The Started With A Dream Podcast w/ Jacolby Gilliam

Athletes Abroad Website

Lauren Page - Stepping Out Of My Comfort Zone Through Volleyball

9INE POINT — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0700

In this episode of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam welcomes Lauren Page, a pro volleyball athlete playing in France and represented by Athlete Abroad Management. Before her professional career, Lauren played at the University of Oregon, helping her team finish 9th in the NCAA. Today, she shares her story with us, starting with a young girl who loved volleyball for the fun of it and transitioning into a pro athlete.

Lauren begins with how she fell in love with volleyball despite being an introvert. She explains that volleyball was easy to love because she was surrounded by love, her team and her family. Lauren explains the difference between playing in high school and college and how to quickly adapted to new rules and plays. Later, Lauren describes the moment she decided to go pro and how her pro career has proceeded thus far.

Key Points:

Lauren’s goal when she was a young athlete
Falling in love with volleyball
How Lauren Page started playing volleyball
Playing the sport as an introvert
The power of community
Lauren Page talks about choosing Oregon for the experience
Transitioning from high school volleyball to college level
Two games that left significant impact
Going through a tough time in junior year
The power of a team
Starting a career overseas

Quotes:

“As we get older, our goals change.”

“The connections and the friendships that I've made through the sport made it so fun.”

“I always tell people all the time, this is the place that I was meant to be, I met my best friends there.”

“As I got older, I knew I had to grow up and step out of my comfort zone a little.”

“I left part of my heart there.”

“I needed to be a better teammate, needed to support my teammates more and not make it about me.”

“Being a team player and being there for your teammates makes you a better player at the end of the day.”

Connect with 9INE POINT:

Connect with Lauren Page :

TikTok

Growing Up As A Professional Athlete with Julie Lengweiler

9INE POINT — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0700

In this episode of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam welcomes Julie Lengweiler, a professional volleyball player playing in Spain. Volleyball has been in Julie’s life for as long as she can remember. This propelled Julie to go pro at the young age of 16 in Switzerland. Julie is duly represented by Athletes Abroad Management and today, she shared with us the challenges and wins she has faced as a pro athlete and advises young athletes to dream big so they can live their dream.

Julie begins with her dream as a younger athlete: to play in the big leagues. She shares with us how that dream became a reality and how she began playing volleyball professionally at 16. This also came with struggles, having been the youngest on the team. However, she was determined never to quit. Her resilience carried her further as she later played in Finland and now in Spain. Julie’s story inspires us that we can achieve much if only we dare to dream.

Key Points:

Julie’s dream when she was a younger athlete
Making the dream a reality
Julie talks about being a role model
Falling in love with volleyball
Playing pro at 16
Why Julie refused to quit
Figuring who you are outside of the sport you play
Navigating agents when trying to go pro
Playing in Finland
Advice to younger athletes
What’s next for Julie?

Quotes:

“I want to inspire more kids to dream big, because I also felt that with my dreams, I was very lonely.”

“It's a very weird feeling. It was something I worked for. And it was something I wanted. But when it happened, I did feel like wow, this is maybe a little bit too much.”

“It's so much more than being ready for that level. It's being ready for loads of practice and pressure and games and expectations.”

“Who am I without the sport?”

Connect with 9INE POINT:

Connect with Julie:

Athletes Abroad Website

Pursuing Your Passion at All Costs with Charlotte Harris, Founder of Athlete Abroad Management

9INE POINT — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0700

Pursuing Your Passion at All Costs

In this episode of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam welcomes Charlotte Harris. Charlotte is the first female American licensed FIVB agent and founder of Athletes Abroad. After playing in college and pro volleyball in Sweden, Charlotte realized her passion for coaching and worked with an agency before founding Athletes Abroad, a company that helps athletes enrich their lives and succeed in their chosen sports. Today, Charlotte shares with us her dreams as a younger athlete, her determination, and how she continues to pursue her passion despite being faced with many odds.

Charlotte starts with how she began playing the sport of volleyball. She shares that her dream as a young athlete was to play in Division One. She also discusses how she had to learn to be a team player and work hard for her dream. Having survived an ACL tear, Charlotte became unstoppable, starting her pro career in Sweden and later working with an agency. She talks about founding her company, Athletes Abroad, and what makes this company different from other agencies. Charlotte reminds young athletes to continuously pursue their dreams at all costs because it’ll be worth it in the end.

Key Points:

Charlotte’s goal when she was a younger athlete
Becoming a better player
Following the dream beyond doubts
How Charlotte’s goal became a reality
Working hard for what you want
A tough time in Charlotte’s career
Surviving an ACL tear and overcoming her fear
Charlotte discusses starting a coaching career
Playing pro in Sweden
How Charlotte started her business
What makes Athletes Abroad different?
Advice to young athletes looking to become agents

Quotes:

“Anytime I was playing volleyball, I wanted to be on the court.”

“My parents sacrificed a lot to even get me there.”

“It's easy to give up on something when you think all of a sudden that you know that you're being wronged and that it's not fair what's happening to you, instead of looking at it as ‘what can I do better?’ ‘How can I work harder?’ How can I contribute to my team in other ways?’”

“I love the sport, I also love interacting with people and giving back to athletes and I love helping people believe in themselves and get to that next goal of theirs.”

“It's about getting a little bit better each day and challenging yourself within your own frame and within where you're at.”

“Keep going after what you love and working hard and good things will happen.”

“I want to be there to support the players every step of the way, and have a player-first mentality and prioritizing them and their needs kind of above everything else.”

“I want them to have this community within athletes abroad and have these strong, powerful professional athletes that are supporting each other and helping each other because that's so important when you are thousands of miles away from family and friends.”

“If you are pursuing what you love, then it'll be worth it in the end.”

