PitchSide From the Plex

This week we tackle the very important and timely topic of abuse prevention in sport.  The US Center for SafeSport was founded through Federal legislation in the wake of the Larry Nassar scandal with USA Gymnastics.  Its mission is to act as the clearing house and adjudicator for abuse allegations within the Olympic movement sports within the US.  They also provide training and education for players, coaches, and parents on how to prevent and identify abuse.  We are joined by the CEO for the US Center for SafeSport Ju'Riese Colon.  Ju'Riese has a long history of working to protect children in various roles in numerous organizations.  Now she is leading the charge to prevent abuse in  sports.  She discusses with other the challenges her organization faces including educating people on the mission, funding, and the sheer volume of the work.  This is such an important topic today that this is a must listen episode.

Presented by
Adventist HealthCare
Adventist HealthCare
The largest & only health system headquartered in Montgomery Co., MD
www.adventisthealthcare.com

SAM Soccer
Recreational Soccer League in Montgomery County Maryland
www.samsoccer.org

Roll by Goodyear
www.goodyear.com/en-US/tires/mobile-install

American Red Cross
www.redcross.org/volunteer/

Montgomery College
www.montgomerycollege.edu/

For todays celebration of Women In Sports Day, we take our second journey into CrossFit in this episode with Heather Lawrence-Benedict, their Director of Sport Operations.  Heather had a long career in college athletics going from operations and faciltiies, to Associate AD, and then to getting her PhD and teaching Sport Management to undergraduates and graduate students.  She jumped over to CrossFit just as the pandemic hit making her new job quite difficult.  Heather gives us the story behind wanting to teach as well as the importance that athletics plays in our lives.  Having been a professor she give great advice to young women starting out on their path to working in sports.

Presented by
Adventist HealthCare
Adventist HealthCare
The largest & only health system headquartered in Montgomery Co., MD 
www.adventisthealthcare.com

SAM Soccer
Recreational Soccer League in Montgomery County Maryland
www.samsoccer.org

Roll by Goodyear
www.goodyear.com/en-US/tires/mobile-install

American Red Cross
https://www.redcross.org/volunteer/

Baltimore 2026 - FIFA World Cup Bid City
www.baltimore2026.us

Instacart
instacart.oloiyb.net/eDk4g

This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thank you for your support!

This week Kim and I get to welcome back to the SoccerPlex Washington Spirit Captain, NWSL Players Association President, and NWSL CHAMPION, Tori Huster.  Tori talks about her journey from youth soccer, to Florida State University, Australian A- League,  and all the way to this past November's NWSL Championship.  Tori gives us insight into the collective bargaining agreement negotiations, social justice causes, and the harassment controversy that shook the NWSL this past year.  Tori talks about being a leader on and off the field as well as what she wants to be when she grows up!

Presented by
Adventist HealthCare
Adventist HealthCare is the largest & only health system headquartered in Montgomery Co., MD  www.adventisthealthcare.com

SAM Soccer
Recreational Soccer League in Montgomery County Maryland
www.samsoccer.org

Roll by Goodyear
www.goodyear.com/en-US/tires/mobile-install

Baltimore 2026 - FIFA World Cup Bid City
www.baltimore2026.us

This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thank you for your support!

This episode is a bit self serving as Matt just gets to hang out with his friends.  Matt and Kim are joined this week by Danielle Vincenti, Rachel Rogers, and Suzanne Cecil.  Each has served in several roles in the sports industry and are passionate advocates for sports tourism and professional development and advancement for women in sports.  They provide great life lesson from their personal journeys and some heart warming and funny stories from events.  I bet you never thought we would be talking about trash talking ventriloquist dummies on a sports podcast.   

Presented by
Adventist HealthCare
Adventist HealthCare is the largest & only health system headquartered in Montgomery Co., MD  www.adventisthealthcare.com

SAM Soccer
Recreational Soccer League in Montgomery County Maryland
www.samsoccer.org

Roll by Goodyear
www.goodyear.com/en-US/tires/mobile-install

Baltimore 2026 - FIFA World Cup Bid City
www.baltimore2026.us

This week Matt and Kim talk about the curious path that Casey Take took to get to become the Director of Athlete Development for Ironman.  Some would say she took a non-conventional path to work in endurance racing but she will talk about how that path provided the necessary tools to get where she is now.    Casey provides some great insight for young women starting out in the industry and advice that she wished she would have received along her journey.  I hope everyone listens closely to her story about how she landed her first job in sports.

Presented by
Adventist HealthCare
Adventist HealthCare is the largest & only health system headquartered in Montgomery Co., MD  www.adventisthealthcare.com

SAM Soccer
Recreational Soccer League in Montgomery County Maryland
www.samsoccer.org

Roll by Goodyear
www.goodyear.com/en-US/tires/mobile-install

This week we speak with Jana Brooks, Manager Event and Tenant Services, Maryland Stadium Authority.  We talk through her journey from facility management at a law firm, to S.A.F.E, to dealing with both the Ravens and the Orioles at the Camden Yards Stadium Complex.  Jana has some fun stories about managing events, challenges, in the job, and why she loves it.  Jana also talks about one of the most rewarding things she has done, in managing the Mass Vaccination Site at M&T Bank Stadium this year.

Presented by
Adventist HealthCare
Adventist HealthCare is the largest & only health system headquartered in Montgomery Co., MD  www.adventisthealthcare.com

SAM Soccer
Recreational Soccer League in Montgomery County Maryland
www.samsoccer.org

Roll by Goodyear
www.goodyear.com/en-US/tires/mobile-install

MBS Performance Counseling
Mental Athletic Performance and Adolescent Counseling
"Discover How To Perform With Purpose"
www.mbsperformancecounseling.com

Instacart
instacart.oloiyb.net/eDk4g

This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thank you for your support!

Matt and Kim are back for a new season and will be focusing on Women in Sports.  In this season's first episode we are speaking with Andrea Travelstead, the Assistant Director for Youth and Development at USA Basketball.  We get to talk about her journey in sports which includes 2 college National Championships, one as a player and one as a coach, her time in Australia, and her move to USA Basketball.  Andrea give some great advise for young women looking to work in sports and some of the struggle she faced in her own career.

Learn more about USA Basketball at
https://www.usab.com/

Presented by
Adventist HealthCare
Adventist HealthCare is the largest & only health system headquartered in Montgomery Co., MD  www.adventisthealthcare.com

SAM Soccer
Recreational Soccer League in Montgomery County Maryland
www.samsoccer.org

Roll by Goodyear
www.goodyear.com/en-US/tires/mobile-install

Instacart
instacart.oloiyb.net/eDk4g

This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thank you for your support!

Pitchside from the Plex is back.  This season Kim and Matt are focusing on Women in Sports.  We will host a series of female guests to talk about their journey in sports, challenges they have faced, what can make women better suited to work in sports, and provide advice for young women looking to get started in the sports industry.  We will talk with college ADs, representatives from various sports organizations such as USA Basketball, USA Football, Ironman, plus venue managers, and someone from the C-Suite of the LA Olympics.  It should be a fun season.

Kim and Matt sit down with Jason Clement the CEO and Founding Partner of The Sports Facilities Companies.  We discuss what goes into developing new sports facilities, why communities are looking to add sports venues, and why youth sports are so important to a healthy community.  Jason talks about the holistic benefits to children from sports in terms of physical, mental, and spiritual well being.  We also discuss the economics of sports venues and youth sports itself.  Jason discusses the growing crisis of reduced access to sports programs and how The Sports Facilities Companies are working to address it.   

Learn more about The Sports Facilities Companies at
https://sportadvisory.com/

Presented by
 Adventist HealthCare
 Adventist HealthCare is the largest & only health system headquartered in Montgomery Co., MD  www.adventisthealthcare.com

SAM Soccer
Recreational Soccer League in Montgomery County Maryland
www.samsoccer.org

Mid-Atlantic CrossFit Challenge
http://www.midatlanticcrossfitchallenge.com

MBS Performance Counseling
Mental Athletic Performance and Adolescent Counseling
"Discover How To Perform With Purpose"
www.mbsperformancecounseling.com

Pitchside from the Plex listeners can get 40% of the Perform with Purpose online course from MBS Performance Counseling by using Discount Code "soccerplex"
https://mbsperformancecounseling.com/perform-with-purpose-online-course/

This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thank you for your support!

Kim and Matt sit down with Wilson Pak, the Director of the Mid-Atlantic CrossFit Challenge.  Wilson explains the concept of CrossFit and what competitive CrossFit looks like.  We explore the challenges presented by COVID to the industry.  Wilson also talk about the Mid-Atlantic CrossFit Challenge which is moving to Knoxville Tennessee this year as well as the NOBULL CrossFit Games in Madison Wisconsin. 

Presented by
 Adventist HealthCare
 Adventist HealthCare is the largest & only health system headquartered in Montgomery Co., MD  www.adventisthealthcare.com

SAM Soccer
Recreational Soccer League in Montgomery County Maryland
www.samsoccer.org

Mid-Atlantic CrossFit Challenge
http://www.midatlanticcrossfitchallenge.com

MBS Performance Counseling
Mental Athletic Performance and Adolescent Counseling
"Discover How To Perform With Purpose"
www.mbsperformancecounseling.com

Pitchside from the Plex listeners can get 40% of the Perform with Purpose online course from MBS Performance Counseling by using Discount Code "soccerplex"
https://mbsperformancecounseling.com/perform-with-purpose-online-course/

This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Thank you for your support!