In this episode of the Identity Sports Podcast, professional golfer and Golf Girl Games star Sophia Warren shares her journey of faith and golf. She talks about surrendering her own plans to trust God’s greater purpose, building her identity as a child of God rather than in performance, and prioritizing time in the Word while balancing life on tour and as a YouTube creator. Sophia also reflects on community, social media, and the growth of women’s golf—encouraging listeners to glorify God in all they do and to be present with where God has placed their feet.

Key Takeaways- Sophia's faith journey evolved over the years, shifting from self-reliance to reliance on God.- Community and fellowship are vital for support in her faith journey.- Sophia encourages young athletes to trust God's plan and enjoy their journey.Notable Quotes- "I can only pray and then surrender the outcomes to God."- "Be where our feet are."

In this episode of the Identity Sports Podcast, we’re joined by former NHL player Nick Johnson, who opens up about his journey through elite hockey, identity struggles, and faith. Nick reflects on his time at Dartmouth, where, despite competing at a high level, he wrestled with self-doubt, performance pressure, and a growing sense that hockey wasn’t fulfilling him the way he expected—both on the ice and in his personal life. That tension followed him into the NHL, even after making his debut on January 21, 2010 against the Washington Capitals and scoring his first career goal. Instead of satisfaction, Nick remembers thinking, “This is what I thought my heart wanted my whole life… and it just didn’t fulfill me.”

A few months later, after the passing of his uncle, Nick attended a church service where the gospel message finally clicked. What began as curiosity turned into deeper questions, ultimately leading him to give his life to Jesus. Nick shares how God exposed the warped foundation of his self-worth—one rooted in achievement and comparison. After his NHL career, Nick pursued a master’s degree in counseling psychology and became a licensed psychologist, later realizing his true calling was in mental coaching and athlete development. Today, he works with athletes to help them pursue excellence without losing perspective, grounding their identity beyond performance. Nick reminds listeners that our value isn’t something we have to earn—Jesus already did the work, and we don’t need to strive to be loved by God.

Key Takeaways

• Being drafted into the NHL was a major milestone, but it did not define his value or identity.

• Faith was not a central focus early in Nick’s career, which contributed to ongoing struggles with self-worth.

• Athletic success does not automatically lead to fulfillment or lasting happiness.

• Mental health plays a vital role in athlete development, and conversations around it are increasingly welcomed in sports culture.

• Young athletes benefit from developing self-awareness and understanding the motivations behind their goals.

• Trusting God and embracing the journey, rather than striving for validation, leads to a more fulfilling life.

Notable Quotes

• “I idolized the game too much.”

• “What I thought would fulfill me just didn’t.”

• “You can’t satisfy God with your achievements.”

In this episode of the Identity Sports Podcast, LSU beach volleyball player Aubrey O’Gorman joins the show to share her journey of faith, identity, and perseverance. Despite growing up in a basketball-centered home, Aubrey carried a dream of playing college volleyball alongside her sister, Maradith. That dream seemed to be unfolding perfectly when Maradith committed to Michigan State in eighth grade and Aubrey followed shortly after as a high school freshman.

But Aubrey’s college experience didn’t go as planned. After arriving at Michigan State with high expectations, she redshirted her freshman year—a season that challenged her identity and sense of purpose. In the midst of disappointment, Aubrey felt the Lord inviting her to love and serve her teammates faithfully, even when her impact wasn’t visible on the court. Through the encouragement of Athletes in Action, she was reminded that her worth was not rooted in performance, playing time, or volleyball itself—but firmly grounded in Christ.

Aubrey shares a powerful truth about what it means to be fully accepted in Christ, emphasizing that we don’t have to prove ourselves to be enough. Drawing from the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10, Aubrey challenges the tendency to strive, perform, and prove ourselves. She encourages athletes to pause, sit at the feet of Jesus, and find rest and significance in His presence rather than in results or recognition. She reflects on the freedom that comes from competing from a place of joy rather than pressure, and how playing with both intensity and gentleness reflects the heart of the Lord. This episode is an encouraging reminder for athletes to pursue excellence while anchoring their identity in something unshakable.

In this episode of the Identity Sports Podcast, we’re joined by professional golfer Carson Herron, a rising talent and new member of the Asian Tour. Carson reflects on his journey from competing for the New Mexico Lobos to winning the 2024 Minnesota State Open and qualifying for his first PGA Tour event in 2025. Growing up with a father who played on the PGA Tour, Carson shares how his parents never pressured him to perform—but how he placed that pressure on himself in pursuit of excellence.

That internal pressure eventually led Carson to a deeper reckoning off the course. Despite playing good golf, he found himself unsatisfied, weighed down by anxiety and expectations. Through that struggle, Carson gave his life to Jesus, learning to lay his worries in God’s hands. He opens up about how reading the Bible, getting plugged into church, and intentionally growing his faith transformed not only his perspective on golf, but on life. Today, Carson plays with a renewed sense of patience, freedom, and identity—rooted not in results, but in faith.

This week on the Identity Sports Podcast, we’re joined by Paul Tesori, a 23-time PGA Tour winner as a caddie, for a powerful conversation about faith, identity, and purpose.

He opens up about misplaced identity, explaining how idols like success and money never satisfy: “if you catch them, they won’t sustain you; if you don’t catch them, they won’t forgive you”.

Paul reflects on drifting from his faith in college, falling into darkness after a car accident caused chronic pain and anxiety, and how hearing John Smoltz speak about his faith drew him back to church.

Even after reaching the top of the golf world with Vijay Singh, Paul admits fame and money pulled him away from God again. By 2010, deep sadness led him to fully surrender his life to Christ. He reminds us that following Jesus doesn’t put us in handcuffs, but sets us free.

Paul shares how in 2011 he turned down chances to caddie for two top-10 players in the world to join Webb Simpson, who was ranked #213 at the time.

As a new follower of Christ, Paul chose faith over world golf rankings, wanting to walk alongside a boss who shared his beliefs, leading to an incredible run of success and finding true purpose.

Check out the Tesori Family Foundation, rooted in the mission of "achieving great things through God by lending a helping hand, providing hope and healing hearts for children”.

In this episode of the Identity Sports Podcast, we’re joined by Robin Rosado, former University of South Carolina golfer, mini-tour player, and now a PGA & LPGA mental performance coach, whose journey through frustration, comparison, and pressure ultimately led to purpose.Robin opens up about his early battles in junior golf, constantly comparing himself to others and struggling to translate great range sessions into performance on the course. That disconnect—and a pivotal moment experiencing the yips during a Valspar Championship qualifier—pushed him to pursue discomfort and growth. Through that journey, he was introduced to renowned sports psychologist Dr. Bob Rotella, whose insights became a turning point not only for Robin’s game, but for his life.Now, more than 15 years later, Robin shares the mental frameworks he teaches golfers today, challenging the pursuit of perfection, reshaping the way we speak about our shots, and learning to live forward rather than dwelling on mistakes. He unpacks his simple but powerful process: “Accept, give yourself grace, and hit erase.” At the core of it all is this truth: your identity is not found in your bad shots or what didn’t go well, but in Christ.Robin also dives into the power of words and how self-talk shapes both our mindset and our performance. Through a biblical lens, he connects mental performance to stewardship—preparing well, building healthy habits, and pursuing excellence in a way that ultimately glorifies God.Additionally, Robin shares the heart behind his organization, Before the Links, a mission-driven business designed to help talented young golfers with limited resources gain exposure and access to recruitment opportunities. His vision is to build up the next generation—not just as athletes, but as leaders who will make an impact far beyond the game.This episode is a powerful reminder that growth happens in discomfort, identity is rooted deeper than performance, and our habits—on and off the course—matter.

Newly retired LPGA Tour professional and now mom, Emma Talley, joins the Identity Sports Podcast for a powerful conversation on identity, fulfillment, and faith beyond the scorecard.Emma reflects on the role relationships and mentorship played throughout every stage of her journey—from junior golf and college to life on the LPGA Tour. She opens up about winning the 2013 U.S. Women’s Amateur, and the realization that the joy she expected from such a massive achievement lasted only a couple minutes. That moment began to reveal a deeper truth: the fulfillment we long for can’t be found in accomplishments.In this episode, Emma shares where she ultimately found true contentment—in God’s Word, biblical community, and walking closely with Christ, including participating in Bible studies while on Tour. She explains her love for being a friend to her competitors and reflecting Christ through her actions. By focusing on controlling what you can control, Emma learned how to find joy even in hardship.Emma also opens up about her transition from professional golf to motherhood, and how she now prioritizes time with the Lord amid the beautiful chaos of being a mom. This conversation is a reminder that our identity is not in what we do—but in who we belong to.

The Identity Sports Podcast celebrates episode 50 with an exciting and impactful episode with Jordan Brown, a former Fresno State football walk-on whose journey is defined by faith, perseverance, and a deep re-centering of identity. Jordan didn’t arrive at Fresno State as a recruited athlete—he came as a student, quietly training on his own during his first year with the hope of one day earning a spot on the football team.Growing up in the church, Jordan had a foundation of faith, but when he entered college, he found himself drifting from the Lord. For much of his life, church had been the primary place where spiritual growth happened, and without it, his faith stalled. Everything began to change when he got involved with the football program and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Through community and reading scripture on his own and with others, Jordan began to experience real spiritual growth and saw God opening his eyes to a greater purpose—one rooted in glorifying Him.Jordan shares how he came to understand that God and football are not separate parts of life, but deeply connected. As the Lord worked in his heart, Jordan learned that his identity is not defined by performance, playing time, or outcomes on the field, but by who he is in Christ. He dives into the importance of being in the Word, how Scripture feeds and sustains the soul, and why contentment in Christ is possible in every circumstance—whether chasing a dream, waiting patiently, or walking through a season of refinement.This episode is an honest and encouraging reminder that your value doesn’t rise and fall with success—and that when your identity is rooted in Christ, every season has purpose.

In this episode, Zach Vogel is joined by guest cohost and Lipscomb University Woman’s golf coach, Shannon O’Brien. The two sit down with Brooke Riley, assistant women’s golf coach at Stanford University, to talk about faith, identity, and competing with freedom.

While faith was present early on, God often sat on the back burner, and Brooke’s identity became rooted in being a “Christian athlete” rather than fully walking with Christ.

Everything began to shift during her freshman year of college. After not making the starting lineup her first semester, her identity was stripped away, exposing how much she depended on performance and affirmation. Through discipleship and getting into the Word, Brooke realized what was missing in her relationship with the Lord. By the end of January of her freshman year, she fully surrendered her life to Christ.

Now as a coach, Brooke shares how she lives out her faith through the way she loves and leads her players, and how to compete from a place of being loved rather than defined by performance. We also talk about navigating constant evaluation, freedom in Christ, and how rest itself is an act of worship.

This episode is a powerful reminder that we can pursue excellence, compete to win, and remain fully Christ-centered.

Gary Bender — legendary sportscaster, former voice of the Phoenix Suns and voice behind countless iconic NFL, NBA, MLB and NCAA games — joins us on th Identity Sports Podcast to reflect on his storied career, faith, and what it truly means to call the game.

In this episode, Gary shares:

• 📺 His early days broadcasting games from a tractor on his family’s farm in Ulysses, Kansas

• 🏀 His time at CBS Sports calling March Madness—including the legendary 1982-84 Final Fours and a front-row seat to Michael Jordan’s first championship shot

• 🏟️ Transition to ABC Sports, TNT, and eventually 18 years as the voice of the Phoenix Suns — along with behind-the-scenes stories from decades in professional sports broadcasting

• 🎙️ His philosophy on broadcasting: preparation, respect for the athlete, the power of storytelling — and being “blessed” to do what he loved every day

Plus, check out his new book "Beyond the Call" available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Call-Gary-Bender/dp/B0FLWTF2TD

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