Listen to Kirsten’s First Act of Tennis in “ACT 16 Part 1” - 

Life after tennis was unique for Kirsten. Because she had already unexpectedly experienced what life without her sport was like, she was able to fully feel the gratitude and joy at the end of her second chance at tennis. She wasted no time finding ways back into the tennis world, only this time on the coaching side of the court.

The lessons, skills, and character that formed her as an athlete were a catalyst for her coaching career, where she turned programs from failing to success like she did at Kentucky as a player. This First Act carryover, paired with a life-changing trip to Ethiopia, paved the way to being the Executive Director of the Atlanta Youth Tennis & Education Foundation (AYTEF) and shaped the lasting impact and legacy she seeks to have going forward.

https://www.tiktok.com/@thenextactpod⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thenextactpod/⁠

⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thenextactpod

Episode markers:

(00:00:15) - Feeling After Tennis Ended

(00:03:39) - Feeling of Life No Longer Revolving Around Tennis

(00:06:11) - What Helped You Find Your Next Act?

(00:11:31) - Best & Toughest Part of Life After Tennis

(00:14:15) - Next Act: Biggest Adjustment

(00:20:24) - Next Act: Replacing Tennis/Athlete Piece of Identity

(00:24:11) - Keep Using Your Athleticism

(00:25:16) - Next Act: First Act Characteristic That Helped in Next Act

(00:26:00) - Learning to Deal with Failure

(00:30:15) - Next Act: New Competitive Outlet

(00:35:39) - Using Your First Act In Your Next Act

(00:40:19) - Dream Next Act

(00:43:17) - Next Act: What is Your New Guiding Direction?

(00:49:43) - Next Act: Redefining Success

(00:56:15) - Putting Your Best Foot Forward

(01:07:35) - What Does a Life Well Lived Mean to You?

(01:10:38) - How Do You Want to Be Remembered?

Remember when you were a kid and you wanted to be a professional athlete when you grew up? Now imagine you find a sport where you discover a hidden talent and lots of early success. Not only are you winning against your age group, you’re beating kids 4 years older than you. Then come the sponsors and you’re ranked as a top prospect and not only is your dream a possibility, you’re actually on a trajectory to become that pro athlete.

Now imagine you have an injury that is undiagnosable and untreatable by even the best doctors and specialists and that dream that was in your sights is gone. You realize your identity was tied to something that is now over and you don’t know who you are anymore. What would you do?

Kirsten (Lewis) Robles doesn’t have to imagine, because this is her story. Kirsten’s First Act of tennis is marked by the highs of success, the lows of circumstances out of her control, and the gratitude of a second chance and new identity.

https://www.tiktok.com/@thenextactpod
https://www.instagram.com/thenextactpod/

https://www.youtube.com/@thenextactpod

(00:00:00) - Intro

(00:22:00) - Cheers to Next Act: Alex Morgan

(01:06:00) - Kirsten Intro

(03:29:00) - First Act: Athlete DNA

(04:55:00) - First Act: Discovering Tennis Talent

(08:19:00) - First Act: Elite Tennis Prospect

(11:05:00) - First Act: Injury Period

(13:27:00) - First Act: Identity Shift Out of Tennis

(19:19:00) - What Separated Tennis?

(22:54:00) - Getting Back to the Pros?

(24:16:00) - Why Kentucky Tennis?

(27:44:00) - Day in the Life

(31:45:00) - What Separated Kirsten as a Player?

(37:28:00) - Favorite Memory: Alabama Homecoming Comeback

(42:34:00) - Mindset Going Into a Big Match: Empty the Tank

(47:28:00) - Favorite Part About UK?

In College Football, some bowl games make you cringe when your team plays. There's no extra prestige or bragging rights in winning or even being there. So which bowl games throughout history have the most Aura? The games where it feels like there's more on the line. The bowls that carry more pride in victory, and more sting in defeat? Keiton and Matthew's picks may surprise you in another installment of the TNA DRAFT series.

