78. Faithful, available and teachable with Harlem Globetrotter Melvin Adams
Prepare yourself to step into a world of inspiration and resilience in this captivating episode of the Pursuit of Gold as Laura welcomes former professional basketball player, esteemed member of the Harlem Globetrotters, and true force of determination and triumph, Melvin Adams to the podcast. You are about to be treated to a heroic tale that defies the odds, as Melvin's journey unfolds from a humble upbringing in poverty to the heights of athletic achievement. Today, he and Laura delve into the details of that journey and uncover themes of conquering adversity, unearthing purpose beyond the realm of sports, and igniting a beacon of hope to illuminate the lives of others.
You will undoubtedly be captivated as Melvin shares his extraordinary narrative of rejecting limitations as, against the backdrop of discouraging whispers doubting his potential due to his height, Melvin chose to defy the odds and carve his own path to success. Rising as a two-time NCAA All American Basketball player, he surpassed others’ expectations and emerged as a prominent figure in the basketball world. Yet, his journey did not end there. Melvin discovered an unwavering passion for public speaking, harnessing his experiences to inspire and empower the younger generation. Join Laura and Melvin here today as they explore resilience, purpose, leadership, and the transformative power of sports, inspiring us all to reach our full potential and make a lasting impact on the world around us.
Episode Highlights:
Melvin's challenging upbringing and his use of basketball as an escape
The power of resilience, determination, and overcoming obstacles in Melvin's journey.
Melvin's transition to public speaking
His inspiring message of hope
Discovering identity and purpose beyond sports
Lessons learned about leadership and teamwork
Mentoring and passing the torch
Leading by example, finding personal identity, building relationships, and motivating others
Quotes:
"It does not matter where you start, but how you finish."
"Being a leader is not just being the best athlete. It's about character and setting an example."
"Basketball is just what you do, it's not who you are. And I think for so many athletes, we get caught up in our identity or our value even lies in the results at the end."
"You can speak to people till you're blue in the face, but when they see what you do, that speaks so much louder."
"If you have a gift and you're being pushed up, use your gift to bring other people up and make the world a better place."
"If you say you're going to commit to something, commit to it with your heart, your soul, your body, and your mind."
"The Globetrotters taught me that there was more to the game than just winning and losing."
"Don't just think it's going to be forever a winter blizzard. Even in your winter, you can make snowmen."
"It's not your circumstance, it's what you do with that and how you approach it and your attitude toward it."
Links:
Laura’s Social Media:
Connect with Melvin:
53. Anything is Possible with Olympic bronze medalist Krysta Palmer
Today’s guest made history in Tokyo this summer, becoming the first woman to medal in springboard diving at the Olympics since Kelly McCormick won Bronze 33 years ago in Seoul, Korea in 1988. Krysta Palmer made her first Olympic team this summer at the age of 29. Watching her smile and giggle at the podium with her Bronze Medal proudly hanging around her neck warmed hearts all over the country. Krysta’s positivity is infectious and her perseverance throughout her journey to get to the Olympic podium is absolutely inspiring. Today she opens up about the injuries that took her out of contention in the sport of trampoline, what it was like to start a brand new sport at the age of 20, and she walks us through her extraordinary adventure in Tokyo, from a close call in the preliminary round to the very moment she realized she had medaled. Krysta offers mindset tips all along the journey, and she shares with us her favorite way to process both the good and the bad so that she can keep coming back stronger.
Krysta begins with her unique journey in sports, and reflects on coming back stronger from her recurring injuries, as well as how she ultimately found diving at the age of 20. She talks about transitioning her skills from trampoline to diving, working with her coach, Jianli You, to change certain habits, and entering the 2016 Olympic Team Trials following her graduation from the University of Nevada. Krysta tells Laura about a training trip to China that served as a turning point in her path to becoming an Olympian, as well as how her own experience as a coach has helped her as an athlete, and what she learned from competing in the 2017 and 2019 World Championships (her first international meet). She explains how her mindset to learn and grow from setbacks has helped her through the pandemic, and shares the moving story of receiving her Olympic ring from Laura. You’ll hear about Krysta’s memorable experience at the Tokyo Olympics, how her faith keeps her grounded, and the surreal and exciting moment she realized she had medaled in Tokyo.
Krysta’s honesty and perseverance throughout today’s conversation are sure to motivate and inspire as she shares her incredible journey, and everything she has overcome to be able to do what she loves to do.
Episode Highlights:
· Krysta’s journey in sports, beginning with gymnastics and trampoline at a young age
· Coming back stronger from her heartbreaking injuries and finding diving at the age of 20
· Transitioning her skills from trampoline to diving, changing certain habits, learning new dives on the fast track
· Entering the 2016 Olympic Team Trials following her graduation from the University of Nevada
· Her training trip to China in 2016, and how it brought her closer to becoming an Olympian
· The difference between platform and springboard diving, and Krysta’s transition from platform to springboard
· Supporting her athletic training after college through coaching, and how this has helped her become a better athlete
· Her experience at the World Championships in 2017 and 2019
· Learning and growing the most from disappointments or poor competitions
· How this mentality helped her make the most of trials and tribulations brought on by the pandemic
· Training through injuries and her family’s support throughout her career
· Krysta’s very special memory of receiving her Olympic ring from Laura
· Her unique experience at the Tokyo Olympics
· The importance of Krysta’s faith
· The surreal and exciting experience of realizing she had medaled in Tokyo
· How Krysta continues to process her accomplishment and what the next season of her life looks like
· Continuing her education and studying toward an MBA
Quotes:
“At the age of five, when I was young, I really really had this lifelong dream of being an Olympian one day.”
“You're always having to use your visual awareness to spot where you are. And make changes based on where you are. So I learned that through trampoline, and that actually really progressed well into my diving career.”
“I've had two big struggles in learning how to make a proper entry. And also learning how to get the rhythm and the timing with the springboard, because also trampoline is very quick - quick twitch muscle work.”
“I competed platform in the 2016 Olympic Trials because we weren't quite there yet with springboard. And my coach had always said, Give it time. Because springboard diving...you need time to develop the skill of it.”
“I came into the team mid-semester, so in January. And I had to learn all my springboard dives for 1-meter/3-meter before Conference in February.”
“I think the biggest thing was just trusting my coach [Jianli You], because I knew that she has the knowledge and the skill to teach me, whatever it is. I'm learning and I have the talent to try it. And it only takes me trying it to learn something new.”
“That was the trip that made me stronger as a diver and as a person.”
“I really gained a whole other level of respect for my coach at that time, because I really saw how respected she is amongst all the Chinese coaches and athletes.”
“For me, it really made me appreciate my sport and my country and our freedom to choose to be able to do sports.”
“I think that was the biggest takeaway for me from the trials is just feeling like I fit in. But I know that there's still more in me and I still need to learn more in order to get to that point.”
“We really did take a step back from platform at that time. Then springboard started to pick up, and I was competing in it at all the Nationals and getting better and better.”
“The springboard is very similar to trampoline, and I can do a lot of the same skills that I would typically do on a trampoline as well.”
“I was coaching our club team. And that's really the majority of where I got money in order to survive and make a living. And so I was starting to see things from a coaching perspective, which actually helped me as an athlete as well.”
“That's been a big learning lesson as I transition from a college athlete to now a professional athlete, is just to really pay attention to everything that surrounds me as an athlete, and what's going to help me achieve my dream.”
“My first ever international competition was the World Championships in 2017.”
“Coming back from that competition, I really had done a lot of processing and journaling, writing things down of what went wrong. What I learned was my mentality going into this event - I really learned that I had put a lot of pressure on myself. And nobody else did that. I was the one that did it to myself.”
“I really needed to learn from that. And not necessarily get dragged down by the failure of it. But stepping into, kind of, that failure and learning from it, and then growing from it, and taking the next step into the next chapter, and facing what happened… These competitions were actually the ones that I've learned and grown the most from.”
“I think my mentality through all my injuries really helped me through the pandemic, because it was really, Be stronger than you were before the injury. And coming into the pandemic, I could see it two different ways - I could see it as a disappointment and as a setback. Or I could see it as an opportunity and an area to grow, and another year of training, which is really beneficial for me because I’m still a new diver.”
“I really chose to look at it that way and took that mentality from the injury standpoint and said, Hey, I'm going to be stronger than I was before the pandemic.”
“For me, it's a performance. I love getting out there and just showing off what I love to do.”
“That was just a beautiful, beautiful moment for me to receive [my Olympic ring] from you. And you're telling the story - I'm still getting chills because it's special for me.”
“For me, what keeps me grounded is reading the Bible and getting my time with God.”
“At that point, [Coach Jianli You] knew that I had medaled. And so I gave her this big hug. And she just held me tight. And she just said, We did it. We did it. And so that's just - that was a beautiful moment.”
“I don't think this is my peak performance as a diver... I know that there's so much more that I still have left in me.”
Show Links
Life at 10 Meters: Lessons from an Olympic Champion
5 Smart Strategies to Confidence
Laura’s Social Media:
Krysta’s Social Media:
51. Connecting sport, faith and life with Dr. Chad Carlson & Dr. Brian Bolt
Joining Laura on the podcast this week are Dr. Chad Carlson and Dr. Brian Bolt, two guys from rival schools who came together with a common purpose: to think deeply about sport and faith. They both grew up as competitive athletes and are now coaches and sports scholars, Brian as the Dean of Education at Calvin University, and Chad as a Professor and Director of General Education at Hope College. They have also teamed up to create the ‘Sport. Faith. Life.’ podcast which they describe as ‘a conversation that meets at the intersection of sport and faith’. After hosting the 2nd Global Congress on Sport and Christianity at Calvin University in October 2019, our two guests made a commitment to continue to explore the athletic world through the lens of Christianity, and that is precisely what they do hear today.
In today’s episode, Chad and Brian discuss the connection between sports and faith., concepts like forgiveness, and how sports can become a part of one’s identity. Together, they also delve into viewing sports as a form of play, how not everybody is drawn to the idea of competition, and how sports must be enjoyed at the moment. They conclude by exploring athletes’ mental health and the sense of loss they feel after certain events such as the Olympics, and by discussing how to view sports as a separate space from other things in life. Filled with ideas regarding how to lead with grace, call for truth, and be a light on a very diverse team. Today’s conversation is enlightening, informative, and, above all, one you do not want to miss.
Episode Highlights:
- Competition in sports: the good side and the bad side
- Comparisons that people make while playing sports
- Sports and their impact on one’s identity
- How human beings are meant to be playful
- Forgiveness and the concept of a community
- Selfishness in sports and attributions people make for their successes or failures
- Mental health and sports
- Redemption in sports
Quotes:
‘‘And we see this, especially those who are in Olympic sports, where, you know, it’s not like you play Major League Baseball, where if you don’t do well, one day, you get a chance to the next day, right?”
“And what’s so interesting about athletes or successful people in some ways is that they attribute failure to things outside themselves.’’
“And so, from a faith perspective, I think it’s a reminder to us that when we watch our heroes, we’re watching real people with skin and flesh and people who are dealing with real everyday issues. That’s important for us to remember in the midst of our heroism - the way in which we worship athletes at times, for sure.’’
“And then we also need to take a step back with someone we trust - a coach, a teammate, somebody - and logically look at what happened without the emotion and learn from it instead of just blaming all the time. Because I’ve had teammates who blame judges, who blame this, that, and the other all the time.’’
“If you use your energy to fix what you're doing wrong, instead of blaming other people, you might actually be a better athlete.”
“There are experiences that we have on Earth, that may be glimpses of Heaven, and when we're at play, we're doing something because the joy of it is in the doing. We're experiencing that Kingdom at hand.”
“I have parents that ask me all the time, like, ‘How can I make my kid more passionate?’ and, like, you’ve just got to let them fail. Like, if he fails and he wants to keep going, like, he’ll find the passion.’’
Show Links
Life at 10 Meters: Lessons from an Olympic Champion
5 Smart Strategies to Confidence
Laura’s Social Media:
Connect with Brian and Chad:
46. 17 scars that paved the way to Tokyo with taekwando Olympian Victoria Stambaugh
Joining Laura on the podcast today is Olympic Taekwondo athlete, Victoria Stambaugh. The daughter of a professional boxer, Victoria took to Taekwondo at an early age, made the US National Team in her teens, eventually joined the Puerto Rico National Team, and has since qualified to compete for Puerto Rico at the upcoming Tokyo Games. Having suffered a number of injuries and resulting surgeries over her career, Victoria has demonstrated remarkable resilience, and, through her faith in Christ, has persevered to achieve her dream of becoming an Olympian. In today’s conversation, she not only shares her inspirational story, but also turns the tables to pick Laura’s brain for some of her sage advice as well.
As with all guests, Victoria begins by sharing how she found her way to her chosen sport, and then she goes on to relate the story of her career to date. Starting with how she made the US National Team, Victoria proceeds to recount her battles with injuries over the years, how they have affected both her career and her emotional state, her transition to the Puerto Rico National Team, and how qualifying for the Olympics works in her sport. She also delves deeply into the role that her faith has played in her life and career, the impact of handing control over to God, her 17 scars and what they mean to her, and her work with Master Bang in preparing for Tokyo. Victoria concludes the episode by questioning Laura on her Olympic experiences and advice, and the role that her faith has played in her life and career. As you will hear, Victoria and Laura are very much kindred spirits whose personal, professional, and spiritual lives resonate considerably with each other, and also offer valuable lessons for all listeners here today.
