Athletes Beyond the Game

Athletes Beyond the Game

Welcome to Athletes Beyond the Game, the show that helps athletes transition to life beyond sports. Join former Division 1 tennis teammates, Julia Fisch and Sara Kelly Kornienko, as they get real about the challenges of navigating life post athletic retirement. Each episode, hosts Julia and Sara dive into stories from current and former athletes and talk with retired players about their experience transitioning to life after a competitive sports career.

Episodes

June 3, 2025 55 mins

Julia and Sara sit down with two Arizona State University athletes to discuss what it’s like being a college athlete in the age of NIL, as well as their views on the current House v. NCAA settlement case that may reshape college athletics.

 

Bri, a soccer player entering her senior year, and ...

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This week, Julia and Sara sit down with Meaghan, founder of Sport Sitters, a platform created to provide NIL opportunities for female athletes (current and former).

While this episode is different than our previous ones, we dive into qualities and skills student-athletes possess that are transferrable to life after sports.

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This is a fun one! Julia and Sara talk with retired All-American Division 1 gymnast, Nevaeh DeSouza. They start off with some quick-question games to get to know Nevaeh before getting into her training schedule as a gymnast and how staying involved in her sport as a coach after retirement—and now working on a career path completely unrelated to her sport—have both impacted her mindset as she retired from gymnastics. In the second h...

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On this week’s episode, Julia and Sara sit down with current D3 basketball player, Jordan Morency, to discuss a variety of mental health topics that many athletes–current and former–have experienced. During their conversation, Jordan opens up about his own experiences, how to separate your athletic performance from your identity, and finding community for vulnerable conversations. 

 

Stigma around mental health has decreased in rec...

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We are solo today!  We recap and give our perspectives on some of our guests we’ve had on the show so far. Stick around for some listener questions and comments that were written in.

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This week Julia and Sara talk with D1 tennis all-american and former #1 college doubles player, Holden Koons. During the episode, they discuss many of the life transitions Holden has experienced since graduating from Wake Forest University in 2024, including his experience transitioning from playing college tennis to pro tournaments, his decision to take a full-time job as a risk analyst and move across the country, and the ways te...

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Former University of Wisconsin La Crosse D3 collegiate swimmer, Lilly Larsen, joins Julia and Sara on this week’s episode of Athletes Beyond the Game. The conversation kicks off with some fun rapid-fire questions for Lilly before getting into her experience with athlete burnout, falling back in love with the sport, and her decision to go to college close to home after her mom’s cancer diagnosis. They also discuss how to find a job ...

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On this week’s episode, Julia and Sara sit down with former Division 1 baseball player, Kirby Retzer. They discuss his decision to end his collegiate baseball career early to pursue a career in exercise science, working in the MLB, elements of sports retirement he struggled with, and practical tips for helping make the transition to life after sports a little easier. 

As a freshman, Kirby walked on to Florida Gulf Coast University’...

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Professional tennis Olympian, Christina McHale, joins Julia and Sara on this week’s episode of Athletes Beyond the Game, where she reflects on having success early on in her career as a teenager, being an Olympian, and her decision to give professional tennis another shot after two years away from the game.

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Professional Lacrosse Hall of Famer and two-sport athlete, Matt Striebel, joins Julia and Sara on this week’s episode of Athletes Beyond the Game, where he reflects on his collegiate and professional lacrosse and soccer careers, from telling his best sports story to explaining how his athlete mindset impacts his life after sports retirement. Matt, considered one of the best lacrosse players of all time, was inducted into the US Lac...

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January 14, 2025 49 mins

We have a fun game at the end! We're flying solo today! We'll be getting into our careers and ways we used our athletic experience and skills we learned in sports to land and do our jobs. Later in the episode, we will discuss our tips for Junior's and Senior's, and things we wish we did before graduating.

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Retired swimmer and current Athletic Director of the 3C2A, Rebecca Ensing, opens up about how she dealt with a shifting identity after college no longer being an athlete or a student, how to combat comparison and body image insecurities after retiring, and skills she learned as an athlete that help her succeed in her current career. 

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December 18, 2024 34 mins

Former D1 Tennis player, Juli Ascua, joins us on this week's episode to talk about her experience as an international student-athlete and creating a life in Florida after college as an accountant. Juli recounts how she decided to move from Argentina to attend college at FGCU, her most memorable moments as a college athlete, and how she combated the loneliness of graduating college and retiring from tennis by focusing on fitness and...

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December 3, 2024 26 mins

For many athletes, the sport they play becomes part of their identity and governs their daily routine so, when a sports career ends, players often struggle with a shifting identity and sudden change in lifestyle. Yet, this challenging transition is often not talked about, leaving many to struggle in silence.

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