The Unpaved Path

Johnny Kemps: Former Captain of Boston University's Men's Track & Field

My guest today is a former Captain of Boston University's Men's Track & Field, who is now living his best life in Colorado and finding what he loves outside of athletics. He's also one of my favorite people on this planet, who I met on the first day of our summer internship. He holds a special place in my heart, and I hope one day everyone gets a chance to meet him (or someone like him)! We cover so much ground in this episode. We talk about how he dealt with injury both mentally and physically in high school, how athlete identity can impact you negatively, what it was like transferring to another college just two miles down the road, and how it feels being an LGBTQ+ athlete and the challenges it can pose. This was such an awesome episode to do. I learned so much about someone I've known for a long time, and I know the people that hear his story will feel similarly. If you want to follow along on Johnny's journey, he can be found on Instagram @johnnykemps.

Kristie Elliott: First Canadian Woman to Receive NCAA Football Scholarship

My guest today started her college career as a track athlete at Simon Fraser University, but after she made a bet with a football player at a party, that changed. She's now the first woman from Canada to earn a football scholarship in the NCAA, and shortly after this episode, she scored her first field goal. In this episode, we talk about her first days on the football team, how her mindset has changed as a kicker over the past couple of years, and how she did her best to stay mentally ready during her first football game. She also shares some hilarious stories that definitely help you get a picture of what she goes through as the only woman on her football team. This episode is definitely worth a listen! If you want to follow along on Kristie's journey, she can be found on Instagram at @kristie.elliott

Kaylen Buschhorn: Founder of More Than Just Balls & McDaniel College Lacrosse Player

My guest today is a current member of the McDaniel College Women’s Lacrosse team. She’s super passionate about elevating the stories of women in sports and is doing so much to help develop women’s sports coverage whether through More Than Just Balls, AU Pro Sports, or The Hidden Opponent. In this episode, we talk about her journey through sports, being sidelined due to injury, her passion for showcasing women breaking glass ceilings, how she began to recover from her eating disorder, and what she hopes to accomplish in the future. I don’t even know where she finds the time to do all that she does, but she was an amazing guest and has the potential to do so many great things. If you want to follow along on Kaylen’s journey, she can be found on Instagram at @kaylenb_13.

Carrie Oehm: Social Media Lead for NBA Top Shot & Sports Enthusiast

If you look up the definition of a sports enthusiast, you would find a picture of my guest today. She’s grown up playing, watching, and supporting sports of all kinds. When we filmed this, she was working as the Social Media Manager for The GIST, but she’s recently gotten a new opportunity working as a Social Media Lead for NBA Top Shot at Dapper Labs. In this episode, we talk about how she found her love for sports, how she feels looking back on her first viral video, first interview, and first posts as a social media manager, and we get her thoughts on the growth of women working in the sports industry. There’s a ton of good knowledge for anyone who is looking to get their start working in sports. If you want to follow along on Carrie’s journey, she can be found on Instagram @coehmer!

Schuyler DeBree: NC Courage Soccer Player & Host of The Mental Matchup

My guest today is a former Duke Women’s soccer player and currently playing for North Carolina Courage in the NWSL. She also hosts her own podcast called The Mental Matchup and has been super open and honest about her mental health journey. We cover so much in this episode from her recruiting process with Duke to playing professional soccer in Prague to how she’s navigating her new journey post-college and finding what she’s passionate about. She’s so humble and relatable, so I’m excited for you to get the chance to hear her story. If you want to follow along on Schuyler’s journey, she can be found on Instagram at @schuylerdebree :)