Game Changers: Incredible Stories of Resilience in Sports

I’m really looking forward to talking to my guest this week because she has the unique combination of experience in college sports; as a player, as an advocate on multiple collegiate sports committees, as a graduate with multiple degrees, as a wife of a football coach and as the daughter of a former college athlete who raised her to be independent, driven and thoughtful.

Jailyn Mason-Richardson is an absolute force. A basketball standout in high school in Ohio she had multiple college offers before choosing to compete in the powerhouse SEC at the University of Arkansas. She made an instant impact as a freshman guard, but her journey wasn’t linear. When the coaching staff changed, she stayed—and thrived—under Coach Mike Neighbors, showing resilience, maturity, and next-level dedication. Even a senior-year injury couldn’t keep her down.

After graduating, Jai took her talents to Rutgers, where she played while earning her master’s in Global Sports Business. Upon graduating from Rutgers, Jai contemplated playing professionally overseas but ultimately took a fellowship at the Big 10 where she continued to advocate for student-athletes.

Now at Athletes Unlimited, Jai continues to elevate the game from the inside out—combining her love for sports with a deep commitment to service, leadership, and creating meaningful change.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Game Changers. We hope you found inspiration and motivation in the stories of resilience and adversity shared by our incredible guests. Remember, no matter what challenges you face, your ability to overcome them lies within. Stay resilient and keep pushing forward towards your goals. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with others who may benefit from these powerful stories. 

I love talking to athletes who are real—who don’t sugarcoat their story or try to fit someone else’s version of success. My guest this week is one of those athletes. Fiona Carter has been running track since she was five years old and dreaming of college competition for just as long. A standout multi-event athlete from New Jersey, she excelled in the high jump, hurdles, 200m, shot put and others, earning a scholarship to Temple University.

But like many athletes, Fiona’s journey wasn’t linear. Injuries, self-doubt, and burnout led her to transfer and rediscover her love for the sport at the University of Maryland. Today, she competes as a sprinter, hurdler, and multi-event athlete. Off the track, Fiona has made a powerful impact by sharing her story as a bi-racial woman in In Her Words, a platform at Maryland that elevates student voices. Her insight on identity, resilience, and the complexities of being a student-athlete is both inspiring and important.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Game Changers. We hope you found inspiration and motivation in the stories of resilience and adversity shared by our incredible guests. Remember, no matter what challenges you face, your ability to overcome them lies within. Stay resilient and keep pushing forward towards your goals. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with others who may benefit from these powerful stories. 

Today on the Game Changers podcast, I’m joined by two extraordinary sisters whose names are synonymous with leadership, legacy, and sports— Kayla and Veronica Burton 

The Burton sisters grew up surrounded by athletic greatness. As daughters of Steve Burton, a college football player and longtime CBS Boston sports anchor, and Ginny Burton, a collegiate All-American swimmer and granddaughters of Ron Burton—New England Patriots running back—they were raised in a family where sports, service, and character were intertwined. 

Kayla made her mark at Lehigh University as a basketball player. After her college career, she is now becoming a respected sports journalist and broadcaster and works for NBC Sports in Boston.

Veronica played basketball at Northwestern, where she became one of the most decorated players in program history. She was a three-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and was then drafted in the WNBA to the Dallas Wings.  She now plays for the Golden State Valkyries where she was just awarded the 2025 Most Improved Player. 

Together, Kayla and Veronica embody so much of what Game Changers is all about—excellence, purpose, and the reminder that greatness isn’t just about what you achieve, but who you become along the way.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Game Changers. We hope you found inspiration and motivation in the stories of resilience and adversity shared by our incredible guests. Remember, no matter what challenges you face, your ability to overcome them lies within. Stay resilient and keep pushing forward towards your goals. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with others who may benefit from these powerful stories. 

I am really excited about the podcast this week because it is a little out of the norm – my guest is not a collegiate or professional athlete or coach but she is shaping the future of American sports in powerful and lasting ways. I’m so thrilled to welcome Dionne Koller, one of the nation’s top voices in sports law to the podcast.

