*recorded Spring 2023* Audrey has played soccer her whole life, all over the WORLD and through countless injuries that would have taken most people out of the sport. We talk about how she mentally and physically rehabbed through countless injuries and how she's used the mental and physical skills to help other athletes through similar situations. Both of our lives have changed a LOT since recording this, but still so many important life lessons from Audrey that I hope help other current and former athletes having a similar journey.

**trigger warning** in this episode we do have conversations around the a death of a loved one, as well as disordered eating.

In this new episode with Bridgette Schaal, former college gymnast and now personal trainer, we talk all about her transition post-career, the loss of her dad and how gymnastics became more than a sport to her. Bridgette shares all about her new business venture, providing a community for athletes to get workout plans, while also connecting with other former and current athletes experiencing the struggle of finding identity outside of sports.

Cari Roccaro, midfielder for Angel City FC, joins the pod to discuss all things mental health, soccer and her journey to find worth outside of her career. Cari has her own podcast "Butterfly Road" that she hosts with her former Notre Dame teammate, Ginny McGowan, where they chat all about their own journey's with mental health during and post-playing careers.

During this episode we talk all about Cari's roller coaster of a career in the NWSL, playing for Houston Dash, NC Courage and now Angel City in LA. Cari opens up about the highs and lows of her career, including getting cut from Houston, before moving onto NC where she won several Championships with the Courage. Then less than a year ago, she was traded to the brand new expansion team in LA, that brought on a whole new set of challenges and exciting experiences.

On top of discussing her playing journey, we talk about our relationship with food and body image during and after playing, how letting go of the control and pressure has actually found her more success, and finding new worth and identities outside of being "the soccer girl".

Thanks for tuning in and be sure to check out Cari's pod Butterfly Road on IG: @butterflyroadpodcast and follow her @cari_roccaro

The podcast is back! After about a 2 year break... and lots of life changes in between, I've decided to bring back the podcast that's ALLL about major life changes, finding your identity post-athletic career, and so much more!

I open the episode diving a little deeper into why I started the podcast originally wayyy back when, giving a little bit more background about what's brought me to this point of my mental health journey and why I am so passionate about talking with athletes about their journeys during and after their player career.

BUT I get that most of you are here for my special guest (understandably... she's a badass) so fast on forward through my blabber to xxx to catch the start of our convo.

Some background on Michele, she ....

- Is currently the Dietician for Chicago Fire FC

- Played soccer for Notre Dame - made the Final Four for four straight years

- Played Professionally for the Chicago Red Stars and overseas in Germany

- Took up CrossFit post-career

- Qualified for 2018 CrossFit Games... as a mom!

- Suffered a career ending injury in first event of the Games

- Now dedicates her career to nutrition education for athletes to improve performance on and off the field!

I can’t believe its already 2021 ... I know we’re all going to look back on 2020 with so many negative thoughts and memories … but something I want to do is highlight some of the GOOD that happened last year. For me, although I lost my job, WHICH SUCKED, I do still have so many positive things that happened one being I started this podcast and got to chat with so many incredible people. So I wanted to reach back out to my guests from the year and ask them what good things happened to them in 2020 and what are some positive they’re taking away from the year! So enjoy these happy memories from the amazing guests of the podcast, as well as a few more new voices of other people that helped get me through this tough year.

FEATURING my podcast guests - Dylan Wolfe, Phi Hoang, Yilret Yiljep, Patrick O'Keefe, Carly Perry, Vanessa Dickerson, Sydney and Susan Chervenic, Marsha Harper. My best friends, Claire Turcott and Erin Raderstorf, my boyfriend Will Koppenhaver, my sister Katie O'Keefe and my parents Jeannie and Jim <3

Enjoy!

PART 1 This week we have Marsha Harper, the brand new American University Women's Soccer Head Coach! Marsha played Div 1 college soccer at the University of Florida & University of Southern Florida, where she had a roller coaster of a 6 yr collegiate career filled with injuries and adversity. Her coaching journey started right out of college, joining FIVE different programs across the country before landing her very first head coaching role in the midst of a pandemic. She is making history in this role, as the first black head coach at American in over 15 years AND the 4th black female head coach in all of women's div. 1 soccer (over 300 programs). Her team has done some incredible work OFF the field -- promoting social justice, joining the fight against racism and inequality and opening the conversation about mental health among athletes.

In this PART 1, we talk about navigating the pandemic as a new coach, keeping the team motivated with no real games in sight and how her childhood growing up with BOTH parents in the military influence her life today.

And be sure to check out part 2 & 3 to hear stories of her CRAZY injuries, her inspiring message to staying positive during difficult times, her experience as a black female in majority white environments and her team's activism in support of racial equality and social justice.

PART 2 - We're back with PART 2 of my conversation with Marsha Harper, brand new head coach of the American University Women's Soccer team. Here we dive deeper into her career as a player and she talks about her injury-filled collegiate career, some ~unique~ remedies to heal some of her injuries and her decision to transfer from University of Florida to South Florida. She also shares about her unlikely path to coaching and how it actually wasn't something she saw for herself ... BUT she attributes so much of her success and journey to her mentors. She talks about how every job she had from ~USF to Richmond to Bowling Green to Northern Western State to UMass to AU~ were opportunities thanks to the help of people around her. So she emphasizes the importance of networking, creating relationships and fostering her players to be successful AFTER their playing career. I wish I had a few more years of eligibility ... because she seems like the kind of coach EVERY player wants to play for, one who truly values your development as a person OFF the field and is genuinely interested in your life and growth in and out of sports.

Be sure to check out part 3 after this as she talks about the initiatives her team started in support of the fight against racism and inequality in our country.

PART 3 - Welcome back to of my conversation with Marsha Harper, head coach of the American University Women's Soccer Team. Marsha is making history in this role as the first black head coach at American University in over 15 years AND just the 4th black female head coach in all of women's division1 soccer (over 300 programs). And while she started this job Dec 2019, and hasn't been able to coach a single game yet, her team is doing BIG things off the field in terms of joining the fight for racial equality. Marsha talks about all the player led-initiatives and the open conversations and safe space they have created to talk about difficult issues. Marsha also talks about her emphasis on career and personal development that she encourages (requires!) her players to do. Lastly, she shares some very importance advice on how to stay positive during difficult times and navigating your life when everything seems off track.

I'm so thankful to Marsha for sharing her inspiring stories, her helpful wisdom and her contagious positive personality - it brings such a happy light during this difficult time in our world. So thank you so much Marsha!!!!!