What happens when you do everything you can to reach a goal and the outcome still doesn’t come?

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast! Today’s guest is Jason Kaul, a former Stanford University football player whose journey offers powerful lessons in preparation, perseverance, and finding purpose beyond the game.

Originally from Ham Lake, Minnesota, Jason was a three-sport athlete and team captain before joining Stanford as a preferred walk-on. He arrived determined to earn an athletic scholarship. Although that scholarship never came, he became a contributor on special teams and defense while graduating with a degree in psychology and a 3.95 GPA.

A three-time Pac-12 All-Academic Honor Roll honoree and recipient of the Chris Draft Commitment to Community Outreach Award, Jason learned that the value of his journey extended far beyond his position on the depth chart.

In this episode, Jason opens up about questioning whether he belonged, earning the respect of his teammates, and staying ready for an opportunity that could arrive at any moment. He shares the unforgettable play against Washington State when years of preparation met a sudden call to step into a bigger role.

We also explore the mental side of performance: responding to pressure, managing your inner critic, focusing on what you can control, and taking action even when you feel scared.

Jason’s experience at Stanford helped shape his passion for sports psychology. After earning his master’s in kinesiology at the University of Minnesota, he brought those lessons into his work with athletes through Premier Sports Psychology. In our conversation, he also shares his plans to pursue doctoral training in clinical psychology at James Madison University.

Through it all, his personal mission remains simple:

“Faith first, fire always, love deeply.”

Join us for a conversation about building confidence, embracing who you are beyond your athletic identity, and preparing for the next chapter of life.

Listen to the just-dropped episode, subscribe, and share it with an athlete, coach, or anyone working through their next challenge.

When life tests you, stay strong!

Today’s guest is Kelsey Walker, a former Rutgers University Division I lacrosse player whose story is about much more than what happened on the field.

Growing up in Rumson, New Jersey, Kelsey was a standout two-sport athlete at Rumson-Fair Haven. She was a four-year varsity lacrosse player, team captain, All-Shore selection and two-time Shore Conference Champion before earning the opportunity to continue her lacrosse career at Rutgers University.

But when Kelsey arrived at Rutgers, her journey didn't unfold the way she imagined.

She went from being one of the best players on the field in high school to struggling for playing time at the Division I level. That experience forced her to confront a question that so many athletes eventually face:

If I'm not playing, who am I and what is my purpose?

Kelsey opens up about the pressure she experienced as a college athlete, her struggles with anxiety, disordered eating and trying to control parts of her life when so much around her felt out of her control. She also shares why she made the decision to seek therapy and how getting help eventually changed the way she looked at herself, success and her identity as an athlete.

Just when she rediscovered her love for lacrosse and was preparing for what she hoped would be a breakthrough senior season, Kelsey tore her ACL bringing her Rutgers playing career to an unexpected end.

But that ending became the beginning of something much bigger.

Kelsey went on to build a career around the sport she loves. She played box lacrosse, helped build opportunities for women in the game, became a top ticket sales performer in the National Lacrosse League with the San Diego Seals, and built a career in sports marketing, partnerships and athlete development.

Today, she is also a Peer Support Specialist with Onrise, using her own experiences to help athletes navigate the mental and emotional challenges that come with competing at a high level.

Throughout our conversation, Kelsey shares a philosophy she learned at Rutgers that has stayed with her:

“Control the controllables and then relax and enjoy the waves of life.”

This is a conversation about mental health, identity, resilience, asking for help, redefining success, and discovering that sometimes the experience you didn't want becomes the experience that prepares you for the rest of your life.

Please welcome to the RU Strong Podcast, Kelsey Walker!

Welcome back to the RU Strong Podcast! Today’s guest is Mitch Lyons, a former NFL tight end whose journey shows what it takes to keep moving forward when life changes your game plan.

Growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Mitch knew his family didn’t have a lot of money, and earning an athletic scholarship became his path to a college education. That determination took him to Michigan State, where he became a four-year letterman, team captain, and All-Big Ten honoree before being drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in 1993. He spent seven seasons in the NFL with the Falcons and Pittsburgh Steelers.

But behind those accomplishments were years of fighting for playing time, proving his value, and dealing with the pressure of knowing another player could take his spot. Mitch opens up about playing through pain, the anxiety of competing at the highest level, and the physical toll of the game.

After recovering from a torn ACL early in his time with Pittsburgh, another devastating knee injury, tearing three ligaments, ended his career. Suddenly, the sport that had shaped his life since childhood was gone.

Although Mitch had prepared financially for that possibility, the emotional transition was much harder. He shares the shock of knowing he would never play again, watching teammates return to training camp without him, and the dreams about football that still follow him today.

His faith helped him recognize that he had a purpose beyond being a football player. Today, as the founder of Mitch Lyons Wealth, he brings that same discipline and preparation to helping others plan for retirement while building a business alongside his children.

We also talk about balancing ambition with being present for family, giving back, and the legacy he hopes to leave.

Join me for an honest conversation about resilience, identity, and finding your next chapter with Mitch Lyons!

What if one decision to try something new changed the course of your life?

In 2004, Michelle Simpson planned to volunteer at the Olympic Games in Athens. At the last minute, she chose a different adventure: she searched online for a field hockey camp in America, booked a flight from England to St. Louis, and met the coach who would bring her to the University at Albany.

Michelle became Albany field hockey’s first All-American, a two-time America East Player of the Year, and a member of its Sports Hall of Fame. She went on to coach championship teams at Albany and the University of Maine.