Connect with 9INE POINT:

Connect with Charlotte:

Athletes Abroad Website

The Power of Intention with Lauren Schad, Pro Volleyball Player & Activist

9INE POINT — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 09:41:00 -0700

The Power of Intention with Lauren Schad

In this episode of the Started With A Dream Podcast presented by 9INE POINT, Jacolby Gilliam interviews Lauren Schad, a former professional volleyball player and ambassador of the Red Ribbon Skirt Society. Lauren is a Nike N7 ambassador and a graduate of the University of San Diego. Today, Lauren shares her inspiring story of starting as a young athlete whose goal was to get a letterman jacket to becoming a pro athlete. helping younger athletes achieve exposure and reach their goals.

Lauren starts by sharing her goal as a younger athlete and how being brought up in South Dakota encouraged her to be involved in multiple sports. She talks about exploring colleges and how her dreadful freshman year almost had her giving up on her dreams. She talks about the moment she decided to go pro, and ended up playing and settling in France. Lauren inspires the upcoming indigenous athletes through her community efforts and work with the Red Ribbon Skirt Society. Lauren is driven to encourage younger athletes to chase their dreams and enjoy their moments.

Key Points:

Lauren’s goal when she was a younger athlete
A dream about her high school letterman jacket
How growing up in South Dakota influenced Lauren’s participation in sports
Getting into college sports
A shocking event that propelled the next phase in Lauren’s career
Lauren discusses getting recruited into University of San Diego
The challenges Lauren faced as a freshman
Taking care of your mental health
Lauren’s decision to go pro
Giving back to the community through the Red Ribbon Skirt Society
Helping younger indigenous athletes by bringing them exposure
Lauren’s advice to younger athletes

Quotes:

“My freshman year is the only year out of my entire volleyball career that I've won a championship.”

“It's okay to put a little bit of pressure on the coaches, especially when as an athlete, you can't miss on those other opportunities.”

“As athletes, we just look at our next goal. We achieve it, we look at our next goal, we don't ever really take a time to reflect on the things that we've done, and to really appreciate the work that we have put in to get to this point.”

“This sport, as much as I loved it, had started becoming more of a job for me.”

“The impactful thing about athletes is that they're able to make a big impact on strangers from all over the world...You're bringing in a new group of people every game.”

Connect with 9INE POINT:

Connect with Lauren Schad:

Taking The Chance Is Worth It with Pro Volleyball Player Maggie Speaks

9INE POINT — Tue, 24 May 2022 04:30:00 -0700

Taking The Chance Is Worth It with Pro Volleyball Player Maggie Speaks

In this episode of the Started With A Dream Podcast presented by 9INE POINT, Jacolby Gilliam interviews Maggie Speaks, a Pro volleyball athlete, and North Carolina State University, graduate. Maggie is currently entering her fifth season as a pro volleyballer and is represented by Athletes Abroad Management. Today, Maggie shares her story from hating volleyball as a young athlete to falling in love with the sport and facing challenges along the way that almost made her give up.

Maggie begins by sharing her dream of becoming an Olympian when she was just in kindergarten. Growing up with a family that was involved in sports drove Maggie to develop an interest in sports. She talks about taking a liking to soccer and basketball but was less interested in volleyball at first because it proved to be difficult. She discusses what drew her to volleyball and finally how she navigated the struggles of finding a college to play for. Despite not being her dream college, she was able to grab the opportunity and play at North Carolina State University. She shares some of the mental struggles she faced as a student-athlete and advises younger athletes to always prioritize their mental health, have fun along the way and never give up.

Key Points:

Maggie’s dream when she was younger
Growing up around sports
Maggie’s decision to play Volleyball amidst other sports
What drew Maggie to volleyball
Playing for North Carolina State University
Being a freshman in a big university while navigating volleyball
How being a collegiate athlete affects your mental health
Steps to overcome your mental health struggles as a student-athlete
Maggie discusses going pro
Maggie’s advice to his younger self
Cultural differences Maggie encountered overseas
Maggie speaks on being a role model to her younger teammates

Quotes:

“I was that kid in practice that every time I made a mistake, I would cry.”

“Maybe it's not exactly what I had expected, or what I wanted, but in the end, it ended up being for the better. We beat USC every year for four years.”

“I didn't fully mature into that student-athlete role until my senior year. ”

“ I wish that I would have let go a little bit more, especially in those college years, and just really tried to enjoy where I was at a little bit more.”

Connect with 9INE POINT:

Connect with Maggie:

Athletes Abroad website

The Power of Never Giving Up with Team USA Paralympian Brian Bell

9INE POINT — Wed, 18 May 2022 00:00:00 -0700

The Power of Never Giving Up with Brian Bell

In this episode of the Started With A Dream Podcast presented by 9INE POINT, Brian Bell joins our host Jacolby Gilliam as he recounts his story as a Paralympics gold medalist. Brian is a pro wheelchair basketball player and 2x Paralympic gold medalist. Brain shares with us today, his uplifting and inspiring story as a young athlete that lost a leg and his path to success despite all odds.

Brian starts off by discussing his dream as a young athlete that wanted to play football and how this dream changed when he was involved in an accident that changed his life. He talks about how he never gave up and how he continues to enjoy sports with a prosthetic leg. He describes how he found interest in basketball and decided to go all in despite not being big enough. His motto “back-to-back cuts to back-to-back goals” motivated Brian to not only work hard to make the national team but also win gold at the Paralympics. Brian believes you can achieve anything you set your heart to do and calls on athletes with disabilities to try everything and stay determined.

Key Points:

Brian’s goal as a young athlete
A ghastly accident that changed Brian’s life
How Brian processed it all and chose a new path
Enjoying sports with a prosthetic leg
Brian describes his comeback first game; the challenges and the thrills that came with it
You have to try everything as a young athlete with a disability
Finding love in another sport
Take advantage of the tools put in place to improve your skill
Brian discusses deciding to go pro
The power of teamwork and dedication
Shining the light on adaptive sports
Brian’s advice to his younger self
Brian describes his experience after making the USA team
Winning gold at the 2016 Paralympics

Quotes:

“Finding sports again, and that support network from friends and family helped tremendously.”

