Women Unscripted

Kendra Fisher is a Canadian ice hockey goalie and inline hockey player although her story today is not so much about her successes as a professional athlete as the mental illness that changed the course of her career. As a young player she achieved considerable success and was at the point of trying out for the Canadian team when the physical symptoms stopped her in her tracks. She was eventually diagnosed with a Severe Anxiety Disorder, Severe Panic Attacks, Depression and Agoraphobia which were to change her forever. She was forced to leave the national program and put her health first, which took years of treatment and adjustment to learn to live with her mental illness. Kendra has reached a point where she has the tools to manage her conditions and is in a position to help others through motivational speaking and her website Mentally Fit. To find out more about visit mentallyfit.com. For more conversations from the world of women’s sport visit us at www.wispsports.com and follow us on social media @WiSPsports.

Ash Nelson's guest this month is Team USA forward Michelle Vitesse who competed in the 2012 London Olympic Games where the team finished 12th and four years later in Rio where they finished 5th. In addition Michelle has a gold medal collection from the 2011 and 2015 Pan American Games, 2014 Champions Challenge and 2017 World League.  She describes herself as 'a bit hard-headed—a loud personality in a little body'! We find out how her personality has evolved and effected her as an athlete, how she deals with change, especially with team coaches and her weirdest dream. For other conversations from the world of women’s sport, visit www.wispsports.com where you find more show notes for this episode, and follow us on social media @WiSP Sports.

Chris Stafford's guest this week is Lucinda Fredericks who is a familiar name to anyone in eventing having been in the sport since her Junior and Young Rider years turned to a successful senior career with a string of 3 and 4 star horses. Her partnership with Headley Brittania captured the big three - Badminton, Burghley and Kentucky before the mare retired to the breeding barn. Lucinda’s team silver medal on the Australian team in the Beijing Olympic Games was another career highlight followed by a second Olympics in London. While her focus has shifted away from four star level she still has a full yard and her focus now is on training the younger generation, and being groom to her daughter Ellie. You can reach us by email at [email protected] with your comments or post them on our Facebook page at WiSP Sports. For more conversations from the world of women's sport visit us at www.wispsports.com and follow along on social media @WiSP Sports. 

Rio Olympic Silver Medalists in the Lightweight Doubles, Lindsay Jennerich & Patricia Obee, are back and their topic is Dealing with Disappointment in competiiton as an individual and in a team. They share their personal experiences of how they coped when they didn't get the result they hoped for or expected, how critical analysis is critically important not just in defeat but also when you win. And why being honest with yourself and your team mates is key to a successful outcome. They also explain why it's important to distinguish critical analysis of yourself as an athlete not your character or personality. The transcript of this episode is in the show notes at www.wispsports.com/dirty-double. For more conversations from the world of women's sport visit us at www.wispsports.com and follow on social media @WiSP Sports.

Dr Lisa Ingarfield, PhD, hosts a new monthly podcast that will address thought provoking and challenging discussions exploring all things women and gender equity in sport. TALKING POINT will provide a platform for deeper conversations about diversity and inclusion when it comes to women’s role in sport, and is intended to provide a means for people to engage and maintain that conversation and keep moving this issues forward so we don’t lose sight of them.

Topic:  How women experience marginalization in our culture and how sexism continues to play such a formidable role in our society.

Guest: Joanna Snawder-Manzo, MA, is an expert in women and gender studies who has worked in this field for over 17 years and has extensive experience of women facing issues on college campuses and beyond. Joanna has done work on wage discrimination, Title IX compliance and also in women’s leadership. She is a Certified Start Smart Salary Workshop Facilitator and Women’s Empowerment Model Self Defense Instructor. Joanna considers herself a social justice warrior and an endurance feminist.

To engage in this conversation email us at [email protected] or leave a comment on our Facebook Page - WiSP Sports.

For more conversations form the world of women’s sport visit us at www.wispsports.com and follow us on social media @WISP Sports.