Hendrika de Vries is a retired family therapist, a teacher, and a writer, chronicling her life experiences with oppression and resistance in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, migration, competitive swimming, and misogyny in 1950s Australia. A fierce feminist and activist, de Vries infuses her writing with historical depth and personal perspective on challenges facing women and anyone deemed other. She is the author of When a Toy Dog Became a Wolf and the Moon Broke Curfew, award-winning memoir of her WWII childhood. and OPEN TURNS: From Dutch Girl to New Australian, which tells the story of her coming-of-age experience as an immigrant and a champion swimmer in 1950s Australia. Her writing has also appeared in The New York Times and the LA Times. She lives in Santa Barbara, CA. Find out more about her at www.agirlfromamsterdam.com. Get involved and support the show directly at https://bit.ly/givetoHHSpodcast Find all episodes http://www.hearhersports.com/ Sign up for Hear Her Sports newsletter at https://bit.ly/HHSnewsletterFollowHendrikaon Instagram athendrika.devries.92/ and Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19131035.Hendrika_de_Vries Find out more about Hendrika on her website at https://agirlfromamsterdam.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Grace Brown OAM is Australia’s most successful female road cyclist. She recently retired from the sport as Olympic and World Champion in the Individual time trial. In 2024, she reached the pinnacle of her career, winning Olympic gold in Paris, becoming World Champion in the Individual Time Trial, and claiming victory in the prestigious Liège–Bastogne–Liège. Brown is now part of the SBS commentary and podcast team, and president of the board of The Cyclists' Alliance. Get involved and support the show directly at https://bit.ly/givetoHHSpodcast Find all episodes http://www.hearhersports.com/ Sign up for Hear Her Sports newsletter at https://bit.ly/HHSnewsletter Follow Grace on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/_g_brown/ Find out more about The Cyclists’ Alliance at https://cyclistsalliance.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Emalee Nelson Stone and host Elizabeth Emery discuss the Wayland Baptist Flying Queens' 131-game winning streak during the 1950s and how that impacted women’s basketball today.  Dr. Emalee Nelson Stone is an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education at The University of Texas at Austin. Her research and teaching interests lie at the intersection of sport, history, society, and culture. Specifically, her research examines the sporting experiences of American women. She has presented her work at numerous national and international academic conferences. Her writing can be found in various academic journals, including The International Journal of Sport History, Sport History Review, the Journal of Sport History, and The Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics. Recently, she served as a speaker and facilitator at the U.S. Soccer Federation's SheChampions Summit during the 2024 SheBelieves Cup. Currently, she is engaged in two book projects through Texas Tech University Press. The first project explores the Wayland Baptist Flying Queens' 131-game winning streak during the 1950s. The second project investigates the landscape of Texas collegiate women's sports during the 1970s within the context of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW). She received a BA in Geography and MA in History from Texas Tech University, an MA in American Studies from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, and a PhD in Kinesiology from The University of Texas at Austin. Get involved and support the show directly at https://bit.ly/givetoHHSpodcast Find all episodes http://www.hearhersports.com/ Sign up for Hear Her Sports newsletter at https://bit.ly/HHSnewsletterFollow Emalee on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/emaleenelsonstone/ Find out more about Emalee at https://education.utexas.edu/faculty/emalee_nelson/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Georgia Hall won the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2018, just five years after triumphing in the R&A Women’s Amateur Championship. Georgia’s victory wasn’t just special because it was her first major, but also because her dad Wayne caddied for her that week. A superb final round of five-under-par featured numerous highlights, and Georgia was the first British winner of the event since Catriona Matthew clinched the title at the same venue in 2009. Georgia, who began playing golf aged seven after her dad took her to a driving range near their Bournemouth home, doubled her LPGA win tally when she triumphed in the Cambio Portland Classic in 2020. The three-time European Solheim Cup player is a two-time Ladies European Tour order of merit winner, in 2017 and 2018. Georgia lost to Celine Boutier on the first extra hole of a play-off in the LPGA Drive On Championship in March 2023. Get involved and support the show directly at https://bit.ly/givetoHHSpodcast Find all episodes http://www.hearhersports.com/ Sign up for Hear Her Sports newsletter at https://bit.ly/HHSnewsletterFollow Georgia on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/georgiahall23/?hl=en Find out more about AIG women’s open at https://www.aigwomensopen.com/royal-porthcawl-2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alexa Brabec grew up in Steamboat Springs, CO where she trained with the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. In 2020, she qualified for the US National Team for the first time. After graduating high school, Alexa moved to Lillehammer, Norway to train with the Norwegian Team as a part of a partnership between the US and Norwegian Teams. She competed in the first women's Nordic Combined World Cup in 2020 in Ramsau, Austria, the first Youth Olympic Games for women's Nordic Combined in 2020 in Laussane, Switzerland, and the first World Championships for women's Nordic Combined in 2021 in Oberstdorf, Germany.  