Dionne is a professor at the University of Baltimore, where she directs the Center for Sport and the Law, and her work zeroes in on youth and college sports, athlete rights, and Olympic policy. In 2021, she was appointed to be Co-chair a national commission on the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and currently serves on important boards including the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and the International Sports Law Journal.

She also played a critical role in the national conversation around college athlete compensation, testifying before the U.S. Senate in 2020 as a legal expert on Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights— She offered a strong voice in support of athlete empowerment.

Dionne is also an award-winning educator, the author of More Than Play: How Law, Policy, and Politics Shape American Youth Sport, a former athlete herself, and the parent of two athletes—so she brings both professional expertise and personal perspective to everything she does.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Game Changers. We hope you found inspiration and motivation in the stories of resilience and adversity shared by our incredible guests. Remember, no matter what challenges you face, your ability to overcome them lies within. Stay resilient and keep pushing forward towards your goals. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with others who may benefit from these powerful stories. 

This week’s guest, Molly Bidwell , knows exactly what it takes to chase a dream when the road is anything but smooth. Now a collegiate rower for the University of Virginia’s nationally ranked rowing team, Molly has built her success on an unshakable mix of hard work, grit, and determination.

In her freshman year, she helped the Third Varsity Eight bring home the ACC Championship — a testament to the years she spent sharpening her skills with powerhouse programs like Greenwich Crew, Pelham Community Rowing Association, and Row America Rye after graduating from Pelham Memorial High School in New York.

Molly comes from a family of exceptional athletes, but she’s never taken her path for granted. She’s battled anxiety, depression, ADHD, and even a more recent diagnosis of narcolepsy — yet she’s refused to let any challenge define her. Always the underdog, Molly’s story is raw, honest, and a reminder that relentless commitment can take you anywhere.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Game Changers. We hope you found inspiration and motivation in the stories of resilience and adversity shared by our incredible guests. Remember, no matter what challenges you face, your ability to overcome them lies within. Stay resilient and keep pushing forward towards your goals. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with others who may benefit from these powerful stories. 

My guest this week is Missy Traversi —an accomplished basketball player and an even more accomplished coach and leader. From a multi-sport standout at Bishop Feehan in MA to a 1,000-point scorer and three-time America East champion at the University of Maine, Missy’s playing career took her overseas and even to the WNBA’s Chicago Sky training camp.

As a coach, she’s left her mark at every level—from her start coaching in high school to then being an assistant at Harvard, to building winners at Wheelock and then Adelphi in 2016. Missy guided Adelphi to an impressive 83–37 record and the team won two NE10 division titles, won the NE10 Tournament championship in 2017, and earned two NCAA Division II Tournament appearances.  Then in 2021 she lead the Army Black Knights to record-breaking seasons including multiple Patriot League Tournament appearances, and a standout 2023–24 season in which they posted a 25–8 record, earning a WNIT berth and a 14–4 conference record. Known for her player-first philosophy and relentless pursuit of excellence, Missy is not just shaping athletes—she’s shaping true leaders.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Game Changers. We hope you found inspiration and motivation in the stories of resilience and adversity shared by our incredible guests. Remember, no matter what challenges you face, your ability to overcome them lies within. Stay resilient and keep pushing forward towards your goals. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with others who may benefit from these powerful stories. 

Luzdali Ocasio’s (also know as La) journey is a powerful testament to resilience, sacrifice, and the strength of the human spirit. From a young age, she poured her heart into the game of basketball, sacrificing time, comfort, and countless hours of work to chase her dream of becoming a college athlete. That dream brought her to the University of New Haven, but her career didn’t unfold the way she once imagined. A series of injuries and profound family heartbreaks threatened not only her playing days but also her sense of identity. Yet, rather than being defined by setbacks, La chose to rise. She transformed her pain into purpose, her struggles into strength, and her challenges into opportunities for growth.

Today, La is a counselor and fitness trainer who uses her own story to inspire and uplift others. She is a passionate advocate for mental health and wellness, guiding people to find hope, healing, and strength in their own battles. Her positivity, grit, and resilience shine through everything she does, making her one of the most inspiring voices we’ve had on this podcast.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Game Changers. We hope you found inspiration and motivation in the stories of resilience and adversity shared by our incredible guests. Remember, no matter what challenges you face, your ability to overcome them lies within. Stay resilient and keep pushing forward towards your goals. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with others who may benefit from these powerful stories. 

It’s always a privilege to sit down with Olympians and Paralympians—but this week’s guest takes resilience and versatility to a whole new level. Meet Jack Wallace: two-time Paralympic gold medalist, world-class sled hockey player, and sprint kayaker with Team USA.

On the ice, Jack is a powerhouse. At the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games, he was named Best Defenseman—a title that speaks to both his skill and his grit. But he doesn’t stop at hockey. Since 2022, Jack has also competed with the U.S. Paracanoe national team, pushing his limits in sprint kayaking.

Jack’s story begins in New Jersey, where he grew up playing just about every sport—hockey, football, baseball, lacrosse, and wrestling. At age 10, his life took a sharp turn when a boating accident resulted in the loss of part of his right leg. One year later, at Camp No Limits—a program for kids with limb loss—he was introduced to sled hockey. That moment changed everything. By 2016, Jack had earned his place on Team USA.

And in true Jack Wallace fashion, he’s never stopped testing boundaries. A couple of years ago, he pulled off a feat few athletes could even imagine: competing in the World Para Ice Hockey Championships in Canada, then traveling halfway around the globe to race at the Paracanoe World Championships in Hungary—all in the same week. He missed qualifying for the Paris 2024 Paralympics in paracanoe by mere hundredths of a second, but that near miss only adds fuel to his relentless pursuit of greatness.

Jack Wallace is more than an athlete—he’s proof that resilience can open doors to possibilities most of us never dream of.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Game Changers. We hope you found inspiration and motivation in the stories of resilience and adversity shared by our incredible guests. Remember, no matter what challenges you face, your ability to overcome them lies within. Stay resilient and keep pushing forward towards your goals. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with others who may benefit from these powerful stories. 

Roberta (Bobbi) Moran has a remarkable and multifaceted journey in sports—as an athlete, coach, parent of athletes, administrator, breast cancer survivor and inspirational leader. She is the Athletic Director at Thayer Academy in Braintree, Massachusetts, and one of the few women serving in that role within the New England Prep School Athletic Conference.

Before joining Thayer, Bobbi was the Athletic Director at The Loomis Chaffee School in Connecticut, where she also coached multiple sports including field hockey, golf, lacrosse, and softball. A former Division I field hockey player at Siena College, Bobbi’s athletic career didn’t stop there—she went on to become a professional bodybuilder, fitness model, certified fitness instructor, Yoga teacher and (Usui Reiki) Usooy Rake-y instructor.

She’s presented nationally and consulted with teams across the Big Ten, Ivy League, and NESCAC. On top of it all, she’s a proud mother of four—two of whom competed at the collegiate level.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Game Changers. We hope you found inspiration and motivation in the stories of resilience and adversity shared by our incredible guests. Remember, no matter what challenges you face, your ability to overcome them lies within. Stay resilient and keep pushing forward towards your goals. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with others who may benefit from these powerful stories. 

Today’s guest is one of the most influential voices in the world of sports leadership and team culture: Jeff Janssen. Jeff is the founder of the Janssen Sports Leadership Center and a pioneer in the field of sports psychology and leadership development. For more than two decades, he’s worked with over 3,000 coaches and 30 national championship programs, including legendary teams at North Carolina, Michigan, Stanford, Notre Dame, Arizona, and Duke. His work has helped shape some of the most respected and successful athletic cultures in the country.

Jeff is the author of multiple game-changing books, including the Team Captain’s Leadership Manual, the Sports Leadership Development Series, and How to Build and Sustain a Championship Culture — which has become essential reading for coaches, athletic directors, and team leaders at every level.

He’s helped athletic programs go beyond talent and X’s and O’s, guiding them to build values-driven cultures, establish aligned systems, and create visionary operating models that stand the test of time. Jeff has a rare ability to turn abstract ideas like culture and leadership into actionable strategies that change lives and transform programs. 

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Game Changers. We hope you found inspiration and motivation in the stories of resilience and adversity shared by our incredible guests. Remember, no matter what challenges you face, your ability to overcome them lies within. Stay resilient and keep pushing forward towards your goals. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with others who may benefit from these powerful stories.