Accents in Sports: A Breakaway English Podcast

Prepare for race day like a pro- and improve your English at the same time!

In this episode of Accents in Sports, Ashley guides runners, triathletes, and cyclists through race day preparation, including athlete check-in, timing chips, gear bags, course recon, and race nutrition prep.

Learn the essential sports English vocabulary and phrases to describe your pre-race routine, boost your confidence in English, and speak like a seasoned athlete.

Become a member of "The Huddle" for access to *free* transcripts, episode activity sheets, bonus content and more!⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠How will this episode help you improve your English?

✅ Authentic Language – Learn the real phrases athletes use before races
✅ Real context + Vocabulary – Understand words in action, not isolation
✅ Confidence & Connection – Feel more fluent when speaking in English and talking about your sport and routine

Follow Breakaway English for more strategies to improve your communication in English for international and high-performance sports:

📰 Newsletter: The Huddle – weekly tips, stories, and bonuses
🔗 Website: www.breakawayenglish.com
📸 Instagram: @breakawayenglish

⁠⁠⁠⁠Become a member of "The Huddle" for access to *free* transcripts, episode activity sheets, bonus content and more!⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this practical and engaging episode of Accents in Sports, Ashley continues her series on phrasal verbs used in sports—and today, it’s all about expressions we use for performance and pressure during competitions. 

You’ll learn three powerful and natural phrasal verbs in English that athletes, coaches, sports pros and fans can use every day in sports.

With clear examples, guided practice, and model sentences, this episode is perfect for improving your fluency and sounding more natural in conversations.

How will this episode help you improve your English?

✅ Real Conversation – Learn how phrasal verbs work in real situations
✅ Guided Speaking – Practice with model answers to boost fluency
✅ Confidence Building – Understand and use expressions you’ll hear in sports and daily life

Follow Breakaway English for more on strategies to improve your communication skills in English in international and high performance sports enviro:

📰 Newsletter: ⁠⁠The Huddle⁠⁠ (tips, strategies, and bonuses every week)

🔗 Website: ⁠www.breakawayenglish.com⁠

📸 Instagram: ⁠@breakawayenglish⁠

In this episode of Accents in Sports, Ashley Shoemaker speaks with Holly Zimmermann- ultra-endurance runner, adventurer, author, and coach who has raced across deserts, mountains, and embraced discomfort in the most extreme environments on Earth.

They explore the role of mindset, cultural experiences while racing internationally, and how even the best-trained runners can struggle without self-belief. Holly shares personal stories, coaching insights, and what must go in the race pack (hint: not peanut butter!).

Plus, they play "Finish the Phrase" and "Pack or Pass," two fun games packed with sports English expressions.

⁠⁠⁠Become a member of "The Huddle" to unlock instant access to free transcripts, episode activity sheets, bonus content and more!⁠⁠⁠

🌍 Connect with Holly Zimmermann

• Website: hollyzimmermann.com

• Instagram: @holly.zimmermann

⁠⁠⁠Become a member of "The Huddle": Free transcripts, episode activity sheets, bonus content and more!⁠⁠⁠

In this fun and interactive episode of Accents in Sports, Ashley kicks off a brand new series—Guess That Athlete! And for the inaugural episode, we're talking about the GOATs of 20th century sports! 🐐

You'll hear short clues about legendary sports figures and try to guess who they are. From slam dunks to world records, each athlete’s story is packed with powerful vocabulary and inspiring moments.

What will you learn in this episode?

• Descriptive adjectives – Like graceful, bold, and powerful
• Past simple verbs – Used to talk about each athlete’s achievements
  

How will this episode help you improve your English?

• Vocabulary in Context – Hear new words in real situations

• Listening Practice – Improve comprehension with past tense stories

• Confidence Boost – Train your ear with natural, unscripted English

Ready to play? Let’s see how many athletes you can guess! 🏅

Follow Breakaway English for more on sports, language, and confidence in English:

📰 Newsletter: ⁠⁠The Huddle ⁠⁠– Get tips + resources in your inbox every week!🔗 Website: ⁠www.breakawayenglish.com⁠📸 Instagram: ⁠@breakawayenglish⁠

⁠⁠Become a member of "The Huddle": Free transcripts, episode activity sheets, bonus content and more!⁠⁠

In this short solo episode of Accents in Sports, Ashley breaks down three common sports idioms in English and how they apply both in competitions and in daily situations. Whether you’re watching a game, prepping for a big challenge, or just trying to understand native speakers better, these phrases will boost your vocabulary and confidence.

What will you learn in this episode?
💨 Get a second wind – When energy comes back just when you need it
🥊 Throw in the towel – The moment you decide to give up
⏱️ Down to the wire – A race or decision that’s incredibly close

How will this episode help you improve your English?

• Idioms in Context – Hear how you can use these phrases in your daily life
• Listening Comprehension – Train your ear with natural spoken English
• Vocabulary Boost – Learn how to use these expressions in your own conversations

Follow Breakaway English for more on sports, language, and confidence in English:

📰 Newsletter: ⁠The Huddle ⁠– Get tips + resources in your inbox every week!
🔗 Website: www.breakawayenglish.com
📸 Instagram: @breakawayenglish

⁠⁠Become a member of "The Huddle": Free transcripts, episode activity sheets, bonus content and more!⁠⁠

In this first episode of my brand-new series on phrasal verbs in sports, we're diving into three essential expressions every athlete, coach, and sports fan should know: work out, warm up, and cool down.

You'll learn:

• What phrasal verbs are

• How and when to use them in sports contexts

• Simple grammar tips (intransitive vs. transitive, separable vs. inseparable)

• And how these verbs can help you sound more natural when you speak

Plus, stay tuned for our "Train the Brain" segment where you’ll practice using each phrase in your own context!

🧠 Download the FREE PDF worksheet:

Practice exercises, grammar tips, and prompts to help you go from passive to active learning.

👉 📄 Download the worksheet here

📄 Download the transcript here.

📬 Sign up for my newsletter The Huddle:

Get weekly strategies, vocabulary, and lessons straight to your inbox to help you speak more confidently in sports settings.

👉 Join The Huddle here

💡 Listener Challenge:

What’s YOUR favorite phrasal verb or sports expression? Comment on this episode, or send me a voice note or a message on Instagram—I’d love to hear it and maybe feature it in an upcoming episode!

Follow Breakaway English for more on sports, language, and confidence in English:

📰 Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠The Huddle ⁠⁠⁠– Get tips + resources in your inbox every week!

🔗 Website: ⁠⁠www.breakawayenglish.com⁠⁠

📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠@breakawayenglish

⁠⁠Become a member of "The Huddle": Free transcripts, episode activity sheets, bonus content and more!⁠⁠

Great teams don’t just play together- they communicate together. Whether you’re calling plays, responding to a coach, or giving a quick instruction to a teammate, clear and confident English can be the difference between winning and losing.

In this episode, we’re diving into five essential phrases that will help you think faster, speak clearly, and react quickly in English in high-pressure moments in sports. Plus, I’ll share key strategies to improve your game-time communication to help build better trust on your sports teams and with your coaches.

This is Part 1 of a two-part series on team communication in sports. Next time, we’ll focus on building strong relationships off the field through confident English.

Let’s get started!

What you’ll learn:

• 
  
• How communicating effectively in English can build better relationships on sports teams and between coaches and athletes
  

Follow Breakaway English for more on sports, language, and confidence in English:

📰 Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠The Huddle ⁠⁠⁠– Get tips + resources in your inbox every week!

🔗 Website: ⁠⁠www.breakawayenglish.com⁠⁠

📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠@breakawayenglish

⁠⁠Become a member of "The Huddle": Free transcripts, episode activity sheets, bonus content and more!⁠⁠

In this episode, Ashley Shoemaker is joined by Bill Prentice, a seasoned dragon boat racer and outrigger canoeist who is passionate about continuing to compete and test his limits both in competitions and personal adventures throughout his life. 

Bill is from Zimbabwe, and now lives on the California coast where you can find him in the ocean paddling in his OC1 to prepare for his epic adventures and competitions. 

What will you learn about in this episode?

• Outrigger Canoeing: Learn some phrases and terms related to paddling in an outrigger canoe and other terms related to water sports.

How will this episode help you improve your English

• Listening Comprehension: Improve your ability to follow and understand real, natural conversations and get exposure to different accents in English.

• Vocabulary: Learn new expressions and words related to being outdoors, doing water sports, paddling and boat terminology, and storytelling.

Follow Breakaway English for more on sports, language, and confidence in English:

📰 Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠The Huddle ⁠⁠⁠– Get tips + resources in your inbox every week!

🔗 Website: ⁠⁠www.breakawayenglish.com⁠⁠

📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠@breakawayenglish

⁠⁠Become a member of "The Huddle": Free transcripts, episode activity sheets, bonus content and more!⁠⁠

Have you ever struggled to find the right words during a high pressure moment, like in the middle of a game or have you ever felt like there was a language barrier between you and your team during workouts or during team strategy meetings or post competition debriefs?

You are not alone.

Effective communication isn't just about having the right vocabulary. It's about clarity, confidence, and connection.

In this episode, I share three practical tips to help you start communicating more effectively in English in the middle of a competition. So whether you're an athlete, a coach, or someone supporting athletes, these tips can really make a difference.

Follow Breakaway English for more on sports, language, and confidence in English:

📰 Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠The Huddle ⁠⁠⁠– Get tips + resources in your inbox every week!

🔗 Website: ⁠⁠www.breakawayenglish.com⁠⁠

📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠@breakawayenglish

⁠⁠Become a member of "The Huddle": Free transcripts, episode activity sheets, bonus content and more!⁠⁠

In this episode, Ashley Shoemaker is joined by Finn Hovem, a lifestyle athlete who is passionate about the adventure and enjoyment of doing sports, and testing his personal limits on his own instead of competing. 

Finn lives in the northern part of Norway where he practices all sorts of mountain and adventure sports.

He works as a mountain guide, is an entrepreneur with his own ski touring company, and interestingly, is also an avalanche observer. 

Follow him on instagram at www.instagram.com/hallolyngen

For more information about the ski experiences he offers, visit his webpage: https://www.hallolyngen.com/

What will you learn about in this episode?

• Skiing & Climbing: Find out a little bit about the phrases and terms related to the multiple sports of skiing, climbing, and other terms related to extreme mountain environments..

• Avalanches: Finn shares some of his knowledge about avalanche conditions. 

How will this episode help you improve your English

• Listening Comprehension: Improve your ability to follow and understand real, natural conversations and get exposure to different accents in English.

Follow Breakaway English for more on sports, language, and confidence in English:

📰 Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠The Huddle ⁠⁠⁠– Get tips + resources in your inbox every week!

🔗 Website: ⁠⁠www.breakawayenglish.com⁠⁠

📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠@breakawayenglish