path for Season 3. We decided to change the direction of the podcast slightly. Instead of only female athletes, we will be including male athletes, people working in the sports industry, and sports supporters. We believe that you can learn something from everyone you meet and wanted to share even more amazing stories. So buckle up because this season is looking to be one of the best ones yet featuring NWSL player and mental health advocate (Schuyler Debree), former Humboldt Broncos defenseman (Ryan Straschnitzki), Harvard track star (Ngozi Musa), and many more! Can't wait to share their stories with you all

My guest today plays hockey in one of the most tropical places you could imagine! She is the current Captain of Team Philippines Women's Ice Hockey Team and is 1 of about 250 people who play hockey in the Philippines. It was so awesome finally getting to meet her virtually; hopefully, it can be in person soon! If you want to follow along on her journey, Danielle can be found on Instagram @danielllei!

We're shaking things up today with a special guest. His hockey resume is quite impressive. He played four years at St. Lawrence University and was drafted to the LA Kings while playing there. He was an assistant GM for both the Ottawa Senators and Nashville Predators. He later became a GM for the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New Jersey Devils. On top of that, he's got a Stanley Cup under his belt. He's got a great outlook on life and a lot of wisdom to share, so I'm excited for you guys to hear what he has to say!

My guest today has played practically every sport but her most notable was snowboarding. She is a former Team Canada snowboarder as well as a lifelong entrepreneur. Since retiring from snowboarding, she has created her own marketing agency called 93 Agency, which helps athletes with their social media marketing and personal branding. On top of that, she has her own podcast called “All In” where she dives into the mindset, knowledge, and stories behind inspiring and passionate individuals who know what it takes to go ALL IN. If you want to follow along on her journey, she can be found on Instagram @natalieallport!

The Unpaved Path Podcast is a podcast dedicated to inspiring the next generation of female athletes to pursue their goals and own their journey. -- Season 2 - Episode 13: Sarah Sinning -- My guest today is a former Division 3 women's ice hockey player for Manhattanville College and is a current member of Team USA's inline hockey team. During her senior year of college, she was named to the All-Middle Atlantic conference first team, and in 2019, she won a gold medal with Team USA at the World Championships. Fun fact: She played prep school hockey at National Sports Academy in Lake Placid, New York (with yours truly). If you want to follow along on her journey or ask any questions, she can be found on Instagram @sarahsinning! Thanks for listening :)

My guest today is a current professional soccer player in Sweden as well as a former Division 1 women's soccer player for Boston University. During her graduate year, she was named Patriot League Defender of the Year and Boston University's Woman of the Year, which honors the female student-athlete who best exemplifies a commitment to service, leadership, athletics, and academics during her collegiate career. If you want to ask Rachel any questions or follow along on her journey, she can be found on Instagram @rachelbloznalis!

What's up everyone?! Welcome back to The Unpaved Path. My guest today is a former Division 3 ice hockey player for Connecticut College. She is one of the few reasons, if not the only reason, why Arkansas shows up on the NCAA hockey list. She most likely takes the cake for the college athlete with the most names. And she's also one of my best friends, who I met when I tripped her on a breakaway at 5 years old. I felt that it would only be right to shine a light on her story considering we built ours together at the beginning. If you wanna connect with her, She can be found on Instagram @ kfloresca97

Blake Bolden is one of the coolest people I have ever met, who has accomplished many amazing things. She was a captain on Boston College's Division 1 Women's Ice Hockey team and was named Hockey East Defensive Player of the Year as well as First Team Hockey East All-Star her senior year. She was the first black hockey player taken in the first round of the CWHL as well as the first to play in the NWHL, and in February 2020, she became the first black female NHL scout. Also, another fun fact about her is that she partnered with Verbero to create the first female-named hockey stick. As you can see, she isn't short of accomplishments, and the list could go on! If you want to reach Blake or follow along on her journey, she can be found on Instagram @sportblake or on her website at blakebolden.com. Thanks for tuning in!

Season 2 - Episode 9: Katie Nelson -- Katie Nelson has always been a leader. From the beginning of her college playing career to now, her teammates have looked to her for guidance. It's no surprise that she's the captain of the Boston University DI Women's Basketball team for her senior year. In this episode, we talk about how Covid has affected life in college, tips on how to get recruited for basketball, and why it's important to focus on what you can control. Thanks so much for tuning in! If you want to ask Katie any questions or follow her on her journey, you can find her on Instagram @knelson44. Come back next Wednesday for another episode of The Unpaved Path! -- Disclaimer: This episode was filmed in November 2020, so the BU Women's basketball team is no longer in quarantine.