“If you're younger and you have a disability, I will say just try everything.”

“I try to maximize as much of my flaws as possible to be a more well-rounded basketball player.”

“Back-to-back cuts to back-to-back goals.”

“If you really want to accomplish it, put in the extra work, make sure that you put in all the hours, make sure that you maximize all of the different areas that you can use to increase skills.”

“Even though I was not the biggest guy out there, I was able to use my speed, my skills, and intelligence, to level out some of the more fiscally gifted athletes or older athletes at the time.”

“I am going to represent my country at the world stage and be able to compete against the best of the best in my sport. It was just a surreal, amazing feeling.”

Connect with 9INE POINT:

Connect with Brian Bell:

Racing for your dreams with Mazda MX-5 Driver Bryce Cornet

9INE POINT — Tue, 10 May 2022 07:15:00 -0700

In this episode of the Started With A Dream Podcast presented by 9INE POINT, Jacolby Gilliam interviews Bryce Cornet, a Mazda MX-5 Cup Series driver sponsored by Hixon Motor Sports, Mazda motorsports and a scholarship recipient of the 2021 Mazda motorsports. He earned a master's at the University of Central Oklahoma while working and also pursuing a career in motorsports. Today, he shares with us his story of starting out in the world of racing, battling with heart abnormalities at a young age and bagging a sponsorship with Mazda.

Bryce begins by narrating the ordeal he faced at 15 just when he had begun to show interests in motorsports. He talks about a documentary that was created to show how he battled with heart abnormalities and how he never gave up his dreams in spite of them. Turning his dream into reality required a shift in mindset and immense motivation to keep going. He shares with us how he pitches himself to sponsors and his experince as a Mazda sponsored driver. Bryce shares his view on the future of the racing industry and what he hopes to achieve in years to come. Just like he didn't let his challanges hold him down, Bryce challenges you to work hard and never give up.

Key Points:

Introduction to Bryce cornet
How Bryce dealt with heart abnormalities at age 15 and how this affected his early racing career
Bryce’s documentary and what captured Mazda
Turning a dream into reality
How Bryce bagged the Mazda scholarship and the challenges he faced
Pursuing a master's at the University of Central Oklahoma while working and building his racing career
Hacking the motivation to keep going
Pitching yourself correctly to a sponsor
Bryce’s advice to young people looking to get into racing
Bryce’s experience this racing year as a Mazda driver
The future Bryce looks forward to
How to change your mindset when you have a bad starter
Navigating teamwork and competition
How to grow the racing industry by bringing it to the mainstream audience
Racers Bryce would love to race against

Quotes:

“I had a story, I had something that was unique.”

“That year 2018 will forever go down as the craziest year for me.”

“As a driver, you have different driving tendencies, we have to learn a whole different new skill. It's like learning how to write with your left hand almost at times.”

“More for me is competing and being better this year, getting better, becoming a better sports car driver. And then also supporting Mazda more by being a proper brand ambassador for them.”

“You've got to be mentally strong to be able to have composure.”

Connect with 9INE POINT:

Connect with Bryce:

Hixon Motor Sports Website

Mazda MX-5 Cup Instagram

Dream Big, Then Work Harder with Former Pro Volleyball Player Kathleen Gates

9INE POINT — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 07:00:00 -0700

In this episode of the Started With A Dream Podcast presented by 9INE POINT, Jacolby Gilliam interviews Kathleen Gates, a former seven-year pro volleyball player who now works as a development manager at Athletes Abroad. Athletes Abroad Management, a company that helps athletes enrich their lives and succeed in their chosen sports. Kathleen sits with Jacolby today to share her inspiring story of starting as a 5 year-old dreamer in a small town with dreams of becoming an Olympian. She shares with us her journey of resilience from playing in high school to going pro. Following the end of your pro run, Kathleen is building the future of other athletes and inspiring younger female athletes to believe in their dreams.

Kathleen starts the conversation by describing the dreams she had as a young child and how she found her grandfather as an inspiration. She shares with us the struggles she went through in building her volleyball career and the challenges she faced in college. She also shares her story of hitting a low point in her career where she sustained a major injury and how this drove her into depression. Despite it all, Kathleen made her comeback and learnt valuable lessons along the way. Kathleen hopes to encourage athletes to never give up. Dream big and work hard and watch yourself soar.

Key Points:

Kathleen’s dream of becoming an Olympian when she was a younger athlete
A dream propelled by adventure and wanting to see the world
How young Kathleen drew inspiration from her grandfather
Growing up as an athlete in a small town
How Kathleen fell in love with the game of volleyball
The importance of family support for a young athlete
Kathleen’s experience with college letters and how she made decision on what college to attend
Kathleen’s drive to work harder and stay motivated
Struggling with college burnout and deciding to go pro
Having a supportive team that keeps you accountable can quiet that voice of doubt
Kathleen’s words to her 5-year old self
The hardest period in Kathleen’s life as a pro athlete
How to get adjusted to different cultures you become exposed to when traveling as a pro athlete
How to become an efficient team leader
Hanging the boots and building a life in Paris
The future Kathleen looks forward to

Quotes:

“I was really fortunate that I was in this small town. And so it was cool that we were able to kind of try everything.”

“One of my coaches for the High Performance Carolina region, the quote that he gave us is that ‘when you're not working, somewhere, someone else is and when you two meet, she will win. ”

“It was tough, because I've put so much of my identity into being Kathleen, a volleyball player, the pro athlete, the leader of the team, the setter to being like the bench player on the bench.”

“Dream big, then work harder.”

Connect with 9INE POINT:

Podcast

Leave A Podcast Review

Connect with Kathleen:

Athlete Abroad Management Website

Jorge Instagram - athlete_jorge_sanchez

Fueling Her Fire - The Underdog Journey of Pro Volleyball Player Jaidyn Blanchfield

9INE POINT — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 06:47:00 -0700

In episode 104 of the 9INE POINT Started With A dream podcast, Jacolby talks with pro volleyball playerJaidyn Blanchfield about her journey. Jaidyn story is on of perseverance and refusing to let hearing no stop her from achieving her dreams.