Some highlights of her career are winning two silver medals at the 2024 Junior World Championships in the Individual and Women's Team Event, which were the first US women's Nordic Combined medals at Junior Worlds, a 4th place finish in the 2025 Seefeld Triple World Cup, a 4th place finish at the 2025 World Championships in Trondheim, Norway, which is also the best US women's Nordic Combined finish at World Championships, and finishing the 2024/25 World Cup season ranked 9th in the world.  Get involved and support the show directly at https://bit.ly/givetoHHSpodcast Find all episodes http://www.hearhersports.com/ Sign up for Hear Her Sports newsletter at https://bit.ly/HHSnewsletter Find Alexa at https://awesomesaucelex.wixsite.com/alexabrabecFollow Alexa on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/lex_brabec/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the episode host Elizabeth Emery speaks with Staci Mannella about ski racing legally blind with a guide, training for effective communication, why working with a counselor as an athlete is great idea, and why and how sport has been so important in her life, plus where it is leading her now.  Staci Mannella is a third year Ball State University PhD. student in counseling psychology with a focus on sport and performance. She is a mental health therapist and mental performance consultant in training at SKADI Sport Psychology. Drawing from her journey as a visually impaired Paralympic skier at the Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Games, Staci brings a unique blend of firsthand experience and academic rigor to her clinical work and research. Staci's academic journey, including a Bachelor of Arts at Dartmouth College, a Master's of Science from the School of Kinesiology at the University of British Columbia, and a Masters of Arts in Counseling from Ball State University, underscores her commitment to evidence-based practice. Her ability to produce, consume, and apply sport psychology research ensures that her clients receive the most effective strategies for optimizing their performance. When she’s not supporting the performance and wellbeing of athletes, Staci enjoys staying active herself! She loves hiking, skiing, spending time with her animals, and enjoying the outdoors.  Get involved and support the show directly at https://bit.ly/givetoHHSpodcastFind all episodes http://www.hearhersports.com/Sign up for Hear Her Sports newsletter at https://bit.ly/HHSnewsletterFind Staci at https://stacimannella.com/Follow Staci on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/staciskier96Follow Staci on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/staciskier96/Find Sisters in Sports at https://sistersinsportsfoundation.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2017, Megan Jastrab was an early guest on Hear Her Sports. She was 15 years old then and just, barely just, imagining her future cycling career. She is now a pro racer with Team Picnic PostNL. She’s also an Olympic medalist and three time Junior World Champion. !!! In this episode, host Elizabeth catches up with Megan and hears about her recent experiences at La Vuelta Femenina, one of the three women’s stage races called grand tours. Megan shares her thoughts about if La Vuelta should be called a grand tour, growth of women’s cycling since she started, living in Europe, and her love of bike racing despite the rain and crashes. Megan began riding bikes with her brother Ryan at the age of eleven in her hometown of California. Two years later she competed in her first race, and by the age of seventeen, Megan was Junior World Champion in not only the road race but both the madison and omnium on the track. Hungry for more, Megan joined the national track team and came away from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with a Bronze medal in her first ever elite team pursuit, at the ripe old age of 19.Megan earned a double degree in Exercise Science and Business graduated from Milligan University. She now races full-time, based out of Sittard in Holland. Be sure to listen to her early episode (Ep18) because it’s still applicable to youngsters wanting to get into the sport. Get involved and support the show directly at https://bit.ly/givetoHHSpodcast Find all episodes http://www.hearhersports.com/ Sign up for Hear Her Sports newsletter at https://bit.ly/HHSnewsletter Follow Megan on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/meganjastrab/ Megan coaches. Learn more at https://mile2marathon-ride.com/coach/megan-jastrab/ Find out about La Vuelta Femenina at https://www.lavueltafemenina.es/en Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week host Elizabeth Emery is talking to Karen Heintz, a starting point guard, with the Houston Angels of the Women’s Basketball League (WBL), which was founded in 1978. In that inaugural year of the league, the Angels won the Championship over the Iowa Cornets.  