Then, after nearly 20 years in field hockey, Michelle faced another big decision. She knew it was time to step away from coaching, even though she didn’t yet know what would come next. Today, as The University of Maine’s Associate Athletic Director for Student Success, she helps athletes grow beyond the game.

Michelle and I talk about taking chances, building confidence, finding your way through a career transition, and the lasting impact a coach can have on a person. She also shares a simple piece of advice for athletes preparing for life after sports: lift your head, start a conversation, and see where that connection leads.

Please welcome Michelle Simpson to the RU Strong Podcast.

What do you do when the future you’ve pictured since childhood suddenly disappears?

Growing up in Cleveland, Patrick Nugent saw three photographs above his family’s fireplace: his grandfather in his World War II uniform, his father as a Marine, and an empty frame. Patrick knew he wanted to fill that third frame.

He went on to become Regimental Commander at The Citadel and an officer in the United States Marine Corps. He loved leading Marines and expected to make service his life’s work. Then, during a nighttime training mission in 2017, Patrick suffered a gunshot wound that changed everything. After waking from a coma, he was told he might never walk again.

Patrick takes us inside the long recovery that followed and the challenge of finding purpose when the career and identity he had built were no longer certain. He shares how he returned to competition, captained Team USA at the 2023 Invictus Games, earned a bronze medal in powerlifting, and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.

Today, Patrick brings those experiences to his work as a leadership speaker and creator of the Find a Way framework. His story is about service, brotherhood, resilience, and using what you’ve been through to help someone else.

Please welcome Patrick Nugent.

What happens when the sport that has defined you your entire life comes to an end?

My guest today, JR Butler, grew up in a competitive hockey family in Massachusetts. His father was a Hall of Fame hockey coach, and both of his younger brothers played college hockey. JR worked his way to Holy Cross, where he was part of the team that pulled off a historic NCAA tournament upset over top-seeded Minnesota. JR says almost nobody expected Holy Cross to win except the players in their locker room.

But the hardest challenge came after his final game. At 23, JR lost the structure, teammates, and sense of purpose that had guided his life. He speaks openly about the grief of that transition and how his struggles led to alcohol and drug use.

JR eventually built a successful career in tech sales. Along the way, he saw how the resilience, coachability, discipline, and team-first mindset athletes develop can translate into the workplace. He also saw how difficult it can be for employers to recognize those strengths on a résumé.

That led him to found Shift Group, a company helping former athletes and veterans transition into careers. In our conversation, JR says the company has helped place more than 3,000 athletes with employers. He shares the guidance he wishes someone had given him when hockey ended: get clear on the life you want, understand your strengths, and build a new playbook to get there.

We talk about that unforgettable win over Minnesota, the identity loss that can follow sports, his journey into business, and why he wants athletes and veterans to know their best years can still be ahead of them.

Welcome to the RU Strong Podcast, JR Butler.

What if the sport you were most afraid to try turned out to be the one that took you around the world?

Growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Gabi Leon played all kinds of sports. When she joined the track team as a high school sophomore, she wanted to try the high jump. Her math teacher and coach, Dave Emeott, had another idea: pole vault. Gabi was terrified, and for weeks she told him no. Eventually, she agreed to try it. She fell in love with the sport at her first practice.

Gabi went on to compete at the University of Louisville, where she became an NCAA outdoor pole vault champion. In her final college season, after a difficult year of injuries and disappointing performances, she broke through: winning the national title, making Team USA, and reaching the World Championships final.

But success didn’t make every jump easy. Gabi opens up about the fear and self-doubt that surfaced when she began traveling to track meets alone as a professional. We talk about the mental work behind her performances, the people who believed in her, and why even the most driven athletes need to give themselves grace.

Gabi’s journey began with one frightening decision to try something new. Today, she’s competing with the best pole vaulters in the world and still learning what it means to be strong.

Gabi Leon, welcome to RU Strong.

Today’s episode of the RU Strong Podcast is a special one because I’m joined by three members of one remarkable athletic family: Colton, Macey, and Reece Emeott.

The Emeott siblings grew up immersed in the championship track-and-field culture their father, Dave, helped build at East Kentwood High School in Michigan. All three became pole vaulters, competed at the collegiate level, and developed their own unique stories of success, adversity, and growth.

Colton was a Michigan indoor and outdoor state champion and a New Balance Elite Pole Vault Champion. He began his college career at the University of Nebraska before transferring to Grand Valley State University, where he became a GLIAC champion and multiple-time national qualifier. Today, Colton is back at East Kentwood as a teacher and pole vault coach, helping carry forward the legacy that shaped him.

Macey was a Michigan Division I state qualifier who continued her pole-vaulting career at Saginaw Valley State University. After an injury brought her competitive career to an unexpected end, she remained involved as a coach and discovered that her identity and purpose extended far beyond athletics. She is now pursuing her master’s degree in orthotics and prosthetics at Eastern Michigan University.

Reece became the first three-time consecutive Michigan Division I state champion in the pole vault and helped East Kentwood capture a team state championship by a single point. Now competing at the University of Michigan, Reece is beginning the next chapter of his athletic and academic journey while studying economics.

During our conversation, Colton, Macey, and Reece share what it was like to be coached by their father, grow up under the pressure of a championship legacy, compete alongside and learn from one another, and navigate the physical and mental challenges of college athletics.

They also discuss injuries, athletic identity, trusting your coaches, handling expectations, and the importance of the family member working quietly behind the scenes, their mother, who helped make their success possible.

This is a story about much more than pole vaulting or state championships. It is about family, resilience, sacrifice, mentorship, and using your experiences to positively influence the next generation.

Please welcome to the RU Strong Podcast, Colton, Macey, and Reece Emeott.