Read the OCT ISSUE #106 of Athleisure Mag and see 9CH3FS ROUTIN3S | Chef Eddie Jackson in mag.
Today, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) announced the 45th Annual Sports Emmy® Awards nominations as well as revealing the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, sports broadcaster James Brown. The ceremony will take place on Tuesday, May 21, at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall, Broadway at 60th Street, New York City.
“This year’s sports broadcasting nominees produced thrilling and captivating television,” said Adam Sharp, President & CEO, NATAS. “We look forward to welcoming these exceptional professionals to the 45th Annual Sports Emmy Awards in May.”
“The Sports Emmy Awards are proud to recognize the outstanding work of this year’s nominees and to honor James Brown for his long and prolific career,” added Stephen Head, Head of Sports.
As we do throughout Awards Season, we share our predictions in bold, the ones we correctly identified as winners are in bold italics and winners that we didn’t predict are in italics. On the night of the event, we will share who we predicted correctly as well as those we didn’t that won.
The Masters
CBS
The 105th PGA Championship
CBS
Super Bowl LVIII
Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers
CBS
Super Bowl LVIII
Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers
Nickelodeon
[Nickelodeon Productions | CBS Sports | NFL Films]
The 119th World Series
Texas Rangers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
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FOX CFB
FOX | FS1
FOX NFL
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Monday Night Football
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[Omaha Productions]
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American League Championship Series
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MLB Postseason on tbs
tbs
NFL Championship
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·NFL Playoffs on NBC
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All Access
Davis vs. Garcia: Epilogue
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The Roku Channel
[NFL Films | Skydance Sports]
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YouTube
[NFL Films]
Road To The Super Bowl
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[NFL Films]
2023 Special Olympic World Games
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Chasing Greatness: Coach K x LeBron
TNT
Crown
CBS Sports Network
E60
The Crossover: 50 Years of Hip Hop and Sports
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[ESPN Films]
GR8TNESS
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You Are Looking Live!
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[NFL Films]
E60
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Kickin’ It
Paramount+ | Golazo Network
The Pivot Podcast
YouTube
Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel
HBO | Max
The Shop UNINTERRUPTED
YouTube
[UNINTERRUPTED]
BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023
BLAST.tv
[BLAST]
2023 Call of Duty League Championship Weekend
New York Subliners vs. Toronto Ultra
Twitch | YouTube
[Esports Engine | Activision Blizzard]
Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2023 Grand Finals
ENCE vs. G2
Twitch | YouTube
[ESL FACEIT Group]
League of Legends Worlds 2023 Final
T1 vs. Weibo Gaming
LoLEsports.com | Twitch | YouTube
[Riot Games]
VALORANT Champions 2023 Grand Final
Paper Rex vs. Evil Geniuses
ValorantEsports.com | Twitch | YouTube
[Riot Games]
Dreamcaster
MSG Network | MSG+
[456 Studios | Lord + Thomas | DaHouse Audio | Citizen Music | Vicaps | Helo]
Extraordinary Stories
One-Armed Wonder: The Extraordinary Story of Jimmy Hasty
UEFA.tv
[Noah Media Group]
NFL 360
Gone
NFL Network
NFL Films Presents
Lahainaluna High
FS1
[NFL Films]
SC Featured
Nothing Else Matters
ESPN+
The Deepest Breath
Netflix
[A24 | Motive Films | Ventureland]
Full Circle
Vimeo On Demand
[Level 1 Productions]
Kelce
Prime Video
[Amazon MGM Studios | Skydance | Vera Y Productions | 9.14 Pictures]
The Saint of Second Chances
Netflix
[Tremolo | Stampede Ventures]
Stand
Showtime
[SHOWTIME Sports Documentary Films | MSM]
Catching Lightning
Showtime
[Bat Bridge Entertainment]
Goliath
Showtime
[Village Roadshow Television | Religion of Sports]
Super League: The War for Football
Apple TV+
[Words + Pictures | All Rise Films]
Untold
Netflix
[Propagate | Stardust Frames | RAW | The Players’ Tribune]
Football Must Go On
Paramount+
Formula 1: Drive to Survive
Netflix
[Box to Box Films]
Hard Knocks
Training Camp With The New York Jets
HBO | Max
[NFL Films]
Monster Factory
Apple TV+
[Vox Media Studios | Public Record]
Quarterback
Netflix
[NFL Films | Omaha Productions | 2PM Productions]
College GameDay
ESPN
FOX CFB: Big Noon Kickoff
FOX | FS1
FOX NFL Sunday
FOX
Inside the NBA on TNT
TNT
The NFL Today
CBS
MLB Tonight
MLB Network
NBA Countdown
ESPN | ESPN2
NFL Live
ESPN | ESPN2
Pardon The Interruption
ESPN
[Rydholm Projects, Inc.]
SportsCenter
ESPN
College GameDay
College Football Playoff
ESPN
FOX MLB: The Postseason
FOX | FS1
Inside the NBA Playoffs on TNT
TNT
Postseason NFL Countdown
ESPN
Road to the Final Four
CBS | TNT
CNN FlashDocs
Blindsided
CNN
E60
Peace of Mind: Psychedelics in Sports
ESPN
E60
The Perfect Machine
ESPN
Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel
A Blind Eye: Switzerland and the Corruption of World Sport
HBO | Max
Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel
Call of Duty: How War is Destroying Ukrainian Sport
HBO | Max
College GameDay
The Legacy of Tyler Trent
ESPN
NFL 360
The Chief Who Walked The Sea
NFL Network
NFL 360
Heroes
NFL Network
NFL 360
Miracle
NFL Network
The NFL Today: Super Bowl LVIII
Just Win Baby!
CBS
Sunday Night Football
Madden & Stingley
NBC | Peacock
Thursday Night Football
Marshawn Lynch ‘N Yo City: Intercourse, PA (Yes, this is a real place)
Prime Video
[Amazon MGM Studios]
Outside The Lines
Jordan McNair: The Freedom Within
ESPN
Playing Fields
Ornella: Knocking Down Social Prejudices Pursuing Her Olympic Dream
Olympic Channel
Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel
No Surrender: One Man’s Battle with ALS
HBO | Max
SportsCenter
SC Featured: Dear Mrs. Reid
ESPN
SportsCenter
SC Featured: Running for Martin
ESPN
Unredeemable
Golf Channel
The 149th Kentucky Derby
Timeless
NBC | Peacock
Monday Night Football
In the Air Tonight
ESPN | ABC
NHL Winter Classic on TNT
If This Wall Could Talk
TNT
Sunday Night Football
Heidi
NBC | Peacock
Super Bowl LVIII
My Way
CBS
College Football Playoff MegaCast
Rose Bowl Game
ESPN | ESPN2 | ESPN Deportes | ESPNU | ESPNews | SEC Network | ESPN App | ABC | LHN
Fan Controlled Racing Watch Party
Twitch | Kick
[Fan Controlled Sports & Entertainment]
The Magic and Mastery of US Open Champion – Carlos Alcaraz
ESPN.com
NCAA March Madness Live
March Madness Live
Thursday Night Football
Black Friday Football Studio
Prime Video
[Amazon MGM Studios]
Thursday Night Football
Event Coverage Optionality/Customization
Prime Video
[Amazon MGM Studios]
Big City Greens Classic
Fully Animated Live Sporting Event With Integrated Real-Time Animated Talent
ESPN+ | Disney Channel | Disney XD | Disney+
[Beyond Sports | Silver Spoon Animation | Disney Television Animation]
Dreamcaster
MSG Network | MSG+
[Weber Shandwick | Helo]
MLB Next
AR App
MLB
Red Bull Erzbergrodeo
Cross-Platform Storytelling with Broadcast, Web Widgets and AR App.
Red Bull TV
[Red Bull Media House | ProteGear | TeraVolt | Girraphic]
Thursday Night Football
Machine Learning on Prime Vision
Prime Video
[Amazon MGM Studios]
Malika Andrews
ESPN | ESPN2 | ABC | TNT
Kevin Burkhardt
FOX | FS1
Rece Davis
ESPN
Ernie Johnson
TNT | tbs
Scott Van Pelt
ESPN | ESPN2 | ABC
Mike Breen
ABC
Joe Buck
ESPN | ABC
Ian Eagle
CBS | TNT | tbs
Kevin Harlan
tbs | CBS | TNT | truTV
Mike Tirico
NBC | Peacock
Charles Barkley
TNT
Nate Burleson
CBS
Ryan Clark
ESPN | ESPN2 | ESPN+ | ABC
Kirk Herbstreit
ESPN
Mina Kimes
ESPN | ESPN2 | ABC
Troy Aikman
ESPN | ABC
Cris Collinsworth
NBC | Peacock
Greg Olsen
FOX
Bill Raftery
CBS | TNT
John Smoltz
FOX | FS1
Tom Verducci
FOX | FS1 | MLB Network
Erin Andrews
FOX
Kaylee Hartung
Prime Video | NBC | Peacock
Tom Rinaldi
FOX | FS1
Holly Rowe
ESPN | ESPN2 | ABC
Tracy Wolfson
CBS | TNT
Mookie Betts
Bleacher Report | tbs | FOX
Noah Eagle
NBC | Peacock
Carli Lloyd
FOX | FS1
Taylor Rooks
TNT | NBA TV | Bleacher Report | Amazon
Jay Wright
CBS | CBS Sports Network | TNT
The Masters
CBS
NASCAR on NBC
Chicago Street Race
NBC
Super Bowl LVIII
CBS
Thursday Night Football
Prime Video
[Amazon MGM Studios]
2023 US Open
ESPN | ESPN2 | ESPN+ | ABC
FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023
FOX | FS1
FOX NFL
Stage A
FOX
NFL Draft
ESPN | ABC
The NFL Today
Super Bowl LVIII
CBS
Thursday Night Football
Prime Video
[Amazon MGM Studios]
The 155th Belmont Stakes
31 Lengths: Secretariat
FOX
NFL 360
Heroes
NFL Network
NFL Films Presents
Optex Lens
FS1
[NFL Films]
The NFL Today: Super Bowl LVIII
Just Win Baby!
CBS
Super Bowl LVIII
My Way
CBS
E60
Sacred Dog
ESPN
Freeride Skiing
Descendance
YouTube
[Legs of Steel]
Hard Knocks
Training Camp With The New York Jets
HBO | Max
[NFL Films]
Unredeemable
Golf Channel
Vamos Vegas
YouTube
The 149th Kentucky Derby
Timeless
NBC | Peacock
NFL 360
The Chief Who Walked The Sea
NFL Network
NFL 360
Heroes
NFL Network
NHL on TNT
Show and Tell
TNT
Super Bowl LVIII
My Way
CBS
Freeride Skiing
Descendance
YouTube
[Legs of Steel]
Hard Knocks
Training Camp With The New York Jets
HBO | Max
[NFL Films]
Kelce
Prime Video
[Amazon MGM Studios | Skydance | Vera Y Productions | 9.14 Pictures]
Under Pressure: The U.S. Women’s World Cup Team
Netflix
[Words + Pictures | FIFA | Time Studios]
Unredeemable
Golf Channel
FOX CFB: Big Noon Kickoff
J.J. McCarthy “47”
FOX
NFL 360
The Chief Who Walked The Sea
NFL Network
NFL 360
Still Here
NFL Network
The NFL Today
Kyle Brandt Series
CBS
Sunday Night Football
NBC | Peacock
All Access
Showtime
Chasing Gold
Farebersviller
NBC
E60
The Crossover: 50 Years of Hip Hop and Sports
ESPN
[ESPN Films]
Hard Knocks
Training Camp With The New York Jets
HBO | Max
[NFL Films]
The World According to Football
Showtime
[SHOWTIME Sports Documentary Films | Religion of Sports |
Day Zero Productions | Mainstay Entertainment]
E60
The Crossover: 50 Years of Hip Hop and Sports
ESPN
[ESPN Films]
E60
Sacred Dog
ESPN | ESPN+
[Showtime Singers]
The Golden Boy
HBO | Max
[Unrealistic Ideas | ViaMar Productions]
NBA on TNT
50 Years of Hip Hop
TNT
Super Bowl LVIII
My Way
CBS
FOX MLB
FOX | FS1
FOX NASCAR
FOX | FS1
Little League World Series
ESPN | ESPN2 | ABC
NASCAR on NBC
NBC | USA
Sunday Night Baseball
ESPN | ESPN2
Sunday Night Football
NBC | Peacock
Super Bowl LVIII
CBS
Formula 1: Drive to Survive
Netflix
[Box to Box Films | Netflix]
FOX NASCAR: RACE HUB
The Championship: Radioactive
FS1
[NASCAR Studios]
2023 IRONMAN World Championship
Outside TV
[The IRONMAN Group Productions]
McGregor Forever
Netflix
[Religion of Sports]
NFL 360
Heroes
NFL Network
Quarterback
Netflix
[NFL Films | Omaha Productions | 2PM Productions]
Vamos Vegas
YouTube
[TORQ]
FOX NFL
FOX
Monday Night Football
ESPN | ESPN2 | ESPN+ | ABC
[Elastic Creative]
NBA Finals
ESPN | ABC
[Two Fresh Creative | Panoply]
Super Bowl LVIII
CBS
Toy Story Funday Football
DISNEY+ | ESPN+
[BIG Studios | Beyond Sports | Silver Spoon Animation | PIXAR]
MLB Network Showcase
This Is What I Live For
MLB Network
[Perception]
NFL 360
The Chief Who Walked The Sea
NFL Network
Super League: The War for Football
Apple TV+
[Words + Pictures | All Rise Films]
Thursday Night Football
TNF Show Open / Black Friday Football: Robert Randolph
Prime Video
[Amazon MGM Studios]
Toy Story Funday Football
Duke Caboom Daredevil Spectacular
DISNEY+ | ESPN+
The 155th Belmont Stakes
31 Lengths: Secretariat
FOX
FOX NFL
Stage A
FOX
Super Bowl LVIII
My Way
CBS
Thursday Night Football
Black Friday Football Tradition Tease; TNF Show
Prime Video
[Amazon MGM Studios]
Toy Story Funday Football
DISNEY+ | ESPN+
[BIG Studios | Beyond Sports | Silver Spoon Animation | PIXAR]
The Masters
TFC Compound Connect
CBS
2023 MLB Home Run Derby
StatCast Edition: Live Virtual 3D Event Coverage
ESPN2
Monday Night Football with Peyton & Eli
Peyton Manning’s AR Table
ESPN2
[Omaha Productions]
Thursday Night Football
TNF Table Talk
Prime Video
[Amazon MGM Studios | Girraphic]
Toy Story Funday Football
DragonFly Tech
DISNEY+ | ESPN+
[NFL | Next Gen Stats | Beyond Sports | Hawk-Eye]
FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023
USA vs The World
FOX
The Golden Boy
Who Am I?
HBO | Max
[Zealot UK]
2023 NBA Finals
We Are All in the Finals
NBA Social
Stanley Cup
First Kiss
NHL Network
Top Rank Boxing on ESPN
Battle of the Baddest | Rumble
ESPN | ESPN+
[Park Pictures]
FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023
Common Goal
FOX | FS1
Hometown Hopefuls
NBC | NBCSports.com
NFL on CBS
Football for Everyone
CBS | CBS Sports Network
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What Would You Fight For?