Instagram - jayjay_b13

The Mindset To Become Great With Team USA Paralympian Jorge Sanchez

9INE POINT — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0700

In this episodes of the 9INE POINT Started with A Dream podcast, Jacolby talks with Team USA wheel chair basketball gold medalist Jorge Sanchez. Jorge's journey is one that is pure inspiration. Inspiration that is supported through is positive and never give up mindset.

At the age of 8, Jorge was diagnosed with cancer. This moment started a journey for Jorge that no one could imagine. From battle cancer, waking up from a coma, finding wheelchair basketball, and to ultimately winning gold. Jorge Sanchez story is one that will inspire all listeners that no matter what obstacles they are facing, that they to can overcome them to achieve their version of greatness.

How to Build Your Home Away From Home Abroad in Cyprus with Pro Volleyball Player Alli Cudworth

9INE POINT — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 06:55:00 -0700

When you are away from friends and family for nine months abroad, how do you create your home away from home? In this episode of The Started with A Dream Podcast, professional volleyball player Alli Cudworth shares her journey. Tune in to learn how to immerse yourself in the culture of the country you are playing in.

In this journey, she shares a few things like how she overcame a knee injury in high school. How she figured out how to push herself as an athlete. Lastly, how to create her second home why she plays overseas in Cyprus.

When It all almost Stopped with professional volleyball player Greg Petty

9INE POINT — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 00:30:00 -0700

Episode 101 of the 9INE POINT Started with a Dream Podcast features professional volleyball player Greg Petty. Greg talks about his first experience of playing abroad and how he got there. There were times in his journey when it all almost stopped. Greg talks about how he overcame some challenges that come with being an athlete by being self motivated and having a great support system.

Follow Greg on Instagram @gregorypetty9

Taylor Milton - Traveling The World One Contract At A Time

9INE POINT — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 00:32:00 -0700

Flashback to 2020 and the year is almost over. COVID has made a huge impact on all industries including the world of sports. In this episode, Jacolby Gilliam interviews Taylor Milton about her journey to becoming a pro volleyball player to how she has continued to make positive opportunities during times of adversity. Taylor is an experienced professional volleyball player with a demonstrated history of working in the public relations and communications industry. And, when COVID caused her to stop before the season’s end there was definitely a mix of emotions, especially the feelings of uncertainty. In order to express these emotions among team members, friends and fans, Taylor and her friend, Courtney Felinski, created a space, MATCHPOINT COVID, to encourage athletes to virtually share their emotions so they can virtually experience what is going on and be there for each other. MPC gave these players an opportunity to view volleyball from its different perspective while keeping their dreams uniquely alive. If you wanted to share your story, what will write?

In this episode, Taylor shares her journey of sport realization from childhood till becoming a pro player. Although starting off as a multi-sport athlete, Taylor decided, in high school, to stick with volleyball. Being a lover of so many sports make it very heartbreaking to pick one so, why did Taylor decide to pick volleyball. It’s not an easy journey but it’s been reaffirming and quite fulfilling. She talks about her diverse experiences and how its all aided in shapening her personal and professional life. Regardless of the current situation, Taylor believes that being able to keep that spirit of belonging up makes a huge the difference.

Key points:

Taylor’s athlete goal as a younger multi-sport athlete and how she went on to achieve it (00:56)

Being athletic over an athlete will make you better

How Taylor decided that volleyball was what she wanted to

The club level v the high school level of volleyball why it matters

Taylor’s first recognition and how it affected her performance

The kind of growth she experienced in college and how she was adapt

Taylor’s advise to her younger self

The decision play pro abroad and what it’s been like so far (18:08)

Impact of COVID on the season

What MATCHPOINTCOVID is and why it was created

Taylor’s future plans and the kind of interesting skills she has been developing during this period

Sometimes, beautiful results spring from bad situation. It doesn’t make the situation better but it definitely enhances our experience.

Connect with 9INE POINT:

Connect with Taylor:

A Journey of Progression with Kristen Moncks, Pro and Team Canada Volleyball Player

9INE POINT — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 06:05:00 -0700

In Episode 99, we chat with volleyball player Kristen Moncks about her journey and the progression of her career. Kristen's journey will inspire you to keep chasing your dreams. Knowing each year to aim to getting a little better than you were the year before.

This mindset helped Kristen Moncks as she overcame obstacles and setbacks. Leading to her achieving several of her dream opportunities such as playing in University, professionally overseas and ultimately on the Canadian National Volleyball team.

Instagram: @kristenmoncks

The Power of Choice with Swiss Pro Volleyball Player Thays Deprati

9INE POINT — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 06:23:00 -0700

In Episode 98, we chat with Thays Deprati about her journey and the power of choice. Thays is a professional volleyball player in Switzerland and currently on the national team.

Instagram: @thaysdeparti

The Journey of Self Discovery with professional volleyball player Malina Terrell

9INE POINT — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 02:16:00 -0700

We had the honor of sitting down with international professional volleyball player Malina Terrell to talk about her unique journey of becoming one of the top athletes in the European professional volleyball circuit.

We talk about how the line of chasing a goal in athletics may not always be a straight one. For while we strive to succeed in one category of our life, we just might have to put in some work to the other parts of our being to get there.

Terrell shares the raw realities of her athletic journey where she was met with deep moments of self-reflection and confronted with adversity in paving her own way. Yet through all the hurdles, the light of Terrell shined bright, leading her to a professional career with countless Top Scorer and Top Outside Hitter titles in respected leagues from Finland, Denmark, Germany, and recently France where she just finished her third season competing for one of the top teams in the league, participating in the highly renowned CEV European Cup.

A Match of Patience: The journey of professional volleyball player Taylor Fricano

9INE POINT — Mon, 26 Jul 2021 07:20:00 -0700

In episode 96 of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby talks with professional volleyball player Taylor Fricano about her journey.

