LAUREN CHAMBERLAIN: A boss lady, Iconic softball player, commissioner of the WPF, ambassador and host for the MLB, founder of LC Management, wine enthusiast, and momma of her dog Quavo. She played softball for the University of Oklahoma and graduated in 2015 with a degree in Women and Gender Studies. In this podcast we talked about injuries and setbacks, the difference in playing softball in college and professionally, and her favorite moment in playing softball. We are excited to have her on the podcast and hope you enjoy this episode!

I read a research article that was done by the Journal of Sport Behavior ; Mobile Vol. 43, Iss. 1, (Mar 2020): 3-27. This study claims to be “the first study to explore the perceptions of current student-athletes regarding their wellness as they approach the impending transition from school and sport”. They interviewed 29 athletes from one NCAA Division One school in small groups. I wanted to share my thoughts and apply my experiences on their findings. Reference:

Bjornsen-Ramig, A., Bigaouette, A., Warehime, S., & Dinkel, D. (2020). A qualitative exploration of the impending transition experiences of division I college student-athletes: A wellness perspective. Journal of Sport Behavior, 43(1), 3-27. Retrieved from https://cbcl.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/qualitative-exploration-impending-transition/docview/2469266700/se-2?accountid=47365

Michelle Sass played softball as a utility player at Oregon State and graduated in 2019 with her degree in Kinesiology Pr-Medical. She is currently a graduate student at the University of Alabama pursuing her Master degree in Kinesiology and Sport Administration. She is on track to graduate in a month. On top of that, she is working full time at the University of Idaho as an Academic Advisor for Student Athletes. In her free time she loves to hunt, go fishing, and be outdoors. She loves country music, country concerts, and spending time with her family and her cat. She grew up in Saint Helens, Oregon which is about 45 minutes north of Portland. 

In this podcast, we talked about choosing career paths, figuring out life after competitive sports, and some great moments from the college days. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Sarah Milliren was a professional equestrian graduated from the University of Georgia. She is now the Vice President Operations at Upright Digital. She is from Tulsa, Oklahoma and now lives in Houston, Texas. She has her Bachelor degree in Sports Management. She has a dog named Bernie. She still rides horses sometimes. She enjoys working out and being outdoors.

Ian grew up in Klamath Falls, Oregon and now lives in Eugene, Oregon. He has a dog named Chap and she is 13, newly deaf, and was a running buddy of his but now she's slowing down. Ian graduated with his degree in Political Science from Stanford in 2005 running track for the University. He made the Olympic team in 2008 and ran professionally until 2012. He is now working in event management with the Eugene Marathon and also does some coaching for high school athletes.

Ian and I talked about the struggles of identifying as your sport. He had great advice and perspective on the process of transitioning out of doing competitive sports. We talked about choosing a major in college, what training looks like after playing sports competitively, favorite moments during competing, and more.

Julia Hollingsworth was an outfielder for Tulsa Softball. She has faced the adversity of 3 surgeries during her softball career. She is now a graduate student at Texas State University. She loves Crossfit, going fishing, and going on hikes.