Many athletes dive into their Next Acts in sports media, especially as part of a gameday crew for the sport they played in their First Act. Which ones do it the best? The first BLIND RANKING kicks off a new series for The Next Act hosts.

College football is one of the most demanding activities to subject yourself to. It requires you to be “all-in” just to give yourself a chance at success at one position, let alone all over the field. Players from the state of Michigan that have proven it’s possible to be a football Swiss Army Knife include Jabril Peppers, Josh Metellus, and Chaz Moore. 

Growing up the son of a football coach, Chaz learned the in’s and out’s of the game that allowed him to have the versatility to play any position his team needed to be successful. His jack-of-all-trades abilities carried his football career from high school to D3 powerhouse Mount Union and back to the great state of Michigan at D2 Davenport University. 

But what does this type of versatility look like in one’s Next Act? It looks like managing a painting and remodeling company that requires you to wear many hats, experiencing the other side of playing by coaching high school football, and rolling with all of the unexpected punches life throws you along the way. 

I’ve known Chaz since high school, and it was an absolute pleasure to talk with him about his First Act of football (00:03:49-00:09:31), what it’s like to transfer schools as a college athlete (00:09:31-00:13:55), Identity being tied to athletics (00:13:55-00:19:42), The transition out of football (00:24:33-00:29:22), and Navigating changes and uncertainty (00:29:22-00:35:54). Chaz also shares what life looks like now in his Next Act (00:35:54-00:43:13), and Redefining structure and success (00:43:13-00:53:00). 

If you’ve ever felt like you lost a piece of your identity after your First Act ended, like you’re drifting through days without an end goal, or that you haven’t found that new passion or purpose that will leave you fulfilled, join us as we learn and grow together on The Next Act.

WATCH the full episode and clips - https://youtube.com/@thenextactpod

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Tik Tok - @thenextactpod

In life, there are what I like to call “Bottom Line” People. These are the ones who, in spite of adversity, unexpected obstacles, and against all odds, get the job done at the end of the day. You’ll be hard pressed to find someone who embodies the bottom line more than Jake Palomaki.

What does a D1 golf career and teaching a 6th grade classroom have in common? Kelsey Eichenauer would be that missing link. Kelsey was a student-athlete at Valparaiso University, and a key member and leader of the Women's Golf Team. She's our first guest who is still partially navigating the transition phase between First Act and Next Act, even while she's begun her Next Act as an educator.

We talk about what it's like to be a golfer at the Division I level and the characteristics she gained from that experience that she has leaned on to help her transition into life after her First Act.

Kelsey shares her perspective on being a teacher to middle school students, why she chose to go into this field over a medical career, and the impact she has already seen, and hopes to continue to make on future students.

A unique part of this conversation is the insight Kelsey gives on the phase of life she's currently in. The struggles of trying to adjust to life without golf, redefining success, and finding a new guiding direction for her Next Act.

Watch the full episode and episode clips - https://youtube.com/@thenextactpod

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Tik Tok - @thenextactpod

What are some of the things that make Division 3 different from other levels of college athletics? In the second Next Act Draft, Co-Hosts Matthew and Keiton are back taking turns choosing their 5 biggest struggles of being a D3 student-athlete. Some may be obvious, others may be controversial. We don't make the rules here.

Follow us on social media:

If you HAD to choose, what are the best things about being a Division 3 Student-Athlete? Welcome to the First Next Act Draft. Co-Hosts Keiton and Matthew take turns making their picks of 5 of the best things from their experience. What ranks the highest, and what doesn't make the cut? You might be surprised.

Follow us on Social Media:

One of the show’s most impressive guests to date, former Wittenberg baseball star Jack Hollinshead joins The Next Act to share his journey of playing a key piece in a historic program turnaround, buying into a culture of accountability, testing the jump from D3 to D1, gratitude gained through reflection, and what steps are required on his road to becoming an athletic director.

Watch the full episode and episode clips - https://youtube.com/@thenextactpod

Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok - thenextactpod