PODCAST · health
No Former Athlete
by No Former Athlete
Welcome to the No Former Athlete Podcast, where we explore the challenges retired athletes face as they transition from sports to a new identity. Most athletes spend more time retired than playing, often feeling lost and confused. It's not about sports.Hosts Erin McGinnis and Alex Gasaway delve into the emotional hurdles of leaving competitive sports. Through personal stories and insights, they discuss the search for new validation and maintaining confidence and purpose.Tune in as we highlight these hidden challenges and reshape life after sports.
Episodes
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How a Hockey Obsession Built a Brewery and a Business
Erin sits down with lifelong hockey player and entrepreneur Steve Albers to discuss athlete identity, life after competitive sports, and finding lasting community through the game. Steve shares how lessons from hockey shaped his journey from adult beer leagues and youth coaching to founding…
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The Dream I Almost Chased, and Still Think About
University of San Diego college dancer Angela Aguilar opens up about life after competitive dance, rebuilding a relationship with movement, and finding new ways to channel the drive, discipline, and competitive energy that never left her. Angela shares why she stepped away from her college dance...
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The 20-Year Identity Crisis She Didn’t Know She Was Having
In this episode of No Former Athlete, Erin talks with Jenny Bauer, a lifelong athlete, former DePauw women’s basketball player, All-American track athlete, attorney, coach, and multi-sport competitor. Jenny reflects on growing up in a small Indiana town during the early days of organized girls’...
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Bowling Alleys, Burnout & Learning How to Take a Break
Just two childhood friends and no former athletes catching up on 20+ years of history — and unpacking why neither of us knew how to relax until literally last year. 😅 Erin sits down with lifelong friend Veronica (soccer, basketball, and youth league bowling — yes, really) to talk about what...
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The Trauma Athletes Are Trained to Ignore
Joshua Jones played college football at DePauw before becoming a social worker and community leader in St. Louis. Use code JOSHPOD to get a special discount to get lifetime access on the NFA Breathe Here Now Virtual Breathwork session. https://www.noformerathlete.com/bhn In this episode, Josh...
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She Shot Sue Bird, Rolling Stone, and SLAM's StudBudz Cover | Nicol Biesek
From college basketball to shooting covers for Rolling Stone and SLAM Magazine — sports photographer Nicol's journey is proof that retired athletes never really stop being athletes. Use code NICOLPOD to get a special discount to get lifetime access on the NFA Breathe Here Now Virtual Breathwork...
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The Day She Got Her Jersey Was The Day Her Career Ended
What happens when the sport that shaped you is taken away in a second? In this episode of No Former Athlete, Erin sits down with Ciara — former volleyball player, Navy veteran, coach, content creator, and founder of The New Mix — to talk about athlete identity, career-ending injury, mental…
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When Your Meditation Becomes Unreachable? This happens.
Bree Pear has played basketball since they were five. They never played in college — but they never stopped playing either. Now at 36, they’re still figuring out how to get back to the game after a three-year depression pulled them away from the one thing that always kept them grounded. In this...
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Nothing Will Replace What Sports Felt Like. Here's the Truth.
Most athletes don't grieve the end of their sport. They just move on — or try to. In this episode, Erin talks with Max Guenther, a former D3 quarterback, about the seven years it took to figure out life after competitive sport. They cover the identity loss nobody prepares you for, the injuries…
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He Runs a 3:15 Marathon but Won't Call Himself an Athlete
Dom played basketball at Grinnell College. Then it ended. No fanfare. No plan. Just a routine that disappeared overnight. Now he's run 16 marathons, founded Sunday Run Day LA, and still isn't sure he'd call himself an athlete. In this episode, we get into the honest, unfiltered conversation about...
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From 3rd ACL Tear to Everest Base Camp in 13 Months
What happens when you stop playing the sport that shaped your entire identity? In this episode, we’re talking about the very real transition from college athlete to “normal life” — and why so many no former athletes struggle with losing structure, purpose, validation, and identity after sports…
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Why It's Impossible to Stop Being An Athlete Even 20 Years Later
Okay, here’s the real story. No Former Athlete didn’t start as a business idea. It started with an identity crisis. We were in the middle of the pandemic, feeling off, watching Brittany Runs a Marathon… and by the end of the movie I was signing up for an Ironman. Why? Because I missed being an...
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She Built One of the First Women’s Sports Platforms — Now She’s at ESPN
From Competitive Cheerleader to Women’s Sports Broadcaster | Athlete Identity After Sport with Ari Most people assume Ari played basketball. She’s 6 feet tall. She covers women’s sports. It feels obvious. But her athletic background? Taekwondo. Gymnastics. Competitive all-star cheer. Volleyball....