If you are worried about your size in your sport, you should take a listen! In this episode, we talk about her transition from a small town in Canada to the big city of Boston, what it was like playing professionally in the CWHL and traveling to China, and how she had to become a different player when playing for Team Canada. She is small but mighty, and her accolades definitely prove that. Thanks so much for tuning in! If you want to ask Victoria any questions or follow her on her journey, you can find her on Instagram @veebach21. Come back in a few weeks for season 2 of The Unpaved Path!

If you enjoy hockey, you'll definitely get a lot of that in today's podcast! In this episode, Miranda Rigg talks about transitioning from playing to coaching while injured, her shortened season with Team USA field hockey due to covid, and how she was able to transition from high school to college. Miranda is a very gifted athlete and is definitely a great role model for any young athlete looking to play for her country one day! Thanks so much for tuning in! If you want to ask Miranda any questions or follow her on her journey, you can find her on Instagram @lilriggy6. Come back next Wednesday for another episode of The Unpaved Path!

In today's episode, Saroya Tinker talks about being an 8-sport athlete in high school, the discrimination she faced throughout her hockey career, what it was like to work a part-time job during college, and how it felt to win silver with Team Canada. Saroya is an upbeat, bubbly person, and I had such a great time getting to know her! Thanks so much for tuning in! If you want to ask Saroya any questions or follow her on her journey, you can find her on Instagram @saroyatinker71. Come back next Wednesday for another episode of The Unpaved Path!

If you are struggling with an injury and are looking for inspiration, you'll definitely want to listen to today's podcast. In today's episode, we dive into her current situation in business school, her journey through basketball, and how her injuries brought opportunities for personal growth. She is an incredibly strong person and has done an amazing job navigating all that comes with losing a sport before the end of college, so I'm excited for you all to hear her insights. Thanks so much for tuning in! If you want to ask Audrey any questions or follow her on her journey, you can find her on Instagram @nicholson_a2. Come back next Wednesday for another episode of The Unpaved Path!

The Unpaved Path is a podcast for athletes by athletes. Each week Reagan Rust will be bringing you the stories of female athletes from all sports and backgrounds. We learn about their journeys, their success, their struggles, and their advice for the next generation of female athletes. This is the second episode featuring Jetta Rackleff. We talk about how committed she was to playing professionally her senior year of college, how the never-quit attitude can separate the elite from everyone else, and how you're going to think about quitting… a lot. We also dive into the mental sides of the game and about all the knowledge and friends you can gain from playing a sport. Thanks so much for tuning in! If you want to ask Jetta any questions or follow her on her journey, you can find her on Instagram @jettarackleff. Come back next Wednesday for another episode of The Unpaved Path!

The Unpaved Path is a podcast for athletes by athletes. Each week Reagan Rust will be bringing you the stories of female athletes from all sports and backgrounds. We learn about their journeys, their success, their struggles, and their advice for the next generation of female athletes. If you love sports and are unsure of which one to choose, you'll definitely want to take a listen to today's podcast! In this episode, Jetta Rackleff talks about being a nationally-ranked downhill skier before the age of 18, how she created a better life for herself through sport, and how she constantly overcame adversity. Jetta is wise beyond her years, and I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to play with her in college and professionally. Thanks so much for tuning in! If you want to ask Jetta any questions or follow her on her journey, you can find her on Instagram @jettarackleff. Come back next Wednesday for another episode of The Unpaved Path!

The Unpaved Path is a podcast for athletes by athletes. Each week Reagan Rust will be bringing you the stories of female athletes from all sports and backgrounds. We learn about their journeys, their success, their struggles, and their advice for the next generation of female athletes. If you're struggling with the recruiting process, you'll definitely want to take a listen to today's podcast! In this episode, Jessi Kuhlman talks about her "dating-like" recruiting process, how she learned her role on her college team, and what it was like feeling as though she had to bring her best self every day. Jessi is one of the most positive people I have ever met, and I am so grateful we were able to cross paths in both high school and college. Thanks so much for tuning in! If you want to ask Jessi any questions or follow her on her CrossFit journey, you can find her on Instagram @jessi1814. Come back next Wednesday for another episode of The Unpaved Path!

The Unpaved Path is a podcast for athletes by athletes. Each week Reagan Rust will be bringing you the stories of female athletes from all sports and backgrounds. We learn about their journeys, their successes, their struggles, and their advice for the next generation of female athletes. Who would've thought a small town girl from Hawaii would not only become a captain of a D2 soccer team after walking on her freshman year and a professional soccer player in Budpest, Hungary. On today's episode, Brianne Cremer talks about her life on the island, her current situation playing during these Covid-Crazy times, and what it's like living away from home for the first time. Thanks so much for tuning in! If you want to ask Bri any questions or follow her on her Budapest journey, you can find her on Instagram @briannecremer. Come back next Wednesday for another episode of The Unpaved Path!