Taylor shares the story of the Olympian that inspired her to start her volleyball journey to what it was like during the recruiting process. Once after having success during her college career it was time for her and pup Peanut to head overseas.

Tune in to hear more about mental health, patience while chasing your dreams, and remembering to have fun along the way.

Finding Your Confidence To Be Authentically You, with Paralympian Bethany Zummo

9INE POINT — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 04:30:00 -0700

In this episode of the Started With A Dream Podcast presented by 9INE POINT, Jacolby Gilliam has a conversation with volleyball Paralympian and owner of Zummo Collective, Bethany Zummo. Bethany shares her story on how she became a volleyball athlete, some of the significant challenges she faced along the way. Through this journey, Bethany has grown and developed a new level of self-confidence to be the best she can be at what she loves.

She believes that everyone has their own 'normal,' and you have to embrace your own normal instead of being afraid of not being someone else's normal. Bethany wants other adaptive athletes to know that they are more than able to not focus on the label this is out there as disabled. Because of COVID, her Paralympic title defense has been put on hold for a while in 20202. However, Bethany has spent her time trying to curb the spread of the COVID. By using her sewing skills with the help of her family, The Zummo Collective was started to create filtered masks as a way of helping others and giving back to the community.

Key Points:

Intro (0:11)

The biggest goal Bethany's wanted to achieve as a Paralympian (0:52)

What is normal and why Bethany believes normal can only be self-defined (1:51)

Bethany's first sports journey and some of the major challenges she faced (2:39)

How Bethany hurdled through the challenges she faced to develop and reinforce self-confidence (4:54)

Why it's important to embrace diversity (6:48)

When Bethany realized she was good at the sitting game (10:17)

Self-belief; Why Bethany beliefs that she deserves the best and how she works hard to arrive as the best (11:50)

Why Bethany decided to try the sitting volleyball (15:27)

Some of the fears and struggles Paralympian's face about wanting to not be labeled and why it's okay to not feel okay at first (17:10)

Bethany's dreams of the Olympics and Paralympics pre-COVID and how she was able to mentally carry on regardless of the current situation (21:40)

How Bethany is trying to make the most of the situation to help as many people as she can (26:15)

How Bethany became the mask maker to render as much aid as she could to others (27:00)

Other ways Bethany and her sisters have been giving back to their community (32:34)

Quotes:

"I would love to leave the sport knowing that it can be really competitive and really challenging to play. And that's the goal, I think for anyone, leaving the sport better than you found it."

"If I met someone who was like a little Bethany, like I would want to do my best to empower them and tell them, like, I know that you, you think you think this way now, and it's okay that you feel this way and it's not your fault that you feel this way."

Connect with 9inepoint:

Connect with Bethany:

Episode 94: The Last Serve with Courtney Felinski

9INE POINT — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 00:15:00 -0700

Imagine being in the middle of the playoffs looking good for a championship run and coach calls you that the rest of the season is canceled. Then he tells you that have to live the country immediately because of COVID-19. On top of that, you knew this was your last season playing professionally.

How would you feel? In episode 94 of the 9INE POINT Started with a Dream podcast, professional volleyball player Courtney Felinski shares her story and journey.

A journey from first falling in love with the game of volleyball. How it took her to countries overseas until the unexpected end in March when her season was canceled due to COVID-19.

PoimPzWvR8lPgDEKRHct

Ep. 93 Creating My Own Lane. The Journey of Kevin Capers

9INE POINT — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 04:01:00 -0700

In episode 93 of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with pro basketball player Kevin Capers about his athletic journey. Kevin's story is one you can relate to if you grew up with older siblings. You that friendly sibling rivalry. Part of Kevin's journey was about creating his own name and craving his own path as a basketball player.

Through his college journey, Kevin Capers began to do just that at Florida Southern. After winning the championship his senior year, Kevin's journey continued to the G League as a member of the Westchester Knicks. As Kevin continued to develop his game more opportunities came that led him overseas to play professional basketball in Mexico, Romania, Iceland, and currently Israel.

Connect with Kevin Capers to learn more about his journey.

Kevin's Instagram - @kevcape

Kevin's Twitter - @kevcape

Enjoyed this podcast episode and listening to Kevin Caper's journey? Be sure to comment, share, and leave a review.

Ep. 92 Kill The Kritics with Marlain Veal

9INE POINT — Wed, 27 May 2020 12:41:00 -0700

In episode 92 of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with Marlain Veal about his athletic journey. A journey he would call "Kill The Kritics." Being 5'9 Marlain was often questioned if he could play the game against guys that were taller. He used that as motivation to show that he could hold his own and excel among the doubters. He went on to win numerous of awards before heading to college.

In college Marlain Veal learned how to complete his basketball game by learning how to complement his athletic ability. Now after just completing his rookie season overseas in Turkey Marlain this new chapter of Marlain's journey is just getting started.

Ep. 91 LaceDarius Dunn – Put The City On The Map

9INE POINT — Tue, 26 May 2020 16:08:00 -0700

In episode 91 of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with LaceDarius Dunn about his athletic journey. Raised in Monroe, Louisiana Lace has always had a gift when it came to the game of basketball. The game of basketball gave LaceDarius and opportunity to explore outside his community and travel across the US. to some of the top basketball camps in the nation. Competing against guys like OJ Mayo and Derrick Rose.

Later choosing to attend The University of Baylor where he graduated in 4 years, became the Big 12 leading scorer and was apart of a special group that helped change the culture Baylor basketball. LaceDarius is now competing professional overseas putting his city Monroe, Louisiana on the map and show kids in his hometown they can achieve this too.

Ep. 90 Marley Holmes – Layers and Levels: The Athlete and Beyond

9INE POINT — Mon, 18 May 2020 10:18:00 -0700

In episode 90 of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with Marley Holmes about her athletic journey and her work with The BFCA Experience. Marley Holmes's journey as student-athlete in junior college in Kansas and transferring to an HBCU in Florida inspired her work today. Her passion grows in helping athletes find their identity outside of just sports, social topics and social justice issues.