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The Cost of Chasing Relevance in a Dopamine Economy
What happens when the thing that defined you… ends? In this episode of No Former Athlete, Brad Hauter opens up about life after sport — from being told he’d never play again, to playing professionally for 10 years, to chasing validation long after the crowd was gone. We talk athlete identity…
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Washed Up Athlete Was My Whole Personality
In this episode of No Former Athlete, we sit down with Megan, a former D1 soccer player whose career ended suddenly after multiple concussions. What followed wasn’t just an exit from the game—it was a full identity reckoning. We talk about control issues athletes carry into adulthood, why rest…
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From Filming My High School Team to Running a Production Company
Ever look back at your high school athlete days and think, “Damn, who was that person?” Same. In this episode, Brandi takes us on a hilarious, honest, and nostalgic ride from being a basketball star to figuring out who she is after the final buzzer. We talk college hoops drama, identity crises,...
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I Graduated… Then Checked If I Could Redshirt and Keep Playing
Are you still an athlete if you’re not competing anymore? In this episode of No Former Athlete, we sit down with Zach, a former collegiate baseball player, to talk about the moment sport ends—and everything that quietly comes after it. Zach opens up about how his brain still defines “athlete,”…
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I Was Secretly Dating My Teammate, then Everything Blew Up
What happens when being an athlete is all you’ve ever known — and then it’s suddenly taken away? In this episode of No Former Athlete, Kelly Balch opens up about growing up as a multi-sport athlete, earning a soccer scholarship as a goalkeeper, and competing at a high level — only to lose her...
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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…
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Adult Leagues and 18-minute Miles To Redefine My Athlete Identity | Jazzmyne Jay
What happens when the thing that’s defined you your entire life… suddenly ends? Jazzmyne Jay was born and raised to be an athlete. Volleyball was everything — her schedule, her identity, her way of belonging. But two games before playoffs, she tore her ACL, MCL, and meniscus. In one moment,...
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You’ll Miss the Days You Couldn’t Sit on the Toilet
Kara Campbell has never known life without sports. From t-ball to college volleyball, and now as a head athletic trainer, she’s always been surrounded by athletes—and still proudly identifies as one. In this conversation, Kara reflects on what it means to carry the athlete identity long after…
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The Craziest First Race You’ll Ever Hear — 100 Mile Ultra
From D3 football to 100-mile ultra marathons — meet Toan Nguyen. In this episode of No Former Athlete, Toan shares how he went from playing football and basketball in college to becoming a long-distance runner chasing ultra endurance goals. He opens up about his athlete identity, how a concussion...
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From Total Beginner to Facing the Best Olympians in 4 Years
What happens when a high school hallway conversation launches a Division I basketball career? In this powerful episode, Nina shares her incredible journey from picking up a basketball for the first time as a freshman to competing against legends like Cheryl Miller and starting on one of the top...
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Why I’m Done Working Hard (And You Should Be Too)
Why I’m Done Working Hard (And You Should Be Too) We grew up believing that hard work was the ultimate badge of honor — especially as athletes. Hustle harder. Push through. No excuses. But what happens when you hit your 30s and realize… maybe that kind of grind isn’t it anymore? In this episode…
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From Basketball Star to Triathlete: Owning the Athlete Within
Are you still an athlete if you're not competing anymore? In this episode of No Former Athlete, I sit down with one of my best friends and former college basketball teammates, Allie Ross, for a raw and honest conversation about what happens after sports end. We talk about the identity crisis that...
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She Couldn’t Find a Place to Watch Women’s Sports—So She Built One
In this powerful episode, we sit down with Jax—athlete, entrepreneur, and founder of California’s first sports bar dedicated to women’s sports, Watch Me. Jax opens up about reclaiming her athlete identity, navigating identity shifts post-sport, and the fire that fueled her journey from JV…
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When the Game Doesn’t Love You Back: Athlete Trauma & Growth in Your Thirties
She Walked Away from the Game — and Found Herself Again In this episode of No Former Athlete, Jerrica Brooks keeps it real about what it’s like to grow up loving a sport that doesn’t always love you back. We get into the highs of high school hoops, the pain of toxic coaching, and how stepping…
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The Hardest Part Wasn’t Quitting. It Was What Came After. AthletEX Founder Taylor Cohen
Life After Pro Sports with AthletEX Founder: Taylor CohenWhat happens when the final whistle blows — and you’re not ready to stop playing? In this episode, we sit down with a former pro soccer player and founder of AthletEX, a community-driven platform helping athletes rediscover identity…
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Hanging Up Cleats at 35: The Transition No One Prepares You For
What does it mean to be an athlete—after the game ends? In this episode of No Former Athlete, we sit down with the one and only April “Scherm” Schermann: Division 1 softball player, award-winning educator, and legendary coach with over 21 years at the helm. Scherm shares her story of growing up…
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Coaching Girls Changed Everything I Thought I Knew
What makes a great coach? In this episode, I sit down with my former high school soccer coach, Coach Walker—a man who didn’t just teach the game, but taught life through it. From growing up playing barefoot on the streets of Jamaica to coaching high school and club soccer in the U.S., Coach…
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Staying Consistent After Sports: Why You Need an Accountability Partner
What happens when the sport that shaped your entire identity suddenly ends? In this episode of No Former Athlete, I sit down with Logan, a former college volleyball player, lifelong athlete, and coach, who’s still pushing herself at 47 — even with a walking boot on her foot. We talk about the...