Episode Highlights:
· Victoria’s sports history and how she got into Taekwondo
· Making the US National Team
· How Taekwondo athletes are selected for the Olympics
· Her knee injuries and surgeries
· How Victoria’s faith has helped her
· Her story of not qualifying for Rio and focusing on Tokyo
· The times when God spoke directly to her heart
· Transitioning from the US to the Puerto Rican Team
· How Olympic qualifying works for Taekwondo and diving
· Her knee injuries and surgeries while preparing for Tokyo
· Handing control over to God
· Qualifying for Tokyo
· Her 17 scars and what they mean to her
· Master Bang
· Victoria and her fiance’s Taekwondo and Parkour studio
· Laura’s best advice for someone competing at their first Olympics
· What’s different for Laura now
· Laura’s thoughts during the finals for her gold
· How Laura’s faith has helped her throughout her career
· Laura’s biggest goal when competing at the Olympics
· Her upcoming trials
· Laura’s thoughts on not being able to have family at the Tokyo Olympics
Quotes:
“When I saw Jackie Chan, Jet Li, I was like, ‘I want to be these guys’.”
“For the Olympics, only two weight categories can qualify, female and male, per country.”
“Deep down inside, I knew that my knee was never the same.”
“I know God put the right person at the right time that I needed to hear those words, ‘not to quit’ and to ‘come back’.”
“That started the process of three knee surgeries within a period of six months.”
“What I picture is kind of like God just wrapping His arms around me and giving me a hug. And at that moment, I was able to continue on and it was actually just the very next day where I was like, ‘Okay, I'm going to go for Tokyo’.”
“He had to take out the rest of the meniscus…in my mind, I was like, ‘You just took my whole career away from me’.”
“And then, sure enough, God always sends the right message, the right person, at the right time.”
“God has seen your tears and, and He's with you. Don't give up, keep going.”
“I was done emotionally, mentally, you know, physically, spiritually. I was just drained. And that's when I just released total control to Christ and let him handle it.”
“Christ was my confidence…and I qualified for the Olympics.”
“A reminder of everything I've been through and everything God has brought me out of. And what better reminder, really? It's basically tattooed on my body.”
“People get so lost in the aura and the bigness and the pressure of the Olympic Games. But, just, you’ve got to be able to let that go.”
“That's for Him to use this for my good and for His glory.”
“You don't have to have the lead if you have the heart to come from behind.”
“I've had a lot of big dreams that I've fallen very short of, but, in that moment, I was living it. And to me that was one of the greatest things that I got to take away.”
“Now I do want to boast about my weaknesses, because that's the chance for the power of Christ to rest upon me, and for the world to see, you know, exactly what He can do.”
“The biggest thing that I need to do is stay in the moment.”
“Maybe I can just really spend that time dependent with God.”
“You've got to kind of expect the unexpected, and just roll with it.”
Links:
5 Smart Strategies to Confidence
Laura’s Social Media:
Connect with Victoria:
45. Ministry and competition with our host Laura Wilkinson and Power Up Sports Ministry
Today’s episode is a little different in that Laura is actually a guest on another podcast, and is interviewed by veteran broadcaster, Bill Houston and former LPGA Pro, Tracy Hanson, from the Power Up Sports Ministry, an outreach of Our Daily Bread Ministries. Listeners may remember Tracy as a guest on Episode 20 of Pursuit of Gold where she very vulnerably opened up about recognizing and overcoming abuse. As you will hear, this week’s episode is an extra special one for Laura as she shares so much that is close to her heart, but that she doesn’t always get a chance to discuss in other arenas.
She begins by briefly reviewing her personal and professional lives, and then delves deeply into her spiritual journey, including a moving account of the moment her life changed and she started fully trusting God with it. She also describes how she brings her faith into her competitions, the impact that the Tokyo Games postponement has had upon her and her training, her experience of returning to diving after neck surgery, and how she approaches sharing her faith with others. Laura concludes by offering her perspective on ministering to other athletes, as well as details regarding her wonderful family, and what she has learned about herself in her quest to return to the Olympics. Laura truly loves ‘just being able to be open and honest about Jesus and sports’, and that is precisely what she does today in this enlightening and thoroughly inspiring interview.
Episode Highlights:
· A brief history of Laura’s personal and professional lives
· Laura’s spiritual journey and the moment her life began to change
· Trusting God with her life
· Taking her faith into her competitions
· The impact of the Olympic postponement on Laura
· Returning to diving after her neck surgery
· Sharing her faith with others
· Her perspective on ministering to other athletes
· Laura’s family
· What Laura has learned about herself
Quotes:
“I was told I was a waste of space… fortunately for me, it lit a fire.”
“I had reached out and I kind of realized that I had taken the reins of my life and I'd made a mess of things, but I was reaching back out for God.”
“I just remember thinking that God was saying, “Look, when you trust Me with your life, I have plans for you. I have a purpose for you.”
“You are probably impacting people's lives all over the place and you don't always see the fruit of that. But you've got to know when you're trusting God and you're doing what He's asking you to do, like, waves will be made, seeds will be planted, you know, and the harvest will come.”
“I was much better at staying in the moment because of Him, because I was focused on Him.”
“God always gives you these challenges that you're like, ‘No, I don't want to go through this’, but he uses those to equip us in ways that we can't even fathom to help us for something bigger that’s coming ahead.”
“You have to be able to meet people where they are and talk to them where they're at.”
“I think for athletes just constantly, constantly reminding them that, like, you are not the sum total of your score or your place at the end of the competition. Like, you are far more valuable than that. And if you get injured and you can't go on tomorrow, you still have value and purpose and you were created for that purpose.”
“I've gotten really good at juggling, and I have an amazing husband who is very supportive. Without him, I mean, honestly, none of this would have happened.”
“The older I get, the more I realize I don't know.”
“Having kids, they kind of make you really not eat your words, but live up to your words.”
“I think athletes and sports ministry leaders alike can learn from what you're putting out there with the guests that you're having.”
Links:
5 Smart Strategies to Confidence
Laura’s Social Media:
Connect with Power Up:
41. Chess on Bikes with Olympic cyclist Giddeon Massie
Joining Laura on the podcast today is Olympic cyclist Giddeon Massie. Among his many accomplishments are more than 20 U.S. Elite National Titles, Pan American Games Gold and Silver Medals, competing at two Olympic Games, and being selected by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency to participate in a series of public service announcements that promoted clean, honest, and fair competition. Giddeon has also been the Program Manager for an International Education and Mentorship Non-profit organization, called ‘Classroom Champions’, and he remains committed to community outreach.
In today’s conversation, Giddeon shares how he first became involved in cycling, his training experience at the Velodrome, his breakout moment, and his time at the Olympic Training Centre. He goes on to review and compare his Olympic experiences, his perspective on doping in sport, the various cycling events in which he competed, the impact of not qualifying for the 2012 Games, and his transition from his cycling career to his current career in real estate. Giddeon finishes up by offering his sincere and deeply thoughtful advice to athletes in setting and achieving their goals in their sport. Uniquely experienced in the joys and challenges of a life both within the world of an elite athlete and beyond, Giddeon takes this opportunity to share his measured and contemplative insights and advice for the benefit of all listeners here today.
Episode Highlights:
· How he found his way into cycling
· The Velodrome
· Giddeon’s breakout moment
· His time at the Olympic Training Centre
· Comparing his Olympic experiences
· His perspective on doping in sport
· The various cycling events in which he raced
· Failing to qualify for the 2012 Games
· Transitioning from cycling to real estate
· Giddeon’s advice for athletes coming up with dreams and goals
Quotes:
“The sprint disciplines were more intriguing and just looked more fun and appealing to me.”
“It was a gradual progression and I learned from some of the best.”
“You know sometimes you go years without something, and other times you have a year where you have two or three or four falls.”
“We lived that together, and we supported one another, and that was a great, great thing about that space.”
“The whole experience…is pretty overwhelming and special that first time.”
“I feel bad for those people that choose to go that route, but it doesn't impact what I do and how I approach what I do. I sleep comfortably at night.”
“If you don't have a purpose it's kind of like not having a destination.”
“I'm very comfortable in uncertainty because I know that my preparation is such that, if given the opportunity, I'm going to be where I need to be.”
“The individual stuff, it's like, you know, it's chess on bikes.”
“I think every Games has its own lifeblood to it.”
“Watching from the outside…that was very hard.”
“I wasn't ready to be done.”
“Sometimes I tell people I'm a recovering Olympic athlete.”
“You lose some of yourself when you step away from that because not everybody cares about the Olympics and not everybody cares about, you know, what you’ve spent most of your life doing.”
“Okay, what have I learned that I can actually apply here?”
“It starts with having a healthy respect for the sport that you're participating in, for the people that are devoting the time to invest in you, to being willing to accept the critique and the criticism.”
Links:
5 Smart Strategies to Confidence
Laura’s Social Media:
Connect with Giddeon:
39. Chasing dreams and making history with Olympic runner Dom Scott
South African Olympic runner, Dom Scott, joins Laura today for a truly inspiring conversation about persevering and making tough decisions to make your dreams a reality. Born in Cape Town, Dom’s journey to the Olympics meant moving away from her family at a young age to access the training and opportunities offered elsewhere, which resulted in multiple NCAA titles, 12 All-American honors, and, of course, her appearance at the Rio Olympics. Today, Dom takes some time out from her training for the Tokyo Olympics to share her story and the lessons it has to offer.
She begins by sharing some details of growing up in Cape Town, her start in sports, particularly running, and the difficult decision to leave home to attend a high school with a track team. Dom also discusses the road that took her to the University of Arkansas, her career there, her year of fairy tale moments, and her Rio experience. She concludes by delving into the lessons she has learned throughout her career, how COVID has affected her and her training, what keeps her going through the hard times, and the Dom Squad. The overriding themes of following your dream and cherishing support from family, friends, and faith run through Dom’s journey, and offer inspiration for us all in how we can approach our own lives.
Episode Highlights:
· Dom’s upbringing in Cape Town and her start in running
· Netball
· Living away from home to go to a high school with a track team
· Her Olympic dream and her parents’ support
· Going to the University of Arkansas
· Her college experience
· The differences between indoor/outdoor track and cross country
· How she improved so much over her college career
· Dom’s year of fairytale moments
· Her Rio Olympic experience and the process involved in getting there
· What helped Dom through her doubts and anxiety leading up to Rio
· What Dom has learned in terms of her identity
· Her current definition of success
· How COVID has impacted her and her preparation for Tokyo
· What keeps Dom going through the hard times
· The Dom Squad
Quotes:
“I grew up playing every sport.”
“I guess as a dreamer and the determined person that I am, as a 12 year old, that just seemed like something that was worth fighting for and worth making hard decisions for.”
“Selflessly…she told me to go and to follow my dreams, follow my heart, and if she hadn’t done that, I think I probably would have pulled the plug on the whole thing.”
“College, you’ve got to remember, everyone is away from home.”
“Very quickly, I started changing the way I was talking…and looking back at it, I’m so sad that I did that.”
“Don’t change who you are to blend in and be like everybody else…you want to stand up and rise above that.”
“My freshman year was a big learning curve.”
“I just tried to start observing.”
“Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.”
“Your 10 points just secured the win for the Lady Razorbacks.”
“That sermon gave me so much peace.”
“You earned your spot on that start line.”
“I had taken the necessary steps to make my dream a reality.”
“At the time, I was embarrassed to say I’d come 21st, which is ridiculous!”
“It’s not about the place, it’s about how you feel about what you did.”
“Being an Olympian and having competed in the Olympics is not something that made me a better person, or, like, changed my life significantly either…it wasn’t something I wanted to be branded as.”
“If you are searching for your identity in anything other than Christ…it’s never going to fulfill you, it’s never going to satisfy you, and you’re always going to be left wanting more.”
“I am…more than Dom Scott, the athlete.”
“I really feel like surrounding myself with people that love me and support me – that’s what helps me through those really horrible days.”
Links:
5 Smart Strategies to Confidence
Laura’s Social Media:
Connect with Dom:
38. Paralyzed to Powerful with Rugby Player Robert Paylor
Laura has been looking forward to today’s interview for a while, and the reason will become very clear, very quickly. On May 6, 2017, Robert Paylor was playing for the number one college rugby team in the country as they competed in the National Championship, a dream come true for any young athlete. Mere moments into that game, Robert broke his neck and was subsequently told that he would never walk or move his hands again. His life was changed forever in that instant, but if you think that’s where Robert’s story ends, you couldn’t be more wrong. That fateful day not only impacted his physical life, but his mindset, his faith, and his outlook on life, and he shares the whole story with us all today.