Connect with Marley Holmes bfca to learn more about her journey and The BFCA Experience at the following links below.

Marley's Instagram @the_bfca_experience

Marley's Twitter @FutureDrHolmes

Marley's Youtube

Want a heads up when a new episode drops? Subscribe here

Enjoyed this podcast episode and listening to Marley Holmes bfca journey? Be sure to comment, share and leave a review.

Ep. 89 Working in Unison with Justin Ricks Pro Basketball Agent & Manager

9INE POINT — Mon, 04 May 2020 17:55:00 -0700

In episode 89 of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with Unison Sports & Entertainment Founder and pro agent/manager Justin Ricks about his journey from Monroe, LA to being and pro agent overseas working countries like Turkey.

Connect with Justin Ricks to learn more about his journey and Unison Sports & Entertainment at the following links below.

Justin's Instagram @unisonsportsent

Ep. 88 Batouly Camara – Awakening in purpose

9INE POINT — Fri, 10 Apr 2020 15:57:00 -0700

Listen to the episode on iTunes or Spotify In episode 87 of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with W.A.K.E founder, Author and UCONN student-athlete Batouly Camera about her journey. Connect with Batouly Camera and learn more about his journey at the following links below. Tooly’s Instagram @toolyyy Tooly’s Twitter @BatoulyCamara […]

The post Ep. 88 Batouly Camara – Awakening in purpose appeared first on 9INE POINT.

Ep. 87 Henry Weir – Developing the mindset for the climb

9INE POINT — Fri, 10 Apr 2020 15:12:00 -0700

In episode 87 of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with Great Britain Olympian and England national team field hockey player Henry Weir about his journey.

Connect with Henry Weir and learn more about his journey at the following links below.

Henry's Instagram @henryweir_

Henry's Twitter @HENRYweir

Ep. 86 (Part 2) Out of Necessity – The Journey of Ryan Jay Owens, former pro volleyball player and Founder of Elite Volley Agency

9INE POINT Media — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 15:14:15 -0700

Listen to the episode on iTunes or Spotify In episode 86 part 2, of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with Elite Volly Founder, former professional and Team USA volleyball player, Ryan Jay Owens about his journey. Connect with Ryan and learn more about his journey and Elite Volley Agency at the […]

The post Ep. 86 (Part 2) Out of Necessity – The Journey of Ryan Jay Owens, former pro volleyball player and Founder of Elite Volley Agency appeared first on 9INE POINT.

Ep. 86 (Part 1) Out of Necessity – The Journey of Ryan Jay Owens, former pro volleyball player and Founder of Elite Volley Agency

9INE POINT — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 15:11:00 -0700

Listen to the episode on iTunes or Spotify In episode 86 part 1, of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with Elite Volly Founder, former professional and Team USA volleyball player, Ryan Jay Owens about his journey. Connect with Ryan and learn more about his journey and Elite Volley Agency at the […]

The post Ep. 86 (Part 1) Out of Necessity – The Journey of Ryan Jay Owens, former pro volleyball player and Founder of Elite Volley Agency appeared first on 9INE POINT.

Ep. 85 Dre Baldwin – All you need is 10% of the knowledge to start

9INE POINT — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 15:37:00 -0700

Listen to the episode on iTunes or Spotify In episode 85, of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with former professional basketball player, author, speaker and entrepreneur Dre Baldwin about his journey. Connect with Dre and learn more about his businesses at the following links below. Dre’s Instagram @drebaldwinDre’s Twitter @dreallday Website […]

The post Ep. 85 Dre Baldwin – All you need is 10% of the knowledge to start appeared first on 9INE POINT.

Ep. 84 Emily Potter – “Mental Health Is Just As Important As Physical Health”

9INE POINT — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 07:11:00 -0700

In episode 84, of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with former University of Utah basketball alum, and current professional basketball player, Emily Potter about her journey.

As a youth Emily dream of playing for her home country, Canada representing them on the big stage. That dream led her to the University of Utah and to recently playing overseas in the Czech Republic.

In the midst of the achievements, Emily faced movements that had her questioning if she still loved the game of basketball. Battling injuries and losing a close friend to suicide; Emily Potter started to look into her own mental health. This part of her story led to wanting to make sure others do no feel alone on their journey to know it is okay not to be okay. Reduce the stigma around mental health. To continue her mission she even began a non-profit in remembrance of her friend Sarah called Sarah Strong

Connect with Emily and learn more about Sarah Strong and herself at the following links below.

Emily's Instagram @empotter10

Emily's Twitter @empotter10

Sarah Strong

Ep. 83 Acheil Tac – The Reality Behind The Glamour of College Athletics

9INE POINT — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 22:26:00 -0700

In episode 83, of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with author, former UNT basketball alum, current professional basketball player, Acheil Tac about her journey. In this episode, Acheil shares her story. This journey led her to help other student-athletes prepare for their college journey. Acheil released her first book The Reality Behind The Glamour of College Athletics March 12, 2019.

Connect with Acheil and learn more about The Reality Behind The Glamour of college Athletics at the following links below.

Ach eil's Book - The Reality Behind The Glamour of College Athletics

The Reality Behind The Glamour of College Athletics Instagram

Ep. 82 Austin Bogina – Relentless Forward Progress

9INE POINT Media — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 16:38:37 -0700

That does bring me some peace of knowing that I didn’t give up.I didn’t quit. I kept at it. I told myself I’d get here and I’m here. Couldn’t be happier. – Austin Bogina Listen to the episode on iTunes or Spotify Ep. 82 Austin Bogina – Relentless Forward Progress In episode 82, of The 9INE […]

The post Ep. 82 Austin Bogina – Relentless Forward Progress appeared first on 9INE POINT.

Ep. 81 A Decade Of Adventures With Professional Volleyball Player Marisa Field

9INE POINT — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 14:01:00 -0700

In episode 81, of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with Professional Volleyball Player and Former Team Canada Volleyball Marisa Field about her journey. In this episode, Marisa shares her athletic journey and what it is like being an athlete abroad.

Marisa's journey started out with her being a 12-year-old athlete with an MSN account with a bio saying "pro volleyball player for Team Canada." A dream she manifested to reality. That dream did not come true overnight as Marisa. It took her pushing herself to play against higher competition at an early age and taking advantage of opportunities her coaches placed in front of her.

Currently, she is playing professional volleyball overseas in Athen's, Greece. Like most athletes, Marisa Fields finds herself at the start of the transition into preparing for life after sports. Between playing the sport she loves and traveling across Europe; Marisa is splitting time working remotely for No Jet Lag and ELIXIR Wear.

Want to connect with Marisa? Go follow her volleyball career and learn more about her travel journey at the following links below.

Marisa Field's Instagram - @pieces333

Twitter - @reesey_piecey

Facebook Page - Marisa Field Volleyball

No Jet Lag Instagram - @no_jet_lag

ELIXIR Wear Instagram - @elixirwear

Ep. 80 Surviving Blood Clots – The Athlete Mentality and Journey of Megan Henry, Team USA Skeleton Athlete

9INE POINT — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 21:43:00 -0700

In episode 80, of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with Team USA Skeleton Athlete, Megan Henry about her journey. In this episode, Megan shares her athletic journey and the underdog mentality she developed to always keep pushing.

Megan's ambition led her to compete in both Field Hockey and Track & Field during her career as a collegiate student-athlete. Megan's athletic journey and health took turn when she found out that she had blood clots in her lungs. What could have been a moment to call it a quit. Megan decided in her mind that she will bounce back from this.

Race after race Megan has become an inspiration. There is still more as she aims for World Championship and the Winter Olympics. When's is not racing you can find Megan speaking and raising awareness about blood clots.

The thing that I love about sports and competing and being an athlete is that there's so much that you learn as a person about yourself in terms of like growing and Reaching Your Potential and personal development.It is never over.

Connect with Megan to follow her Skeleton career, journey and to learn more about the National Blood Clot Alliance at the following links below.

Megan Henry's Instagram

National Blood Clot Alliance

Facebook Page

Ep. 79 Waking From The Dream With Dr. Kirsten Van Heerden

9INE POINT — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 16:31:00 -0700

In episode 79, of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with Dr. Kirsten Van Heerden, Sports Performance Psychologist and former South African National Team Swimmer about her journey. In this episode, Dr. Van Heerden shares a lot about how her own personal athletic journey led her to the work she does today working with athletes.

Dr. Kirsten Van Heerden, through her passion, works with at the Newton Sports agency. There she provides services to help their elite athletes with managing their mental health so they can succeed in sports and during their life after sports.

This concept developed into here recent booking Waking From The Dream.

Waking from the Dream is a collection of retirement stories from 18 of South Africa’s greatest athletes from across sporting codes, that provide some answers to the hard questions. The athletes give insight into the challenges of the transition, what they would do differently to prepare for it, and how they have managed to build a life apart from sport.

“

Connect with Dr. Van Heerden and learn more about Waking From The Dream at the following links below.

Newton Sports Agency

Waking From The Dream Book

Dr. Kirsten Van Heerden Instagram

Ep. 78 Using Your Athlete Mindset In Life After The Game With Michelle Ruzzi

9INE POINT — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 11:36:00 -0700

In episode 78, of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with Michelle Ruzzi former Chapman University basketball player, Co-founder of Idea Enablers and highlighted athlete in The After The Game documentary about her journey. In this episode, Michelle shares a lot about how the same traits and mindset she used as an athlete she still uses daily in her life after sports.

For Michelle, the journey was not easy. As a 5’2″ point guard she faced several moments when she thought about quitting but she pushed through to avoid looking back with the what if’s.

Michelle’s athlete mindset of not giving up, leadership and persistence serve her today as she is a co-founder of a marketing agency. There is a lot of value to gain from Michelle’s journey that can be watched in April Abetya’s upcoming documentary After The Game. The film follows three women apply lessons from their 1999 college basketball season to tackle adult challenges 20 years later.

Connect with Michelle Ruzzi and get involved with the After The Game film at the following links below.

After The Game Website

Idea Enablers Website

After The Game Instagram

Michelle’s Instagram

Ep. 77 Be Joyful, Glorifying God In Sports With Karlie Smith

9INE POINT — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 15:03:00 -0700

In episode 77, of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with Karlie Smith former East Carolina University softball student-athlete about her journey. In this episode, Karlie shares her faith and how she aims to glorify God in sports. Through the ups and downs that we all face in life and as athletes, she tells herself “JBK, Just Be Karlie.”

Her faith has led her to amazing opportunities as an athlete and in life after sports. You can find Karlie on the sideline reporting for the University of Georgia Athletics or interview athletes about their faith on The All Him Podcast.

Connect with Karlie Smith and learn more about how The All Him Podcast at the following links below.

Ep. 76 Treating Business As A Sport With Daniel Griggs, Former Pro Athlete and ATX Web Design CEO

9INE POINT — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 14:40:00 -0700

In episode 76, of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with Daniel Griggs former D3 college student-athlete, Pro Football player and Founder/CEO of ATX Web Design. In this episode, Daniel shares how he went from a Division 3 school to a pro athlete. Along with how he made the transition after playing by treating business as a sport.

Daniel’s journey wasn’t easy. He would later learn failure is possible when he had his dream opportunity in the NFL. This moment of defeat led him to build ATX Web Design a premier agency in Austin, TX helping companies through website design and development. A business that has grown thanks to Daniel Griggs’s athlete mentality treating his business as a sport from how he found clients to building his team. It all came together helping him create his transition for Life After Sports.

Connect with Daniel Griggs and learn more about how you can treat business as a sport at the following links below.

