In this episode, Anthony Leal, a student-athlete at Indiana University, discusses the challenges and rewards of balancing his academic pursuits as a master's student with his commitments to the basketball team. 

He shares insights into his daily routine, which includes early morning workouts, classes, and team meetings, and how he incorporates his passion for golf as a competitive outlet. Anthony speaks about his decision to return for a fifth year, motivated by both unfinished business on the court and the pursuit of his master's degree. 

He reflects on his role as a leader, both on and off the court, guiding new teammates through the culture of Bloomington and sharing his impactful gesture of using his NIL earnings to pay off his sister's student loans. 

The conversation touches on the evolving opportunities for student-athletes through NIL, emphasizing the importance of using these opportunities for positive change. Anthony discusses the cultural shift within the team towards selflessness and the importance of inspiring a 'culture of yes' through Project 44 and other initiatives. He hopes his actions and values inspire others, highlighting the broader impact beyond basketball statistics.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:57 Balancing Basketball and Academics

01:40 A Day in the Life of a Student Athlete

02:05 Golf as a Competitive Outlet

03:38 Returning for a Fifth Year

04:17 Leadership On and Off the Court

06:14 Going Viral for Paying Off Sister's Student Loans

10:10 Impact of NIL on Student Athletes

12:01 Inspiring a Culture of Giving Back

14:59 Pride in Indiana Basketball

15:46 Final Thoughts and Legacy

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In this heartfelt episode, Emma Kelly, wife of Colts player Ryan Kelly, shares the powerful story of their family's resilience through personal tragedy and triumph. 

Emma opens up about the complexities of managing life as a mother to twins while expecting another, and supporting Ryan during football season. The episode delves into their profound grief after losing their daughter, Mary Kate, their journey through IVF, and the joy brought by their miracle twins. 

Emma discusses their deep involvement with 'Count the Kicks,' advocating for maternal health to prevent stillbirths. Highlighting the emotional highs and lows, this episode reminds us of the strength of family bonds, the importance of community support, and their advocacy work to honor Mary Kate's legacy.

**As Project 44 and Finding 44 begin to engage in important conversations outside of our field of expertise, fact checking and ensuring we are using the correct verbiage is important to us. We would like to clarify, in the intro to this episode, we referred to Emma’s experience as ‘infant loss,’ where the correct term, according to Count the Kicks, is ‘stillbirth.’

00:00 Introduction

01:47 Life with Twins and Football Season

02:41 Game Day Adventures and Nesting

05:03 Emma's Pregnancy Journey and Loss

07:42 The Birth of Duke and Ford

12:00 Count the Kicks and Maternal Health

14:02 Honoring Our Daughter's Memory

14:15 Joining Forces with Count the Kicks

15:03 The Importance of Counting Kicks

15:34 Personal Experience with Count the Kicks

17:16 Legislative Efforts and Community Impact

19:49 The Power of Community Support

21:35 Inspiring a Culture of Yes

22:59 Accepting Help and Building a Village

24:09 Family Spirit Animals

27:27 Community Baby Shower and Count the Kicks App

29:34 Final Thoughts and Gratitude

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Fall is upon us – and while football gets the early headlines this time of year…it will soon be time for tip off, buzzer beaters and brackets. Before they’re packing Hinkle Fieldhouse for a new season of Butler Basketball, seniors Pierre Brooks and Patrick McCaffery share how they’re building bonds with teammates, finding purpose with their platforms in college sports, and how connecting with kids in the community have shaped both their perspectives.

Project 44 had the opportunity to partner with Pierre last season, and are excited to welcome him back, along with Patrick, a new addition to the Butler Basketball and All Good Dawgs roster. Listeners, we present to you, Pierre Brooks and Patrick McCaffrey, All Good Dawgs, and Champions for Change.

Butler basketball seniors, Pierre Brooks and Patrick McCaffrey join Larra and Krissi to discuss their experiences and efforts in building strong bonds with new and returning teammates, leveraging their platforms in college sports for community engagement, and shaping their identities through connections with kids. They share their paths to joining the Butler Bulldogs, the excitement of the basketball season, and their personal investment in initiatives like Project 44 and All Good Dawgs. The discussion also touches on the impact of Patrick’s battle with cancer and the opportunity for athletes to champion causes beyond the sport.

00:00 Introduction

00:49 Campus Vibes and Pre-Season Excitement

02:22 Building Team Camaraderie

04:22 Choosing Butler: Personal Stories

05:55 Impact of Caitlin Clark and Indiana Basketball Culture

08:51 Community Engagement and All Good Dogs

10:40 Personal Experiences and Cancer Awareness

12:15 Balancing Basketball and Personal Growth

16:31 Encouraging a Culture of Yes

19:35 Closing Remarks and Future Plans

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I'm Larra Overton. And I'm Krissi Edgington, and this is Finding 44, the new podcast created by Project 44, spotlighting champions for change. In each episode, we'll talk to public figures, thought leaders, athletes, coaches, and more, who are doing great things in their communities, both in and outside of whatever arena they happen to play in.

We'll explore successes on and off the court or field, favorite foods, funny memories, places to visit, and more. But, we think our guests' impressive accomplishments in their line of work and stellar local recommendations, are only outdone by their selfless willingness to give back to the communities around them.

Inspired by the late Andrew Smith, wearing number 44 for the Butler Bulldogs, Project 44 is on a mission to create a culture of YES, where, whatever the cause, others are inspired to act in support of something bigger than themselves, and utilize their platform for the benefit of the greater good.

Follow along on our journey to find other inspiring 44s as we shine a light on their incredible impact. 

This is Finding 44: Spotlighting Champions for Change. 

Discover More:

https://project44.org/

Follow Us

@joinproject44

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joinproject44/

Facebook: Project 44