He begins by describing how he got involved in rugby in the first place, his experience at Cal, and then he shares, in chilling detail, the events of that day in May, 2017, as well as the immediate and long-term decisions and treatments involved in his rehabilitation, which continues to this very day. Along the way he touches upon the need for mental toughness, working through the daily grind toward his vision, the role that neuroplasticity plays in his rehabilitation, and the power of forgiveness. Throughout his story are woven Robert’s feelings of gratitude, the incredible support from family, friends, doctors, teammates, and coaches, and, especially, his discovery of the greatest purpose and commitment of his life. What happened to Robert truly changed his life on so many levels, and by listening in to his heartfelt and moving conversation with Laura today you’ll find out why he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Episode Highlights:
· How Robert got involved with rugby
· His experience at Cal
· The day Robert’s life changed forever
· The advice he received and the decision he made in his darkest hour
· Accessing mental toughness to make treatment decisions
· Robert’s post-surgery experience
· Support of family and friends
· Robert’s rehabilitation at Craig Hospital in Colorado
· False hope and false hopelessness
· Working through the grind toward his ironclad vision
· The first flicker of movement
· Accessing perspective to be more grateful
· The three ways to achieve recovery form spinal cord injury
· The role that neuroplasticity plays in his recovery
· Robert’s rehabilitation since he left the hospital
· The support from Robert’s rugby team and especially Coach Billups
· Graduating from Cal
· The power of asking yourself, “Compared to what?”
· The impact that Robert can have on the lives of others
· Talon’s story
· The biggest commitment that Robert has ever made
· The power of forgiveness
· Counting the days and appreciating the daily grind
Quotes:
“It was a day of legacy.”
“My face slams against my chest, I feel this crunch in my neck, and I immediately can’t feel or move anything below my neck.”
“The reality is, you will never walk again. You will never move your hands.”
“The one thing you have control over is your mindset. Your positivity, your ambition, your willingness to wake up every single day and fight is up to you.”
“I was going to give everything I had to get absolutely everything I can get.”
“I knew I couldn’t live with the regret of not going into this surgery.”
“It was like Death was sitting with me in that hospital room, waiting for me to quit.”
“If I don’t do this, I might die!”
“They look at me and they see potential, not some broken body.”
“The one thing we do know is that we are going to give you everything that modern science and medicine has to offer.”
“I came here to walk out of these hospital doors.”
“Appreciate every victory we have no matter how small they are.”
“There was just so much that I had lost that I had taken for granted in my life.”
“I couldn’t have graduated if it weren’t for this team.”
“Just being a quadriplegic is a job in itself.”
“It was my perspective that really fueled me.”
“Remind me not to complain about anything ever again.”
“I think that’s very unhealthy when we dismiss our challenges.”
“There are so many positives in our lives that we can be focusing on right now.”
“If I could go back and change what happened to me on May 6 of 2017, I wouldn’t and I couldn’t, because…it has given me now the greatest purpose that I have in my life.”
“I forgive him whether he is sorry or not.”
“I’m either going to get out of this wheelchair one day or I’m going to die trying.”
Links:
5 Smart Strategies to Confidence
Laura’s Social Media:
Connect with Robert:
37. Learning to run free with World Champion Chanelle Price
World Champion runner, Chanelle Price, joins Laura today to share her remarkable story and the lessons she has learned through it all. A supremely talented elite athlete, Chanelle’s many achievements include competing at the 2007 USA Outdoor Championships at the age of 16, running the second fastest 800m of all time by a high school female which qualified her for the Olympic Trials when she was 17, and becoming the 2014 World IAAF Indoor Champion – the first American woman to ever win 800m gold at an indoor or outdoor world championship. Along with these great successes, Chanelle has experienced some devastating low points in her career, and she courageously discusses them all here today.
She begins by sharing how she came to find her way into track, her early successes, her struggles with insecurity, and the dark days of her time at college. Chanelle then provides a highly personal account of the factors that led her to contemplate suicide, and how beginning her journey with Christianity pulled her through that tragic time. She also discusses the many challenges she still had to face throughout this journey, the difference between her Olympic Trials experiences, and training for Tokyo during COVID. She draws the conversation to a close by highlighting the importance of maintaining a healthy relationship with sport, surrounding yourself with the right supportive people, her current definition of success, and the crucial role her ‘why’ plays in keeping her motivated and moving forward. Chanelle holds nothing back as she recounts the shining mountain peaks and dark, dark valleys she has encountered in her fascinating journey, and how these have helped her to become the woman she is today - an individual overflowing with faith, strength, character, and commitment, who undoubtedly ‘brings a smile to God’s face’.
Episode Highlights:
· How Chanelle found her way into track
· Her early success
· Chanelle’s struggles with insecurity
· Her college experience
· Seeking a sponsorship deal
· Chanelle’s contemplation of suicide
· Her journey with Christianity
· Drifting away from and returning to God
· The many challenges Chanelle has worked through
· Moving to train in Eugene, Oregon
· Training for Tokyo during COVID
· Chanelle’s Olympic Trials experiences
· The importance of maintaining a healthy relationship with sport and surrounding yourself with supportive people
· Her current definition of success
· Chanelle’s ‘why’
Quotes:
“I just didn’t really find track fun. It felt more like punishment.”
“Once I started that singular focus on track once I got to high school, you know, it really paid off.”
“It was definitely the success that got me to like it.”
“That is where my sense of identity came from was my achievement on the track.”
“I don’t know who I am if I’m not Chanelle Price the track star.”
“It was like a 100 pound weight on my shoulders every time I went to race.”
“Behind closed doors, I was really, really, really struggling.”
“Chase after Me like you chase after track.”
“Your worth is not based off of how you perform out there on the track.”
“To whom much is given, much is required.”
“I was just a completely different person on the track.”
“You know, God, I’m going to come back to You.”
“The past 4 years have been the hardest years of my life…He answered, but it just wasn’t really what I expected.”
“I miss being that desperate for Him.”
“It was a very humbling experience.”
“God, I don’t know what You’re doing, but I’m about to break here…I don’t know if I can take this.”
“Every other month I said I was going to quit.”
“Maybe He’s telling me it’s time to move on.”
“I knew that this extra year was definitely a blessing in disguise for me.”
“Honestly, I considered retirement after that.”
“The woman that you have become through this journey is worth it.”
“I’m not thinking about anything else besides using my gift, and for me that’s when things seem to fall into place.”
“Some pressure is good, don’t get me wrong, but it shouldn’t get you to the point of suicide like it has for me in the past…that is not a healthy relationship with sport.”
“This is what you do. It’s not who you are.”
“The person that we become along the way - I think that’s what brings a smile to God’s face.”
“The sole thing that kept me going was my ‘why’.”
“Don’t sacrifice the gift.”
“There is always hope beyond what is happening in front us right now.”
Links:
5 Smart Strategies to Confidence
Laura’s Social Media:
Instagram: Laura's Instagram
Facebook: Laura's Facebook page
Connect with Chanelle:
24. Special birthday Q&A with our host Laura Wilkinson and daughter Arella
This week’s episode is a little different, because today is Laura’s birthday! And to celebrate, she has a very special guest who will be asking the questions – her oldest daughter, Arella. Many of the questions that Arella will be asking Laura have been submitted by listeners, and she has also added a few of her own. Towards the end of the podcast, Laura turns the tables and asks Arella a couple questions as well. You will quickly discover that Arella is an excellent interviewer who might just be ready to host her own podcast someday, and you’ll also learn a lot more about Laura, her sport, her faith, her physical and mental training, and, of course, her Olympic experiences. Today’s episode is an excellent opportunity to learn so much about the life of an Olympian and her family, and if there is more you would like to know, be sure to send in your questions to Laura and they might just be answered on a future episode!
Episode Highlights:
Questions for Laura:
· How do you set your goals when everything is changing?
· Since you compete all over the world, and you have met lots of different people, has it ever given you the opportunity to share your faith with a fellow athlete?
· Why do you love ‘Learning to Fly’, the song by Petty so much? Is it inspirational or is it just because you think it’s a cool song?
· Coaching mental and physical abuse – how can we combat this as athletes?
· Recovering from intense diving practices
· How do you overcome the feelings of personal failure?
· Why do some divers wear swim caps now?
· What Gym did you go to gymnastics at before you did diving?
· Who are some of your mindset coaches or influencers at this point in your life?
· What dive has caused you to have the largest mental block, and how do you overcome it?
· What made you want to go to the Olympics?
· What are your chances of qualifying for Tokyo?
· How did you get into diving?
· How many medals do you really have?
· How many sports did you do before you did diving?
· How many times have you gone to the Olympics?
· What is your hardest dive ever?
· What’s your easiest dive?
Questions for Arella:
· What was the first sport that you did?
· What did you do after gymnastics?
· How do you get bored in gymnastics?
· Why do you enjoy Ninja Warrior so much now?
· Do you have any big goals for Ninja Warrior?
· Are there any lessons that you learn while you’re training for Ninja Warrior that help you in your everyday life?
· What is your new dream that you just came up with that you want to be when you grow up and why?
· Do you want to talk about the workout that you created during homeschool after you watched the Navy Seals?
· How has homeschooling been going?
Quotes:
“Your ultimate goals don’t need to change…what changes is your path to get there.”
“Research what other athletes in your sport are doing out there right now, like, stalk Instagram or Facebook or YouTube.”
“Obviously, the biggest part of being able to share your faith is starting relationships with people. That has to come first.”
“That’s really when you get a chance to show people what your faith is, what it means to you, and begin to have those discussions if they’re open to that.”
“’I’m going to free fall out into nothing. I’m going to leave this world for a while’, and to me, that just encapsulates what it feels like when I’m diving 10 meter, and I’m just in my happy place, and I’m in my zone, and it kind of feels like a place of worship for me because I’m using the gifts that God has given me.”
“Episode 11 with Kaillee Humphries, she talks about mental and verbal abuse…from one of her coaches…and also in Episode 20, with Tracy Hanson, there was kind of a very long term abuse going on there.”
“It’s kind of like a small car accident every time.”
“Sometimes it’s not your body that’s wearing out, it’s your mind…if that’s the case, go play.”
“If you’re not failing, you’re not going to succeed.”
“It’s to keep the chlorine from absorbing into their hair.”
“Mostly, ‘Flips’ was my home gym.”
“The Bible has just been, kind of, my firm foundation since I gave my life to Christ.”
“If you’re ever going through a really hard time, Psalms is a wonderful place to go.”
“It really broke a barrier for me to all of a sudden, I could do anything.”
“I tried a bunch of sports until I finally found diving.”
“My biggest challenge is really getting my body back to the point where I can get my entries clean again.”
“I didn’t give up just because I had a bad dive…I came back and I won the competition.”
“In 2000, it was in Sydney, Australia. In 2004, it was in Athens, Greece. And in 2008, it was in Beijing, China.”
“The back 3½ somersault pike just felt really, really, really hard.”
“Sometimes, the simple ones are the hardest.”
“My easiest dive is probably just, like, jumping in the water…a pencil dive.”
“My first sport was gymnastics.”
“I did soccer and now I’m a Ninja Warrior…I did diving…before soccer.”
“The trapeze bar is probably my favorite.”
“I keep trying over and over again until I finish the route.”
“I want to be…the first woman to be a Navy SEAL.”
“I like hard and challenging things.”
“I started working out while I was doing my Math.”
“I really like homeschooling – it’s really fun!”
“I think we should make another episode.”
Links:
Mental Training: https://www.laurawilkinson.com/learn
Laura’s Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lala_the_diver
23. When the beautiful Olympic moment is not what you expected with Abbey and Jacob Cooper
Laura’s guests on the podcast today are Olympic runner, Abbey Cooper, and her sport psychologist husband, Jacob. Abbey’s impressive college career includes being seven-time national champion, 16-time Ivy League champion and 12-time All-American. In 2012, she became the first Dartmouth woman to win a national title, and in 2013 she became the first Ivy League student-athlete to win the cross-country title. Currently running for New Balance and pursuing the Tokyo Olympics, Abbey is perhaps best known for her inspiring performance at the 2016 Rio Olympics, which she describes in full here today. Highly talented in his own right, Jacob was a scholarship athlete and four-year starter on the football team at Taylor University. This experience led to his interest in the field of sport psychology, and currently, he is the Director of Sport Psychology Services at Appalachian State University and a member of the Mental Health Registry of the USOPC.
Their conversation with Laura today explores not only their story in sport and in their personal relationship, but also of their unwavering faith, and the role that God plays in their lives. Along the way, they touch on Abbey’s experience at Dartmouth and the beginning of her faith journey, God’s grace in her life, His transformation of Jacob’s heart, and how He has taught them lessons about hardship, suffering, and what really matters through His ministry to them. Of course, Abbey’s historic and inspiring performance at the 2016 Olympics is recounted from both of their perspectives, and they also share details of their unique dynamic, what the past four years have been like, what they’ve been working on during the pandemic, and the dream that they have for helping other athletes. Having been through so much, and having faced it all together, supported by the power of their faith, Abbey and Jacob have many lessons to teach about making meaning out of experiences, and they do precisely that here today with extraordinary grace, humility, and sincerity.
Episode Highlights:
· Abbey’s experience at Dartmouth
· The beginning of her faith journey and her transitional moment
· God’s grace in her life
· Jacob’s athletic experience
· God’s transformation of his heart
· Jacob’s transition into sports psychology
· How Abbey and Jacob’s relationship started and built
· Abbey’s 2016 Olympic experience, and how God prepared her for the moment
· Jacob’s perspective of it
· God shifting Abbey’s perspective on the meaning of hardship
· What really matters
· How God ministers back to us
· What their past four years have been like
· The dynamic between Abbey and Jacob
· What they’ve worked on during the pandemic and Tokyo Games postponement
· Understanding the purpose of suffering
· The importance of acknowledging grief
· The unique fulfillment of inspiring and lifting other people up
· Jacob and Abbey’s dream to help other athletes rehabilitate their relationship with sport
· runningwithheart.org (coming soon)
Quotes:
“God had other plans.”
“I wouldn’t go back and change it, because it really brought me to the end of myself, and introduced me to this need for the Lord in my life.”
“It was the peace He gave you inside.”
“It was definitely a pretty humbling and arduous path from there that God really used to kind of transform my life.”
“It was this gift to glorify Him.”
“Luckily, God surrounded me with great friends, coaching, and mentors that helped me make meaning of my experience.”
“It was the fastest mile of my life, and probably the slowest of Abbey’s.”
“It was like God’s hand was over the whole thing.”
“I know that I’m here for a reason, but none of this makes sense.”
“That is so unnatural to me to respond in a way that isn’t selfish that I am so sure that it was just the Holy Spirit.”
“Abbey tried to get up like two or three times and run, and just kind of collapsed.”
“It was one of the most memorable and uplifting stories of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.”
“Now to him who is able.”
“When I crossed the finish line, I was already so amazed by what God had done.”
“Lord, bless me with wisdom, bless me with humility, and bless me with a godly wife someday…He gave me all three combined into one.”
“God’s given me a lot of hardship to walk through, and so I’ve picked up a few things along the way about what’s helped me.”
“I hope and pray athletes will feel less alone in their struggles.”
Links:
Mental Training: https://www.laurawilkinson.com/learn
Laura’s Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lala_the_diver
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheLauraWilkinson
Connect with Abbey and Jacob:
Running With Heart homepage: https://www.runningwithheart.org/
Abbey’s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbey_dags/
21. Make each day better than your last with shot put gold medalist Michelle Carter
Olympic shot put gold medalist, Michelle Carter, is Laura’s very special guest on the podcast today. Michelle is a three-time Olympian and a World Championship gold medalist who has excelled at the national and international level over the past two decades. In addition to capturing eight Texas State U.I.L. titles in shot put and discus as well as two national girls’ shot put records and the Texas state record in discus, Michelle’s gold medal winning performance in the shot put at the 2016 Olympics made her the first United States female athlete to win the event since the women’s competition began in 1948. Michelle is also an outspoken advocate for females in sport which becomes readily apparent as she shares her remarkable story with Laura here today.
Michelle details her career in sport from its very beginning through to current day, touching upon her ‘Coach Daddy’s’ role in it, her experiences in high school, college and the Olympics, and how her mindset was developed and impacts her performance, along the way. She also discusses drug use in her sport, being on the pro circuit, dealing with illness and injury, and her tremendous faith, including how God ‘shows up’. She finishes up the conversation with an update on her career these days, how COVID has affected it, and the various initiatives that she has started to help girls in sport. Michelle Carter is undeniably an elite athlete whose achievements are utterly spectacular, and, as you will hear today, she is so much more. In her mindset, her confidence, her faith, her ethics, and her passion, she is a role model not only to other athletes, but to absolutely every one of us.
Episode Highlights:
· Michelle’s start in sports and her journey to shot put
· Her dad’s track and football career and his role as ‘Coach Daddy’
· Michelle’s high school and college experience
· Her Olympic experiences and how they all differed for her
· Her mindset and how it was developed
· Handling the build up to, and atmosphere at, the Olympics
· Dealing with drug use in track and field
· The pro circuit
· Dealing with an injury in the build up to 2016 Olympics
· A throw by throw account of her Olympic gold medal performance
· How God ‘shows up’
· Her career since the 2016 Olympics
· How COVID has impacted her
· Michelle’s ‘You Throw Girl Sports Confidence Camp’
· Her ‘One Golden Shot’ non-profit
Quotes:
“I didn’t look at it as if I always had to win. I just knew I had to do better than I did last time.”
“I wanted to meet the expectations that I had for myself.”
“It was like I always kind of expect something to go wrong, and to be ready to kind of face that challenge.”
“I didn’t want my first Olympic…experience to be horrible, and I did truly feel like I was not ready.”
“That year really proved to myself that I knew that I had what it takes to be successful.”
“I didn’t see myself as one of the world’s greatest athletes…I was just so in awe.”
“I didn’t want to put any extra pressure just because it was the Olympics…I just have to go out there and compete to the best of my abilities.”
“I had pretty much just stayed off social media from the time I got to the Olympic Village until after I competed because I had to protect my energy.”
“I was actually diagnosed with Hashimoto’s in 2010, so I knew that 2012 wasn’t going to be easy.”
“All I control is me…I pride myself on being a clean athlete…what’s done in the dark will come to light.”
“I want to beat the dirtiest person on their best day with my clean self being ready on that day…I’m going to beat you while you’re cheating.”
“Being a part of one of the world’s greatest teams, Team USA, we have all the medical things you ever need or want. “
“I’m having these conversations in my head to keep myself balanced.”
“Lord, listen, this is it. I only have one more throw. If You said that I could win, you better show up right now, because this is it.”
“What I had worked on showed up.”
“I know she has the ability to beat me. The question is, like, can she meet the challenge?”
“Whatever you want to do is possible.”
“I know now why He did it that way. It was to humble me and to reach so many more people and change their lives…that’s just such a God thing.”
“He believed in me when I didn’t quite believe in myself.”
“I know that I can still do better.”
“You can be me and better.”
“I feel like once you’re confident in who you are outside of your skills, add your skills on top of your confidence just in who you are, you become so powerful.”
“You are so passionate about young girls and helping young girls. I love your heart.”
Links:
Mental Training: https://www.laurawilkinson.com/learn
Laura’s Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lala_the_diver
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheLauraWilkinson
Connect with Michelle:
Website: https://www.shotdiva.com/
‘You Throw Girl’: https://www.shotdiva.com/you-throw-girl
Her non-profit One Golden Shot: https://www.shotdiva.com/onegoldenshot
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ShotDiva/
20. Recognizing and overcoming abuse with pro golfer Tracy Hanson
Laura welcomes professional golfer, Tracy Hanson, to the podcast today. After enjoying a successful All-American College golf career, Tracy went on to enjoy even more success on the Professional Ladies Golf Tour for 15 seasons before retiring in 2009. Within a year of her retirement, she embarked on a new journey, which included unpacking the truth about the harm and abuse she experienced as a child. Today, she joins Laura to courageously share her story and offer sage advice for all listeners.
