Empowering Women in High School Sports with Jen Brooks

Empowering Women in High School Sports with Jen Brooks

In this episode, Tayler is joined by Jen Brooks, the Athletic Director of Usuline Academy in St. Louis and the founder of the Global Community of Women in High School Sports (GCWHSS). Jen shared how she got started working in sports, as well as some of the challenges faced by women working in high school sports. The two discuss the importance of community and mentorship for women in sports, and Jen talks about how GCWHSS is adjusting their structure to better serve the membership.

How HomeTeam is Revolutionizing Athlete Mental Health with Founder Emily Huston

In this episode, Tayler is joined by Emily Huston, the founder of HomeTeam, which is an organization dedicated to centralizing athlete-centered care and community. Emily discusses her student-athlete and professional playing careers and gaps she noticed in athlete mental health support. The two discuss what led Emily to launch HomeTeam, and why she believes community and provider collaboration is such an important part of supporting athletes in their mental health. Trigger warning: suicide ideation and suicide rates of NCAA student-athletes.

Part 3: How BSN SPORTS’ SURGE Program is Powering Girls Forward in Sports with Olympian Allison Schmitt

This episode is the third of a three-part series with BSN SPORTS and their SURGE program. In this episode, Tayler is joined by four-time Olympian Allison Schmitt. Allison shares her athlete journey from swimming in college to the Olympics, including the differences in her four Olympic Games. The two also discuss the impact of the SURGE program and the importance of helping to build skills of resilience and confidence in young girl athletes.

Part 2: How BSN SPORTS’ SURGE Program is Powering Girls Forward in Sports with Tisha Hill

This episode is part two of a three-part series with BSN SPORTS and their SURGE program. In this episode, Tayler is joined by Tisha Hill, who serves as a National Account Manager for the SURGE Program [https://surge.varsityuniversity.org/], which is aimed at empowering girls in sports. Tisha shares her journey from student-athlete at Indiana University to coaching to her current role now with BSN SPORTS. She discusses the importance of confidence, community, and innovative programs for women and girls in sports, and she and Tayler talk about the value of the student-athlete experience.

Part 1: How BSN SPORTS’ SURGE Program is Powering Girls Forward in Sports with Aaron Hart

In this episode, Tayler is joined by Aaron Hart, Lecturer at SUNY Cortland and Vice President of Curriculum and Program Engagement at Varsity Brands. Through Varsity Brands and BSN SPORTS, Aaron oversees several programming initiatives aimed at physical education and empowerment for young athletes, including BSN SPORTS’ SURGE Program, which is aimed at empowering girls in sports. The two discussed how SURGE got its start, the impact the program has had so far, and some of the strategies it has in place to help build confidence in girls in sports.