Daniel Grigg’s Website

ATX Web Design Website

Hashtag VolleyballGoals Website

Daniel Twitter

Ep. 75 Understanding College Athletics With Keirsten Sires of LRT Sports

9INE POINT — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 14:40:00 -0700

In episode 75, of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with Keirsten Sires former Skidmore College student-athlete and Founder/CEO of LRT Sports. In this episode, Keirsten shares how she and LRT Sports are helping athletes Understand College Athletics.

Keirsten’s journey with LRT started as a college project that led to more. The idea behind the company was to solve a pain point that she and so many other athletes face after the recruiting process. Throughout the episode, she shares some tips she has learned from being an Athlete CEO

Connect with Keirsten and learn more about LRT Sports at the following links below.

Ep. 73 You’re #VolleyballGoals with Founder and Pro Volleyball Player Ijeoma Moronu

9INE POINT — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 14:32:00 -0700

In episode 73, of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with professional overseas volleyball player and coach Ijeoma Moronu about her journey. In this episode, Ijeoma shares a lot about her athletic career to become an athlete abroad and her inspiration to create a volleyball community called Hashtag Volleyball Goals.

Connect with Ijeoma and get involved with the #VolleyballGoals at the following links below.

After The Game – Crowdfunding Campaign

Facebook Community

Ep. 72 Director April Abeyta Inspiring Athletes With The Film, After The Game

9INE POINT — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 22:13:00 -0700

In episode 72, of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with former Chapman University basketball player and Director of AFTER THE GAME; April Abeyta about her journey. In this episode, April shares a lot about career path and the journey she went down to lead to this opportunity to share the story of her former teammates at Chapman.

AFTER THE GAME spans over 20 years to unveil the long-term benefits of sports on women. At a time when 14-year-old girls quit sports at twice the rate of boys, this character-focused film shows that sticking with athletics pays off in extraordinary ways, well after the last whistle blows.

Connect with April Abeyta and get involved with the AFTER THE GAME film at the following links below.

Ep 71. Not Afraid Of The Dark with Overseas Pro Basketball Player & Artist Greg Motley

9INE POINT — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 16:44:00 -0700

“Me playing and my artwork that’s the that’s the M.O. I want to have. If I was to sit there and go in and they ask me about occupation. And you know, I’m an athlete professional athlete and an artist..” – Greg Motley Listen to the episode on Apple or Spotify In episode 71, of The

Ep. 70 We’ve Come Too Far To Give Up Now With Brandon Hill

9INE POINT Media — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 22:05:26 -0700

“I definitely hope that I could I can continue to do that because you know after after everything on a been through and one thing that I wish that I had when I was younger somebody that had been through some of the stuff. I’ve been through it at least just could have gave me […]

The post Ep. 70 We’ve Come Too Far To Give Up Now With Brandon Hill appeared first on 9INE POINT.

Ep 69 The Race Is Just Getting Started With Patrick Pressgrove

9INE POINT — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 18:07:00 -0700

In episode 69, of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam talks with Para-athlete Patrick Pressgrove about his journey. In this episode, being a double amputee Patrick shares a lot about how at one point he did not know if he would even be able to be an athlete. Now Patrick Pressgrove is running marathons and ironmans as he competes with Team Catapult. Patrick journey as an athlete is just getting started

Connect with Patrick Pressgrove and follow his journey with Team Catapult as he continues to inspire other athletes through his determination.

Ep 65 Every Athlete Has Their Own Normal With Jacolby Gilliam

CEO & Publisher of 9INE POINT Mag — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 18:03:59 -0700

“My goal with 9INE POINT is never to be about Jacolby. I never wanted to be a personal blog about Jacolby’s journey. You know sure I want to share my story but this thing is about athletes like you. 9INE POINT needs athletes like you. I need athlete like you and not because I want to […]

The post Ep 65 Every Athlete Has Their Own Normal With Jacolby Gilliam appeared first on 9INE POINT.

Ep 68 Redefining Normal With Canada Sitting Volleyball Olympian Katelyn Wright

9INE POINT — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 11:06:00 -0700

“Well I mean everybody has a different normal, right I mean that’s like kind of the big thing that I really found is, you know like there’s always the standard you see like whether it be magazines, TV, social media, you know anything like what is normal like my normal is different from your normal […]

The post Ep 68 Redefining Normal With Canada Sitting Volleyball Olympian Katelyn Wright appeared first on 9INE POINT.

Ep 67 Focusing On What I Can Control With Olympian and Pro Volleyball Player David Smith

9INE POINT — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 11:05:00 -0700

Ep. 67 Focusing On What I Can Control With Olympian and Pro Volleyball Player David Smith

In this episode of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam welcomes David Smith. David is an American professional volleyball player. He is a member of the USA National Team, a bronze medalist at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 and the 2018 World Championship, a 2015 World Cup winner, and a two–time Champions League winner. At the professional club level, he plays for ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle. Today, David Smith takes us on his journey from starting as a young athlete, born deaf in both ears, to becoming a world-class and professional volleyball player.

David begins by describing his dream as a young athlete. He talks about growing up with sports and exploring different sports before choosing volleyball. David Smith delves into how he got scouted to play for UC Irvine and how college volleyball dynamics were much different than that of high school. Living as an athlete with a disability, David explains that he focuses on what he can control, putting in the hard work day in and out. He shares the challenges of going pro and living in a foreign country with his newlywed wife. The episode comes to a close as David admonishes younger athletes to keep their confidence going and focus on what they can control.

Key Points:

David's dream when he was a younger athlete
Exploring different sports
Why David chose volleyball
Getting scouted
Living as an athlete with a disability
The challenges that come with playing as an elite athlete
How to keep your confidence going
Focusing on what you can control
David discusses going pro and living overseas
Balancing a family with the challenges of going pro
Transitioning into a non-volleyball world

Quotes:

"In the beginning, sports was just a way to be normal."

"I assumed it was going to end when my college ended."

"I knew the way to be at that level was to work day in, day out."

"The key is understanding what I can control."

"Luck is when opportunity meets preparation."

Connect with 9INE POINT:

Connect with David Smith: