The Unexpected Path that led BJ Beckwith to Become a Top Voice in Women’s Sports

This week on No Former Athlete, we sit down with BJ Beckwith — co-host of the Just Women’s Sports: Sports Are Fun podcast — for one of the most honest, refreshing conversations we’ve ever had about identity, pressure, and choosing your own path.BJ grew up in a D1 household.A sister who played D1.A dad in two Hall of Fames.A family where sports weren’t just a hobby… they were the blueprint.And then one day, BJ realized something he never expected:He didn’t want the life everyone assumed he’d chase.Not the recruiting calls.Not the pressure.Not choosing “the right sport” at 14.Not sacrificing the once-in-a-lifetime moments of high school for playing time.What followed is a story every no former athlete will feel in their bones — the tug of expectations, the fear of disappointing people, the shock of stepping onto a college campus without the title “student-athlete,” and the messy journey of rebuilding identity on your own terms.We break down:• Growing up in a high-performance sports family• Rejecting the D1 path and choosing your version of success• Queerness, locker rooms, and redefining belonging• Learning to compete for joy instead of survival• Finding community again through running, club teams, and adult rec sports• The unexpected path that led BJ to become a voice in women’s sports• Why your athlete identity never leaves — it just evolvesThis episode is a reminder that:You don’t lose your athlete identity when you stop playing.You reclaim it.If you’ve ever questioned who you are without the jersey… this one is going to land deep.