NBC
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Let’s Play
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Ahora o Nunca
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2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup
Telemundo
Fuera de Juego
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Republica Deportiva
Univision | TUDN
Sunday Night Football
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Balon de Oro de la Liga MX
Tigres – Powerchair
Univision | TUDN
E60
Mayra
ESPN | ESPN+
Mundo NFL Originals
El Sueño de Cieneguitas
Mundo NFL
[Sway | Mundo NFL]
SportsCenter
In Her Shoes: Wang Shuang
ESPN Deportes
SportsCenter
SC Reportajes: Do Bronx – Charles Oliveira
ESPN Deportes
Alejandro Berry
Univision | TUDN
Andrés Cantor
Telemundo
Carolina Guillén
ESPN Deportes
Miguel Gurwitz
Telemundo
Rebeca Landa
ESPN Deportes
Valeria Marin
Univision | TUDN
If you've been collecting sneakers and have a passion for some of your favorite Nike, Gucci, Lanvin's etc that are deconstructed, reconstructed and customized with premium and exotic skins, Dominic Ciambrone, a.k.a. The Surgeon is the legendary creative mind that is at the forefront of taking our sneaker game to the next level! His work has been coveted and collected by Justin Bieber, LeBron James, Odell Beckham Jr, DJ Khaled, Canelo, and more. In addition he has worked with Bentley Motors, NBA, NFL, Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, Heineken, Reese's, Glenmorangie, 7-11, and a number of other brands. We wanted to find out how he got into and pioneered this space, what his work entails, his projects, working with luxury brands, SRGN Studios, SRGN Academy, his passion for sports, The League, and additional projects that he is working on.
ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize that you wanted to be a shoemaker?
DOMINIC CIAMBRONE: When did I realize that I wanted to be a shoemaker? I would say when I was 19 years old. From the age of 15/16, I was painting shoes, but I realized that to actually be a shoemaker, I needed to take my craft a step further. That realization came I think when I met one of my mentors, Michael Anthony who hand makes western boots.
AM: What was that journey like to be able to be self-taught and learning all of those elements?
DC: It was a long road! I started with painting shoes and then I learned how to sew on top of them – I learned sewing in high school. Then I met my mentor who made western boots so I got to watch him make boots and then I realized that that’s what I wanted to do with sneakers. I wanted to make the highest end sneakers in the world and it took many years working for free and just doing stuff to learn about machines and tools. It was a lot of missteps and a lot of learning. I did paint, I did shoe repair, fixed purses and bags. I mean, I did all kinds of things just so that I could learn.
AM: Back in 2011/2012, I had a collaboration with Sebago and I had a line of their boat shoes and we sold it on HSN, Bloomingdale's and a few select retailers and I was so excited. But my background at that time was in apparel and jewelry as opposed to shoes. I remember reading an article about you and your work when I was on my flight heading to the factory in the Dominican Republic. After reading it, I felt that in hearing your story, how you approached your work etc, that if I could take that same approach and focus on the materials and create another way to highlight this style of shoe much as you do with sneakers that I could do it! So reading about you and just thinking about it in a different way saved me from freaking out on my flight I just wanted to say thank you for that!
DC: That’s awesome!
AM: Why do you call yourself The Surgeon?
DC: I was 18 years old in a hotel in NYC for the first time trying to figure out what to call myself, the brand, and what I was doing. I just wrote down a bunch of things and I was just trying to figure out what do I do to sneakers? What do I do to the shoes? I was like, “surgery,” and that’s where it got birthed – The Surgeon. Now that we're expanding the business, we've taken "Shoe" out of the name and go by SURGEON. Our creativity isn't limited to sneakers and you're going to see that more and more next year.
AM: When you’re customizing shoes, where do you start in that creative process when you’re making sneakers?
DC: I mean it changes. I don’t have one set process. For me, I have always been able to build something to life straight from an idea. I love sourcing materials, I’m really big into materials, I think that I’m mostly a materials person. I mostly just love it so much. You can turn something into a product and that’s a beautiful thing.
AM: I’m also a fashion stylist and an accessory expert, so I’m constantly talking about and believe that when someone is purchasing a handbag, jewelry, or shoes, you’re buying what the designer intended in making that item as well as what the wearer puts into it after wearing it and wanting it. Ultimately, that connection between the person who purchased it and the product creates its own history and meaning. When people are buying your shoes, what are they getting?
DC: I mean, ha – they get a piece of my soul. They get a piece of something that’s my entire life and they get a piece of shoemaking history that dates back all the way to Ancient Egypt! I mean, there’s those hieroglyphics on the wall that I looked at recently and some of the oldest ones have people making shoes!
AM: You have been worn and collected by so many people from LeBron James, Justin Bieber, Drake and more. What’s it like when you’re collaborating with them on specific ideas and incorporating your concepts together?
DC: Sometimes they give me the full range to do what I want and then there’s some that have a couple of ideas and I help bring their ideas to life where they will give a little bit of direction and I’m able to go back and forth. I think that a true collaboration is a very beautiful thing. You have 2 energies that are coming together to create something magical.
AM: You’ve also worked with so many brands whether it’s Gucci or Lanvin or Nike or Reese’s, what does it feel like to be able to work with these types of brands and to bring your creativity and artistry into what their lexicon is?
DC: I mean, it’s a beautiful thing. At the end of the day, I just – a friend of mine told me that I’m making commercial cool right? So a lot of the stuff that I get to do is that I get to make cool commercials and I didn’t look at it that way. People just reached out to me for my craft and my artistry and what I have been able to build from my Instagram to just a true foundation where I hold a high value on my quality and my artisanal work with the team so it’s really cool to be able to be part of it.
AM: You’re SURGEON X Bentley partnership last year where you had the limited edition shoes as well as Surgeon-ifying their car, what did it mean to you to work with this brand and to create in this way?
DC: Bentley is one of, if not the most, prestigious car company in the world. So, to be able to fly to Crewe, England and sit with the makers there and to see how they produced one of the highest quality cars in the world was a very humbling experience and it was so amazing to be able to do that because that car is the top of the top!
AM: Oh yeah!
The materials that you use – the leathers, the exotics are amazing. Have you also used sustainable materials like banana leathers, mycelium and things like that?
DC: Oh yeah, I’ve been using different ideas of sustainability whether it’s even recycled materials. I actually flew to Brazil, developed an Elephant Ear plant material and we have used that on shoes and right now, I have a shoe that is launching that the sole is dyed with turmeric, the swoosh is mushroom, pineapple leather, grape leaf leather – I mean, it’s a really cool shoe.
AM: What has been your favorite project that you have worked on?
DC: I don’t really have favorites …
AM: You’re like me – I don’t have favorites, but there are a lot of things that I vibe with!
DC: I think it’s myself – really working on myself is beauty and I never looked at it that way until recently. So to be able to work on myself and to be able to translate that to my children, the work will speak for itself. myself is beauty and I never looked at it that way until recently. So to be able to work on myself and to be able to translate that to my children, the work will speak for itself.
AM: When you started, this industry and the market didn’t really exist in this way and you definitely have left a mark on it. Where do you see the industry in the next 15/20 years?
DC: That’s a great question. I don’t know. I don’t think like that because shoes and the custom industry was something that I think that I really helped pioneer and now for me, it’s way bigger than that. I’m working on architecture, interiors, car design, and so many other things. So just for custom shoes as an industry, I think that more people will respect the process more. I think that some will try it and most won’t like it because it’s a lot of work. I do think that a lot of things will be going to automation and easy to do things.
AM: Tell me about SRGN Academy which you have in LA, Las Vegas and at the Seaport here in NY.
DC: The SRGN Academy was started 8 or 9 years ago now. Growing up, I didn’t have a class or a school that I wanted to go to so I wanted to offer a trade school that you learn how to make a pair of shoes from scratch and at the same time, it’s not just about the shoes. It’s about going through something for yourself and doing something positive for yourself.
AM: Then there’s SRGN Studios, why did you want to launch this and what does it entail?
DC: SRGN Studios and even SURGEON Worldwide, is just a company that I have been able to build. The studio is like my fantasy factory where we have sports and all things under one roof. Not until you’re able to come into the studio do you really get a feel for it. You can only see so much through social media and online. So it's just a way for people to be able to have fun and live life. Life’s too short. I wanted to create a safe and fun place for people.
AM: Tell me about The League.
DC: The League started out of – well my business partner Dallas Imbimbo, he plays basketball and I play soccer. So once we got into our newer space, we just started playing pickup games and then we were like, “oh, let’s do more.” So we turned it into a league and it’s been very competitive, and fun, and a great outlet for me to not just be creative – but athletic and to compete in a healthy way.
AM: It seems like you have a full schedule. Will you ever have versions where you go to other cities like here in NY or in Miami.
DC: Yeah, we’re working on it.
AM: A few minutes ago, you were talking about how your passion extends beyond just shoes as you’re working in architecture, interiors, and cars. Will you have a clothing line, will we ever see a hotel that you do?
DC: Yeah exactly! I’m working on all of those things. I think that the hotel is definitely something that I love. I’m passionate about traveling and experience is something that is very meaningful to me so a hotel is definitely ideating.
AM: Here at Athleisure Mag, we love talking about food, it’s a great love that we’re constantly covering. You have the Canevari’s Ravioli Factory & Delicatessen – tell us more about this.
DC: My dad took over this deli 12-15 years ago and growing up my whole life, my dad was a chef. My mom cooked and my dad, when I was going into my freshman year of high school, they opened a restaurant and I got to see them live out their passions by just opening up a restaurant. At the time, I took it for granted and I didn’t understand it. I thought that it was normal and it was just my normal. Now that they have the deli, I have helped them remodel it, help brand it, and to get the right eyeballs on it to continue to grow it. It’s helped my dad and I to become closer.
“They get a piece of my soul. They get a piece of something that’s my entire life and they get a piece of shoemaking history that dates back all the way to Ancient Egypt! I mean, there’s those hieroglyphics on the wall that I looked at recently and some of the oldest ones have people making shoes!”
AM: What do you do in terms of working out as we like to know. So what are 3 workouts that you do that we should consider to add into our routines?
DC: Play soccer! Play soccer! It’s such a good workout. I mean and then, steam room, sauna, and I also meditate which is a workout for the mind to relax and physical therapy. I think a lot of people don’t realize how important physical therapy is. We wait until we’re hurt or we need to recover to get to it. But it’s like, if you can be preventative, then you’ll always be good. Mobility workouts are great. It’s less about weight and going crazy, it’s about the body and being really kind to your body and figuring out how to open it up so that you can have it for the longevity of your life.
AM: Totally agree. I turned 40 a few years ago and prior to that I wasn’t as focused on recovering the body post workout and mobility. When I started adding it in, I wondered why I had never done that because your body needs it and you can feel it over time.
When you’re not working, how do you take time for yourself?
DC: How do I take time for myself? I have a life coach that I work with every week. You know, I would say that playing soccer is time for myself even though it is in the studio. It’s really the only time that I ever shut off unless I’m in a meditation or workout. Hiking, traveling, and then working on myself for my children.
AM: Are there any upcoming projects that you would like to share?
DC: Ha! I’d have to ask my team! I can’t even keep up. We’re moving into the new studio, another 20,000 sq ft. We have a collaboration with Allen Iverson that launches next month. I mean, there are so many, I can’t even keep up anymore.
AM: You have so many projects going on and dropping. When a project comes to your attention, how do you decide if that is something that you want to add to your schedule?
DC: We have built such a great team to help manage this stuff so that we can continue to grow and that for me as a creative, I can continue to explore new things. So, it just depends. There are so many great things that we’re working on and a lot of the things that I’m working on is the stuff for the future.
AM: You’re also an advocate and you speak about the importance of mental health which is something we believe in. Why is it so important to you and what do you feel is the connection between mental health and physical health?
DC: As a kid, I went through a lot of mental health challenges, and I don’t think that I knew of it that way. At 24, I ended up jumping out of a window when I was making shoes for Justin Bieber, and I was diagnosed bipolar and I didn’t really know what that meant. Then when I started doing more self-research and figuring more things out, it’s so important – mental health and physical health are one in the same and you need to do both. When you take care of your physical health, your mental health will be better. It’s just true in the same and so it’s very important to physically take care of yourself for your mental purposes and with mindful workouts which is meditation, positive self-talk, it's mindfulness and so many things. And yeah, there’s so many people with how the world is going where people are pushing you know, different types of medicines. There’s something so much more easier about being able to get up and going for a walk, being in the sun, and taking care of your mind, body, and soul.
AM: I heard you like to rap in the office!
DC: HAHA I like to make people laugh! Growing up, my dad always rhymed, more like Dr. Seuss than a rapper, but I do it for myself and also to help people around to laugh. My kids pick it up to and it’s so funny because if I try to start rhyming and rapping, my daughter’s like, “dad, stop!”
AM: I could see you dropping a mix tape!
DC: I mean, I’m working on music more for exploring it. It’s less about rapping and more about just creating!
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PHOTO CREDITS | FRONT/BACK COVER, PG 20 + 9DRIP 42-45 Bryam Heredia/SRGN Studios + Grooming/Stefanie Guerra | PG 16-19, 22-41 SRGN Studios |
Read the NOV ISSUE #95 of Athleisure Mag and see THE ARTISAN | Dominic Ciambrone “The Surgeon” in mag.
As we're less than a year away from Paris 2024, avid readers know that we enjoy chatting with Olympic athletes whether they're still competing or have retired from competing, but are still in the community. We caught up with 3X Olympian (Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio 2016), 2X Team USA Swimming Medalist, and Team US Olympic Team Captain, Elizabeth Beisel. Known for the individual medley as well as the backstroke, we wanted to find out about her Olympic experience, the importance that surfing has as a sport as well as a skill that has served her, how she works with USA Swimming Foundation to ensure that the next generation is able to swim and potentially be able to become athletes in the sport as well! She also talks about the importance of representation and inclusivity in the sport. In addition, we find out what she has been up to, her partnership with Dermasport, embracing her second passion as a violinist, and more.
ATHLEISURE MAG: I’m so excited to be able to talk to you as I enjoyed watching you during your Olympic journey and watching you compete and I know our readers are going to love to know more about your passion for the sport, competing, and what you’re up to now!
ELIZABETH BEISEL: Thank you for having me and I just want to say that it’s an honor to talk with you as you’re a bad ass!
AM: Amazing and thank you!
When did you first fall in love with the water?
EB: Honestly, 6 months old! I went to the Mommy and Me classes at the YMCA. I grew up in Rhode Island which is the Ocean State. So luckily, my mom and dad had the means to put me into the YMCA Mommy and Me classes and introduced me to the water at an early age. I swear that I was the only baby there that wasn’t screaming bloody murder! I love the water! I would only sleep if I was in the water that day. Like it became a thing. I think from the beginning, I was in love with the water and that never left me. I did other sports and other activities growing up, but I think that stuff happening in the water was where I was most comfortable and passionate. So, that was pretty much my entire life!
AM: I love hearing that!
EB: It’s great!
AM: You specialized in the backstroke and are known for your individual medley. What was it about these specialties that you wanted to compete in them?
EB: So, a lot of swimming, you don’t necessarily get to choose the event, the event chooses you. What you're good at is what you morph into. For me, I was one of those swimmers with the individual medley which is all 4 strokes in one race (Editors Note: the medley includes the backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle). So I had pretty solid strokes across the board. But backstroke is definitely the one that I excelled in the most. So, since a young age, I kind of always swam all 4 strokes and then I really of honed in on the middle distances which is where my body thrives. I’m not necessarily a long distance swimmer, but I definitely have no sprint fibers in me. Like, I cannot run fast in a sprint, I can’t swim fast, it’s just who I am. I really found that happy medium in the 400m races and it really was just a matter of, “oh wow, I’m really good at these strokes,” in these events compared to everybody else. Why don’t I start focusing on these in practice and swimming on them more in meets. It’s kind of a snowball effect.
AM: I love hearing that as we have interviewed a number of Olympic swimmers and I have never asked how they chose that particular one. But I like that you’re saying that it kind of finds you.
EB: Yeah, trust me, if I had my choice, I’d be swimming a 50 free and be done in 20 seconds, but my body is not made for that!
AM: You’re a 3X Olympian, you have 2 Olympic medals, you’ve served as the Olympic Swimming Captain. What was your Olympic experience like for you and what did you love so much about it?
EB: I think that each Olympic experience was super different and for many different reasons. You know, my first one I was 15 and my last one I was 23. So that’s a completely different human! It was such an honor to be able to reach the pinnacle of the sport that I loved so much and be able to compete in it at that highest level for our country. I remember watching the Olympics when I was 7 years old on TV and having that be the first moment where I really grasped what the Olympics were and how monumental they were in my sport. I knew that I wanted to do that one day. That was my goal and I knew that I was going to make it happen. I’m just a small town kid from Rhode Island, I didn’t grow up in a family of Olympians and swimmers. I’m just like a lot of us where you have a dream. Maybe the fact that I was 7 years old and that kids have that beautiful way of just thinking nothing is impossible, I kind of went for it. I was like, “yeah, why not me? Of course!” It ended up being such an incredible experience and standing up on the podium, winning Olympic medals for your country and doing it alongside your teammates is so special. I have met the best people through my life in the sport of swimming. I think we’re forced to be pretty humble because, well, swimming is not an A-list sport. It’s not football, it’s not soccer, it’s not baseball. So we have once every 4 years to kind of shine at the Olympics and then nobody really cares about what we’re doing. We don’t make any money so it’s really a group of people that do it because they love it. I think that breeds a certain type of person and archetype. It’s just like the blue collar hardworking type of people that are really in it because you love it, not for the money, or the fame, or any thing like that. It’s just, “yeah, we love to swim.” Longwinded answer – Olympics are amazing!
AM: So, we always love knowing how athletes stay fit and obviously, you’re in the water which is a huge part of it. What are the workouts that you do in and out of the water when you’re training or even now when you’re doing what you do?
EB: I try to lift weights twice a week. I know that that doesn’t sound like much. When I was swimming, I was lifting 2-3-4 times a week depending on where we were at in the season. Towards the end of my competitive swimming career, I started implementing yoga and I’m now a certified yoga instructor, I love it that much. What I found while I was an athlete and now, and I still consider myself an athlete even though I am not actively competing, is that I leave yoga feeling so calm and like it’s almost like it’s opened up my body obviously, and my mind as well. I see things clearer, I think clearer, and it’s super relaxing. I’m kind of a 1 million miles a minute type of person so I need an outlet and something to force me. Because I’m not going to do it at home. I know myself. I’m not going to put on the meditation and do it at home. I wish I could. But I need to go somewhere and have somebody leading me and once I discovered yoga, not only did it help me athletically because you need to be stretching and you need to be opening your body and your muscle tissue. It helps with recovery a lot, but my mind too. It helps me slow down and shut off and just give myself that parasympathetic nervous system a break. So I would say yoga, lifting, and then I try to walk. It sounds simple, but I think that walking is good and I like to multitask and if I have calls, I will do it when I’m walking. So just nothing crazy to be honest and I think that’s the thing about Olympians, people probably think that we’re doing this out of the box really fancy stuff and it’s like, “no, we do the exact same thing that you guys do, we just do it 40 hours a week.” Instead of you doing it on the weekend or an hour here or there. But yeah, it’s just taking care of my body or anybody’s body is when you’re going to feel better. So that’s why I move now, because it makes me feel good.
AM: It’s so funny because I have probably been doing yoga for the last 15/20 years or so and once I went to my 40’s I went from a love/hate relationship to desperately needing it because like you said, it’s calming your mind down and having someone else stopping me and forcing me to do the things that I do. Hot yoga is my jam!
EB: Same! Oh my God! Give me a hot power vinyasa and I’m good!
AM: Same! I get so happy with it, it breaks me down, and I can quiet everything around me and I so appreciate it now versus in my 20’s I was like this is something to do for my mobility and flexibility. Now it’s like, no I need it.
EB: Exactly, this is like water and I need it.
AM: So you partnered with Dermasport. Can you tell me about the brand and why it was synergistic with you to work for them?
EB: Ok. So Dermasport is a skincare brand so it’s face wash, moisturizer, eye cream, and SPF. It’s designed by swimmers for swimmers. Right off the bat, synergy. Throughout my entire swimming career, I was always struggling to find – especially sunscreen, I was swimming at the University of Florida and I ended up swimming there for 8 years.
That’s 8 years of swimming under the sun outside and I really struggled finding a sunscreen that wouldn’t smudge my goggles and I know that that sounds crazy, that would stay on during the entire practice, would protect my skin, and on top of that, the chlorine itself is so bad for your skin. It strips away every good oil and thing that you have on your face. So I was struggling to find a post swim face wash that really felt like it got everything off. Not only the residue of the sunscreen, but also the chlorine that had seeped into my skin. Once Dermasport came out and approached me, and sent me samples for me to try out, I tried it out for a good 2 months indoor and outdoor swimming. I knew that this was the stuff. It was like I was the one going to them asking them that if they wanted me to do anything, to let me know. I think another thing is that element of protecting your skin. I lost my dad to cancer 2 years ago, although it wasn’t skin cancer, it was a huge wake up call for me being like, you’re healthy until you’re not. You’re cancer free until you’re not so what am I actively doing that’s preventative and ways that I can alleviate the possibility that I don’t ever end up having cancer. So sunscreen has been like, it doesn’t matter if it’s a cloudy day, if it’s the dead of winter, it’s part of my morning routine now. So it just really hit a lot of the elements that I am really passionate about in my life and so it was kind of one of those things where I was like the universe just bestowed this upon me and I thought it was beautiful.
Of course, since retiring from competitive swimming, I really started to surf a lot now that I have time in my life to do things. It’s mineral based, the packaging is either recyclable aluminum or post consumer recycled bottles so I feel good about it across the board. It’s the best!
AM: That’s amazing!
What’s your discipline in surfing? What are you doing in surfing? Are you doing wake boarding or looking for the ultimate big wave?
EB: Well, I interviewed Carissa Moore once so you and I have that in common!
AM: Yup!
EB: I’m sure you had the same experience, she was the nicest person in the world!
AM: She was our FEB ISSUE #85 this year and it was on Super Bowl Sunday and we had a huge tie zone difference and she was the loveliest person.
EB: Exactly and I was in Tokyo for the Olympics 2 summers ago and I was working with NBC and of course it was surfing’s first time in the Olympics. Carissa wins and part of my job was interviewing the athletes after they won. Carissa was not in a rush, she never made me feel like I was annoying her and trust me, the amount of press that she did on that day, like she did not need to talk to me. She was just phenomenal and she was beautiful and lovely as a human!
I have been doing it for a few years now and it’s been really awesome because I love learning new things. I took to surfing easily because of my paddle strength and my arms. So I’m getting better I did a surf trip in the Maldives for a month in April and the thing is with anything, if you’re not doing it consistently, you’re not going to be better. Here where I am in Rhode Island, we get Hurricane Season waves in the fall and then nothing for 10 months. So, I’m trying to go on more trips to get better, but the camaraderie, the culture, I just love it! It’s amazing.
AM: Do you think that you’ll go to Nazaré?
EB: Ha! I’ll watch! Listen, I love to live my life and be alive! Like you know what’s even crazier Kimmie? The tow people with the jet ski! They have to be equally trained, if not more! You know, it’s unreal!
AM: HBO's 100 Foot Wave, but you see it and you’re like, holy shit!
EB: I know right?
AM: What does your partnership look like with Dermasport? Are there events coming up or is it just organic integration?
EB: A lot of it is organic. Obviously I have been sent the product as I need to use it in order to talk about it. We’re going to do some appearances at a lot of Masters meets so that is basically older swimmers just because I feel that those are really the people that are tuned into taking care of their skin and their health whereas kids may be a little harder. Mom says use your sunscreen and the kids are like, “but I’m invincible, why do I need that?” And then, just like genuinely and organically posting about it. I’m at the point in my life that if something doesn’t align with me, I don’t give it my time. We have too many things going on in our lives and so this is one of those things like I said earlier where it just hits every pain point in my life that I am genuinely passionate about – swimming, being in the ocean, surfing, and being in the sun. I’m a lifeguard too and I sit in the sun for hours throughout the day. My connection to cancer and so it’s a really genuine partnership. I’m so excited to be involved.
AM: So tell me about Block Cancer. Why did you want to launch this, what is this lifestyle brand, and what can we expect to see from it?
EB: I’m so excited! It launched July 19th. So I’ll give a quick backstory. When my dad was going through his diagnosis and treatment, I was going through all of the books and cancer had never touched my family. I didn’t know what to do and I was super green in that world and all the things I read said to give something to your loved ones to look forward to. So I thought that I had this amazing swimming platform and there’s an island off the coast of Rhode Island, that only 2 people have ever swum to and no female had ever done it. So I was like, “this could be something cool.” I could share my updates with dad and we called it Block Cancer because the island is called Block Island. It’s like a play on words.
Unfortunately, I did the swim, but my dad passed away before I could complete the swim. I know that he knows that I did it because I fully believe that he was there that day. But after the swim, we were like we had this modest and humble goal of raising $5,000-$10,000 and we raised $665,000 all going to in lab cancer research. That was my thing.
I didn’t want to be funding the renaming of a hospital wing, that’s not my jam. If there's no funding there's no research, no research, there’s no cure. So how can I bridge the gap between the oncologist and the researchers and actually making some progress. So after completing the swim, sitting on it for a little bit, digesting what had happened with my dad and all that stuff – I was really looking to relaunch it and I didn’t really know what that looked like. What it turned into being organically was this collaboration of creatives all designing really cool designs for Block Cancer and selling the merch and donating 90% of the net profits to a non-profit that I have worked with my entire life that funds lab research. It is 100% going to in lab research and I get to be apart of the vetting process and the grant writing process so it’s really really awesome. It’s not just hoodies, hats, and bracelets, but it’s also chemo hats, scarves, port shirts, and cancer care packages. I wanted to do something that really put the cancer patient first. I have also compiled resources like cancer diagnosis resources, grief resources, and when you get a cancer diagnosis, what the hell do you do? What questions do you ask, who do you go to and what do you do when you lose somebody?
For the past year and a half, I’ve been compiling all of that, putting it together and it’s just been this real passion project. It’s never felt like work. It’s a way for me to stay connected to my dad. Actually, Dermasport to bring it back in, we’ve been in talks to have the sunscreen be sold on Block Cancer and maybe a portion of the net-profits go to the Block Cancer Fund. It makes sense right? You use sunscreen and it protects you in skin cancer. Again, Dermasport fit in seamlessly to this beautiful passion project that I am working on and it felt like this beautiful symbiotic relationship. It’s all good stuff and I’m so excited! I have literally, my eyes are all over the place the place – I’m not a website builder, but I have done all this work myself because I don’t have an investor. I don’t have 15 grand to pay for a website developer. So it’s been actually great because I have learned a ton. I've learned skills that I otherwise wouldn't have had.
AM: That’s great, because when you do all of the stuff, as you bring people on, you know exactly how long it takes, what it is – because when you can do it yourself, the person who you bring on who definitely has the skills to be able to do that should be above and beyond what you can do.
EB: Of course! Yes, absolutely. I think that the website came along great.
AM: What other projects are you working on beyond Dermasport and Block Cancer? Are there other things that we should keep an eye out for?
EB: Actually, super exciting news! So I mentioned earlier that I did other activities growing up. So I grew up playing the violin. That was actually my equal love to swimming. But it always had to take a backseat to swimming because I would always choose swimming. So violin is beautiful because it is something that you can always do for the rest of your life. So I’m in a band called Laden Valley and we’re developmental, super early in our stages. But we got asked to play Newport Folk Fest – we’re a folk band.
AM: That’s huge!
EB: Yeah! Huge like Brandi Carlile, Paul Simon, we’re the opener on Fri of Newport Folk Fest and this is like – if this goes well, in the folk world if you’re playing Folk Fest in Newport, you’re doing well!
AM: Oh I’m well aware, that’s why I perked up!
EB: Yeah and we’re very excited, I got all of my outfits planned and I’m like, what are we wearing? So it’s me and 3 other guys and so I’m picking the outfits and the color scheme and they all have can match me.
AM: That is so exciting congratulations!
EB: Yeah and it’s one of those things where this – I don’t want to jinx it. But I truly believe that maybe it could be something, but we will see! It’s by far the biggest crowd that anyone of us have performed in front of. I think it’s 8,000-10,000 people, but for us, it’s like huge and it’s so exciting!
AM: That’s exciting! The Newport Folk Festival is amazing and I knew what it was as soon as you said it as they don’t let just anyone play it. This year it’s Lana Del Rey, Jon Batiste, Maggie Rogers, that’s amazing.
You do so much! How do you give back to the sport that you originated in and how do you give back to the youth that is coming up?
EB: Yeah, so I’m an ambassador for the USA Swimming Foundation and that’s the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming so what we are trying to do is save lives and impact communities. Saving lives is – ok we know that swimming is a fun sport and we get to win Olympic medals and stuff, but at the end of the day, nobody gets into the sport of swimming to become an Olympian. They get into the sport because it’s purely a skill. It’s a life saving skill, but if you come from a socioeconomic background, culture, or city where swimming isn’t really a part of your life or the people that you’re surrounded with – you’re not going to learn. Formal swimming lessons reduce the risk of drowning by 88%.
So it’s like, I don’t know if you heard the story of the quarterback a couple of weeks ago that drowned in the NFL. But what I try to tell people is listen, the water does not discriminate, it doesn’t care if you’re an Olympian, it doesn’t care if you’re an NFL quarterback, it doesn’t care if you’re a 5-year-old. You can drown. So what we do is basically go around the country on a tour and it’s every May. We provide grants to local Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCA’s and we’re like, “here’s $15,000. We ask that in the next year you provide transportation to kids that cannot afford swimming lessons. You bring them from school to the YMCA or the Boys & Girls Club whatever it is and you get them in the water and you teach them how to swim.” I kind of call myself the out of town hero right? We go there and it’s inner city kids in Detroit or in Chicago. They have never seen a pool before, we make it all shiny and fun for them, but it’s like there’s some follow up here. We’re kind of the catalyst and you just have to continue it. So that’s been really rewarding to give back to the sport. At the end of the day, those Mommy and Me Classes that I took with my mom, they’re weren’t about me winning medals. Not at all! They were for me to learn how to swim and to be safer around the water.
That's been the way that I have given back in the past few years since being done.
It’s awesome because it’s also a diversity thing. You watch the Olympics, there is 1 Black person on the Olympic Swim Team. There’s 1.
AM: Yup.
EB: Like, what a microcosm of society right? Because that is what swimming looks like. So, it’s like, we’re trying to come in and we have Cullen Jones – have you ever met Cullen Jones (2G, 2S)?
AM: No, I have not, but I want to!
EB: He was literally my first friend on the National Team. He’s my big brother. I cannot say enough good things about him. Cullen, the first Black person to win an Olympic Gold medal in swimming, to break a world record, the first of everything! He’s kind of like the face of this tour. To be able to do this on the road with him and to watch, because I can say something, but I’m white. It’s not going to resonate as much as when he does it. Watching I get chills, watching him talk to an entire auditorium of kids who honestly may not even know what the Olympics are, but he gets through to them because he can relate to them and they go into a pool and they’re inspired to learn how to swim. That’s what it’s all about. It’s so incredible! So, I mean that this is a 100 year project!
AM: Oh yeah! That’s why representation is so important you have to have what needs to be reflected and if you have 1 maybe you get 4 and then 10. Like you said, it’s going to be 100 years for sure.
EB: Yeah, it’s always safer around the water. It’s never completely safe as I said earlier, you, me – no one is completely safe. Being around and having that impact on the sport and who it is accessible to is like – that is way more than any Olympic medal – it’s saving lives.
AM: Can you tell me about the Lead Sports Summit and what your involvement is with them?
EB: So Lead Sports Summit was founded by one of my best friends on the Olympic Swim Team, Kara Lynn Joyce (4S). She saw a need for a summit for just women and female young teenage athletes. So 13-18 and she gets the all-star team from the Olympic Team. The heavy hitter names that you watch on NBC at the Olympics come to Lead Sport Summit and we have breakout groups, we have panels, we have really open and honest discussions and we give these teenage girls a safe place to talk about stuff that maybe they are dealing with on their team, in school, with relationships at home, it’s a judgement free zone. It’s cool because I think there is an element of humanizing Olympians and what we do. Maybe it’s inspiring because of what we do. It’s like, “oh wow, I was putting Katie Ledecky (7G, 3S) on this pedestal and I thought that she was untouchable, but now that I have met her, spent time with her, and I know she has dealt with the same issues that I have dealt with – now this scary thing that felt impossible is possible! It is something that I say to Kara all the time that she needs to have one just for adults because I would go. I tell her too that by the end of the weekend, I have cried 48 times and I feel that I have gotten more out of it then the actual teenage girls did! Also, I’m not in the social media world that they are in. You and I did not grow up with those same pressures.
AM: Exactly.
EB: So it’s super eye opening to hear them talk openly about the pressures that they feel from social media and society. It gives me chills and makes me say, how can we help? It’s an incredible event and it’s over Labor Day Weekend every single year. Kara is opening it up to other sports now and it’s taking on a life of its own which is really beautiful and I will be at the one in DC which is over Labor Day Weekend this year.
AM: That's fantastic!
EB: Yeah and I think that it’s sold out. Which doesn’t surprise me as it’s done that every single year. It really is worth every single penny. It’s the best!
AM: I love that when people empower and infuse people. Even if something is for a lower age group, I always say that I feel like we’re adulting while we are dealing with our own traumas that are unresolved.
EB: Yes! There’s some stuff that happened to me 15 years ago that I should probably figure out!
AM: Without a doubt!
IG @ebeisel34
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Elizabeth Beisel
Read the AUG ISSUE #92 of Athleisure Mag and see THE SKILL OF IT ALL | Elizabeth Beisel in mag.
When we hear the name Elaine Welteroth, we think of someone who continues to place herself in spaces where she leaves the door open for others that also want to have a presence in. When she took the position of Editor in Chief at Teen Vogue in 2016, she was the 2nd Black person to have held this position in the 107 years of Condé Nast's history! This journalist, editor, New York Times Bestselling Author of More Than Enough: Claiming Space For Who You Are (No Matter What They Say), BRAVO's Project Runway host continues to inspire others. We connected with her right after the Big Game to find out about hosting CÎROC Stands For Black Excellence which was held at the NFL House, the importance of representation and upcoming projects that she has coming up.
ATHLEISURE MAG: You just came off of a panel for CÎROC Stands For Black Excellence which took place during Super Bowl Weekend at the NFL House. Can you tell me about this event and why you wanted to be part of it?
ELAINE WELTEROTH: The event was amazing! For me, it was an easy yes! Being able to go and spend time with some influential Black women in sports media during Super Bowl Weekend in Phoenix where the sun was always shining – we were surrounded by the local chapter of National Association of Black Journalists. I just felt like I was around my people. I didn’t know any of the people prior to being there, but it felt like a homecoming in a sense because we have all walked similar paths professionally and we all in some way, shape or form understand what it means to be what I say in my book, first, only and different. So FOD which is a Shonda Rhimes term from her book, but I really felt this kinship and I think everyone did. It was really necessary because we’re all doing this work and in different spaces as journalists and it can be isolating to be the only one that looks like you and navigating those worlds. I think that it was very nourishing and energizing for everyone that was there. I have to give a lot of credit to the panelists because they brought it! I can bring my juicy and hard-hitting questions, but if I’m not met with openness, vulnerability, and transparency, it can just be a run of the mill event. This was anything but, I went really deep and there were tears. I joked that people came for the Super Bowl, but they got Super Soul conversations instead. It was like testimony time, it was incredible.
AM: You were also able to highlight the next generation of Black sports journalists, what was your biggest takeaway from the event as a whole?
EW: My biggest takeaway is that we all share so much in common no matter where we’re working or what side of the business we are in. There are some commonalities to our struggles and our triumphs. I think that the major takeaways were how important community is along the journey and I think that we definitely cultivated a deeper sense of community with at least 1 other person. My charge to them before they left, because the last question that came up from somebody in the audience which by the way I have to say, ain’t no Q+A session like a Q+A session with NABJ folks in the audience because every single question that came up was hard-hitting, thought provoking, complex or even beautifully simplistic! The last question was that – how is your heart? It left us in this really kind of reflective and heart filled space. My charge to everybody was to find somebody at that event that they did not know walking in and ask them, how is their heart?
We’re trained to ask the right questions and to be really buttoned up and to be focused on being very professional, but I think that when we’re with each other and in a safe space, we need to gear shift and learn how to ask the questions that open up our humanity and allow us the safe space to be just human and to show ourselves the softer side of each other. We need to cultivate that sense of community. That felt really good and I would say that that was a standout moment from the event.
AM: It’s great that this took place obviously during Black History Month, how can we continue to support and celebrate these objectives not only this month, but year around?
EW: Absolutely! Well one of the things that I loved about partnering with CÎROC is that they have made a financial commitment to NABJ to help fund the important work throughout the year. I know that NABJ is such a worthwhile organization that we rely on their work in terms of scholarship, mentorship, career advancement opportunities to keep the pipeline alive for the next generation of Black journalists. I just really love that CÎROC is taking a stand and making sure that they are supporting an organization like NABJ which is keeping Black journalists in the jobs. NABJ really does place young or emerging journalists in jobs. So we need them to stay funded, to stay supported and for me that was the most important connection. It’s not that Cîroc was just doing that one off event, they’re putting their support where their mouths are by really investing in NABJ in this way.
AM: What’s your go-to CÎROC cocktail?
EW: Ok so, I’m a terrible bartender, I don’t know how to make a cocktail myself, full transparency. I know how to do a lot of other things ok?
AM: You do all the things! But there is that one.
EW: Exactly! I wear a lot of hats, I do a lot of jobs – bartending ain’t one! But I will say that I do love a minty, cucumbery, light refreshing drink.
AM: Oh, the CÎROC Thyme Spritz.
EW: Yes, they had them at the event and it was so refreshing! It was perfect for a sweltering day in Phoenix right before the Super Bowl. I think most of us, but I definitely descended from a much colder climate so I was still thawing out and needed some refreshment! It was bomb and you should get the recipe because it was great.
AM: I have been a fan of yours of years. I remember when you became the Editor in Chief of Teen Vogue, my mouth literally dropped open and all the barriers that you have broken as a co-host on BRAVOS’s Project Runway, your best selling book and all of these accomplishments. What does it mean to you to not only be able to break barriers, but to unapologetically be you in these different spaces that we’re still making our presence known in those places?
EW: Well thank you first of all, I appreciate that so much. I think that it means nothing to break a barrier if you’re not doing so as your authentic self. I think that that’s what keeps the door open for the next Black woman to come through those doors as herself. We are not a monolith and I think that while we do represent for our community, we also represent the individuality of our community. I think that it’s important that we understand. You can feel the pressure as someone who is the first to blaze a certain trail. You might feel the pressure to be a certain way and to fit a mold or to break it in some kind of radical way. It’s important for you to be able to figure out how to be authentically you and how to tell the stories, those stories, if you’re journalist in only the way that you can tell. I think that by doing that, you are giving the permission to others to do the same.
AM: You are always so busy doing a number of projects. I know that you have an advice column with The Washington Post. What are things that we should keep an eye out for that you’re doing? I know that every time I see you taking on something that it will be amazing.
EW: That’s so nice! I am shooting a new show that I can’t fully talk about yet, but that’s why I’m in NY this month. But it’s going to be really good in terms of the conversations that it’s bringing to the table proverbial and literally. I’ll leave it at that, but I am excited about that. I feel that everything that I do, it may seem like I am doing a lot of things, but to me it is the same mission and the same spirit that I bring to everything. I always say that purpose can be multiplatform. You can find a way to work in your purpose across many mediums, especially as a journalist and storyteller in this era. I’m just grateful for the opportunity to be able to explore different mediums and going deeper into television. Also, finding a way to use my skill set as a journalist to raise awareness to issues that matter to our community and to me a lot as well personally.
Recently, I have been getting very involved with raising awareness and working towards hopefully, reform around the Black Maternal Mortality Crisis and trying to recontextualize that conversation because it can be so heavy. It’s just hearing that term, Black Maternal Mortality Crisis sometimes people just turn off. There’s so much going on in the world and there’s so much trauma, I can’t handle one more thing. But I think that if we reframe the conversation around celebrating the joy around childbirth and reminding us that we deserve to have joyful, safe births, then it opens up the conversation to how we go about achieving that! What are the different options that we have that we didn’t even know about? I want to come at it with this kind of fix it spirit; with this optimistic lens that’s very much so solution oriented and it’s really about showcasing these choices that we have along this birth journey that we really don’t know about and sometimes when it’s too late. So before we become another sad statistic, how do we get the right information to the right people and especially to Black women who are disproportionally affected by this crisis in this country. So that's my passion project in the non-profit space. I think that because it’s Black History Month, it’s worth mentioning!
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CÎROC THYME SPRITZ
INGREDIENTS
1.2 oz CÎROC Vodka
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
.5 oz Thyme Syrup
1 oz Fresh-Pressed Cucumber Juice
GLASSWARE
Footed Spritz Glass
GARNISH
Cucumber Ribbon and Thyme Sprig
PREPARATION
Add CÎROC Vodka, fresh lime juice, thyme syrup, and fresh-pressed cucumber juice into a shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Serve in a footed spritz glass. Garnish with cucumber ribbon and thyme sprig.
PHOTGRAPHY CREDITS | Bre Johnson
Read the FEB ISSUE #86 of Athleisure Mag and see CREATING SPACES | Elaine Welteroth in mag.
We took some time to chat with Chef Richard Ingraham. We wanted to find out how he took his talents in the kitchen to a career that has led him to being the private chef to power couple, Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union and creating a private chef network whose clients are those in the NBA, NFL and entertainment industries. We also talk with him about Grown Southern, his upcoming projects and his partnership with CIROC.
ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize that you wanted to be a chef?
CHEF RICHARD INGRAHAM: I’ve always loved cooking. I started making omelets, cookies, and milkshakes at the age of 10. During that time, I had no desire to become a chef. I was doing it because I loved creating. My family cooked all the time and it just rubbed off on me. It wasn’t until my mid to late 20’s that I decided that I wanted to become a Chef.
AM: Where did you train and what has your culinary journey been?
CHEF RI: I received my formal training at The Art Institute of Atlanta. My first job was at the Buckhead Diner where I was a line cook. I worked at the diner while I was in culinary school. As if I didn’t have enough on my plate, I got a second job working across the street at the Corner Café, where I learned all about pastries.
After I graduated, I became a Sous Chef at a restaurant called the Bubble Room. I left the Bubble Room and moved on to Insigna where I was a Sous Chef and Executive Pastry Chef.
AM: How would you define your style of cooking, and have you always been focused on sports nutrition?
CHEF RI: That has always been a difficult question to answer. Difficult because I'm influenced by so many different cuisines. If I were backed into a corner, I’d call my style “Eclectic American.” I really didn’t become focused on nutrition, until I started cooking for Dwyane Wade and other athletes.
AM: What led you to becoming Dwayne Wade and Gabrielle Union’s private chef?
CHEF RI: A friend of mine who just happens to be Dwayne’s Business Manager, Lisa Joseph Metelus, asked if I would like to cook for a NBA Rookie that was just drafted. I asked her who it was. She said that it was Dwyane Wade. After I did my research on who he was (I wasn’t a big basketball fan, so I didn’t know who he was) I told Lisa I’d like the opportunity. The day of the tasting, I arrived at his home with 10 prepared items. I made him everything I could think of, from smothered turkey wings with mashed potatoes to my grandmother’s lemon pound cake. Even though I’d prepared all this food, Lisa wanted me to prepare something fresh so that Dwyane could see that it was me preparing these dishes. He liked it and the rest is history.
AM: Can you share 3 go to meals that they enjoy eating?
CHEF RI: Gabrielle: Bhindi Masala; Pasta Alla Checca; Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes over Heirloom Tomato; and Quinoa Salad with Lemon Honey Vinaigrette.
Dwyane: Blistered Cherry Tomato and Shrimp over Angel Hair Pasta; Pan Roasted Sea Bass Sweet Potato Puree; Sauteed Spinach and Ponzu Ginger Sauce; Stewed Chicken Thighs with Chickpeas.
AM: What are 3 ingredients that you always like to have on hand that are versatile to use in several dishes?
CHEF RI: Creole Seasoning, Five Spice, Cumin, Red Pepper Flakes and Smoked Paprika. I know you said three, but I couldn’t help myself. lol
AM: When you’re a private chef to a celebrity or a family, what are the challenges that you're navigating when creating meals?
CHEF RI: In my case, I have 7 individuals who all eat differently. So, I must create meals for each of them that are creative, flavorful, and still help each person achieve their goals. If you’re a Chef who cooks in a restaurant you have a set menu that you execute daily. You may create daily specials which would give you some variety. Whereas I must come up with something different each day for each meal - Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Not only do I think about the food, I also pride myself on maintaining an elite level of service for my clients. I do everything from making sure their glasses are never empty to inquiring about personal health issues, to preparing and executing a menu for 75 guests on Christmas.
AM: You created Chef RLI, a network of Private Chefs that work with celebrity clientele. How did that venture come about?
CHEF RI: One day Dwyane and Gabrielle came in the kitchen and mentioned that Chris Bosh was looking for a private chef. They told him that I had a company that had chefs for hire. When they told me that, I couldn’t believe it because I had no such company at the time. I just had a few chefs helping me with the meal prep service. Well, they told me that I needed to figure it out because they had already put me out there. So, my business partner and I created Chef RLI, and began placing some of the chefs who were helping with the meal prep as private chefs.
AM: You partnered with Michelle Bernstein and Michael Schwartz during former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Chefs Move to Schools White House Initiative. Tell us why you wanted to be involved?
CHEF RI: The First Lady’s Initiative was such an important one because it helped spotlight the problem we are having as a nation bring healthier food options into our schools. As a former educator, I’ve seen first hand how the lack of nutrition stunts the scholastic growth of our children, especially in our lower income communities. So, when I was asked to join this initiative in support of Miami Dade County Public Schools, I jumped at the opportunity. The Chefs worked with Superintendent Alberto Carvalho and cafeteria managers to create healthier dishes using what was already in the school’s inventory. Of course, we had to take into consideration the differences in culture and eating habits of each school. As an alumnus of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, it was incredibly rewarding to support my community.
AM: You released Eating Well to Win. Tell me more about it and why you wrote it.
CHEF RI: Eating Well to Win is a cookbook for everyone. I found that when we talk about eating better or healthier, we seem to think that the only thing we can eat is food that is bland or out of reach for us. This book shows that you can take some of your favorite foods and by just changing a few ingredients make it better.
Because I’ve had so many different careers, I feel that I can speak on the importance of eating healthier and better. Whether you're a teacher standing in front of a class full of students, a sanitation worker running your routes, or a 3-time NBA World Champion, what we put in our bodies helps us perform better.
AM: Will you release another cookbook?
CHEF RI: Yes, I’m currently working on my second book.
AM: Tell me about Grown Southern!
CHEF RI: Grown Southern is a restaurant concept we developed in collaboration with Grown Restaurant, owned by Shannon Allen. It features organic southern inspired soul food prepared with passion and care. We have great menu items like our Crispy Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich, Old School Mac & Cheese, and Red Velvet Cake with Rich Cream Cheese Frosting.
AM: You're constantly working as a chef as well as giving back to others – why is this important to you?
CHEF RI: When I started working with Dwyane, I was still teaching culinary arts at a high school as well. My classes were held at a homeless shelter called the HAC (Homeless Assistance Center). The student demographic of my classes consisted of the homeless population of the center, as well as students that were bussed from various high schools. So, every day I would see both sides of the spectrum.
I would go to work in the morning and see broken people trying to put themselves and their families back together. Then in the afternoon, I would drive to this massive estate, where life couldn’t be better. Seeing this each day made me realize that we are all one mistake from our lives becoming entirely different. That experience keeps me honest with myself. It keeps me hungry. It has made me more compassionate towards others and their struggles and instrumental in motivating me, to find a way to help them.
AM: Tell us about your partnership with CIROC and how you became involved.
