Sports Minded Show

Sports Minded host Brittany Young sits down with Olive Branch, Mississippi native Madison Young. Madison is a senior and the starting pitcher for St. Benedict at Auburndale High School's softball team. She's also the starting pitcher for the Mississippi Bombers 18u National Knight and a University of Texas San Antonio signee. The Youngs, who are related, discuss the history of softball in their family and Madison's journey on the diamond to get to where she is now. Madison also talks about some goals she has for her final high school softball season.

Sports Minded host Brittany Young sits down with guest J.J. Nelson Sr. to talk about his time as a standout athlete at Midfield High School, his experience on the gridiron at The University of Alabama at Birmingham and in the NFL, and his short stint coaching at Rice University. Nelson has now transitioned into coaching for the San Tan Youth Football League and doing speed and agility training in Arizona.

Sports Minded host Brittany Young sits down with former basketball teammate Courtney Green, who's a two-time state champion and former MVP at Midfield High School. She was also honored as a McDonald's All-American nominee, Gatorade Player of the Year and Miss Basketball for the state of Alabama. Green went on to play college basketball at LSU and professionally in Portugal. Young and Green discuss Courtney's time as an athlete, her transition into entrepreneurship, marriage and motherhood, and how she's developed a passion for mentorship and mental health.

Sports Minded host Brittany Young sits down with women's basketball player and Birmingham Blaze AAU girls basketball coach Amber Jones. They discuss Amber's playing days at Fairfield High School, Shelton State Community College, Auburn University at Montgomery, and now with Team Free Game in the MLK Women's Basketball League. They also talk about the pros and cons of Jones coaching her daughter during AAU and how she's able to balance being a coach, coach's wife, and mom, while running her Sweet Jones Dessert Shop business. Finally, Young and Jones talk WNBA, giving their takes on some of the Dawgs of the W and some changes that should be made to the playoff format.

Sports Minded host Brittany Young sits down with Tiffany Willis to talk about her officiating career - the sports she's called, the roles she's held, the opportunities that are available, and the pros and cons of the field. Willis is a former official for the West Central Alabama Association and the Baton Rouge Association where she spent five seasons. She's currently a member of the West Virginia Football Association and the ODAC/USA South DIII conference. At the collegiate level, she's worked the line of scrimmage, primarily as the head line judge. This year, she'll be on the opposite side working line judge.

Sports Minded host Brittany Young speaks with guest Karisma Chapman. Karisma - who's a former UAB women's basketball player and currently the Director of Operations for the MLK Women's Basketball League in Birmingham, Alabama - talks about hooping in the alley with her siblings as a kid in Chicago, playing professionally in Iceland and Israel, coaching AAU and girls high school basketball and lacing up her shoes for the women's league before moving into operations. Chapman also discusses some goals she has for the league in the coming seasons.

Sports Minded host Brittany Young sits down with Joey Burton, former Director of Basketball Operations for Mississippi State women's basketball and current Director of Champions Academy. Burton shares how he developed a love for basketball and reflects on his playing days. He also talks about his time as an assistant coach at Saint Joseph's High School in Chicago and his journey in player development training college, NBA and Overseas players.

Sports Minded host Brittany Young and guest/former coach Darrell Barber, Head Boys Basketball Coach at Pinson Valley High School, discuss Barber's coaching journey. They document his first coaching job at Central Park Elementary School, where they first met, to his current position at Pinson Valley. Barber also talks about being a player's coach, building relationships, winning championships and some goals he still wants to achieve in his career.

Sports Minded host Brittany Young and guest/former Mississippi State women's basketball teammate and Murrah High School Head Girls Basketball Coach Candace Foster recap the men's and women's Final Four. They also talk top women's basketball players in the transfer portal who have already committed to another school and where the players who are still available will land.

Sports Minded host Brittany Young and guest Mike Hill - Studio Host for FS1 Los Angeles - discuss Hill growing up in Bessemer, Alabama and working at ESPN and Fox Sports. They also talk about Super Bowl LIX, NBA All-Star weekend and the future of college athletics.

Sports Minded host Brittany Young and guest Rashad Milligan - Senior Audience Editor for Sports at nola.com - discuss whether the Unrivaled league has been what they've expected so far, WNBA free agency, the future of the Chicago Sky and Connecticut Sun and 2025 draft projections.

Sports Minded host Brittany Young and guest/former Mississippi State women's basketball teammate Candace Foster discuss Candace's journey: earning a scholarship as a preferred walk-on at MSU, coaching challenges, and the evolution of NIL. They also give a preview of SEC women's and men's basketball ahead of conference play beginning in January.

Sports Minded host Brittany Young and guest/former Midfield High School basketball coach Reggie Ware analyze WNBA head coaching changes, W players opting out of 2020 collective bargaining agreement, expansion draft for new Golden State Valkyries franchise, Unrivaled & Athletes Unlimited leagues, and some of the top players in women’s college basketball.

Spots Minded host Brittany Young and guest/former Midfield High School basketball coach Reggie Ware discuss the 2024 WNBA season, featuring the Finals/playoffs, regular season awards head coaching fires and the narrative that surrounded the league this season.