In this conversation, Tracy relates her history in sports, particularly in golf, and offers details regarding her role now as a counselor. She also shares the story of her abuse from its start of being ‘groomed’ to finally recognizing it as abuse, and its immense impact upon her life. Along the way she recounts her struggle of wrestling with her identity, the prominent role that her faith has played throughout her life, and how she has become a counselor for others who may be going through what she experienced. She and Laura discuss some organizations that offer help to athletes, including Tracy’s own non-profit, and Tracy offers valuable advice for athletes, parents, coaches, and anyone with similar experiences. So much of today’s episode is centered around a difficult but enormously important topic offering an equally important message delivered by a woman gifted not only with athletic prowess, but with unrivalled strength, perseverance, faith, and courage. This is an episode that needs to be heard by everyone.
Episode Highlights:
· How Tracy got started in sports and specifically golf
· Her college experience and her transition to going professional
· Her most memorable golf tournament trip
· Tracy’s mindset when starting on the professional tour
· Tracy’s faith journey
· The abuse that she experienced
· What ‘grooming’ is
· https://safesport.org/ resources
· Recognizing it as sexual abuse
· Wrestling with her identity
· Tracy’s advice for others with similar experiences
· Her work as a counselor and her motivation to do it
· Bringing all of who you are to your sport
· Being mind, body, soul, and spirit
· How COVID has affected Tracy’s life and ministry
· The Faith in Sport Institute
· Tracy’s golf experience now
· The Tracy Hanson Initiative
· Tracy’s parting words
Quotes:
“I’m not sure it was my dream to start with.”
“Golf is just something to something bigger in your life.”
“One person who started talking to me more about Jesus…also became an abuser in my life.”
“I didn’t understand what was happening, and I didn’t feel safe to tell anybody.”
“In the context of the coach who started grooming me, I felt and received a lot of those things that I was longing for from my dad.”
“For athletes or non-athletes…we don’t understand what’s happening because we’re getting some really good things. We’re getting connectedness, we’re getting somebody who really is speaking life into us and who believes in us.”
“The grooming is part of the abuse.”
“Those hunches need to be followed through. So, that’s where I was missed.”
“My golf career was just one of those numbing agents…I just tried to perform harder.”
“God was really gentle with me.”
“I was out there, I was sharing my faith, and I was being the Christian athlete, and yet, so empty inside. And that was the part that people didn’t know.”
“You’re not alone. You’re not the only one who has experienced something horrific…there is or are people that want to be with you in that pain.”
“There is somebody…that will believe you…take the risk to speak it out.”
“I think counseling was the hardest and best thing that I’ve ever done in my life.”
“I wanted to help young athletes get the help that I needed in my early 20’s instead of having to wait 20 years.”
“I really just offer myself as a mentor/counselor for really life conversations, and spiritual conversations go, kind of, around that and in and through those conversations as well.”
“Unfortunately, we don’t give athletes the freedom in our culture to be that human person.”
“There’s so much power in just being able to name what’s true.”
“My whole desire and purpose is to provide…safe opportunities for athletes to talk about their stories of trauma.”
“If the stress and anxiety around the sport is outweighing the joy and the playfulness of it, then there’s something out of balance, and…they need to get some help.”
Links:
Mental Training: https://www.laurawilkinson.com/learn
SafeSport: https://safesport.org/
Laura’s Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lala_the_diver
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheLauraWilkinson
Connect with Tracy:
Website: https://tracyhanson.com/
The Tracy Hanson Initiative: https://tracyhanson.com/ministry/
13. Why you need a goal greater than yourself with AJ Edelman
Laura is very excited to welcome four-time Israeli National Champion in skeleton, AJ Edelman, to the podcast today. AJ is an American-Israeli who, by competing for Israel at the 2018 Winter Olympics, became the first Orthodox Jew to compete in the Winter Olympics, and the first Orthodox Jewish male to compete in either Olympic iteration. He has since retired from skeleton, intends to compete in the coming seasons and qualify Israel for the 2022 Olympics in 4-man bobsled, and is currently head of development and programming for the Israel Bobsled and Skeleton team. As impressive as these accomplishments are, they constitute just one part of his truly inspirational story, as you will hear today.
AJ begins the conversation by relating his experiences with, and advice regarding, both bullying and mental health. He then goes on to describe the remarkable impact that fellow athlete Steve Holcomb had upon him, the ‘I’ll show you’ attitude which propels his performance, the steps he took to improve his skill in skeleton so quickly, and, above all, the importance of having a goal greater than yourself. AJ’s faith, his duty to represent his community, the special tradition which he started, and his experience of training in Jamaica are all discussed as well. The conversation draws to a close with their exploration of being the best version of yourself, AJ’s Olympic experience in 2018, and what he is up to these days. Intelligent, articulate, passionate, and committed are just a few of the words which come to mind as you listen to AJ speak about all he has been through and accomplished to this point in his life. He is a visionary who puts his heart and soul into each and every goal he sets, and you will undoubtedly be equal parts amazed, impressed, and inspired as you listen to him here today.
Episode Highlights:
AJ’s experiences with, and advice regarding, bullying and mental health
His journey from playing hockey at MIT to becoming a skeleton athlete
The impact that Steve Holcomb had on AJ
AJ and Laura’s shared ‘I’ll show you’ attitude
How he improved at the skeleton so quickly
The importance of having a goal greater than yourself
AJ’s faith and representing his community
His special tradition
AJ’s experience training in Jamaica
Being the best version of yourself
His 2018 Olympic experience
What AJ is up to these days
Quotes:
“The only reason why I try to do any of the things that I try to do is borne out of using those experiences, in particular the negative feelings that sometimes come about from depression, as fuel.”
“It’s always been about rise above and be the best that you can be, but initially motivated by some very negative experiences.”
“Even though people hurt you, oftentimes, they themselves are hurting, but that’s also not an excuse to take it.”
“Realize that you are on a higher plane than your bully.”
“We have to fight bullying by addressing the root causes.”
“Mental health is very similar to most other health issues, in that it presents differently for people, but we have to acknowledge that it not only exists, and that it exists within ourselves, but that there are many methods that we can take to treat it, but we have to treat it.”
“I don’t believe that decisions are ever wrong if they’re made with the right intent.”
“The plan was to find a sport in which I could actually become truly excellent and elite, to show that Jews can become elite in a sport, even later on in life.”
“People may not register on your scale, but you can impart an enormous amount of influence and help on other people’s lives.”
“I was fighting in my mind for the future of my program.”
“I will not be part of the end product, but I will be, I can be, a significant stepping-stone to creating something really good.”
Links:
Laura’s Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lala_the_diver
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheLauraWilkinson
Connect with AJ:
Email: adam.edelman@olympian.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajedelman/