Making The Play with Dave Briglio

This week my guest is Aby Ryan, Founder of Athena Camps: https://athenacamps.com/

At Athena Camps their vision is to build communities of empowered girls who inspire and uplift each other in order to have a positive and lasting impact on our world. They help girls aged 4 to 14 develop their whole selves. Athena Campers participate in sports and creative exercises to learn how to give and receive positive affirmation, make new friends, and acquire the strength and grace to be their best in every situation.

Athena Camps is not a traditional sports camp. The goal is to build body-confidence through sports, giving girls a sense of control over their bodies. Research states that elementary age girls should be "sampling" sports rather than specializing, learning skills and a "love for the game", rather than competing. In middle school, we know sports participation boosts girls' self-esteem, provides focus and builds social confidence. At Athena Camps, girls of all ages have fun and successful experiences with sports and are empowered as their athletic ability grows. Creative, girl-focused projects and facilitated group discussions serve as social opportunities to connect and express emotions in a nurturing community.

Aby Ryan founded Athena Camps after a successful career as a professional tennis player, collegiate coach, and non-profit executive. With 30 years of experience coaching and developing programs for girl-serving organizations, Aby specializes in youth program development, curriculum design, and innovative strategies to grow strong, expressive, confident young women.

When her daughter started kindergarten, Aby Ryan saw a need for a special environment where girls could navigate social pressures, build character, and support each other. She realized the time had come to realize her dream of creating a unique girls’ sports camp. So on June 11, 2011, she launched the first Athena Camp with 27 girls. Athena Camps’ attendance quadrupled in our first full year. Since then, Athena Camps continues to grow each year and hopes to serve 5,000 girls by 2025.

Welcome to Episode #59, where we'll talk about Athletic Leadership - not as a concept, but as the formal program that awaits today's collegiate student athletes. My guest will be Dr. Kristina Navarro, who oversees the Rutgers Leadership Academy (RLA). RLA is a privately funded entity whose mission is to equip the student-athletes at Rutgers University with the knowledge and skills they need to achieve success both during and after their collegiate careers by providing year-round opportunities for advancement in five key areas: leadership training, career development, community engagement, personal enrichment, and letter winner engagement. Learn nmore at:

https://scarletknights.com/news/2017/9/13/rutgers-leadership-academy-who-we-r.aspx

About RLA: Rutgers Athletics has long subscribed to the idea that student-athletes should be learning and acquiring new skills beyond academics and athletes. For years, student-athletes participated in student-development activities modeled after the highly regarded NCAA program, "CHAMPS/Life Skills."

RLA’s MISSION: Equip the student-athletes at Rutgers University with the knowledge and skills they need to achieve success both during and after their collegiate careers by providing year-round opportunities for advancement in five key areas: leadership training, career development, community engagement, personal enrichment, and letter winner engagement.

RLA’s VISION: To positively impact the lives of the student-athletes at Rutgers University in their constant pursuit of career, academic and personal success.

More About Kristina: With over a decade of experience in athletic administration and higher education, Navarro began at UW-Whitewater in September 2013 as an assistant professor in sport management and swiftly worked her way up through the ranks. In 2015, she was named the Director of Student-Athlete Engagement, overseeing comprehensive student-athlete development and academic excellence programs for Warhawk Athletics. Navarro's role continued to increase, adding sports administrator to her resume as well as marketing and engagement duties, leading to her elevation to her most recent role. Navarro also served as an Associate Professor in the College of Education and Professional Studies, managing the Higher Education Athletic Administration graduate program and supervising internship and practicum students.

Prior to arriving at UW-Whitewater, Navarro spent a year as the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Administration Graduate Program at University of Oklahoma following a 2009-12 stint at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While at UW, she held roles as the Interim Senior Developmental Skills Specialist for football, Interim Academic Advisor and Career Development Coordinator, and Learning Specialist and Mentor.

From 2007-09 at UNC-Chapel Hill, Navarro was the Co-Director of the Carolina Leadership Academy's CREED and Peer Mentor Programs in the Office of Student-Athlete Development.

Navarro earned a B.S. in sport management and business administration with a concentration in strength and conditioning from University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2006. She went on to earn a master of arts in sport administration from University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 2009. Navarro then added a Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy analysis with a focus on higher, postsecondary and continuing education from University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2012.

Additionally, Navarro holds a chair position for numerous organizations, including the Executive Leadership Team AERA Research Focus on Education and Sport, Women Leaders in College Sport Student-Athlete Development Leadership Committee and the NASPA Committee on Student-Athlete Welfare. She is a member of the NACDA N4A Board of Directors where she led a rebrand and restructure of the organization to develop a national holistic approach to support academic and student-athlete development professionals and is an active member of the Women Leaders in College Sports (formerly NACWAA) organization.

Nelson E. Brown is an Environmental Science student at the Community College of
Baltimore County in Catonsville, Maryland, where he serves as one of
the writers, artists, and editors of the school's literary magazine and a participant
in the Project Sparks program. He's been recognized as an avid volunteer and
athlete locally and nationally. In addition to being a part-time student, he is employed
at the Maryland Department of the Environment as an Office Clerk, with plans of
obtaining a career in Environmental Science after he finishes school. As an artist and author, he has established a book series,"The Beauty In Us", about Body Positivity and Self-Acceptance from a male's perspective. As an activist and philanthropist, he is currently training to become an Evangelist.He currently resides in Randallstown, Maryland.

More about "The Beauty In Us - Our Reality" , available on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Us-Our-Reality-Nelson-Brown-ebook/dp/B07GBFMW85

We live in a world where people have a tendency to believe that IMAGE IS EVERYTHING. The first book in this book series that has been written is about a young man of color who is using his age, his gender, and his nationality to discuss his personal struggles with colorism, self image, and self acceptance. We always discuss controversial topics regarding body image and acceptance, but often it is heard from a female’s point of view. Do you hear any males speaking out about their struggles with their body image and self-esteem? Nelson E. Brown has been embarking on a journey to help boys, girls, men, and women around the world discover who they are and how beautiful they are. In this book, Nelson is able to give himself permission to be vulnerable and even emotionally honest about how he feels. He is speaking on behalf of all the men and young boys in communities around the world who are afraid to. He is also willing to show women and young girls how males carry their insecurities with them every day and how they suppress them in the public eye.

My guest this week is GO! founder Ruth Nicholson who was also a finalist in Hudl's Innovator of the Year contest, honoring those who empower innovation in club soccer. We’ll talk about how GO! empowers directors of coaching, board members, administrators, and team managers to succeed through proven practical guides, templates, checklists, and weekly live training webinars. There’s never enough of us to go around when working with sports organizations -so join in and hear how to help those in your organization to do more.

https://www.spreaker.com/show/mtp-dave-briglio

More about GO! And Ruth: Nicholson launched GO! in 2017 as a subscription-based digital resource that improves youth sports organizations by making operations simple and efficient. Since its unveiling in mid-2017, the GO! resource and training program has connected with coaches, clubs, state associations and leagues on 5 continents and in 19 North American states and provinces. Interest from the U.S. Olympic Committee coaching education program in its training webinars has resulted in the engagement of 26 different sports.
In a nutshell, Ruth Nicholson’s work is constructively disruptive in a field begging for improvement. With more than 20 years on-the-ground youth sports experience and operational expertise, her program GO! delivers practical resources that address the typical challenges people face when building and running a youth soccer club. Ruth has created an unparalleled resource that goes beyond the game to address challenges people face when building and running a club. One of her nominations put it simply, “Her understanding and insight is second to none!”

In this episode you’ll hear:
•The 3 pillars of a successful sports club
•How to addressing difficult issues and resolve conflict
•The best ways to organize a volunteer program

This week my guest is Christine Pinalto, Co-founder of Sidelined USA, which exists to reunite permanently-sidelined athletes with their passions and inspire them to find a meaningful way forward. Christine and her Co-Founder (and son) Cade have a vision of helping athletes create a positive mindset within themselves, requiring their personal best, in order to confidently face and overcome their challenges, both on and off the court/field. See Cade’s Story below to see how this vision has become a welcome reality for so many athletes – athletes like people you know (or maybe you are one).

https://www.spreaker.com/show/mtp-dave-briglio

Cade’s Story: Cade Pinalto became permanently sidelined his 7th grade year. Cade, who was a dedicated athlete and basketball player, was told he would no longer be able to compete in his sport. Later, when Cade reached high school, the men’s varsity basketball coach offered to teach him how to coach. The experience was incredible as Cade was able to participate in his sport through another avenue. Cade started the idea for Sidelined Chicago in April of 2016. With the help of his mother, Co-founder Christine Pinalto, and the Sidelined team, Sidelined Chicago was brought to fruition. In 2018, Sidelined went nation-wide and launched Sidelined USA.

In this episode you’ll hear:
•How to help sidelined athletes make the shift to redefine their satisfaction and embrace their new reality in a meaningful way.
•The importance of community and devotion. When it comes to helping sidelined athletes.
•The resources and opportunities for players to connect with others in their situation, and for parents to learn how to connect with their sidelined athlete.

Player Mentoring
This week my guest, from Plymouth, England, is Brian Chambers -Professional Football (soccer) Scout at Charlton Athletic, Bradford City, Bury & Swindon Town. Brian is more than a scout – he’s a true mentor to the players who work with him, one-on-one.
One of his most successful mentees, American Nicole Robertson now playing professional soccer in Europe, says this of Brian: “I have a working relationship that has also grown into a true friendship, I was blessed to have found him. I have not only grown as a footballer but as a human too. He has helped me strive as a player and has helped me move from being an amateur to becoming a professional footballer in Denmark. He is not only a kindhearted man, but someone who is organized, punctual, easy to talk to, and trustworthy. Success will come to those who work with Brian as their mentor/analysis.”

https://www.spreaker.com/show/mtp-dave-briglio

In this episode you’ll hear:
•How to look beyond the numbers and see the person on the field before you – and why that is so important to them and so rewarding to us as we watch.
•How 1-on-1 mentoring a player does so much more for them than simply critiquing or instructing them.
•The real “ins-and-outs” of making it to the professional leagues.

Winning is Giving (It All)
This week my guest is Rachell Vallarelli, a record-setting UMass goalie, current Professional Lacrosse Player (Baltimore Ride), and former US U19 Women’s National Training Team Member. Rachell loves to motivate and inspire those around her and is a believer in inspiring change and action, while being a continual lifelong learner. Her greatest pride of all is being a part of something bigger than herself; being an ambassador for the game of lacrosse, and inspiring young women to achieve their dreams. Rachell is also currently a member of NYAC Lacrosse, owner of Rachel Vallarelli Lacrosse LLC and D1 Assistant Coach.

https://www.spreaker.com/show/mtp-dave-briglio

More About Rachell: Vallarelli played collegiately at the University of Massachusetts from 2012-2015. She graduated as one of the best goalies in both UMass and NCAA history, holding UMass, Atlantic 10 Conference and NCAA records. The Hartsdale, N.Y. native accumulated for the second most wins in school history (48) while leading the Minutewomen to four-straight Atlantic 10 championships. UMass went undefeated in conference play during Vallarelli's collegiate career, making four NCAA appearances with two first round wins

In this episode you’ll hear:
•The complete journey of an athlete: from youth leagues to college, to the pros, in between, and beyond.
•What “winning” feels like and what being a “winner” is.
•The magic of being part of the Game, and the silent worries of separating from the Game

Rethinking Recess...
This week my guest is Danielle Marshall, Executive Director for Playworks. Playworks builds a culture of play that enables kids to feel a real sense of belonging. Partnering with teachers, principals, and parents, they make sure kids have the opportunity to contribute on the playground, in the classroom, and in their communities. Randomized control trials have found that compared to students at similar schools, Playworks students were more physically active and teachers reported that students had greater feelings of school safety and less bullying behavior.
For more than 20 years, Playworks has been leading the way for safe and healthy play at elementary schools every day, and they have a bold new vision for 2020: to help 3.5 million kids in 7,000 elementary schools nationwide experience safe and healthy play every day. How? By creating a place for every kid on the playground to feel included, be active, and build valuable social and emotional skills. Listen in and hear the details!

https://www.spreaker.com/show/mtp-dave-briglio

More About Danielle: Danielle has spent her career working with groups who use physical activity to teach life skills to make the next generation physically and emotionally prepared, helping them to unleash their confidence through accomplishments while establishing a lifetime appreciation of health and fitness. Danielle is a graduate of Howard university (psychology) and works in Baltimore Maryland.

In this episode you’ll hear:
•Why play matters, what gets in the way of play & the role of educators
•How to “rethink recess”, in terms of Safety, Engagement & Empowerment
•What structures Playworks uses to achieve their goals (recess, Jr. Coaches, classroom games, etc.)

This week my guest is Sports Psychologist Dr. Michelle Deering of Curative Connections. She prides herself in these 3 skills: listening intently, thinking deeply, and loving passionately. Those qualities led her to pursue a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology, get licensed as a psychologist, and focus on helping the next generation of young people see themselves clearly, clarify their goals, and engage in the processes needed to reach their goals. She’s also very passionate about helping moms who desire to improve their mothering of the next generation, which is the focus of this episode, and the subject of her book What Mothers Never Tell Their Daughters: 5 Keys to Building Trust, Restoring Connection, and Strengthening Relationships.

https://www.spreaker.com/show/mtp-dave-briglio

More About Dr. Deering: She helps others see themselves and their current situation more clearly, empowering them to create a platform that will connect them to their goals. To do this, she draws upon her Fortune 500 corporate experience as a Human Resource Training & Development trainer and manager, and her over 20-year experience in the mental health field as a licensed psychologist (in NC & NJ) and Board-Certified Sport Psychologist (ABSP, American Board of Sport Psychology). Dr. Deering graduated in the top 2% of peers and delivering the valedictorian address at Cardinal Spellman High School, went on to earn her Bachelors degree in Biology from Brown University, her Masters in Education from Cambridge College, and her Doctorate in Counseling psychology from Rutgers University.

In this episode you’ll hear:
•Dr. Deering’s personal story and how it has led to her new book, What Mothers Never Tell Their Daughters and the key elements (Rifts, Remedies & Rewards).
•What makes healthy mother-daughter relationships possible
•How moms can see themselves first (& then will be able to see their daughters for who they are)

This week my guests are the Co-Founders of SheIS, Caitlin Donovan and Brenda Andress. SheIS represents a sisterhood through sports, and a cross-pollination of support for women and girls everywhere. It is the goal of SheIS to initiate support at all levels of sport, from professional to grassroots. Their aim is to not only encourage representation of the sport(s) in which you currently play or watch, but to show support for other female sports, and in turn for the benefits to girls and women achieved through participation.
https://www.spreaker.com/show/mtp-dave-briglio
About Brenda: Also known as the “Thought Leader ", Brenda is currently the Commissioner of the Canadian Women’s National Hockey League, as they create the first women's professional hockey league. “The Hockey news - People of Power & Influence issue” named Brenda as one of the individuals identified as “The Power of the Future”
About Caiti: She describes herself as Strategist, digital enthusiast, 3x marathoner, entrepreneur, , hustler, dreamer, and most importantly, Doer. She’s a Brand marketing veteran with more than 10 years of experience, founder of www.cosmictrustfall.com and www.digitaljobsproject.com, and world traveler currently based out of New York, NY.

In this episode you’ll hear:
•How to increase resources across all levels of women’s sport, ensuring professional athletics are a viable career option for all girls and women
•How to achieve equal representation for women’s professional, national, and collegiate teams through national and local media.
•How we can all help create a world in which girls and women are encouraged to thrive, be active teammates, and leaders.