CHEF RI: I’ve been working with CIROC for about a year. I was featured in their CIROC Stands Black Excellence campaign in 2021. They profiled my story through a mural in Wynwood, FL. painted by local Miami artist Mojo. Then in November, I collaborated with them to create delicious Friendsgiving recipes and cocktail pairings with their CIROC Pomegranate. Now, I’m excited to be back with CIROC Pomegranate as part of the Love Squad. Our goal is to give one lucky winner a one-of-a-kind experience for them and their loved ones.
AM: We enjoy CIROC when we're celebrating or relaxing at home. We have a feeling that you may have a recipe that you can share and how we can pair it!
CHEF RI: Of course, I have recipes!!!! One of the cocktails that I created using CIROC Pomegranate is called “The Ingraham.” It’s my take on the classic sidecar. It consists of CIROC Pomegranate, Orange Liquor, Lemon Juice, and Cinnamon Simple Syrup. It’s the perfect cocktail for my Asiago and Herb Crusted Rib Eye Roast.
AM: Are there upcoming projects that we should keep an eye out for?
CHEF RI: I’m going to be in Miami for the South Beach Food and Wine Festival from February 24-27. I’ll be hosting a brunch at Grown in Miami Beach on February 27. I'm also working on potential show ideas as well.
AM: We love your statement eyewear! What do you look for when it comes to your frames of choice?
CHEF RI: Listen, I said to myself a long time ago 'If I’ve got to wear them, they have to be FLY!!!' When looking for my frames I look for a statement piece that evokes conversation. I love large frames with color or interesting patterns. I use my glasses as a part of my total look. I would love to have my own eyewear line one day.
AM: Being on the move constantly, how do you take time for yourself?
CHEF RI: It’s difficult to carve out time for myself while taking care of my family, Dwyane and Gabrielle’s family, and Co-running my businesses. There aren't enough hours in the day. So, I give myself more hours by waking up around 4 each morning and working out. This allows me time to gather my thoughts and organize tasks for the day. It gives me a sense of accomplishment that helps me get the day started. Being in the kitchen all the time is murder on my hands and feet. So, I make it my business to get manicures and pedicure regularly.
IG @chefrli
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | CIROC
Read the FEB ISSUE #74 of Athleisure Mag and see THE POWER OF FOOD | Chef Richard Ingraham in mag.
This month, our cover story is with Christina Ochoa who plays Renn Randall in TNT's Animal Kingdom as well as Veronica Sandoval in ABC's Promised Land. We talk about what drives her when she is selecting projects In addition, we also talk about how she balances her love for acting and being creative with her passion for science with a focus on the oceans through marine biology. She shares how she continues to make an impact on the world with others through her work and staying stimulated in these efforts.
ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize that you loved acting and that you wanted to do it as a profession?
CHRISTINA OCHOA: I realized it really late in the game. I was probably in my mid 20’s compared to all of the wonderful child actors that already came and knew what they wanted to be! I realized when I took an amateur theater class in order to just help my public speaking engagements for science! It had nothing to do with having an ambition to be an actor. Then, I just had so much fun. I fell in love and that’s all she wrote!
AM: That’s awesome, you never know when something like that will happen! What’s your approach when you’re thinking about whether you want to take on a project? What are you looking for?
CO: The number one thing that I look for is the caliber of people involved. So for me, having a conversation with either a showrunner, director or producer prior to joining at this point just makes sure that creatively – that 1, I can bring in any added value, and 2 that we see eye to eye on how to go about a project which is really important.
When it comes to the character choices, I like admiring the characters that I play and being enamored with them and their complexities. High-level competence is a factor that all of my characters have one way or another regardless of the realm that they inhabit. They are all very competent women and also, they have real questions and doubts and concerns and color! They’re not just necessarily written in one specific way. I like that.
AM: We first saw you in Animal Kingdom which we are fans of this show. Your character Renn is one that we love to watch. We know our readers have so many questions going into this final season which comes back this summer – is she coming back and what’s it like to play this character?
CO: Oh come on! You didn’t think that that was all it would take to get rid of Renn did you?
AM: Haha we didn’t, but we know that there have to be people wondering out there!
CO: Craig and Renn are a very interesting dynamic that I think was one of the most fun things to play with. Ben Robson (Vikings, Emperor, The Boy) and I talked about it all of the time. They are just meant to be together and they have no idea how! In a weird way, they’re childish in their approaches and it’s so volatile. They act like they are going to explode or implode, you never know. I think that in the last season coming up soon, we get to see maybe what it’s like for them to really come together in a new way. Like for the first time, maybe not opponents, but teammates.
AM: Yeah! Being on the same side!
CO: Exactly!
AM: Another show that we love which you’re in is ABC's A Million Little Things. We love the storyline and we’re glad that it’s resumed it’s midseason break this month. Your character, Ashley was in the first season and we saw her working with Jon Dixon and got clues on what was going on with him. As they’re currently in their 4th season, will your character come back to this show?
CO: Well you know, conversations that I have had a lot with DJ Nash (Truth Be Told, Growing Up Fisher, Guys with Kids) have been ongoing for awhile for a couple of years. Where is Ashley and will she come back or not? I consider myself to be incredibly lucky to have joined some of my closest friends on this. At the end of the day, that was a job where being able to work with James Roday Rodriguez (Psych, Blood Drive) again which I had already worked on in a number of different capacities was just a chance that I just had to jump on.
I hope that there is still a space for Ashley to be there and to be able to pop in. But I do not have that information. If they want to give me a call, I’m here!
AM: Well seeing you on your latest show, Promised Land, it’s definitely a great show that we’re getting obsessed with. We love that we’re getting to learn about the wine industry and how a family is maintaining that power, which has that Succession vibe. We’d love to know more about Veronica which you play and what can we expect from this season as it continues to unfold?
CO: The thing about Veronica that I gravitated to the most from the get go, she was in this very male dominated environment – very muy macho - her father, her brothers and siblings - everyone around her. Yet, she managed to tap into a very powerful position without having to emulate the men or to compete with them on their turf and that was something that was really intriguing to me and there were a lot of conversations with Matt Lopez (Race to Witch Mountain, The Wild, The Sorcerer's Apprentice) and Adam Kolbrenner (Free Guy, The Tomorrow War, Slender Man) initially before the pilot in terms of how they wanted to see this character.
This is such an important milestone in the journey for real diversity on network television and ABC decided to take an entire Latin cast and infuse the show behind the camera with a lot of Latin crew as well. I think that for me, that was one of those things where how could I ever say no to doing something that was so meaningful? Human first, entertaining second.
It was really wonderful to jump on board and I think that for me, Veronica in particular, is just one more version of that diversity that I want to see within a certain ethnic group. So yes, they’re all Latin but that’s the number 10 on the list when you describe them. There is diversity of thought, diversity of perspective, diversity of political opinions within this Latin family and you get all of that and what a beautiful thing. That's a diversity that nobody ever talks about. That's one that is very close to my heart. Heteradox thinking is the number 1 thing that I want to see in a group of characters that are all defined by this one common denominator.
AM: In the months and weeks leading up to the show and seeing the previews for it. I was excited to see this on TV. I have to say that as a Black cofounder of Athleisure Media and doing all the things that I do, I’m always excited to see the depth of diversity across various racial groups and how they are portraying characters who work in fields that some who are viewing may not have thought that they would be there – but they are! So it’s amazing that your show is presenting this and you have an incredible cast.
What should we be looking for as we continue through this season?
CO: Oh I think that for Veronica in particular – how to do it her way is one of the most common things especially during the pandemic that we all went through this. We evaluated our life choices, figured out what we wanted and thought about whether we were fulfilled – did we want to make an impact where we could make things better?
I think that she is the personification of some of those journeys where she has done everything that she should do and she has done it right most of her life and suddenly, she has to be confronted with, what does she even want and how does she want it? And how is she going to get things done and do the ends justify the means? All these big questions, she is being faced with for the first time in her life. So going along that journey and seeing where in that fight for power, what’s going to happen with Michael and her and that relationship? Those worlds are in chaos and in limbo and that’s going to be so interesting. People will be able to see themselves in it.
AM: What are some upcoming projects that you have in film/TV that we should keep on our radar, that you’re able to share?
CO: Well, I have a movie coming out soon called Boon. It’s a western thriller – very different and very exciting. Then, another movie coming out called MVP about an NFL player who is also a veteran and it’s about his journey. That’s coming out soon and of course season 6 of Animal Kingdom that is coming back very soon.
AM: At Athleisure Mag, we love sharing great people with our readers and giving them insight on what they know about them as well as things they may not. In prep for this interview, we knew about a number of your shows and your work in them. In addition to your work in the arts, you’re all about the sciences as well and that was fun for us to learn about how you’re a badass in this area as a marine biologist and what you do for the community. When did you embrace your love for science and more specifically focusing on the oceans?
CO: For me, the ocean is the Alpha and the Omega, it’s the love of my life. If I fell in love with acting, the ocean is still the love of my life and it always will be. I try to maintain a bit of a balance. I find that having something, especially in the entertainment industry and any of its forms and I’m sure for you, it’s the same.
Having something that you believe in that’s greater than you and more important than anything in your immediate surroundings whether that be a family, religion or a cause – I think that that’s so fundamental! This way we don’t become myopic in our world and what matters to us as individuals. That’s kind of always been there and hopefully always will be.
I was very fortunate to be at James Cook University and a lot of wonderful friends that I am still in touch with – I get to still piggyback off of a lot of the amazing cool adventures that they’re having when I have time off. I get to go jump in the water and do expeditions and fieldwork and help out and go shark tagging. It’s definitely something that will never go away – maybe I should put that in the credits some how haha, “also come join her shark tagging!”
AM: Yeah the duality of someone who does both and their passions in both are just great to see that. I can appreciate this as someone who is just as comfortable coding as I am with my work in this magazine, styling a project or doing interviews. It’s always amazing to see other people especially those that are women who also like to embrace work in art, tech and science fields. What does it mean when you’re saying that you’re a marine biologist, tagging sharks and doing fieldwork – what are you doing?
CO: Because I’m not actively in the academia community anymore because I’m acting, what I’m doing is basically jumping on board to do the expeditions and projects that my friends and colleagues are doing. I come in and I try to collaborate and contribute in whatever ways that help them. So for shark tagging, I work with the American Shark Conservancy and a lot of researchers that are monitoring healthy communities of Great Whites, Hammerheads or Tiger Sharks and that kind of work that they are doing. If I’m with my friend who’s a primatologist, I’m working with the orangutans in Sumatra and I’m going on an expedition there and just trying to help gather information and samples for their research. So it kind of varies and like you, it’s like that “Jack of all trades” mentality which has always been a thing right?
I saw a video online once where they said that when people say, “A Jack of all trades is a master of none,” they leave it there – but there is a full saying that’s much longer than that –
AM: Yeah, the way many of us have learned that quote, it’s a “Jack of all trades, master of none” which definitely is not something that I would want to be associated as but when you have the full quote, “Jack of all trades, master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” It really gives you that agency to explore multiple interests.
CO: Totally!
AM: It’s so great that you love the oceans and clearly you love protecting them. You’re involved in so many philanthropic efforts – Oceana, Earth’s Oceans, and CARE. Can you talk a little about what you do in those organizations and why you wanted to be involved?
CO: I mean, all of these organizations, for the most part, the reason why I like to be involved is that my personal motto is replacing condemnation with inspiration – right? Tapping into things that are uplifting and motivating and as an example, putting your efforts into places where they do have an impact and a reward. As opposed to just shaming societies in saying that everything that we do is wrong. These organizations, all of them Oceana, Earth's Oceans, CARE and Sustainable Ocean Alliance they are all solution-based as opposed to problem-focused. To me, that is fundamental in being able to catalyze movement and mobilize communities to do something whether it’s on an individual level or not. Most of them are policy based as they want to change legislation and they want to tackle things on the governmental level whether it's local or national. I think that for me, being able to do that in such a tangible way - partnering up with these organizations because they align so well with my personal philosophies is easy. I don’t feel that the work that I do with them or are on the board is effortful. I feel that the work I do is so rewarding and easy it aligns.
AM: I have always felt this way and it’s become the way that we go about our work on out team as well – if a lot of the things that you do are in the same vein, even it feels different or sounds different to other people, you're not really spreading yourself thin. You’re just doing what you’re really passionate about and you’re able to chop it up in different ways.
CO: Yeah, I like that – it’s the key right? It’s finding something that you align with so closely that it doesn’t feel separate to you. It doesn’t feel like, “oh I have to do philanthropic work. Let me go find an organization.” The philanthropic effort comes from you aligning your core values and then you can change your own surroundings.
So with Earth’s Oceans, for example, they have a big partnership with a lot of our shows including Animal Kingdom now. They take a lot of the recycled plastics that are not normally recyclable. Things that people don’t think about - lawn chairs, hair brushes from makeup trailers, everything in the film production – the production is now a green production. They take these plastics and they use it to make consumerable goods.
It’s just, changing your own environment is easier than just thinking about, “oh I have to go somewhere else to do it.”
AM: Wow that’s pretty amazing. You’re also a member of the Los Angeles Science for Society. What is that and how long have you been involved with them?
CO: They are fantastic! They host these incredible Intel International Science Engineering Fairs (ISEF) that are pre collegiate level! These children – these prodigies are so innovative and it celebrates them and it brings them from all across the world and from different areas of STEM and now it’s called STEAM because they include a lot of the arts into it. They bring them together and it’s a wonderful cause and something that I am very passionate about in catalyzing that kind of curiosity in children is fundamental. It's really amazing and I know that you interviewed the director of Science Fair?
AM: Yes! We interviewed Science Fair's filmmaker and director, Cristina Costantini, Dr. Serena McCalla and student Kashfia Rahrman. The film was amazing and it was so impressive to see these students and the teachers that worked with them being able to create these projects and to see the kinds of impacts they could make in the world!
CO: They are fantastic and I’m very lucky that I have been able to work with them for so long. I also just think it’s really wonderful because children are encumbered by a lot of the limitations that once you get into collegiate levels whether it’s someone that’s going on a tenure track or corporate side of things – a lot of the time, you start seeing limitations whether it’s funding, access and you see them. Children don’t have that. They’re imagination really reigns in this arena and it’s so beautiful to see that overlap between their imagination and the science that they are doing and the causes that they tackle. It’s all very personal as one will say that they want to improve the hospital energy supply in their local area because refrigeration is a big thing, so they invented solar cells that people can replace themselves. It’s just fascinating to see and of course, the awards are largely education based with grants and college scholarships.
AM: We were excited to share that with our readers to show how these students are making an impact and are being infused with these skills that will help them as they continue to navigate their careers.
In addition, thinking back to things that we have talked about, it’s great to hear that you’re the keynote speaker at these conferences, podcast guest for a number of these science shows, you’ve been a member of MENSA since 2009 and you are doing a number of fascinating projects –
CO: Oh thank you.
AM: Absolutely, I mean I think that the work you’re doing is incredible and when you look at it in the lens of being a woman who is doing this and owning her space it’s amazing how you are using your platform to showcase – why is it so important for you to do this and to have this mix of arts and sciences?
CO: Apathy is the devil to me. To me, everybody wants an intellectually stimulating life. Everyone wants a creatively stimulating life. I don’t care what arena or industry you’re in. That’s something that as human beings, we crave and to me, mixing those two helps to avoid that apathy. It’s so easy to become self-centered in an industry that encourages that because hey we are tools, our creativity, your imagination – all of these things. For me, mixing the two is just a way that I find balance in those things that I care about because I also think that creativity benefits from all of that. You were saying that you benefit from your knowledge and mastery of technology every single day. I feel that I benefit from mine too because – famous quote of course, “it’s not a body of knowledge, it’s a way of thinking.” To me, it’s about asking the right questions whether it’s for a role or one of these organizations working with them or in the field working with wildlife.
So, learning to ask the right questions and questioning yourself, that is so important. Asking ourselves, ”what if this did work and what if we did it this way?” What if we got it right, what if we did make an impact – what if whatever I did in the next hour mattered to somebody or to something? Learning to ask different questions depending on the circumstances is so fundamental to me and something that I use daily. I think that it helps stomps out apathy first and foremost for myself and other people around me and inspiring them to do the same. So for me, that has been the guiding force I guess.
AM: It’s been so fascinating to talk with you and to hear about what you’re involved in and how you continue to take on new things as an educator, author, being published in Vogue Spain etc. Are there still things that you wish to tackle that you have yet to do at this point?
CO: A social life – ha! I mean, I see myself as a storyteller so for me, that in general has come through acting, it has come through writing. It has come through writing research papers and it has come through podcasting, producing and things like that. To me, it’s not just one medium and I’m very fortunate, knock on wood that I have, like you, that true Jack of all trades gene. So anything that feels labeling and limiting is not going to satisfy that fluidity. I get energy from transitioning from podcasting to producing or from acting to writing a research paper or writing an article. I enjoy that fluidity and I assume you do too as you built your life around that structure.
AM: I do find that if I am only doing one thing, then I feel a little stuck, but if I can flow or see something that’s presented and even if it’s not a fit, pivot it so it leans back to things that I can execute on – then it makes sense to me. But if it’s constantly the same that’s really going to be a bit of a wall until we can put a twist on it because you want to be challenged! You to be a bit of a wall until we can put a twist on it because you want to be challenged! You don’t always want to feel like you can do it with your eyes closed all the time. I don’t like every bump that comes along but I can appreciate certain bumps – depending on time and place.
So when you’re not on set, and I assume you’re going to say the ocean, where can we find you in terms of getting back to yourself and making sure that your cup is replenished?
CO: I mean wildlife, water, nature – those things really replenish me. They don’t have to be grand scale – I don’t have to be at the Bimini Shark Lab free diving for Tiger Sharks - it's as easy as taking a walk with my dog or honestly, reading a book! I mean, to me, it’s the cheapest form of travel and cheapest form of escapism and I suffer the need for escapism constantly, I think! I like the idea of going away to a cabin on the cliff by the ocean is my dream in general! Books are a very easy and quick way for me to do that. It’s a go-to that definitely replenishes. Anything that’s creative and is not result-driven or process-driven – so painting – even when I know it might go in the trash 20 mins later – that is very replenishing for me! Not having to get something right is great – so anything in that vein.
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | FRONT COVER Rachael Porter | PG 16 - 27 ABC/Promised Land | PG 28 - 30 TNT Animal Kingdom/Eddy Chen | PG 33 + BACK COVER ROGUE EXPEDITIONS | PG 156 Still from video provided by Christina Ochoa |
Read the FEB ISSUE #74 of Athleisure Mag and see HOW WE ALIGN | Christina Ochoa in mag.
In this month’s issue, our cover story is with film, TV and stage actor, Curtiss Cook who plays Abe in the film adaptation of West Side Story, Otis “Douda” Perry in The Chi and has appeared in countless other shows. He talks with us about how he got into acting, how he plays dynamic characters and brings them to life as well as upcoming projects that we can expect to see him in. We also have the first of 2 NEW YEAR, N3W YOU features with Curtiss Cook, STARZ’s POWER BOOK II: GHOST’s Alix Lapri and NBA Minnesota Timberwolves’ Taurean Prince. They share The Good, The Add and The Buzz as they look at 2021 and 2022.
This month’s 9PLAYLIST is from Ryan Seacrest as he shares songs for our playlist as we countdown to the New Year. NFL New England Patriot and 3 X Pro Bowler, Matthew Judon, shares his 9LIST STORI3S with us. Our 9LIST ROUTIN3S comes from NASCAR’s 2 X Cup Series Champion and 220+ trophy winner Kyle Busch, who shares his Morning, Afternoon and Night with us. This month’s 9LOOKS shares some of our favorite ensembles from Zimmermann’s Resort 22 collections.
Our monthly feature, The Art of the Snack focuses on Sapphire Cuisines of India in NY. This month’s Athleisure List comes from Mad Morton and ONE19 Wine Bar + Food. As always, we have our monthly roundups of some of our favorite finds.
Read the Jan Issue #61 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LIST STORI3S | Patrick Mahomes II in bag.
We had a great time chatting with International CrossFit Star and actress, Brooke Ence who took her love of dance, fitness and being a natural athlete to another level. She shared the road to the CrossFit Games. We have enjoyed watching her in Wonder Woman as well as Justice League as well as in her new show where she plays a Resident Tagger in FOX's Ultimate Tag which takes the game to another level with an array of courses. She talks about her journey, the importance of timing, sacrifice and being ina team of people that are focused on her success. We also talk about her new app that she recently launched that allows us to stay fit and embrace a community that supports the efforts that she believes in.
ATHLEISURE MAG: We know you have a dance background and that you have been in the fitness industry for some time, when did you know that you wanted to work in this industry?
BROOKE ENCE: I never really knew that I wanted to be in fitness. As far as in dance and performance, since I was like 3. I really found CrossFit in preparation for an audition that I had for a show in Las Vegas called Le Rêve which is a Cirque du Soleil show. It really started as me training in CrossFit to compete against an individual athlete in 2013. I was doing it before hand while still going to school. I was a fulltime Dance Major at the University of Utah. I was one of stronger girls in the gym, I was on the team and I didn’t decide that I wanted to compete and do it as an individual until 2013 CrossFit Games when I was spectating. I didn’t expect other opportunities that came across and happened. The opportunities that came were byproducts of what I was doing. Now everything that I do, health, fitness, performance, dance, training, competing or just to have a voice and influence on people to live a happier and healthier life, I know that this is where I’m definitely meant to be. I still like to do other things like dabbling in movies and films.
AM: What is it about CrossFit that you enjoy? We know of a number of our followers and listeners that started it a few months ago and they’re just obsessed with it. Can you tell us what CrossFit is and what is it that people embrace about it?
BE: CrossFit as a sport is very different then CrossFit as a training methodology. The goal for training is to keep you doing the things that you love. You use it as a means to get better at doing other things that you do a sport or an activity. Beyond that, it’s about keeping people functional as long as they are living. Keeping them to do a series of basic functions and tasks so that they feel that they can do better and to be able to do things for yourself. It’s just about living a happy, healthy lifestyle that you can maintain forever.
As we get older, some things will be different, but the biggest goal is to keep you in whatever time that you’re on in your life journey as healthy as possible. I think that what people are really drawn to – people who come from an athletic background or played sports, at a certain age, if a professional athletic career wasn’t in the books for you, it’s a great opportunity for people to kind of do this and it feels satisfying to give them another chance to be really good at something competitive for that want and that drive. A lot of people maybe never were as they didn’t play sports and weren’t on team sports or anything competitive like that. It transfers over to how you work in your family, your business and it’s a community.
When it comes to fitness, when you’re thinking of truly having a better lifestyle, that’s how we create health and fitness longevity. You have to adjust your lifestyle. Being able to connect to a community where everyone is doing the same thing, you have these things that you can really connect with and relate to. It feels so amazing when you are able to do something that you have never done before and it becomes very addicting. It’s the opportunity and experience to become better, accomplish goals and to see yourself do things that you couldn’t do before. It's very motivating and you see yourself getting better. When you have a group of people doing it with you, you have the better chance of sticking with it longterm and making the lifestyle changes.
AM: What is involved? We’re definitely excited to hear from a World CrossFit Champion on what that is!
BE: Right! Just to clarify, I didn’t win the CrossFit Games, but I was the Champion of the California Regional and in my Rookie appearance, I took 2 first place finishes and I finished 14 in the world! When you want to get better at anything. You have to be willing to sacrifice, time, how bad you want it and when do you want it. Fitness isn’t free and the work that you’re going to put it in it is what you are going to get out of it. People are in training mode - they’re in that schedule all the time. It becomes like the most important thing. Everyone that is part of their team, everyone is thinking about that person’s training. You have to be super consistent. You’re training has to be really balanced. Your coach whether they are at your CrossFit gym or someone that is just for you. It’s this big road map that you have to think about in terms of looking at the big picture. You can’t take a week, it’s months and years of being really consistent. The better you get, the stronger you get, the harder it is for you to have adaptations and the longer it takes for you to get stronger – it takes time. The only way to do that and to reach those goals and get better is that you have to constantly push the limit so that your body can adapt to what you’re doing. It’s a full time job!
AM: In addition to that, you crossed over to Hollywood by being in Wonder Woman and Justice League. We enjoyed both of those movies. How is that to go into this part of your career and how did it take place?
BE: I always wanted to be in a movie growing up. I really wanted to be on Broadway! I spent most of my time doing dancing, singing and doing musical theater. Musical theater is much more theatrical. It was crazy to me to get a call out of the blue to read for a movie and I was just focused on my training in 2015 when they called me. I was on my way to the CrossFit Games and I almost turned it down!
AM: Wait what – it’s Wonder Woman, we love that movie.
BE: I found out that when they called me and I got the part, I thought it was cool and a great opportunity. I thought that we would be filming in Hollywood so I could continue to train in the gyms down there so I could keep up my schedule. I was worried that I would do this and what if I didn’t make it back to the CrossFit Games and it disrupts my training so much that I would let them down.
AM: Now on May 20th, you will be one of the Resident Taggers in FOX’s new show, Ultimate Tag which is hosted by NFL brother’s JJ, TJ and Derek Watt. Can you tell us more about this show and why you wanted to be apart of it?
BE: It is Ultimate Tag! It is the adult athlete version of a flag football version of tag and awesome. It’s high intensity, really fun – like most games we played as kids. You get beat up! I got beat up! I didn't know anything know anything beyond that when they called me. I was brought in extremely last minute. BE: It’s a brand new show and I wanted to try something new, do something exciting and be around people where we would have a really positive experience. It’s so much more than what you think it would be and I think that they have done a really good job in showcasing that in the way that it is filmed too. Fingers crossed that they have a second season and that they can get even better at being able to show the best way that an audience and the people at home can experience this! You’ll feel the intensity on the floor.
AM: As a Resident Tagger, will you be on the show every season?
BE: No so, we have a pretty big tagger team. Not every tagger plays every game. We sub taggers in and out. You don’t want one tagger being out there and taking too much time taking out one person. It’s so intense out there as you’re going from 0-100 that we play our teams the smartest way possible. We think about the strengths of the taggers to put the best person in based on their abilities.
AM: You must have been really tiring after filming each episode with so much energy and physicality going into it!
BE: For me, the other taggers were there when I went down to try out. They had been there. Fun Fact: Every time we played, it was my first time seeing the game and doing it! Every time I was like wow – it was my first time seeing the game and doing it! Every time I was like wow – my nerves were very high and coming from a very athletic background and playing a lot of sports growing up, even with CrossFit and the practice of adapting to things and learning on the fly and learning quickly. That helped me.
AM: That is insane! Many of us during this time have figured out how we can continue to keep our workouts going. What are some tips that you have that we can share that people should think about in terms of their fitness as well as items they can buy to aid their fitness goals?
BE: Of course, I’m going to just plug myself as I 100% stand behind this program – it’s called Naked Training App. We launched 2 at home programs. One is with body weight and one is with dumbbells. If you need some kind of equipment at your house, I would say that a couple pairs of dumbbells is great. We have all the videos to show you how to do things. What’s cool with what you’re trying to do when you’re working out, it’s so much easier when someone is there to show you what to do. It’s like, “what am I doing – oh that? Ok let me do that.” Not only do that, but my team creates the road map because we know we’re all here to get fit and strong. Our team does the work of programming it for you with the big picture in mind If you want to get fitter, stronger etc you do have to adapt with the times and your circumstances and to be realistic about it. You have to do more then just something. If you’re looking for minimal equipment and the goal in mind when programming is to get you closer to being a stronger, healthier more fit person – while the programmer understands where we are in our situation right now, you have a better chance of sticking to your goal while not sacrificing too much as we can’t really leave our house too much!
AM: For the Naked Training App, do you have nutrition in there as well as a sense of community?
BE: We do have nutrition. We have a Facebook Group. We have an ebook available to get you started and we do talk about nutrition through our Facebook Live and we're in the process of launching our own nutrition along with coaching. It will become much more than just hearing this information to get started – but then it would be in the person’s hands and a lot more 1-on-1 coaching and following. We didn't want to run too fast into nutrition without having the team behind it.
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 121 + 126 Brooke Ence | PG 118 + 127 FOX | 122 Michael Becker/FOX |
Read the May Issue of Athleisure
Hear from CrossFit Star and FOX's Ultimate Tag Brooke Ence on our show, Bungalow SK - which is a part of Athleisure Studio, our multi-media podcast network! Make sure to subscribe to find out when the episode drops. You can hear it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts and wherever you enjoy listening to your favorite podcast.
Read the May Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Let the Games Begin with Brooke Ence in mag.
On today's episode of Bungalow SK, we caught up with CBS Sports Broadcaster, Tracy Wolfson who covers the NFL as well as NCAA Basketball games a few months ago right before the NFL's 100th season. You can read the full interview in Athleisure Mag's Sept Issue #45. In this excerpt, she talks about her career, how she prepares when she is interviewing athletes, some of her favorite stories that she has covered and how she takes time for herself when she is not on the road for gameday.
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
A few seasons ago we were invited to a show that showcased how the guy who is always in transition can enjoy a line of clothing that will take him from hanging out, heading to brunch, a business meeting and beyond. From the first Grungy Gentleman show, we were hooked. This season for their FW20 show, we were invited as guests of one of the brand’s sponsor - Truly Hard Seltzer. Athleisure Mag has partnered with Truly Hard Seltzer since 2016 when they launched and we could definitely see the synergy between these brands.
The Grungy Gentleman show, designed by Jace Lipstein (who like our co-founder is an alumni from Indiana University), kicked off its first look with the NFL New Orleans Saints star Marcus Williams to open the 12th runway show which took place at M1-5 Bar and Lounge in Tribeca.
The show included 28 looks representing Grungy Gentleman’s FW20 collection. In addition to the core portion of the line, attendees were introduced to a number of collabs that included: BTC and two of their MMA fighters which included a 6-piece capsule collection for the GGX line. Another collaboration utilized the classic geometric patterns woven by Pendelton fabric which are created on the jacquard looms in a 107 year old mill. Throughout the show, footwear was provided by PUMA and OOFOS.
Throughout the show and during the afterparty, attendees enjoyed music by DJ Zeke Thomas, son of NBA Hall of Fame player, Isiah Thomas.
You can see the entire runway show through the video below:
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
We’re in the thick of Football Season and earlier this month we chatted with Mark Schlereth who is a retired NFL player who played 12 seasons with the Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos. He moved onto being a football analyst for ESPN and now on Fox Sports. We also enjoyed seeing him on a number of episodes of HBO’s Ballers! So we know that he knows a thing or two about tailgating as well as homegating - which allows everyone to have a great view of the game as well as to have their favorite items to enjoy while cheering for their team. We wanted to know what his 3 essentials are if we’re enjoying a homegate at his house as well as some predictions on the 100th season of the NFL! Note that we talked with Mark Schlereth on Oct 10th of this month.
ATHLEISURE MAG: What are 3 items that we could find at your next homegating festivities?
MARK SCHLERETH: Being at home is what makes it so much fun and I love sharing my homegating tips! It starts with Gardein plant-based meat alternatives and they have everything that you can think of. They’ve got chicken, they’ve got beef, pork and fish. They have Spicy Chicken Sliders, Chicken Wings, Nashville Chicken Hot Tenders – whether it’s your vegan friends, veggie friends or any kind of friends for crying out loud! It’s all delicious and they’re going to love Gardein.
Everybody loves snacks that goes with dips and that’s just science. Hidden Valley Ranch mix is used in restaurants all across America. You can have that same restaurant-style ranch at home with Hidden Valley Ranch Signature Buttermilk Recipe whether it’s pizza, wings, veggies – you name it! Everything is better with Hidden Valley Ranch. My granddaughters call it dip dip. She say’s, “Po Po give me some Dip Dip.”
No party is complete without chili! When it comes to chili, it’s all about the beans. Bush’s has been around for a 100 years and you know them from their Baked Beans. Their beans are slow simmered, full of flavor and perfect for spicing up your party – 3 Bean Chili, White Chili and even Pumpkin Chili! You can make your chili better with Busch’s Beans.
No homegate is complete without the go to of TV’s LG Oled. TV Experts have dubbed it the number 1 TV of 2019. The C9 4K TV has over a billion rich colors, it’s beautiful and stunning picture quality with Google Assistant so that you never have to take your eyes off the television set as they have a 55”, 60” and 77” sets.
AM: Currently the NFL is in its 100th season. What NFL season picks do you have that you can share with us?
MS: Well I mean, to me – when you even look at last week, if you control the line of scrimmage, and I called the game in London last week, it was exquisite and the game was between Chicago and Oakland. If you thought that the Oakland Raiders were going to go out to London and be beaten by the Chicago Bears, because historically they have been a better football team – but the team that controls the line of scrimmage and physically beats up the other team, that’s the team that won about every game last week. So it’s really interesting to see how these teams are physically put together! The Patriots obviously still a great team. The Saints are doing it right now without their starting Quarterback and winning every game. They have been amazing as well. The San Francisco 49ers are undefeated for crying out loud! Think about this, Tom Brady and his understudy, Jimmy Garoppolo are the only 2 Quarterbacks right now that are currently quarterbacking undefeated teams. Jimmy Garoppolo with the 76ers and Tom Brady of course with the New England Patriots!
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
When you're enjoying your favorite sport, more than likely, it's more than just watching the game, it's about the mechanics, knowing about the team, specific players, coaching staff, its history, how you feel about it in terms of memories growing up and more. It's about the storylines and how sports is immersed in our day to day lives from the community, pop culture, social good and entertainment. We had the chance right before the start of the 100th season of the NFL, to talk with Tracy Wolfson 4 X Emmy Nominated Lead Reporter, NFL ON CBS, NCAA Basketball and Studio Host for the network. We talked about when she fell in love with sports, her journey in sports broadcasting that brought her to CBS, the importance of preparation in her field and storylines that are exciting to keep an eye out for.
ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the moment when you realized that you wanted to work in sports?
TRACY WOLFSON: I was about 7 or 8 years old. I was sitting in my room, I was a little tomboy and all I really wanted to do was watch sports. My parents had no idea how I came to wanting to do that. I had no brothers, my father wasn’t really into sports, but I became obsessed with it and I became so intrigued with every sport out there. So, that’s when I decided that I would do everything that I possibly could to be a reporter and to talk about sports for the rest of my life. I watched the NBA Inside Stuff which I’m dating myself, but back then, it was Ahmad Rashad and Willow Bay. I said, “you know what? If Willow Bay can do it, then I can do it.” That’s when I decided to do it.
AM: Wow, well we have had the opportunities to interview a number of broadcasters especially those in sports. What was your journey to get to CBS – how did that happen?
TW: Well it was a really long journey because back then, there wasn’t really a It was a long journey. Back then, there wasn't a blueprint for it and there weren’t a lot of people that you could reach out to and talk to or for anyone to give you advice. I knew I wanted be in sports so I went to the University of Michigan for the academics but also because they were surrounded by sports, so I figured that at least I would be around it. I could meet people and find a way to get into this business that way. I took some communications classes and I did a few internships and met a few people from CBS around that time. They said, “ok when you go back to school, why don’t you help us out when we come to do games? You could be a runner and get water and coffee.” And that’s what I did. I did a bunch of football games and some basketball games. I did some ice skating shows with them and I kind of got my foot in the door, but I wanted to be on camera and I didn’t have any experience and there were no classes I could take at Michigan at the time that I started out as a researcher at the time at CBS. They hired me and it was my first job out of college. I would basically get research for all the other reporters and announcers out there and I put portfolios together. I was there for about a year and I got the offer to move up to the next level as an Assistant Producer type thing. I said that I would go for it, even though I knew that I wanted to be in front of the camera, but I didn’t have a tape. So I got the interview and the guy said, “I know you love sports and you know sports, but not like the guys do.” I was like – huh? That was my first experience of being a woman in this business so, I said, “really?” It was like the best kick in the pants that I could have gotten – I was like, “I’m out of here.” He’s no longer with CBS by the way. I found a job as an agent representing broadcasters and seeing a completely different side of the business: how to put together a tape, how to sound, how your voice should sound, what you should be wearing and what news directors you are looking for. I sent a bunch of tapes around for other people. I got one girl by the name of Jenna Wolfe who is now out in this business. I got her a job from Upstate New York to Philadelphia. She was my age and she was already in the number 1 market and I said, “oh my gosh, she’s already in the number 1 market and I haven’t even gotten on the market yet – come on! What are we waiting for here?”
So I left and I still had to get in front of the camera. I got a job as a producer on News 12 Long Island producing sports. Every time a reporter went out and did his reports, he’d let me do my reports. I made a fake tape and sent it out all across the country and I got one job in Trenton, NJ. I was never live there and was there for a year and a half. They didn’t have any live sports, so I just did 5 minutes of sportscasts a day – highschool, minor league stuff and college sports. I put together a tape and sent it to some agents and different people and I got a job at MSG Network. I got a job doing Oxygen Sports at the time. I was with ESPN for a year doing college football. It was my first time being live for ESPN College Football ever doing a live game. It was pretty incredible, I didn’t know what I was doing. I was yelling into the microphone. They were like, “you don’t have to yell, that’s why you have a microphone!” So I did whatever I could. I was there for one season and then CBS had an opening for a number 2 reporter and because I had been there, I think they kind of remembered me and I had a lot of friends. It was between a few of us, but then I got the job and now I have been with CBS for 17 years.
AM: You do so much on CBS, as we enjoy seeing you report on the NFL and obviously during the Final Four – what are the different roles that you have there?
TW: I do a lot of different things and it has grown over time. I started at CBS and I covered rodeo, covered auto racing, track and field, tennis, gymnastics – you name it. Anything CBS would have, they would ask me to cover. Now, I specialize a little bit more on just the NFL. I did college football for 10 years covering the SEC. So now it’s just NFL, college basketball and the NCAA Final Four March Madness and I have a show with the most incredibly talented women on CBS Sports Network called We Need to Talk where it’s former athletes whether it’s Summer Sanders (Team USA Swimming 4 X Olympic Medalist, sports commentator, reporter), Dara Torres (Team USA Swimming 12 X Olympic Medalist), Swin Cash (retired WNBA athlete and VP of Basketball Operations and Team Development for the New Orleans Pelicans), Lisa Leslie (retired WNBA athlete, studio analyst for the Orlando Magic broadcasts on Fox Sports Florida and Head Coach for Triplets in the BIG3), Laila Ali (retired undefeated professional boxer and TV host), Amy Trask (former CEO of the Oakland Raiders) and so many other women with different perspectives on sports. We just don’t talk about women’s sports. More often than not, we’re talking about the NFL, but it’s a really good show and it’s something different then my normal reporting. There’s a lot of hosting involved and also just a talk show giving our opinions and our viewpoints. A lot of times our view is different than a man’s.
AM: What we love so much about how you approach it is the fact that you have a storytelling aspect and just getting everyone into it. How do you prepare for your NFL coverage and how does that work with you?
TW: It really stems from my research background. I love it and that’s what you need to do to find the stories. It’s kind of like Groundhog’s Day. You come home on Sunday or Monday, you unpack that wheelie bag, you repack that wheelie bag, and then you get focused on the game at hand. A lot of time, I start back to my previous game. So I know that I have my 2 games and I start studying to find something that's different. I start reading all the beat reporters because they’re there 24 hours a day with those teams. I switch teams every week. So I really read everything that I can find whether it’s on the Internet or what they send us from the teams. I make calls and dig deeper and we’ll have meetings with each of the teams and their star players – the quarterbacks, coordinators, coaches, defensive players and really find out more information. You know the X’s and O’s – you have to know that because your questions are going to come from that and your story lines are going to come from that. But you can also weave in different stories at the same time and I think that that is really the balance between being a good reporter and having the best broadcast – how do you weave those stories in and then what can you find from the field? A lot of the stuff, you can’t prepare for. You’re the eyes and the ears on the field. You’re getting things that the men and the women in the booth can’t get. So, I just run the field over and over again looking, searching and listening whether it’s an injury or something that the offensive line coach may say or maybe it’s the way that a quarterback reacts after throwing an interception. You try and bring that to light and bring it to the broadcast and make the viewer at home feel like they are right in the game.
AM: How do you take time for yourself as you’re all over the place with your travels. How do you manage it all by having a family as well as your schedule?
TW: The juggling is really difficult and I tell anyone that wants to get into this business and have their family as well as working on sports and being on the road or anyone that is doing a business and juggling their families, you really do come last. You really have to do that as for me, my number 1 job is actually being a mother. I always say that and I will continue to do this until it doesn’t work for them. If it doesn’t work for them, then I am out! It does work for them because I am able to juggle and I have the experience and I have figured out what’s worked. I know what’s right and how to balance that time.
I make sure that I set my routines for my kids. I get them to bed on time, they get a good night’s sleep and they can get up in the morning feeling refreshed. It makes my job much easier and then they go off to school and that’s when I focus on my work. And then when they come back home, we get back into that routine and once I get their bedtime routine going and getting them into bed, I know that they’re getting their rest and I can focus on myself again and do more work. Then I get myself into a really good routine and I think that that’s the way of really finding time for yourself. If you feel good, if you’re refreshed, if you’re energized, you know that you’re in a good spot and place, then that’s ok. That’s where I really need to be because you’re being spread so thin everyday of our lives.
AM: How essential is it for people to have great sleep and what should we do around that so that we can get it?
TW: I see it from the top watching athletes. They need to get good sleep, they talk about it all the time in order to have peak performance levels out on the field or on the court. Then it starts with me, I need to be at my top game every single day and every time I’m out there. Not only working as a sideline reporter, but waking up early and being on the field for 7-8 hours. But also as a mother being on my peak. I need to be at the top of my game and being refreshed and ready for them. So I try to pass on those routines to them and I truly believe that sleep, especially going into the school year, is so important to set those routines. Being a partner with Sleep Number, I’ve learned and always have been a huge proponent of this by setting up a routine early, getting that consistent schedule down, limiting the light, taking away those phones, Playstations, devices so that they have the time to relax. Understanding that sleep is coming and being consistent with that. An hour before bedtime, I have an 8 year old, a 10 year old and a 13 year old – so all my kids are boys and they’re all hyper with a lot of energy and it’s important to have them wind down.
But the schedules are all different. The 8 year old needs something different than the 13 year old. The schedules stay the same in terms of having them calm down, taking away devices an hour prior to bedtime, they get their reading done in bed and I come in with them and sit down to go over some things with them. Maybe I read with them, they love that and look forward to that and then I turn the light off and I move onto the next kid with my 10 year old who enjoys the same routine. Then the 13 year old, well teens are difficult, they have a lot of stuff. They have sports, a lot of school work, their after school activities and they have their friends and they want to be social. I have to be able to balance that out with him as well and set a good schedule with him. I have to remind him that sleep is crucial in terms of lowering that stress level, making him have that best performance that he can in the classroom and on the field. I talk to him over and over about it and then I show him that I do it and that it’s time for my bed too. I need a schedule also and hopefully I set a good example also for them.
AM: As someone who does travel so much, what are 3 things that are must have in your carryon?
TW: Ok well, I definitely bring sneakers with me. I don’t wear sneakers on the field because I’m only 5’2” and everyone that I interview is a lot taller than me. I actually need the height, but I bring the sneakers with me because I feel that exercise is so important and it gives me a chance to just calm down and to relieve all the stress that’s around me. It allows me to have some alone time which is really important. I definitely bring a little tinted moisturizer that will maybe cover up a little of the bags under my eyes or the imperfections that we all have because that HD screen shows everything! Then, I bring a really good book because a book is really important to set that sleep routine up for me. I want to turn my TV off, I want to limit that light, I want to have that same schedule that I have at home, on the road. That way, I can be ready for that game in the morning. I bring a book, it may not be a lot and I may not have time to read a lot, but I want to be able to put my work away and just focus on relaxing, spending that last hour to chill out and to just have that me time and knowing that I will be refreshed and ready for the morning.
AM: What are you excited for this season?
TW: I’m really excited. We have tremendous match ups and so many exciting things going on at the NFL right now! I’ve been talking about the Cleveland Browns which really excite me with all of their personalities, faces, and the excitement in Cleveland to potentially have a winning team! All the noise – can they handle the pressure, as we kick off the season with that game against the Tennessee Titans. They have questions of their own like who’s going to start as quarterback it’s Marcus Mariota’s team but Ryan Tannehill right in the back? Then you have the Oakland Raiders and Antonio Brown with helmet gate. You also have Jon Gruden and can they get back to their winning ways? Then there’s Le’Veon Bell switching teams and how are the New York Jets going to do? Can they take over and make that next step? Are the New England Patriots going to be back on top again? How is Tom Brady going to perform now at age 42? It’s incredible!
Then you have the Chicago Bears, a team that really made a run at the end of the year. Can Mitchell Trubisky take that next step? I think that their defense is going to be very strong and can they take that North? We can go down that line, but that’s what’s exciting about this season as there are so many storylines and hey, we just found out about the Indianapolis Colts’ Andrew Luck.
AM: YES! We couldn’t believe he retired!
TW: I can’t tell you. I was sitting at home with my kids. We were watching a college football game and when I found the news, my heart kind of sunk. It was so upsetting.
AM: We were preparing questions for this interview and when we heard, we literally went to Twitter on your feed.
TW: I didn’t even know how to react. I got up the next morning and I was still really upset. I have had a lot of time to be around him and he’s such a good person, so smart, he knows the game, comes from a great family, I know his father well and to see the toll that it took to get to this point. You feel for him because of what he’s been going through, you can just imagine over the last few years and it’s so sad that it had to come to that. He’ll be fine and he’s in a good spot because he is so smart and he will have a lot of good opportunities ahead of him.
AM: It definitely tugged at our heart. But it’s a reminder that selfcare is so important and you really have to take care of yourself.
TW: I think that the game is trying to get better too and trying to prevent a lot of those hits and the physical side to it. They’re changing these rules in trying to do that so that players don’t have to go through that as much. It wasn’t necessarily hits to the head, but your body just breaks down after awhile. It was really devastating and that’s yet another storyline with Indianapolis and I know you will be following that!
You can hear Tracy Wolfson next month on our show, BUNGALOW SK which is a part of Athleisure Studio, our multi-media podcast network! Make sure to subscribe to find out when the episode drops. You can hear it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Google Podcasts and wherever you enjoy listening to your favorite podcast.
Read the Sept Issue of Athleisure Mag and see Something You Should Know with Tracy Wolfson in mag.
This month Athleisure Mag is covered on both of its covers by Brandon King, Jonathan Jones and Obi Melifonwu of the New England Patriots Super Bowl LIII Champions and the shoot took place at Serafina Tribeca. We interview them about the win as well as their passion for the game. This issue also includes interviews with Boston Celtics' Al Horford, producer and entertainer Drumma Boy, Celebrity Chef and TV Personality Marcus Samuelsson of Red Rooster, WE TV Marriage Bootcamp's Dr. V and fashion designer, Christopher Raeburn.
Read the latest issue here.
This month's cover is graced by Field Yates, an NFL Insider for ESPN who contributes analysis, breaking NFL news and fantasy football for the network. We enjoyed catching up with him to know more about how he got into the industry, shows he's on and more about Fantasy Football.
ATHLEISURE MAG: What was the moment when you realized you wanted to work in sports?
FIELD YATES: For as long as I can remember, I wished to work in sports. I often joke that I had an early realization that my future in sports was not going to be on the field forever - my college career at Wesleyan University on the football and lacrosse teams - was inglorious. But, without hesitation, I always knew that I wanted sports to be a foundational part of my life. So much of my life has revolved and will continue to circle around sports, which I'm grateful for everyday. So while pinpointing a specific moment is difficult, I'm hard pressed to remember a time when I didn't envision a career in sports.
AM: We know prior to coming to ESPN, you worked in the front office on the staff for scouting and coaching. Tell us about your background and how you transitioned your career into joining the ESPN family.
FY: My career at ESPN was, well, not by design. My desire growing up was to enter into the world of football coaching, and after spending several training camps working with the Patriots during my high school and college years, I was hired by the Chiefs in 2009 following my graduation from Wesleyan University. My summers with the Patriots were a combination of scouting and coaching duties, learning the ins and outs of each while contributing in any way that was asked of me. I draw the parallel to learning a new language: for me, training camps were my football Rosetta Stone. Learning from an organization with incredible success was my foundation and my time in Kansas City (2009-2011) provided me with a chance to put my football education into action. Both were truly remarkable opportunities.
AM: What shows on air as well as on the podcast are you a part of and tell us about these as well?
FY: My role at ESPN has some elements of a utility player, as my assignments span across almost anything tied to football. During the season, I serve as the co-host of the Fantasy Focus Football podcast with the amazing Matthew Berry and Stephania Bell. Our show is live-streamed daily on Twitter, making it a bit different than a traditional podcast -- it's TV-lite. On Sundays, I appear on our popular Fantasy Football Now show, with in-season work on NFL LIVE, SportsCenter and any other football-related segments on other shows. My work also includes extensive ESPN Radio opportunities and some writing for ESPN.com.
AM: What is an average week like for you as we know you are at ESPN HQ as well as work out of Boston?
FY: During the season, my week lays out as such: I depart Boston first thing Sunday morning, arriving to Bristol by about 7:30 AM in advance of our meeting for Fantasy Football Now. From then until Friday afternoon, I remain in Bristol (I'm familiar with all of the local hotels near Bristol by now!), as our podcast airs every Monday-Friday. It's a blitz from Sunday-to-Friday, but one that seemingly goes by at the speed of light. Between TV obligations, the podcast, developing our weekly rankings for those who play Fantasy Football and so much more, there is rarely a dull moment.
AM: How do you take time for yourself with such a busy schedule?
FY: My goal is to carve some time each day for myself to unwind from the ever-moving football news cycle. I'm a morning person - always have been - so my days begin with a workout every day. It's a chance to decompress and set the tone for the day ahead. As a creature of habit, I know that bypassing on a workout in the morning will inevitably result in it falling by the wayside later in the day. Get up and get going is my mindset.
AM: What is it about reporting about football, focusing on fantasy sports and giving fans analysis that resonates with you?
FY: I truly believe the advent of fantasy football has led to make the sport relatable in a way that is incomparable. Hardly a day goes by when I don't hear from someone who has a question about his or her fantasy lineup or favorite team. That connectivity to fans, readers, followers, listeners, viewers, etc. is something I am truly inspired by. The appetite for football is insatiable; from the 17 weeks of the regular season to the playoffs, the draft, free agency and so much more, everyone seemingly loves football!
AM: What is your personal style when you're on the air, when you're podcasting and when you’re at home with friends and family?
FY: I aim to be myself above all else. That's the starting point for how I approach my work, as it's easy to see others in the world of reporting or podcasting and try hard to emulate their style. But that is what works for them; it's important to be authentically yourself in any walk of life. Style-wise, specific to apparel, my goal is to always look sharp: an outfit that you aren't trying to draw attention to, but an outfit that when people see it, they understand there was thought put into pulling it together.
AM: How do you stay in shape? What are 3 of your go to workouts?
FY: My workouts do tend to go into phases: sometimes they involve more weightlifting, while other times I place more of an emphasis on cardiovascular activity. But three workouts that you can never go wrong with: a run around the Charles River in Boston, any sort of core workout and a full-body exercise.
“My desire growing up was to enter into the world of football coaching, and after spending several training camps working with the Patriots during my high school and college years, I was hired by the Chiefs in 2009 following my graduation from Wesleyan University.”
AM: What's on your playlist when you're working out and what do you listen to when you're hanging out?
FY: The world of podcasting is not one I live in simply as a host; I'm a huge consumer of podcasts as well. Be it the other fantastic podcasts we have on our ESPN feed (Adam Schefter or Mina Kimes football-themed shows) or anything related to the NBA - I'm a hoops junkie - podcasts are a perfect workout soundtrack for me.
AM: In Boston, where would we find you grabbing a drink/getting a meal, working out and shopping?
FY: Boston has such a great mixture of culinary options and I'm fully convinced its on the rise. Our local seafood is as good as and deserves to be advertised and the next time I ever grow tired of eating lobster will be the first time. During the summer, the Seaport area has seen tremendous growth, becoming one of the best areas to spend time in its mixture of top restaurant options, activities and shopping make it a can't miss Boston spot. For my favorite sandwich in the city, 3 Little Figs in Somerville is hard to beat.
AM: Let's talk Fantasy Football. How important is the draft and what are some tips if you are with a group you know well versus venturing out into new waters?
FY: The draft is supremely important in fantasy football, but it is unquestionably just the first step in the process. I always remind people, the team you draft is not the team you finish your season with! It's essential to be active on the waiver wire and fielding/offering up trades. Along those lines, the most important thing to remem ber in the draft is to find value; even if you start your draft with a surplus of wide receivers, it won't be long before someone with a dearth of pass catchers comes calling with a compelling trade offer. While NFL teams often draft for need in the NFL draft, draft is based for value in fantasy football!
AM: What are some surprises you've seen for this season?
FY: While I had an extremely optimistic outlook for Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen, his emergence into the best fantasy football wide receiver so far in the league has been tremendous to see. He does everything well, is consistent and represents one of the best values in this year's draft. On a non-fantasy side, the robust number of trades has been fun to see as well. NFL teams have often been hesitant to make trades when compared to what we see in other major sports league (i.e. NBA, MLB, NHL), but the spike in trades has been neat in the NFL. Teams are far more wheeling and dealing than we're typically accustomed to, as was evidenced leading up to the recent trade deadline (October 30th).
TWITTER @FieldYates
Read more from the Oct Issue of Athleisure Mag and see When Fantasy is Reality with FIeld Yates in mag.
Drafting a franchise quarterback is what many underachieving teams hope for each season. In 2018, the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl with backup Nick Foles guiding them. However, for most of the regular season, it was their No. 2 pick from the 2016 NFL Draft Carson Wentz who led the way. His team ranked atop the NFL power rankings during the campaign and enters this latest season as No. 1 on a number of lists. It's no surprise that teams were seeking quarterbacks this past summer. They could do so again next draft and Missouri's Drew Lock is a potential top pick at the spot.
The Walter Football website gives the latest analysis of various NFL draft prospects through their college careers. In addition, the website gives scouting reports and mock drafts to help fans get an understanding of where prospects rank. Drew Lock is a player that scouts have their eyes on thanks to his SEC record of 44 touchdown passes in a season. Lock is a 6-foot-3, 226-pound star who has passed for 3,964 yards and 44 touchdowns during his collegiate career. However, Lock's personality brings a question mark.
The scouts have given positive marks to Lock in terms of his throwing arm calling it a "rifle." They've also said he's a good athlete with a skill set similar to former NFL QB Jay Cutler. His personality brings the questions as he's been compared to the New York Giants' Eli Manning. That's not a bad comparison, though, as Manning is a two-time Super Bowl winner. Still, some scouts feel Lock's personality may not fit what some NFL coaches and general managers want in their locker room.
It's noted that Lock is "quiet" and maybe "a little nerdy," so he may be lacking the commanding presence that other QBs have. However, he's got the football I.Q. needed to succeed on the field as he can learn fast and pick up new things. A lot of teams will value that sort of approach and may not mind his personality as long as he's helping them succeed.
On Charlie Campbell's latest Walter Football 2019 NFL mock draft, he has Lock going at No. 25 to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Campbell mentions that Blake Bortles isn't necessarily tied to the Jags for "many years to come" so they could be "looking for an upgrade." Lock could provide them with that upgrade if they're willing to gamble on him not necessarily being a vocal team leader. He's got a full college season to continue to show off his skills and impress scouts, but the personality aspect may still hamper his draft options.
Right now, Oregon's Justin Herbert is listed at No. 4 overall in Campbell's draft and would go to the Miami Dolphins as a replacement for Ryan Tannehill. Auburn's Jarrett Stidham is ranked No. 10 for the Giants to replace Eli Manning. The two-time Super Bowl champion will eventually be on the way out despite a great run with his team. It's likely that both Herbert and Stidham have stronger on-field or locker room leader type personalities when compared to Lock. That's not to say Lock isn't skilled, though.
Eli Manning and the Tennessee Titans' Marcus Mariota are considered quiet personalities, but both are highly-skilled QBs and valuable to their teams. In current NFL power rankings, these teams are just below the middle of the list, but should they surge this season, expect them to rise. That could make a decent case for taking a chance on a personality like Missouri's Drew Lock in next summer's NFL Draft.
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag
MICHAEL EAVES | ESPN SportsCenter Anchor
ADAM SCHEFTER | ESPN NFL Insider
BETH MOWINS | ESPN Play-by-Play Announcer NFL + Women's College Sports
JAY WILLIAMS | ESPN College Basketball Analyst
Read more from the Mar Issue and see March Madness in mag.
Just days after the Super Bowl, we got some time on the calendar to talk with NFL Philadelphia Eagles, Super Bowl LII Champion, Bryan Braman! Coming off of so much excitement playing a game that he loves while also taking in the moment of a great success, we were impressed by his humble nature and his focus on hard work, having a goal and being a leader that his teammates can connect with.
ATHLEISURE MAG: We know that the last few days have been crazy for you and really appreciate you coming by to chat with us - how has it been knowing that you're a Super Bowl Champion?
BRYAN BRAMAN: It's been crazy and I'm just taking it all in right now!
AM: We have to ask, you have really great hair and the perfect man bun - you have to spill how you take care of it as a number of readers were asking us in preparation of this interview!
BB: I don't really - it just grows. I don't really trim it although recently I just cut the dead ends off. I don't use any special shampoos. I have tried things that people have recommended, but nothing has really stuck. Honestly, most of the time I don't brush it - I just woke up like that and get up and go. I shower, rinse it out real good and then go afterwards.
I actually had an undercut and so all of the sides and the back were a different length and I wasn't able to pull it up. But now it's at a length that I can actually pull it up and it stays for a little bit and then it falls out. Hopefully, those parts will grow out a little bit more. I didn't want to cut them off and the undercut started getting jagged and crooked so I just stuck it out to grow it out.
AM: When did you know that you wanted to play football?
BB: A long time ago - I was probably 6 or 7 years old. I knew I was going to play in the NFL when I was 13.
AM: What was your journey to get to the Eagles?
BB: Starting from me entering the NFL, I played for the Houston Texans for 3 years and my rookie deal was coming to an end and at that time, I was a restrictive free agent so they owned all the rights to me and we just didn't agree on a contract and they ended up releasing me. From there, I was able to get in with Philly back in 2014. So I played with them in '14, '15, '16 and then similar situation, they allowed my contract to expire and from there I took some time off and then the New Orleans Saints called and they let me play for 2 preseason games and they liked me and wanted to bring me back. But due to an injury that I sustained to my shoulder, they didn't feel comfortable bringing me in. Philadelphia ended up calling me a few weeks after that and the rest is history.
AM: That's exciting, we're sure that was stressful when you were in between teams, but then to come back to this team must have been great! The Philadelphia Eagles is our Style Director's second favorite team as she is a major Indianapolis Colts fan since it's her hometown!
BB: Oh really that's cool. How do you feel about Frank Reich (Super Bowl LII Offensive Coordinator for the Eagles who was just hired as the Head Coach for the Indianapolis Colts)?
AM: Really good actually! It was a little weird when Josh McDaniels (Offensive Coordinator and Quaterbacks Coach for the New England Patriots) was announced as the coach for the Colts as it didn't seem to make sense and then of course within hours of the announcement, he decided to stay.
BB: I thought it was strange that they pulled out. That took me by surprise. But Frank's a good guy though, I think he will do well! He'll be really good for the team.
AM: We think so too and we're excited to see what he does.
What do you think it is about your energy that your teammates embrace you so much and that the fans do as well? Many times people know very specific positions and those who are on Special Teams (the position that he plays) are not always as known - what makes you so memorable? Is it your humble nature?
BB: I don't know if it's that or moreso the passion that I play in the game. If you were to ask anybody, "Does Bryan love the game of football?" I'm sure that you would get a yes everytime. I just feel that the passion and the love of the game is something that has really carried me and that you can see that in my play style and the way that I run on the field and the way that I try to hit people, the way that I pace on the sideline - I love it - I love the game.
AM: What are your workouts like in the regular season versus off season?
BB: There's a difference between building strength and maintaining strength. Offseason leading up to the season, I really just use as much of that time as possible to get as strong, as fast and as physical as possible. Then during the season, you just want to maintain that.
The biggest difference more or less, would be the weight, the intensity, the regularity etc. So, lifting everyday in the off season compared to lifting twice a week during the season. Just try to keep that extra off your body, the rehab of making sure that the joints and the muscles are all firing and working properly. Definitely intensity is the biggest difference for regular season and off season.
AM: What was your mental focus like coming into the Championships and then transitioning into playing Super Bowl LII in terms of just having that mindset to prepare for the game?
BB: For me, it was about not making it anything bigger than it actually is.
AM: Wait - so you had no nerves when you walked out? It was just another game for you.
BB: Yeah. I mean you could feel the energy and the biggest thing was that for the amount of time, especially for the Super Bowl, compared to a regular season game, the amount of time you spend pre-game and half time it's all extended. So by the time you're at the end of the game, you're looking at an extra hour and a half of time that's in there that you wouldn't have for a regular game. You can really get burned out during those times with your energy or you peak too high too early or at the wrong time. It can throw your game off so I just remembered that whole time that I kept repeating to myself, "take it easy - take it easy, you've got time - you've got time - you've got time." I just tried to keep as calm as possible. I would think about it, take it all in, look at the stadium, see all the fans and everything that they did with it. It was incredible!
AM: It was such a good game!
So, you're a snappy dresser especially when you're rocking suits. We've checked out your Instagram - what's your personal style and what are your favorite brands?
BB: Thank you - I just have to see it on the hanger. If it's something that I like and I can see it then it doesn't matter about the brand. The fit obviously when I put it on has to be right or I'm not wearing it. I'm not about beauty is pain. I want to be nice and comfortable and I feel like I look my best when I am. I don't really have too many brands but I do like Alberto for jeans. I like G-Star they're pretty savvy for me and I love their jeans. Being a Swedish brand, they have taller lengths that just fits me right as I just can't walk into Macy's and find a pair of Levi's that fit you like that. Shirt wise, I wear a lot of v-necks - H&M Has a lot of the long line tees - TopMan has this as well.
AM: What do you do in your personal time?
BB: I spend time with my girls. I have two daughters. I like firearms so I worked as an armor for a little while and have a nice little collection of rifles and handguns that I like to spend time with. I enjoy the fire range, hunting, hog hunt - I'm an outdoorsy guy. I like to snowboard, fish - anytime outside is something that I like to do quite a bit.
AM: Are you catching any of the Olympics that's going on right now?
BB: So, figure skating has always been my favorite to watch. Back when Scott Hamilton was doing back flips - that's what got me. I mean this guys just did a backflip on iceskates - NO WAY!!! I would be in my living room like, "gymnastics on ice!" It was great and I was hooked ever since. It would just be something that I would do with my mom.
We'd channel surf and see ice skating and watch it together. One of the restaurants we'd go to would have figure skating on and we'd catch it there. This year, I haven't watched it as intently as I'd usually do.
AM: How do you give back in terms of charities and philanthropies that you are apart of?
BB: So I have a pretty interesting story. I feel like sharing that with people and being able to let them know that it doesn't matter how down you feel or out you feel - you have to keep pushing and keep your eye on the prize. Never falter as it's easier to give up than to push forward. But the reward for pushing forward will always be greater then any risk! That's big time!
AM: Knowing your backstory and how you came through this process to be where you are and to be so humble and zen, you never know the turns that will come along but if you manifest your reality - thats what's going to happen!
BB: Predicted destiny - manifest destiny!
Read more from the Feb Issue and see Fly Bryan Fly in mag.