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I Tore My ACL the Week Before Signing My D1 Scholarship
Imagine grinding your whole life to play at the D1 level—only to have it all taken away by injuries. That’s exactly what happened to Natalie Freeman, a former college soccer player whose career was full of unexpected twists, surgeries, and one brutal conversation that changed everything.But…
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Life After Sports: Finding Identity Beyond the Game with No Former Athlete Host, Erin McGinnis
In this episode of No Former Athlete, we explore the journey athletes face when their competitive careers come to an end. What happens when you’re no longer defined by your sport? As a retired National Champion, NFA host, Erin McGinnis, turns into the guest for this episode and opens up about the...
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Why I Walked Away from a Pro Baseball Career in My Prime
🎙️ *From Pro Athlete to Coach: Navigating Life After Sports | No Former Athlete* 🎙️ In this episode, we sit down with Todd Mitchell, a former Division I baseball player who was drafted by the New York Yankees, to explore the highs and lows of athletic life and the emotional transition after...
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Retired National Champions: "We Still Feel We Have to Earn Our Showers!"
🎙️ In this episode, I’m joined by my former college basketball teammate, Ellie Pearson, for a deep dive into life after sports. 🏀 We explore the emotional and mental challenges that come with leaving behind an athletic identity, including the grief, the struggle to find new routines, and the…
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67 Years Old: Why It's a Mistake to Call Yourself a Former Athlete
In this episode of No Former Athlete, we sit down with Kurt Swearingen, a retired multi-sport athlete who has seamlessly transitioned into a successful career as an educator. Kurt shares his journey from the football field and baseball diamond to the classroom, discussing how his identity as an...
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"The Comparison to Former Self Is Tough" Retired Swimmer on Stress Dreams and Transition to Ironman
In today’s electrifying episode, we’re joined by Jack Burgeson, a retired swimmer whose journey is nothing short of inspiring. Jack didn’t start swimming until high school, yet he propelled himself to become a collegiate swimmer at DePauw University and is now a dedicated triathlon enthusiast in...
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Team USA Athletic Trainer on Championship Wins, Identity, and Purpose
Today on the No Former Athlete Podcast, we’re joined by 2019 World Cup gold medal-winning athletic trainer, Katie Donnelly. Katie reveals how she transitioned from an active kid trying out every sport imaginable (after School Sports Specialist anyone?) to becoming a vital part of the support…
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He Transitioned from Pro Athlete to Entrepreneur. The Truth About Identity with Chris Eversley
In this episode, we sit down with Chris Eversley, an athlete from the South Side of Chicago who played professional basketball internationally, and has now fully bet on himself and his skills as an entrepreneur. Chris shares his experiences, challenges, and triumphs, revealing the resilience and...
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The Truth About Perfectionism, Self Compassion, and Body Autonomy from a Retired Dancer
Today on No Former Athlete, we explore the inspiring journey of Alison Wiley, a retired competitive dancer who has faced the complexities of athletic identity, body autonomy, and the transition to motherhood. Alison shares her early beginnings in ballet, her experiences with competitive dance...
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Women Can’t Play Full Court! How Jill Hutchison Forever Changed Women’s Basketball
Welcome to the very first episode of the No Former Athlete Podcast! Today, our host Erin McGinnis has the pleasure of chatting with Jill Hutchison, a true pioneer in women's basketball. Jill opens up about her incredible journey from being an athlete to becoming a coach and eventually finding her...
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Welcome to the No Former Athlete Podcast (Trailer)
Welcome to the first episode of the No Former Athlete Podcast. Most athletes spend more time retired than playing the sports they love. When the arena empties, retired athletes face a significant shift in identity, leading to feelings of loss, purposelessness, and confusion as they attempt to...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to the No Former Athlete Podcast, where we explore the challenges retired athletes face as they transition from sports to a new identity. Most athletes spend more time retired than playing, often feeling lost and confused. It's not about sports.Hosts Erin McGinnis and Alex Gasaway delve into the emotional hurdles of leaving competitive sports. Through personal stories and insights, they discuss the search for new validation and maintaining confidence and purpose.Tune in as we highlight these hidden challenges and reshape life after sports.
HOSTED BY
No Former Athlete
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does No Former Athlete have?
No Former Athlete currently has 42 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is No Former Athlete about?
Welcome to the No Former Athlete Podcast, where we explore the challenges retired athletes face as they transition from sports to a new identity. Most athletes spend more time retired than playing, often feeling lost and confused. It's not about sports.Hosts Erin McGinnis and Alex Gasaway delve...
How often does No Former Athlete release new episodes?
No Former Athlete has 42 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to No Former Athlete?
You can listen to No Former Athlete on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts No Former Athlete?
No Former Athlete is created and hosted by No Former Athlete.
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