This week on No Former Athlete, we sit down with BJ Beckwith — co-host of the Just Women’s Sports: Sports Are Fun podcast — for one of the most honest, refreshing conversations we’ve ever had about identity, pressure, and choosing your own path.

BJ grew up in a D1 household.

A sister who played D1.

A dad in two Hall of Fames.

A family where sports weren’t just a hobby… they were the blueprint.

And then one day, BJ realized something he never expected:

He didn’t want the life everyone assumed he’d chase.

Not the recruiting calls.

Not the pressure.

Not choosing “the right sport” at 14.

Not sacrificing the once-in-a-lifetime moments of high school for playing time.

What followed is a story every no former athlete will feel in their bones — the tug of expectations, the fear of disappointing people, the shock of stepping onto a college campus without the title “student-athlete,” and the messy journey of rebuilding identity on your own terms.

We break down:

• Growing up in a high-performance sports family

• Rejecting the D1 path and choosing your version of success

• Queerness, locker rooms, and redefining belonging

• Learning to compete for joy instead of survival

• Finding community again through running, club teams, and adult rec sports

• The unexpected path that led BJ to become a voice in women’s sports

• Why your athlete identity never leaves — it just evolves

This episode is a reminder that:

You don’t lose your athlete identity when you stop playing.You reclaim it.

If you’ve ever questioned who you are without the jersey… this one is going to land deep.

What happens when the thing that’s defined you your entire life… suddenly ends?

Jazzmyne Jay was born and raised to be an athlete.

Volleyball was everything — her schedule, her identity, her way of belonging.

But two games before playoffs, she tore her ACL, MCL, and meniscus.

In one moment, everything she’d built came crashing down.

In this episode, Jazzmyne sits down with Erin to unpack what it really means to lose your sport — and find yourself again.

They talk about what being a teammate actually means once the games are over, how perfectionism follows you into adulthood, and why she’s finally playing for joy instead of performance.

Jazzmyne opens up about healing through adult rec leagues, seeing more Black and brown women on the court, and what it’s like to rebuild a relationship with her body on her own terms.

It’s raw, funny, and deeply human — a conversation about identity, healing, and that question every athlete eventually asks:

“For what?!”

Kara Campbell has never known life without sports. From t-ball to college volleyball, and now as a head athletic trainer, she’s always been surrounded by athletes—and still proudly identifies as one. In this conversation, Kara reflects on what it means to carry the athlete identity long after your own playing days end. We talk about the bittersweet transition from being on the court to supporting from the sidelines, the struggle to find motivation without a team or season ahead, and how she continues to “live it” through the athletes she serves today. Kara’s story is a powerful reminder that there’s no single way to define being an athlete—and that identity can evolve without ever disappearing.

From D3 football to 100-mile ultra marathons — meet Toan Nguyen.

In this episode of No Former Athlete, Toan shares how he went from playing football and basketball in college to becoming a long-distance runner chasing ultra endurance goals. He opens up about his athlete identity, how a concussion changed his outlook on health, and why he believes movement is medicine.

Subscribe for more athlete stories redefining what it means to compete — beyond the scoreboard.

What happens when a high school hallway conversation launches a Division I basketball career? In this powerful episode, Nina shares her incredible journey from picking up a basketball for the first time as a freshman to competing against legends like Cheryl Miller and starting on one of the top teams in the nation.

With honesty, humor, and humility, Nina reflects on the evolution of women’s sports, the joy of playing with and against Olympians, and the lasting life lessons she carried into motherhood, career, and beyond. From packed gyms in the ‘80s to raising the next generation of athletes, this is a story of growth, grit, and giving back.

Whether you’re a lifelong athlete or just love a great underdog story, this one will leave you inspired.

Why I’m Done Working Hard (And You Should Be Too)

We grew up believing that hard work was the ultimate badge of honor — especially as athletes. Hustle harder. Push through. No excuses. But what happens when you hit your 30s and realize… maybe that kind of grind isn’t it anymore?

In this episode, we unpack the moment Erin said, “I’m not a hard worker anymore. I’m a soft worker.” And something about that phrase broke us open.

This convo dives into:

• What it means to become a “soft worker” in a world that worships burnout

• Why rest isn’t laziness — it’s a strategy

• How athlete conditioning screws with our relationship to ease, effort, and worth

• Flow state, perfectionism, and redefining success in real life

• Napping as productivity (yep, we went there)

• And the hilarious core memory of being complimented for hard work… in a failed teenage flirt attempt

If you’ve ever felt guilty for not grinding 24/7 — this one’s for you.

Hit play, let it soften your day, and join us in rewriting the rules of “working hard.”

Are you still an athlete if you're not competing anymore?
In this episode of No Former Athlete, I sit down with one of my best friends and former college basketball teammates, Allie Ross, for a raw and honest conversation about what happens after sports end.

We talk about the identity crisis that hits when the season’s over, how external validation shaped our entire self-worth, why we both shoved our "athlete selves" into a box and hid it under the bed — and how we’re slowly learning to reclaim that identity on our own terms.

This conversation is about more than sports — it’s about grief, transition, healing, and the complicated journey of figuring out who you are when the jersey comes off.

👉 Topics We Cover:

• Athlete identity after college

• The emotional fallout of “the last game”

• Compartmentalization and emotional regulation

• The pressure to always have a goal

• Using fitness (like triathlon) to feel “valid” again

• Learning to feel without performance

Whether you’re a former athlete or just someone who’s ever asked, “Who am I now?” — this one’s for you.

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Jax—athlete, entrepreneur, and founder of California’s first sports bar dedicated to women’s sports, Watch Me. Jax opens up about reclaiming her athlete identity, navigating identity shifts post-sport, and the fire that fueled her journey from JV standout to community trailblazer. We talk about what it means to start before you’re ready, building safe spaces, and how sports continue to shape our drive, self-worth, and vision. This one’s for anyone who’s ever struggled to find their place after the final whistle.