Before playing with the Angels, Karen walked onto Texas A&M in 1974, then transferred to Baylor as a sophomore. She is still in the record books at both schools in rebounding and scoring. Karen is also one of the early female athletes to receive an athletic college scholarship.  In the episode, Karen tells all those stories and we’ll hear what it was like to play in the WBL, Karen’s memories from those days, what she was paid, plus her thoughts on the current momentum in women’s sports. We also talk about coaching because Karen has been teaching and coaching for 47 years. She was a head coach for 34 years, winning 797 games, multiple Regional Finals, and District Championships.  Karen still plays basketball competitively with the Connecticut Classics, an exceptional 50+ team. They regularly win National Senior Games championships.  Get involved and support the show directly at https://bit.ly/givetoHHSpodcast Find all episodes http://www.hearhersports.com/ Sign up for Hear Her Sports newsletter at https://bit.ly/HHSnewsletterFollow National Senior Games at https://www.instagram.com/seniorgames1/p/DGVyITkifn0/?locale=id&img_index=1Hear Karen Heintz and Coach Knodal on KHOU television at https://www.khou.com/article/sports/houston-angels-womens-basketball-championship/285-d7d338d2-6532-41d7-9f0f-5b7cbd1cc0f4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Francesca Clapcich was born in Trieste, Italy and now lives in Park City, Utah with her wife (former Olympic and round-the-world sailor, Sally Barkow) and daughter, Harriet.  In our conversation, Francesca explains sailing, what it’s like to be out on the ocean with dolphins and other wildlife. Then tells tales of the physical and mental preparations for the 2028 Vendee Globe, kid sports in Italy, building a diverse team, belief in yourself, belonging, and being a mom athlete. Our conversation couldn’t have been more full and wonderful.  Francesca has twice represented Italy at the Olympic Games, is a World Champion, European Champion, Italian Sailor of the Year. In 2023, competing with 11th Hour Racing Team, she became the first Italian to win The Ocean Race, the world’s longest and toughest team sporting event. Francesca is also the first female Italian to compete in the notoriously challenging Solitaire du Figaro, a solo multi-stage sprint around the coastline of France,. There she was presented with the Fighting Spirit award. After studying nautical construction in high school, Francesca went on to earn a degree in sports science at San Raffaele University in Rome, with a thesis on Olympic Performance. She then joined the Italian Air Force in their elite athlete program, where she served for nine years, finishing as a Senior Airman.  Beyond sailing, Francesca stays active in Park City. She is a qualified ski instructor, a CrossFit and weight-lifting coach, and she volunteers as an Emergency Medical Technician in her community for youth events. Francesca sits on the board of the Park City Task Force, advocating for LGBTQ+ rights in the community, building programs and events to expand the outreach of the organization, creating a safe place and access to support resources, sport and the outdoors for everyone in the region. Get involved and support the show directly at https://bit.ly/givetoHHSpodcast Find all episodes http://www.hearhersports.com/ Sign up for Hear Her Sports newsletter at https://bit.ly/HHSnewsletterFind Francesca Clapcich at https://www.francescaclapcich.com/ Follow Francesca on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/francescaclapcich/ Follow Francesca on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@FrancescaFrankieClapcich Learn more about 11th Hour Racing at https://11thhourracing.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danette Leighton is a 30-year sports industry and corporate executive with experience serving both men’s and women’s professional and collegiate sports leagues and teams. Since March of 2022, Leighton has led the Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF) as CEO, joining the 51-year-old organization, founded by Billie Jean King in 1974. Leighton was most recently chief marketing officer at the Pac-12 Conference. Prior to her nearly 12 years with the Pac-12, Leighton was with Maloof Sports & Entertainment’s NBA Sacramento Kings as vice president of marketing and brand development, as well as vice president of business operations for the WNBA Monarchs, where she led the business of the World Championship-winning WNBA franchise. She also previously worked for Sony and managed their sponsorship of the PGA Tour’s Sony Open in Hawaii and was Stanford University’s executive director of the 1999 NCAA Women’s Final Four. A graduate of the University of Arizona, she was named a Game Changer by Sports Business Journal and recognized for her innovation and excellence by Media Inc. She currently serves as a member of Women Leaders in College Sports Board of Directors. Get involved and support the show directly at https://bit.ly/supportWsports Find all episodes http://www.hearhersports.com/ Sign up for Hear Her Sports newsletter at https://bit.ly/HHSnewsletter Follow Women’s Sports Foundation on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/womenssportsfoundation/ Find Women’s Sports Foundation at https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/ Read the Play to Lead Executive Summary at https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Play-to-Lead-Report-Executive-Summary-2024.pdf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narcisse Jordan is a passionate artist, dedicated athlete, and advocate for women in sports. She currently plays for the USA Rugby League team and is a member of the new Women’s Elite Rugby professional team Chicago Tempest. Beyond her athletic achievements, she is a devoted mother who inspires others to pursue their passions on and off the field.  As the founder of Mom You Play, a platform designed to empower and uplift mothers in sports, Narcisse is committed to challenging stereotypes and highlighting the stories of women who balance motherhood and competitive sports. Through her advocacy, she aims to create a supportive community that celebrates the strength and resilience of sports moms at every level.  Her work as an artist adds another layer to her storytelling, blending creativity with her love for sport. Whether she’s creating on the canvas or making big tackles on the pitch, her message is clear: women – especially mothers – belong in sport, and they belong at every level.  Get involved and support the show directly at https://bit.ly/supportWsports Find all episodes http://www.hearhersports.com/ Sign up for Hear Her Sports newsletter at https://bit.ly/HHSnewsletter Follow Narcisse Jordan on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kekijordan/ Follow Mom You Play on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/momyouplay/ Find Women’s Elite Rugby at https://www.womenseliterugby.us/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lynn Holzman returned to the NCAA in February 2018 as the vice president of women’s basketball. She is responsible for the strategic direction, oversight, operations, and management of women’s basketball in Divisions I, II and III. She serves as the primary liaison to the women’s basketball committees and provides strategic oversight of the site-selection process for each championship. In 2014, Holzman was appointed commissioner of the West Coast Conference after serving in various leadership roles within the conference office, including executive senior associate commissioner/chief operating officer and senior associate commissioner of governance and administration. Before her conference office tenure, she worked at the NCAA national office for 16 years, last serving as a director of academic and membership affairs. Holzman serves on various Boards, such as the Board of Directors of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, Kay Yow Cancer Fund and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. She has also served on numerous other Boards such as Women Leaders in College Sports, San Jose Sports Authority, National Association for Athletics Compliance and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Center for Research in Intercollegiate Athletics. Holzman earned her Bachelor of Science and secondary major degrees at Kansas State University where she was captain of the women's basketball team and a three-time Academic All-Big Eight Team member. She also earned a Master of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and a Master of Business Administration from Purdue University. Lynn discusses with host Elizabeth Emery some changes coming up in the March Madness site-selection process, how she ended up working on the administrative side of sports, consequences of the pandemic on women’s sports, the importance of sport for player and fans, the NCAA equity report that came out after Sedona Prince’s weight room TikTok in 2021, and being a natural introvert but learning how to use her voice. Get involved and support the show and more sports media for women through https://www.buymeacoffee.com/hearher Find all episodes http://www.hearhersports.com/ Find Hear Her Sports on all social @hearhersports Follow NCAA Women’s Basketball on IG at https://www.instagram.com/marchmadnesswbb/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2x Olympian, Molly Huddle is an American long-distance runner who competes in track and cross-country running events. She is currently pregnant with her second child. She has won twenty-eight USA titles, held six American records, looked down the start line of two Olympic finals, and run four major marathons. Huddle set the American record in the 5,000 meters at the 2014 Herculis Diamond League meet in Fontvieille, Monaco (14:42.64). She also set the American record in the 10,000 meters at the 2016 Olympics (30:13.17). Huddle lives and trains in Providence, Rhode Island. Get involved and support the show directly at https://bit.ly/supportWsports Find all episodes http://www.hearhersports.com/ Sign up for Hear Her Sports newsletter at https://bit.ly/HHSnewsletter Find Hear Her Sports on all social @hearhersports Order How She Did It by Molly Huddle and Sara Slattery at https://bookshop.org/a/16267/9780593234259 Find Molly Huddle on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mollyhuddle/ Listen to Keeping Track podcast with Molly Huddle, Alysia Montano, and Roisin McGettigan at https://keeping-track.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Favor Anyanwu talks with host Elizabeth Emery about coming from behind in the U19 World Championships, details of being part of USA Volleyball, transferring from USC to SMU after a semester, opportunities in sport, and tips for success. This episode is a terrific insight into being an elite athlete as a college student and what comes next. Favor is a standout volleyball player at Southern Methodist University (SMU) and a key contributor to the team’s success. Known for her dedication and athleticism, she excels both on and off the court. Favor is also passionate about dentistry and aspires to make a positive impact in the field of oral health. Her drive and well-rounded focus inspire others to pursue their goals with discipline and ambition. Favor’s successes include being Under Armour All-American, USA Volleyball All-Star Team member, Dallas Star News First Team and Middle Blocker of the Year, and American Volleyball Coaches Association Phenom selection, and a member of the USA U19 Gold Medalist team at the World Championships. Get involved and support the show directly at https://bit.ly/supportWsports Find all episodes http://www.hearhersports.com/ Sign up for Hear Her Sports newsletter at https://bit.ly/HHSnewsletter Find Hear Her Sports on all social @hearhersports Read more about Favor Anyanwu on the SMU roster page at https://smumustangs.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/favor-anyanwu/14827 Find Favor Anyanwu on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/fav_an6/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rebecca McConville is a board certified sports specialist and IAEDP approved eating disorder supervisor. She is an internationally recognized expert on REDs (relative energy deficiency) authoring the book Finding Your Sweet Spot - how to avoid REDs. The updated version will be released in 2025. She also created the first of its kind REDs informed provider certification program for clinicians. IN this fascinating discussion excellent for athletes, coaches, parents, and other sport team staff members, Rebecca discusses with host Elizabeth Emery about what happens in the body when underfueled, what recovery takes, and how to look for physical, nutritional, and psychological reasons for underfueling. Get involved and support the show directly at https://bit.ly/supportWsports Find all episodes http://www.hearhersports.com/ Sign up for Hear Her Sports newsletter at https://bit.ly/HHSnewsletter Find Hear Her Sports on all social @hearhersports Find Rebecca McConville at https://beccamcconville.com/ Find Rebecca McConville on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/rebeccaeddietitian/ Find the REDs Informed Provider Directory at https://beccamcconville.com/certified-reds-informed-provider-directory/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Professional cyclist Veronica Ewers is from a small town in the United States and currently lives and trains in Girona, Spain. Since she began her pro career in 2021, she has raced to stellar results, especially in stage races. Just a few examples are a 4th overall in the Giro d’Italia, 9th overall in the Tour de France Femme avec Zwift, and 1st overall in the Classica Feminina Navarra. Veronica decided to take a break from racing to recover from RED-S and works hard to be transparent about that journey as well as mental health. Veronica is looking to come back strong in 2025 with her team EF Education-Oatly and to see exactly what kind of rider she can be. Veronica explains how all that is going, what taking time off was like, struggles, goals, and where she has improved her fueling habits. We also talk about women’s racing right now, team chefs (and all the other staff at stage races), eating on tour, lifting heavy, measuring food –or NOT, and the cruelty of RED-S. Get involved and support the show directly at https://bit.ly/supportWsports Find all episodes http://www.hearhersports.com/ Sign up for Hear Her Sports newsletter at https://bit.ly/HHSnewsletter Find Hear Her Sports on all social @hearhersports Find Veronica Ewers on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vkewers Find EF Education-Oatly on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/efeducation.oatly Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sports Psychologist Dr. Erin Ayala joins host Elizabeth Emery to discuss the struggles of being a woman involved in male-dominated sports, athlete identity, gravel racing, being prepared to compete, nerves, anxiety, racing with confidence, the pain cave, performance slumps, different types of goals and how they work, plus since it’s the new year, resolutions. With over a decade of research and clinical experience, Dr. Erin Ayala is a Licensed Psychologist and Certified Mental Performance Consultant based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is the founder of Skadi Sport Psychology, a mission driven sport psychology practice that specializes in working with girls, women, and non-binary endurance athletes. Dr. Ayala is a published author of over 20 research articles and book chapters, and has been featured in Trailrunner Magazine, the New York Times, and other media outlets. Beyond her professional achievements, she is an accomplished endurance athlete, a lover of spreadsheets, and is likely reading 12+ books at any given time. Get involved and support the show directly at https://bit.ly/supportWsports Find all episodes http://www.hearhersports.com/ Sign up for Hear Her Sports newsletter at https://bit.ly/HHSnewsletter Find Hear Her Sports on all social @hearhersports Find Skadi Sport Psychology at https://www.skadisportpsychology.com/ Find Skadi Sport Psychology on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/skadisportpsychology Find Erin Ayala on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinayala/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Hear Her Sports is writer and runner Katie Holmes. Katie is currently researching and writing a book on Women’s running history with a focus on women who break the rules. Katie is also interested in and researches older women runners, like herself. You can read more about running as an older woman on her blog Run Young 50. In the episode, Katie and host Elizabeth Emery talk about discovering her competitive side through running, being an older female athlete, the discussions she’s having with a bunch of older, fast, British female runners who made their mark in running history, the importance of history, and her upcoming book due to be published by Bloomsbury Sport in 2026. Katie Holmes lives in Nottingham, UK. She started her RunYoung50 blog in 2014 because she wanted to share the stories of female runners over 50 and highlight their achievements. In 2020 Katie was awarded an Independent Researcher Fellowship by the Women's History Network towards her research into Scottish distance running pioneer Dale Greig. Katie is a member of the British Society of Sports History and has presented at two BSSH annual conferences. In 2022, she was awarded the Society’s Sporting Inequities Prize for outstanding work in an under-researched area – for her conference paper “The Reluctant Bride” (on the governance of women’s athletics in the UK in the 1970s). Get involved and support the show directly at https://bit.ly/supportWsports Find all episodes http://www.hearhersports.com/ Sign up for Hear Her Sports newsletter at https://bit.ly/HHSnewsletter Find Hear Her Sports on all social @hearhersports Find Katie Holmes’ blog at https://runyoung50.co.uk/ Find Katie Holmes on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/runyoung50/ And on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/runyoung50 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Hear Her Sports podcast, host Elizabeth Emery sits down with professional squash player Melissa Alves. Despite facing early-season injuries, Melissa has had a remarkable year including a well-deserved victory at the Cape Town Squash Open in late November. The episode delves into Melissa's journey, from her early days on the court to her collegiate career at the University of Pennsylvania. She discusses the challenges and rewards of transitioning from a top collegiate player to a professional athlete. Melissa discusses her wrist injury and the subsequent adaptation of her playing style. She shares her inspiring story of resilience and innovation, demonstrating how necessity can drive significant changes in technique and performance. Additionally, the episode explores Melissa's training regimen, including her off-season cycling routine, and her passion for culinary arts. She also discusses the mental aspects of the sport, emphasizing the importance of self-belief and taking up space on the court. Get involved and support the show directly at https://bit.ly/supportWsports Find all episodes http://www.hearhersports.com/ Sign up for Hear Her Sports newsletter at https://bit.ly/HHSnewsletter Find Hear Her Sports on all social @hearhersports Find Melissa Alves on IG at https://www.instagram.com/malves973/ For a short bio go to http://www.hearhersports.com/#/ep180-melissa-alves-pro-squash-player For more of Melissa’s results take a look at her PSA Squash Tour page. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elizabeth Holden is a writer, a physics teacher, a travel company owner, an X-Files podcast host, and an avid roller derby player. Her debut novel, Mighty Millie Novak, was released by Flux Books in 2024. She believes the ideal conditions in which to write a novel are in the dining car of a train traveling through the Alps, with a pot of tea beside you -- though she does most of her writing at her home in Wisconsin. Like Millie, Elizabeth Holden is an avid roller derby player, a blocker with Madison Roller Derby since 2015. Liz’s league-mates know her as Auntie Matter; her derby name is a reference to her job teaching college physics. (And, yes, she is also an aunt. Hi, William and Hugo!) When not busy writing, playing derby, or teaching, Liz is most likely leading international trips with her company, Leaping Hound Travel. Liz also co-hosts an X-Files podcast, We Want to Believe, with her sister. Liz’s tattoos are vibrant and numerous, her laugh is loud, and her heart belongs to her pet greyhounds. Learn more about her at elizabeth-holden.com. Get involved and support the show directly at https://bit.ly/supportWsports Find all episodes http://www.hearhersports.com Sign up for Hear Her Sports newsletter at https://bit.ly/HHSnewsletter Find Hear Her Sports on all social @hearhersports Find Elizabeth Holden on IG at https://www.instagram.com/elizabethh_wi/ Elizabeth Holden’s website elizabeth-holden.com Order Mighty Millie Novak at https://bookshop.org/a/16267/9781635831030 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices