Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're hitting the town in Austin tonight for the iHeart Podcast Awards, and by the end of the night, we're going to be best friends with Chelsea Handler.

Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're hitting the town in Austin tonight for the iHeart Podcast Awards, and by the end of the night, we're going to be best friends with Chelsea Handler.

Just putting it out in the universe.

Just putting it out in the universe.

It's Monday, March tenth, and on today's show, we'll be skipping the need to know and getting straight to the meat of our conversation with Alicia Montano, retired, an eight hundred meter Olympic bronze medallist and founder of the nonprofit and mother now known as For All Mothers.

It's Monday, March tenth, and on today's show, we'll be skipping the need to know and getting straight to the meat of our conversation with Alicia Montano, retired, an eight hundred meter Olympic bronze medallist and founder of the nonprofit and mother now known as For All Mothers.

She talked about going viral.

She talked about going viral.

After competing while eight months pregnant, pushing back on the idea that women have to earn their right to enter motherhood with their accolades, and her decision to break a non disclosure agreement to participate in a video op ed in The New York Times called Nike told me to dream crazy until I wanted a baby.

After competing while eight months pregnant, pushing back on the idea that women have to earn their right to enter motherhood with their accolades, and her decision to break a non disclosure agreement to participate in a video op ed in The New York Times called Nike told me to dream crazy until I wanted a baby.

Here's a little snippet from that powerful piece.

Here's a little snippet from that powerful piece.

Not having any system in place to protect our female athletes, it puts our health at risk. Our sponsors know this isn't right, which is why they implement confidentiality clauses that forbid us from talk about the scale of the problem, which prevents us from being able to change it. So companies like Nike tell us to dream crazy. We say, how about you stop treating our pregnancies like injuries? Then they tell us to believe in something, We say, how about maternity leave? How about when you tell my daughter she can achieve anything, you back it up?

Not having any system in place to protect our female athletes, it puts our health at risk. Our sponsors know this isn't right, which is why they implement confidentiality clauses that forbid us from talk about the scale of the problem, which prevents us from being able to change it. So companies like Nike tell us to dream crazy. We say, how about you stop treating our pregnancies like injuries? Then they tell us to believe in something, We say, how about maternity leave? How about when you tell my daughter she can achieve anything, you back it up?

Wild stuff.

Wild stuff.

That conversation's coming up right after this, joining us now. She's an Olympic bronze medalist, two time bronze medalist in the World Championships, a bronze medalist in the Indoor World Championships, and a six time USA Outdoor Track and Field champion, all in the eight hundred meters. She's also the author of the book Feel Good Fitness, and the founder and CEO of and Mother now known as For All Mothers, which is committed to breaking down the societal and institutional barriers that too often forced women to choose between career, competition caregiving. Their mission is to create a world where no woman has to choose between being a mother and an athlete. She's a mom of three, the runner with the flower in her hair. It's Alicia Montano. What's up, Alicia.

That conversation's coming up right after this, joining us now. She's an Olympic bronze medalist, two time bronze medalist in the World Championships, a bronze medalist in the Indoor World Championships, and a six time USA Outdoor Track and Field champion, all in the eight hundred meters. She's also the author of the book Feel Good Fitness, and the founder and CEO of and Mother now known as For All Mothers, which is committed to breaking down the societal and institutional barriers that too often forced women to choose between career, competition caregiving. Their mission is to create a world where no woman has to choose between being a mother and an athlete. She's a mom of three, the runner with the flower in her hair. It's Alicia Montano. What's up, Alicia.

Hey Sarah, thank you so much for having me. Thank you for that, thank you for coming on.

Hey Sarah, thank you so much for having me. Thank you for that, thank you for coming on.

Yeah, I mean there's so much to get to.

Yeah, I mean there's so much to get to.

We've been wanting to have a conversation about moms and sports for so long, and you're the perfect person to do this. You know, I just listed off your many victories, all your top finishes, but perhaps the most well known race of your career was not a top finish. It came back in twenty fourteen, you competed at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, well, eight months pregnant, eight months That moment seems to loom even larger now with the work that you're doing for moms. Can you take me back to that day in twenty fourteen. Why was it important for you to race?

We've been wanting to have a conversation about moms and sports for so long, and you're the perfect person to do this. You know, I just listed off your many victories, all your top finishes, but perhaps the most well known race of your career was not a top finish. It came back in twenty fourteen, you competed at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, well, eight months pregnant, eight months That moment seems to loom even larger now with the work that you're doing for moms. Can you take me back to that day in twenty fourteen. Why was it important for you to race?

Yeah?

Yeah?

So in twenty fourteen, you know, I decided I was going to race at our US Track and Field Nationals at eight months pregnant, after going through a behind the scene sort of battle with the sports industry. You know, the status quo was if you became pregnant or wanted to have a family, you ultimately were choosing between your career and you know, the potential of growing your family. And these conversations were ones that were being had but weren't in the forefront. And I knew that I needed to make the invisible visible because ultimately, what it would have meant is when an athlete would walk into with their sponsors and have a conversation with their sponsors, into their new contracts and say, okay, well, what were to happen if I were to become pregnant? Sponsors, brands, corporations could easily just say we would just pause your contract and stop paying you. And for me, I've won. It's a shocker to hear that that was actually happening, and I wasn't the first person of that happened to. I recognize, you know, change only comes when we can see what change looks like. And you know, I'm gonna set my best foot forward. I went and connected with another company to see how they would treat their female athletes. There were two women at the head there and they said, you know, when I became pregnant, and I told them. They were like, I hope you're not worried about your contract. I was like, oh, I absolutely am, but yea, thank you for saying that, And it did empower me to know, like you know, I felt a sense of psychological safety with even just those words. But it also empowered me to know that this conversation had also happened, and that I have this opportunity, with being the defending champion, to step on this track and show what it looks like to be a woman in my career, starting her family and wanting to continue it. And so that's what I did that day I stepped on that track. I had a lane. It was specifically for me, and I wanted that lane to not just be mine. I wanted it to be a lane that could exist for all mothers.

So in twenty fourteen, you know, I decided I was going to race at our US Track and Field Nationals at eight months pregnant, after going through a behind the scene sort of battle with the sports industry. You know, the status quo was if you became pregnant or wanted to have a family, you ultimately were choosing between your career and you know, the potential of growing your family. And these conversations were ones that were being had but weren't in the forefront. And I knew that I needed to make the invisible visible because ultimately, what it would have meant is when an athlete would walk into with their sponsors and have a conversation with their sponsors, into their new contracts and say, okay, well, what were to happen if I were to become pregnant? Sponsors, brands, corporations could easily just say we would just pause your contract and stop paying you. And for me, I've won. It's a shocker to hear that that was actually happening, and I wasn't the first person of that happened to. I recognize, you know, change only comes when we can see what change looks like. And you know, I'm gonna set my best foot forward. I went and connected with another company to see how they would treat their female athletes. There were two women at the head there and they said, you know, when I became pregnant, and I told them. They were like, I hope you're not worried about your contract. I was like, oh, I absolutely am, but yea, thank you for saying that, And it did empower me to know, like you know, I felt a sense of psychological safety with even just those words. But it also empowered me to know that this conversation had also happened, and that I have this opportunity, with being the defending champion, to step on this track and show what it looks like to be a woman in my career, starting her family and wanting to continue it. And so that's what I did that day I stepped on that track. I had a lane. It was specifically for me, and I wanted that lane to not just be mine. I wanted it to be a lane that could exist for all mothers.

Yeah, you know, those visuals of you running with your singlet not quite covering your baby bump continued to be this very powerful visual and an inspiration for a lot of people. But at the time you were also criticis can you talk about the folks who didn't think you should be running and you tried to make a judgment about running while eight months pregnant.

Yeah, you know, those visuals of you running with your singlet not quite covering your baby bump continued to be this very powerful visual and an inspiration for a lot of people. But at the time you were also criticis can you talk about the folks who didn't think you should be running and you tried to make a judgment about running while eight months pregnant.

Yeah, well, you know, ignorance exists, and that's something that you were going to face in every facet of your life. You know, these are probably the same people that would not assume or believe that I would also become an Olympian, I would become a bronze medallist, I would become a multiple time you know, global medalist, American record holder, any of those things. And that's for those people. For me, it was about standing in my truth. And you know, I did what I needed to do. I went ten toes down on business and I understood every single facet of pregnancy. I walked into my pregnancy with a wealth of knowledge and continued to learn about pregnancy. You know, how my body would change from a physiological standpoint, and how my mind would change. And I took that the same way that I approached, you know, performing as an Olympic athlete as a high performance endeavor. And in order for me to do my best in my pregnancy from the background that I have, was to continue to treat my body like this incredible vessel that's bringing a life into this world. And the greatest thing that I learned that a mother can do is to continue to exercise in her pregnancy. It's not only good for the mom, it's good for the baity. And I love all these studies that are out now that are like, you know, exactly what I was saying. It was saying, like, you know, I continue to be who I am. I can continue to be who I am. I just also happened to be pregnant. Now there's some caveats to, you know, things that you should avoid to help mitigate your risk of injury.

Yeah, well, you know, ignorance exists, and that's something that you were going to face in every facet of your life. You know, these are probably the same people that would not assume or believe that I would also become an Olympian, I would become a bronze medallist, I would become a multiple time you know, global medalist, American record holder, any of those things. And that's for those people. For me, it was about standing in my truth. And you know, I did what I needed to do. I went ten toes down on business and I understood every single facet of pregnancy. I walked into my pregnancy with a wealth of knowledge and continued to learn about pregnancy. You know, how my body would change from a physiological standpoint, and how my mind would change. And I took that the same way that I approached, you know, performing as an Olympic athlete as a high performance endeavor. And in order for me to do my best in my pregnancy from the background that I have, was to continue to treat my body like this incredible vessel that's bringing a life into this world. And the greatest thing that I learned that a mother can do is to continue to exercise in her pregnancy. It's not only good for the mom, it's good for the baity. And I love all these studies that are out now that are like, you know, exactly what I was saying. It was saying, like, you know, I continue to be who I am. I can continue to be who I am. I just also happened to be pregnant. Now there's some caveats to, you know, things that you should avoid to help mitigate your risk of injury.

You know, I'm not going to do a box.

You know, I'm not going to do a box.

Jump and then jump back up down from a box jump more because I'm going to hurt myself.

Jump and then jump back up down from a box jump more because I'm going to hurt myself.

Right right, right, right, yeah.

Right right, right, right, yeah.

I mean you knew that it was and healthy, and to your point, the idea of like this isn't stopping my career. I will run through it and after it And a year later you returned to win the US Trials and qualify for the World Championships. And then three years later you competed pregnant again. Twenty seventeen US Championships. You were five months pregnant. And I'm wondering, when you look back on those US Championships now running while pregnant, how.

I mean you knew that it was and healthy, and to your point, the idea of like this isn't stopping my career. I will run through it and after it And a year later you returned to win the US Trials and qualify for the World Championships. And then three years later you competed pregnant again. Twenty seventeen US Championships. You were five months pregnant. And I'm wondering, when you look back on those US Championships now running while pregnant, how.

Do you view them.

Do you view them.

Do you view them as a personal statement about what a mother and a woman can do while pregnant or were they also sort of a requirement because you were worried about contracts and you were required to raise a certain number of times each year, so you felt like almost forced to go out there, whether it was by choice or not.

Do you view them as a personal statement about what a mother and a woman can do while pregnant or were they also sort of a requirement because you were worried about contracts and you were required to raise a certain number of times each year, so you felt like almost forced to go out there, whether it was by choice or not.

I feel the first I felt that, you know, the conversation had been started, you know, in the background, we needed to bring it to the forefront. When I ran pregnant the first time, the conversation still wasn't at one hundred percent of support female athletes when they become mothers, and so I recognized, like, I need to step out there again. I've showed what it looked like and there is more to this conversation that needed to be had. So when I after I had my daughter, you know, the back in conversation with the two women that were in leadership was awesome. They left and then two men came and took their place and talked about, you know, we want to talk about your contract and your performance for over this last year. And I'm like, you mean the one where I was pregnant for nine months of it. And there is this the clauses within your contracts that have you not hit performance metrics, and what I what doesn't exist is any words around pregnancy, maternity, postpartum, none of that that protects your contract. So ultimately their upper hand was what it said in that contract, Well, you didn't perform up to the standard that is expected in this contract. So what it led me, and this is my daughter is, you know, about seven weeks old at this time.

I feel the first I felt that, you know, the conversation had been started, you know, in the background, we needed to bring it to the forefront. When I ran pregnant the first time, the conversation still wasn't at one hundred percent of support female athletes when they become mothers, and so I recognized, like, I need to step out there again. I've showed what it looked like and there is more to this conversation that needed to be had. So when I after I had my daughter, you know, the back in conversation with the two women that were in leadership was awesome. They left and then two men came and took their place and talked about, you know, we want to talk about your contract and your performance for over this last year. And I'm like, you mean the one where I was pregnant for nine months of it. And there is this the clauses within your contracts that have you not hit performance metrics, and what I what doesn't exist is any words around pregnancy, maternity, postpartum, none of that that protects your contract. So ultimately their upper hand was what it said in that contract, Well, you didn't perform up to the standard that is expected in this contract. So what it led me, and this is my daughter is, you know, about seven weeks old at this time.

There's no congratulations, nothing like that, like.

There's no congratulations, nothing like that, like.

We're the new head, you know, of our athletic management program, and this is just what your contract says, and here's what we're going to do.

We're the new head, you know, of our athletic management program, and this is just what your contract says, and here's what we're going to do.

So I you know that next year I did.

So I you know that next year I did.

I went on a tear and I won nationals at six and ten months postpartum.

I went on a tear and I won nationals at six and ten months postpartum.

I won a.

I won a.

World Championship gold medal while still breastfeeding my daughter. I figured I saw all of these holes in the system because I was running through it. I was living, and I knew I had to live it in order to make it better for everyone else. And at that time, you know, when I made those decisions, I was not thinking of it as like running through advocacy. I was more thinking of it like protecting myself in my career and having a vague sort of I want to call it like a back end understanding that my responsibility for what I do in my podium moments will change the landscape for the sport for future generations.

World Championship gold medal while still breastfeeding my daughter. I figured I saw all of these holes in the system because I was running through it. I was living, and I knew I had to live it in order to make it better for everyone else. And at that time, you know, when I made those decisions, I was not thinking of it as like running through advocacy. I was more thinking of it like protecting myself in my career and having a vague sort of I want to call it like a back end understanding that my responsibility for what I do in my podium moments will change the landscape for the sport for future generations.

It was advocacy for self and others at the same.

It was advocacy for self and others at the same.

Time, exactly exactly, And.

Time, exactly exactly, And.

You know, so I did all that in that first year, and I made the World Championship team, and I really had and continue to have a great disdain for the fact that so many women in their careers feel like they have to earn their happiness and they have to earn their motherhood with their accolades. And it was no different in sport, you know, where I had my daughter. I approved all of the things. And when we were walking to the next part of my contract and this is now going into twenty sixteen, going to twenty seventeen, you know, the question of like, well, what do you want to do in the next five years, you know, and which is always a hilarious question to me. It's just like, you know, I want to keep writing, I want to keep doing my thing. But answered the question in a way it was like, you know, I want to continue to elevate the sport, and I want to continue to see where I can elevate myself within the sport, and I want to add to my family. Before the next Olympics, we were walking to the ox Olympic cycle and you could hear a pin drop. It was like, wait, didn't we already sit through this with you?

You know, so I did all that in that first year, and I made the World Championship team, and I really had and continue to have a great disdain for the fact that so many women in their careers feel like they have to earn their happiness and they have to earn their motherhood with their accolades. And it was no different in sport, you know, where I had my daughter. I approved all of the things. And when we were walking to the next part of my contract and this is now going into twenty sixteen, going to twenty seventeen, you know, the question of like, well, what do you want to do in the next five years, you know, and which is always a hilarious question to me. It's just like, you know, I want to keep writing, I want to keep doing my thing. But answered the question in a way it was like, you know, I want to continue to elevate the sport, and I want to continue to see where I can elevate myself within the sport, and I want to add to my family. Before the next Olympics, we were walking to the ox Olympic cycle and you could hear a pin drop. It was like, wait, didn't we already sit through this with you?

You know?

You know?

And I'm like, I didn't I already prove that it.

And I'm like, I didn't I already prove that it.

Proved by coming back and winning. Yeah.

Proved by coming back and winning. Yeah.

Yeah. And they're like, well, we're not going to continue your contract. We want someone more dedicated to their craft, like you know, essentially as like the wildest It was just the wildest two minutes of my life to sit there and be told that you're not dedicated because you also would like to have a family and expand your family and so anyway, so that was that first part. So going into twenty seventeen, a conversation had there was more to act.

Yeah. And they're like, well, we're not going to continue your contract. We want someone more dedicated to their craft, like you know, essentially as like the wildest It was just the wildest two minutes of my life to sit there and be told that you're not dedicated because you also would like to have a family and expand your family and so anyway, so that was that first part. So going into twenty seventeen, a conversation had there was more to act.

That conversation felt like you needed to run again and prove yeah again. You talked to unders World about that conversation with the two men from AAIs who replaced the woman that you had worked with, and how they told you, you know, if you don't make the Olympic team, you'll lose your opportunities for sponsorship, you'll lose your opportunities to continue your career. This was two months after the baby, and that you already planned on coming back. You already knew you were going to continue. It wasn't up to them, but they felt like they had authority over you because you had become a mother and because of the choices you had made.

That conversation felt like you needed to run again and prove yeah again. You talked to unders World about that conversation with the two men from AAIs who replaced the woman that you had worked with, and how they told you, you know, if you don't make the Olympic team, you'll lose your opportunities for sponsorship, you'll lose your opportunities to continue your career. This was two months after the baby, and that you already planned on coming back. You already knew you were going to continue. It wasn't up to them, but they felt like they had authority over you because you had become a mother and because of the choices you had made.

This was part of this larger issue that you had.

This was part of this larger issue that you had.

With sponsorships and family planning, and both AAIs and Nike presented issues. So in May of twenty nineteen, you decide to break a non disclosure agreement with your former sponsor, Nike and publish a video op ed in The New York Times called Nike told Me to dream crazy until I wanted a baby, and in it you call out Nike's lack of maternity coverage policies and also your issues with AAIs. Can you take me to that moment, in that decision to break an NDA and also to go public in a way that you probably expected some pretty serious fallout from.

With sponsorships and family planning, and both AAIs and Nike presented issues. So in May of twenty nineteen, you decide to break a non disclosure agreement with your former sponsor, Nike and publish a video op ed in The New York Times called Nike told Me to dream crazy until I wanted a baby, and in it you call out Nike's lack of maternity coverage policies and also your issues with AAIs. Can you take me to that moment, in that decision to break an NDA and also to go public in a way that you probably expected some pretty serious fallout from.

Yeah, I mean I had nothing to lose at that point.

Yeah, I mean I had nothing to lose at that point.

You know, I just had my next four year opportunity to continue to train at the level I was able to train out with you know, the financial support I was getting stripped away from me for choosing motherhood, and I continue to try my hardest to balance now motherhood.

You know, I just had my next four year opportunity to continue to train at the level I was able to train out with you know, the financial support I was getting stripped away from me for choosing motherhood, and I continue to try my hardest to balance now motherhood.

With you know, two children.

With you know, two children.

I continued to walk in my path of happiness, and I had I become pregnant with my second which we saw that and running in twenty seventeen, and I had my son. But what I recognized at the same time was this story that was writing itself was it was essentially these best practices and policies that we are now implementing, and we're having brands and sponsors and corporations also implement our goal standard for contractual language. It was being written because I was seeing the fallout of the loss of those finances as the top American athlete in the sport, the most decorated eight hundred meters runner in the US of all time, now does not have an opportunity to pursue on the next Olympic team because of choices that these men had made. And you know, so when we're looking at what that the difference would be if I were to be able to break my NDA and talk about it out loud, it would mean the difference for everybody to hear the entirety of the story and understand, like, Okay, Alicie just retired because she had her family, you know, and at the end of the day, like I also wasn't I also wasn't receiving any funding in order for me to continue to pursue or thrive in my career or in my motherhood at this point. So it made the most sense to me to make sure that these siled conversations were no longer siloed.

I continued to walk in my path of happiness, and I had I become pregnant with my second which we saw that and running in twenty seventeen, and I had my son. But what I recognized at the same time was this story that was writing itself was it was essentially these best practices and policies that we are now implementing, and we're having brands and sponsors and corporations also implement our goal standard for contractual language. It was being written because I was seeing the fallout of the loss of those finances as the top American athlete in the sport, the most decorated eight hundred meters runner in the US of all time, now does not have an opportunity to pursue on the next Olympic team because of choices that these men had made. And you know, so when we're looking at what that the difference would be if I were to be able to break my NDA and talk about it out loud, it would mean the difference for everybody to hear the entirety of the story and understand, like, Okay, Alicie just retired because she had her family, you know, and at the end of the day, like I also wasn't I also wasn't receiving any funding in order for me to continue to pursue or thrive in my career or in my motherhood at this point. So it made the most sense to me to make sure that these siled conversations were no longer siloed.

I hoped that the.

I hoped that the.

Door would crack open a little bit for all of the you know, women who were facing the same thing because we knew it was happening to also speak out, And that happened, you know, ten days later, Alison Felix, the most decorated check and field a holistically of all times, shared her story and the similar things that had happened with her, and Carra Goucher the same thing. And then out of the woodworks all of these women sharing their stories, some who had retired, some who were walking into pregnancy and facing that issue right now across all sports. So I know, I know it was the right thing to do, And ultimately they have these NDAs in place as gag orders so that they can continue.

Door would crack open a little bit for all of the you know, women who were facing the same thing because we knew it was happening to also speak out, And that happened, you know, ten days later, Alison Felix, the most decorated check and field a holistically of all times, shared her story and the similar things that had happened with her, and Carra Goucher the same thing. And then out of the woodworks all of these women sharing their stories, some who had retired, some who were walking into pregnancy and facing that issue right now across all sports. So I know, I know it was the right thing to do, And ultimately they have these NDAs in place as gag orders so that they can continue.

To because they know that what they're doing is wrong.

To because they know that what they're doing is wrong.

Exactly.

Exactly.

It's not a normal thing to have an NDA with your sponsors.

It's not a normal thing to have an NDA with your sponsors.

Yeah, so there's gotta be a reason we got to take.

Yeah, so there's gotta be a reason we got to take.

A quick break.

A quick break.

When we come back more with Alicia Montagno stick around. You inspire all sorts of change by stepping up and speaking out, including other athletes, then speaking out in your wake, and then you launch and Mother in twenty twenty, now known as For All Mothers, presumably as a response to your struggles with your sponsors and because of the way folks reacted to racing while pregnant and didn't get the narratives right around choosing both your sport and motherhood.

When we come back more with Alicia Montagno stick around. You inspire all sorts of change by stepping up and speaking out, including other athletes, then speaking out in your wake, and then you launch and Mother in twenty twenty, now known as For All Mothers, presumably as a response to your struggles with your sponsors and because of the way folks reacted to racing while pregnant and didn't get the narratives right around choosing both your sport and motherhood.

Do you remember the.

Do you remember the.

Exact moment that you realized that you wanted to or needed to create something to help fix this broken system, beyond just speaking out an advocacy, but actually creating a company around it.

Exact moment that you realized that you wanted to or needed to create something to help fix this broken system, beyond just speaking out an advocacy, but actually creating a company around it.

Yes, yes, the exact moment.

Yes, yes, the exact moment.

I think it was a little bit of a I want to say, a medium birm, you know where it was like, okay, so we recognize that this is creating a movement. I had everybody, my friends who were researchers, friends who were journalists, all across the board in academia sharing their story and the similar compound, you know, to the repercussions that they faced when they walked into their motherhood and were also working to continue their careers. And what I recognized was this wasn't about sports. This is bigger than sports. It's that sports is a microcosm of what's happening in the world, and I get to help affect change through the lens of sports. We're asking for the same thing that women across all industries are asking for. We're asking for, you know, lines within our contract that have maternity, pregnancy, postpartum.

I think it was a little bit of a I want to say, a medium birm, you know where it was like, okay, so we recognize that this is creating a movement. I had everybody, my friends who were researchers, friends who were journalists, all across the board in academia sharing their story and the similar compound, you know, to the repercussions that they faced when they walked into their motherhood and were also working to continue their careers. And what I recognized was this wasn't about sports. This is bigger than sports. It's that sports is a microcosm of what's happening in the world, and I get to help affect change through the lens of sports. We're asking for the same thing that women across all industries are asking for. We're asking for, you know, lines within our contract that have maternity, pregnancy, postpartum.

We're asking for, you know, the opportunity for pay leave. We're asking for we're safe, respectable elactation, accommodations, and we're asking for access to childcare, whether it be through stipends or by creating within our contracts, you know, an opportunity for us to bring along folks to support our careers. We have all these other clauses that you know, massage therapists, all of these other things that support our career. Here are caveats that could also support you know, a woman athlete if she were to walk into motherhood and allow her an opportunity to continue to expand her career. So when I saw all of those you know, satellite moments, I realized that the only way for us to affect change in a way that will have some real depth and impact and continue to you know, put fire to the flame is to create an organization where we pilot, you know, these movements that we want to see happen, and that where we create the best practices and recommendations in order to support not only athletes but mothers. Within the sports industry, I mean, it still is a very much male dominated field in all facets of it, broadcast, coaching, you know, all facets of it. That we get this opportunity to have this runway and this lane for the athletes to ultimately do what they do in the sport. You know, they are the performers.

We're asking for, you know, the opportunity for pay leave. We're asking for we're safe, respectable elactation, accommodations, and we're asking for access to childcare, whether it be through stipends or by creating within our contracts, you know, an opportunity for us to bring along folks to support our careers. We have all these other clauses that you know, massage therapists, all of these other things that support our career. Here are caveats that could also support you know, a woman athlete if she were to walk into motherhood and allow her an opportunity to continue to expand her career. So when I saw all of those you know, satellite moments, I realized that the only way for us to affect change in a way that will have some real depth and impact and continue to you know, put fire to the flame is to create an organization where we pilot, you know, these movements that we want to see happen, and that where we create the best practices and recommendations in order to support not only athletes but mothers. Within the sports industry, I mean, it still is a very much male dominated field in all facets of it, broadcast, coaching, you know, all facets of it. That we get this opportunity to have this runway and this lane for the athletes to ultimately do what they do in the sport. You know, they are the performers.

They are you know, in for better or for words, the commoditized vessel that allows for the industry to go. So if we create standards that protect them in their careers and in their motherhood, we ultimately will be creating the blueprint for success in infrastructure in society.

They are you know, in for better or for words, the commoditized vessel that allows for the industry to go. So if we create standards that protect them in their careers and in their motherhood, we ultimately will be creating the blueprint for success in infrastructure in society.

And it's so necessary in women's sports to take a look at everything created with men in mind and ask whether that actually serves the same sport for women. And it's not just sponsorship deals, it's you know, things like track athletes receiving health insurance from the USOPC and USA Track and Field, and then losing that insurance if they don't finish in the top tier. Even if they're not finishing as a result of pregnancy, they're unable to compete at that time, whether that's lactation areas or opportunities to room by yourself on a team sport because you're pregnant or you have a child with you. There's so many opportunities to look at some issues that are never really covered on the men's side, that need to have intention behind them on the women's side. And I wonder, you know, before we get to more about what for all mothers does, what changes you saw almost instantly in the industry from Nike or AAIs or others as a result of you and folks like Alison Felix speaking out. Were there instant things that occurred that then helped you see the bigger picture and say, Okay, these are things we need to push ford with for all mothers and also parts of the system that we didn't even maybe realize we need to address and do white papers for.

And it's so necessary in women's sports to take a look at everything created with men in mind and ask whether that actually serves the same sport for women. And it's not just sponsorship deals, it's you know, things like track athletes receiving health insurance from the USOPC and USA Track and Field, and then losing that insurance if they don't finish in the top tier. Even if they're not finishing as a result of pregnancy, they're unable to compete at that time, whether that's lactation areas or opportunities to room by yourself on a team sport because you're pregnant or you have a child with you. There's so many opportunities to look at some issues that are never really covered on the men's side, that need to have intention behind them on the women's side. And I wonder, you know, before we get to more about what for all mothers does, what changes you saw almost instantly in the industry from Nike or AAIs or others as a result of you and folks like Alison Felix speaking out. Were there instant things that occurred that then helped you see the bigger picture and say, Okay, these are things we need to push ford with for all mothers and also parts of the system that we didn't even maybe realize we need to address and do white papers for.

Yeah, yeah, I thought.

Yeah, yeah, I thought.

I think instantaneous success was doing the op ED and having all of these brands and sponsors come out and you know, change the policies almost immediately. You know, we had a handful of brands and sponsors within those first two weeks announce that they were changing their policies or they were including this within their policies. They recognize, oh, like this is I get it. You know, these contracts are standard, but they're standard for men. And so I think that was really awesome and that's something where we're like, Okay, now we've got to work through what the next step is going to look like so we can continue to create these best practices.

I think instantaneous success was doing the op ED and having all of these brands and sponsors come out and you know, change the policies almost immediately. You know, we had a handful of brands and sponsors within those first two weeks announce that they were changing their policies or they were including this within their policies. They recognize, oh, like this is I get it. You know, these contracts are standard, but they're standard for men. And so I think that was really awesome and that's something where we're like, Okay, now we've got to work through what the next step is going to look like so we can continue to create these best practices.

What is it?

What is it?

What do we need to do now? Now we need to do more research, We need to bring these incredible athletes to the forefront and their stories to the forefront, but we also need to continue to ask these back end questions that continue to make the landscape better. And you know, a big thing I think that's going to come to light and recognition is that, you know, really our organ has A plus so it's for all mothers plus because the acronym is FA M plus, so it's really fam plus when you see it like that, and we want for that to be that visual representation because right now it.

What do we need to do now? Now we need to do more research, We need to bring these incredible athletes to the forefront and their stories to the forefront, but we also need to continue to ask these back end questions that continue to make the landscape better. And you know, a big thing I think that's going to come to light and recognition is that, you know, really our organ has A plus so it's for all mothers plus because the acronym is FA M plus, so it's really fam plus when you see it like that, and we want for that to be that visual representation because right now it.

Still is putting the onus on women.

Still is putting the onus on women.

It still puts you know, the all of the the brunt of caregiving and the responsibility of raising children, and you know, essentially raising society all on women. And what we wanted to is something that holistically brings everybody into the family and helps them recognize that we are actually creating a village mentality where if we care for our mothers and we care for our women, we ultimately care for our entire ecosystem, which is our family.

It still puts you know, the all of the the brunt of caregiving and the responsibility of raising children, and you know, essentially raising society all on women. And what we wanted to is something that holistically brings everybody into the family and helps them recognize that we are actually creating a village mentality where if we care for our mothers and we care for our women, we ultimately care for our entire ecosystem, which is our family.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, I mean, there's so many elements to the professional landscape that haven't been done before, so they require somebody to lay out a path. And one important aspect of your work is offering these downloadable reports, these white papers advising best practices. You've got one model sponsorship contract provisions for pregnancy and parental leave. You've got a best practices for supporting and accommodating pregnant and parenting athletes.

Yeah, I mean, there's so many elements to the professional landscape that haven't been done before, so they require somebody to lay out a path. And one important aspect of your work is offering these downloadable reports, these white papers advising best practices. You've got one model sponsorship contract provisions for pregnancy and parental leave. You've got a best practices for supporting and accommodating pregnant and parenting athletes.

Have you heard from.

Have you heard from.

Orgs or leagues or otherwise asking you to help them craft their policies or their cbas.

Orgs or leagues or otherwise asking you to help them craft their policies or their cbas.

Yeah, yes, we have, and that's been the most incredible I think.

Yeah, yes, we have, and that's been the most incredible I think.

Opportunity. And that's our goal.

Opportunity. And that's our goal.

You know, our goal is by LA twenty twenty eight that we would have standardized all Olympic and Paralympic sports because we know that again we have this great opportunity on us soil to have these poliam moments not just be for the athletes, but to be for society. And with those white papers, we've got a few more that are coming out we're really excited about. We have our Fertility white paper that's coming out that helps inform our expanded language for our model provisions, which is known as our gold standard for contractual language, and it adds more caveats in there that support the entire journey of what it could look like in pursuing motherhood and protects those athletes by adding in words that protect their fertility and any treatment that might need to go along with it. It also says things in their like pregnancy loss and protects that athlete from a psychological safety and physical standpoint. You know, we just recognize how important it is for us to record those words. So we've had different NNGBS players associations reach out to us to help craft these practices.

You know, our goal is by LA twenty twenty eight that we would have standardized all Olympic and Paralympic sports because we know that again we have this great opportunity on us soil to have these poliam moments not just be for the athletes, but to be for society. And with those white papers, we've got a few more that are coming out we're really excited about. We have our Fertility white paper that's coming out that helps inform our expanded language for our model provisions, which is known as our gold standard for contractual language, and it adds more caveats in there that support the entire journey of what it could look like in pursuing motherhood and protects those athletes by adding in words that protect their fertility and any treatment that might need to go along with it. It also says things in their like pregnancy loss and protects that athlete from a psychological safety and physical standpoint. You know, we just recognize how important it is for us to record those words. So we've had different NNGBS players associations reach out to us to help craft these practices.

I'm very excited.

I'm very excited.

In June there's going to be an announcement of one of our of our players associations that we have connected with which ultimately had us work with the governing body.

In June there's going to be an announcement of one of our of our players associations that we have connected with which ultimately had us work with the governing body.

So it's very exciting with that.

So it's very exciting with that.

And then we've got over a dozen players associations and MGBs who are we're crafting best practices with them, and so I really see the snowball effect and I see us reaching our goal by LA twenty twenty eight of standardizing all of the sports amazing.

And then we've got over a dozen players associations and MGBs who are we're crafting best practices with them, and so I really see the snowball effect and I see us reaching our goal by LA twenty twenty eight of standardizing all of the sports amazing.

There's like some pretty severe examples when it comes to like cost of being a mom and having a family in certain sports like Bob's led. We had Alana Meyer's tailor on and she's had to pay childcare costs out of pocket. It's an expensive sport to begin with, but then to pay to have her children travel and have a nanny and all this other stuff. Do you intentionally expand outside the sports you already work with or do you wait for other sports to come to you.

There's like some pretty severe examples when it comes to like cost of being a mom and having a family in certain sports like Bob's led. We had Alana Meyer's tailor on and she's had to pay childcare costs out of pocket. It's an expensive sport to begin with, but then to pay to have her children travel and have a nanny and all this other stuff. Do you intentionally expand outside the sports you already work with or do you wait for other sports to come to you.

We intentionally expand outside of the sports we work with. But it's also naturally synergetic, you know, it ends up being we're following, you know, the athletes who are mothers, and we hear a power moment. I might write congratulations, and they might write back to me, Alicia, thank you, congratulations for helping create this you know, landscape for us, and then the conversation gets started. So there's this very natural connection that does end up happening. And I love that you mentioned Alana Mayer Taylor. She's absolutely incredible. She's just a force. You know, she's just a force. And we also have supported her, we continue to support her or she was one of our legacy champions and one of our change makers. But what you mentioned about the financial repercussions and needing more support and recognizing in order for this sport to go, it does require an athlete to be gone from their home for a month at a time, and so that does mean, you know, if I have a family with me, I need to be able to bring them with me. And if there are not you know, if they're not best practices in place that support her family, that ultimately means that you're pushing her out of either the sport or an opportunity to pursue her motherhood. And so we have research that's coming out now, actually we're launching it in the next couple of weeks, called the Motherhood Penalty in Sports, and from that we hope to have a white paper by June, but it is essentially talking about the motherhood penalty and matching that to the sports arena. And we face the same struggles across the board of what the motherhod penalty is.

We intentionally expand outside of the sports we work with. But it's also naturally synergetic, you know, it ends up being we're following, you know, the athletes who are mothers, and we hear a power moment. I might write congratulations, and they might write back to me, Alicia, thank you, congratulations for helping create this you know, landscape for us, and then the conversation gets started. So there's this very natural connection that does end up happening. And I love that you mentioned Alana Mayer Taylor. She's absolutely incredible. She's just a force. You know, she's just a force. And we also have supported her, we continue to support her or she was one of our legacy champions and one of our change makers. But what you mentioned about the financial repercussions and needing more support and recognizing in order for this sport to go, it does require an athlete to be gone from their home for a month at a time, and so that does mean, you know, if I have a family with me, I need to be able to bring them with me. And if there are not you know, if they're not best practices in place that support her family, that ultimately means that you're pushing her out of either the sport or an opportunity to pursue her motherhood. And so we have research that's coming out now, actually we're launching it in the next couple of weeks, called the Motherhood Penalty in Sports, and from that we hope to have a white paper by June, but it is essentially talking about the motherhood penalty and matching that to the sports arena. And we face the same struggles across the board of what the motherhod penalty is.

It's we get paid less.

It's we get paid less.

Where you're not taken serious for our work, you know, because of our motherhood, and considerations are not made on how to both support our motherhood and also our careers, and we oftentimes lose our rank the same way we face in society across all industries.

Where you're not taken serious for our work, you know, because of our motherhood, and considerations are not made on how to both support our motherhood and also our careers, and we oftentimes lose our rank the same way we face in society across all industries.

In the motherhood penalty.

In the motherhood penalty.

And in sports, it's like a literal rank. It's like, well, you're coming back, so you're no longer number one in the world. We make you work your way back up, even though you're still the same person that you were. For those who are unfamiliar to the motherhood penalty, they say, on average, mothers make sixty three cents for every dollar paid before they became mothers.

And in sports, it's like a literal rank. It's like, well, you're coming back, so you're no longer number one in the world. We make you work your way back up, even though you're still the same person that you were. For those who are unfamiliar to the motherhood penalty, they say, on average, mothers make sixty three cents for every dollar paid before they became mothers.

So it's a.

So it's a.

Phenomenon where your paid decreases as a result of becoming a mother, regardless of whether there are any changes in your work or your output, or your time or anything else. I'm curious if you think there's anyone or any league in particular getting it right, doing a great job.

Phenomenon where your paid decreases as a result of becoming a mother, regardless of whether there are any changes in your work or your output, or your time or anything else. I'm curious if you think there's anyone or any league in particular getting it right, doing a great job.

You know, Unrivaled. The new leagues are just they're crushing it. To me, it's like they understand, like, yeah, that's system not working. We have to keep beating down their doors in order to make it right. Here's what we're gonna do. So I love what Unrivaleds doing.

You know, Unrivaled. The new leagues are just they're crushing it. To me, it's like they understand, like, yeah, that's system not working. We have to keep beating down their doors in order to make it right. Here's what we're gonna do. So I love what Unrivaleds doing.

I know.

I know.

The LPGA tour had like a traveling sort of childcare. That's that's pretty awesome. We also had WTA, which is the Women's Setness Association, who was already creating some language. We've been connected with them as well. They're doing a great job. I mean in WSL. You know, there's some stuff to connect on that that's kind of coming out part of the work that we're doing, and I'm excited about with them.

The LPGA tour had like a traveling sort of childcare. That's that's pretty awesome. We also had WTA, which is the Women's Setness Association, who was already creating some language. We've been connected with them as well. They're doing a great job. I mean in WSL. You know, there's some stuff to connect on that that's kind of coming out part of the work that we're doing, and I'm excited about with them.

I'm glad that it's a long list.

I'm glad that it's a long list.

Yeah, you know, it can be tricky at times to support women athletes and their family planning choices, but also run a business that relies on the availability of those athletes. So are there policies you recommend or are there places you're seeing it in action where the mothers are served and also teams are protected from the competitive and monetary losses suffered when they lose an important player for a season or part of a season to pregnancy.

Yeah, you know, it can be tricky at times to support women athletes and their family planning choices, but also run a business that relies on the availability of those athletes. So are there policies you recommend or are there places you're seeing it in action where the mothers are served and also teams are protected from the competitive and monetary losses suffered when they lose an important player for a season or part of a season to pregnancy.

You know what we want to see in businesses, these players, associations, and these brands sort of grow with the sport. I think athletes are commoditized enough that there to me, I think there's always should be a conversation and room to have the conversation on how we can do better.

You know what we want to see in businesses, these players, associations, and these brands sort of grow with the sport. I think athletes are commoditized enough that there to me, I think there's always should be a conversation and room to have the conversation on how we can do better.

To holistically support each other. But I do think the answer isn't penalizing the athlete.

To holistically support each other. But I do think the answer isn't penalizing the athlete.

So you know, but there needs to be some sort of catch for the league itself that allows for some of them have policies that essentially say, like, the team was put in a hardship because they had spent X money on a player that is now not going to play the whole season, So do they get a hardship player that's allowed to come in that doesn't count against the salary cap?

So you know, but there needs to be some sort of catch for the league itself that allows for some of them have policies that essentially say, like, the team was put in a hardship because they had spent X money on a player that is now not going to play the whole season, So do they get a hardship player that's allowed to come in that doesn't count against the salary cap?

Things like that, Because you know.

Things like that, Because you know.

Such a great point.

Such a great point.

The more money that's being spent and invested into these women's professional leagues in order to operate at the highest level with the same legitimacy as men's professional leagues, it can't just be a shrug. If millions of dollars are spent on a team and their top player misses an entire season and it drastically impacts their ability to compete. That affects ticket sales, likelihood of playoff and championship bonuses, merch all the other stuff. Right, So it's about both prioritizing the woman and her choices and also protecting the sport and the team because the investment won't be there if there isn't a guarantee that there is that legitimacy and professionalism.

The more money that's being spent and invested into these women's professional leagues in order to operate at the highest level with the same legitimacy as men's professional leagues, it can't just be a shrug. If millions of dollars are spent on a team and their top player misses an entire season and it drastically impacts their ability to compete. That affects ticket sales, likelihood of playoff and championship bonuses, merch all the other stuff. Right, So it's about both prioritizing the woman and her choices and also protecting the sport and the team because the investment won't be there if there isn't a guarantee that there is that legitimacy and professionalism.

Yes, yeah, exactly that, exactly that. And I know the PWHL which is the Professional Women's Hockey League that just launched, absolutely incredible, they are working through that sort of holistic protection of the sport because you're right, it is you know, we're talking about the business part of it and the return on the investment. But if you protect the athlete and you allow them this runway to get back into the sport and be protected both from a finance perspective at psychological and physical perspective, you ultimately are protecting that investment. Right, and then you as a as a brand NDB Players Association now figure out your landscape of yeah, what does it look like when we have ex player out for the next what are we going to have out for like twelve, twelve to sixteen months.

Yes, yeah, exactly that, exactly that. And I know the PWHL which is the Professional Women's Hockey League that just launched, absolutely incredible, they are working through that sort of holistic protection of the sport because you're right, it is you know, we're talking about the business part of it and the return on the investment. But if you protect the athlete and you allow them this runway to get back into the sport and be protected both from a finance perspective at psychological and physical perspective, you ultimately are protecting that investment. Right, and then you as a as a brand NDB Players Association now figure out your landscape of yeah, what does it look like when we have ex player out for the next what are we going to have out for like twelve, twelve to sixteen months.

Yeah, yeah, because losing the player altogether because your policies don't allow for them to have.

Yeah, yeah, because losing the player altogether because your policies don't allow for them to have.

Both is terrible for the sport.

Both is terrible for the sport.

It's crazy, and so as not having enough policies to protect teams in leagues so that they feel comfortable being supportive and offering up the best policies for women who do make that choice. We're running out of time here, but I had two quick questions I wanted to ask you that are just a slightly slightly different. I know that you expect to get your Olympic bronze medal.

It's crazy, and so as not having enough policies to protect teams in leagues so that they feel comfortable being supportive and offering up the best policies for women who do make that choice. We're running out of time here, but I had two quick questions I wanted to ask you that are just a slightly slightly different. I know that you expect to get your Olympic bronze medal.

More than a decade after the race finished.

More than a decade after the race finished.

I've missed out on some really big podium moments because of dopers. A lot of your medals awarded retroactively, and two of your World Championship medals, one from twenty eleven, the other from twenty thirteen you were award in twenty nineteen and then last April because of the original gold medals being found guilty of doping. You're upgraded to an Olympic bronze from the eight hundred meter at the twenty twelve Olympics. Can you talk about what you missed by not getting those medals in the moment and getting those honors on the podium.

I've missed out on some really big podium moments because of dopers. A lot of your medals awarded retroactively, and two of your World Championship medals, one from twenty eleven, the other from twenty thirteen you were award in twenty nineteen and then last April because of the original gold medals being found guilty of doping. You're upgraded to an Olympic bronze from the eight hundred meter at the twenty twelve Olympics. Can you talk about what you missed by not getting those medals in the moment and getting those honors on the podium.

Wow, Sarah, you're gonna tear jerk me at the end here. Nah, we're good.

Wow, Sarah, you're gonna tear jerk me at the end here. Nah, we're good.

You know, man, a decade, twelve years, that's a long time for you guys to uh no and not do the right thing. So for me, you know, the loss financial loss is huge, you know, been quantifying it for my you know, for purposes of legal purposes. Really yeah, and it's been absolutely wild. There's some that you see and some that you can't see. I remember being in about a handful of common versations after that twenty twelve Olympic Games going into the next quad, asking about you know, new partnerships and you know, my accolades, and they're like, oh, you're not a medalist.

You know, man, a decade, twelve years, that's a long time for you guys to uh no and not do the right thing. So for me, you know, the loss financial loss is huge, you know, been quantifying it for my you know, for purposes of legal purposes. Really yeah, and it's been absolutely wild. There's some that you see and some that you can't see. I remember being in about a handful of common versations after that twenty twelve Olympic Games going into the next quad, asking about you know, new partnerships and you know, my accolades, and they're like, oh, you're not a medalist.

Okay, Yeah, well.

Okay, Yeah, well.

We're really looking for medalists, and that's what they are, that's what they are looking for. They're looking for medalists and who's going to sponsor them and that makes their highlight reel all the more powerful. And then also you know, family planning. You know, it's it's huge in that it's again. We talked about this earlier where it was like, well, you know, women face this negative psychological barrier when it comes to choosing to expand their families based on what accolades they've achieved yet and how that's going to be perceived. Have they earned an opportunity to be holistically happy and if that includes motherhood are you allowed.

We're really looking for medalists, and that's what they are, that's what they are looking for. They're looking for medalists and who's going to sponsor them and that makes their highlight reel all the more powerful. And then also you know, family planning. You know, it's it's huge in that it's again. We talked about this earlier where it was like, well, you know, women face this negative psychological barrier when it comes to choosing to expand their families based on what accolades they've achieved yet and how that's going to be perceived. Have they earned an opportunity to be holistically happy and if that includes motherhood are you allowed.

To do that? Now? Have you done enough?

To do that? Now? Have you done enough?

And for me, I had to make that choice where I said, I know, I know, I know.

And for me, I had to make that choice where I said, I know, I know, I know.

That was twenty ten. I won.

That was twenty ten. I won.

I got that one in real time twenty eleven, twenty twelve, twenty thirteen, I didn't get in real time, and I had my daughter. I became pregnant with my daughter and had her that next year. And I had this conversation with my husband and I said, I know are medaled in all of those.

I got that one in real time twenty eleven, twenty twelve, twenty thirteen, I didn't get in real time, and I had my daughter. I became pregnant with my daughter and had her that next year. And I had this conversation with my husband and I said, I know are medaled in all of those.

I meddled in every last one of those.

I meddled in every last one of those.

So I mean, I think psychological loss is something that you can't quantify and.

So I mean, I think psychological loss is something that you can't quantify and.

Decision making around whether you had goals that you hadn't hit yet, and you had indeed hit them, do you anticipate some pretty serious emotion when you actually get handed that Olympic medal coming up here because you've gotten world championships at other ones, but this is the Olympic bronze.

Decision making around whether you had goals that you hadn't hit yet, and you had indeed hit them, do you anticipate some pretty serious emotion when you actually get handed that Olympic medal coming up here because you've gotten world championships at other ones, but this is the Olympic bronze.

This is the Olympic bronze.

This is the Olympic bronze.

And that's like, you know, the dream, right every athlete that is fighting for an opportunity to compete at the pinnacle of their sport at the Olympic Games.

And that's like, you know, the dream, right every athlete that is fighting for an opportunity to compete at the pinnacle of their sport at the Olympic Games.

You want to fight for a medal.

You want to fight for a medal.

And at the time, my grandma just turned one hundred. The day I ran my first race is live and she just she turned one hundred that day. They broadcasted it. You know, we said happy birthday to her in real time. And I can't forecast emotions, but I imagine I'm gonna feel a lot. I mean, I've already been feeling quite a bit. I've gone through I think the initial earlier in twenty twenty four, just like announcement, I kind of had me a little frozen. And then I kind of went through this wave of WHOA like being a human being and having emotions as wild because you know, I'm allowed to feel all of these things, but I had no recognition of what half of these emotions were that were coming through. That had me kind of just stuck in bed. Then have me fight for my life and then have me excited to talk about it and then have me do the thing again. And so I'm hoping I feel just proud of myself. I hope that I feel like I'm able to be fair to myself and all the emotions that come with it, and that I recognize that strength can have all of those things, whether it be maybe I fold into a puddle of gears on the floor, whatever it be, I deserve an opportunity to do that, and I want to allow myself an opportunity to be in that moment.

And at the time, my grandma just turned one hundred. The day I ran my first race is live and she just she turned one hundred that day. They broadcasted it. You know, we said happy birthday to her in real time. And I can't forecast emotions, but I imagine I'm gonna feel a lot. I mean, I've already been feeling quite a bit. I've gone through I think the initial earlier in twenty twenty four, just like announcement, I kind of had me a little frozen. And then I kind of went through this wave of WHOA like being a human being and having emotions as wild because you know, I'm allowed to feel all of these things, but I had no recognition of what half of these emotions were that were coming through. That had me kind of just stuck in bed. Then have me fight for my life and then have me excited to talk about it and then have me do the thing again. And so I'm hoping I feel just proud of myself. I hope that I feel like I'm able to be fair to myself and all the emotions that come with it, and that I recognize that strength can have all of those things, whether it be maybe I fold into a puddle of gears on the floor, whatever it be, I deserve an opportunity to do that, and I want to allow myself an opportunity to be in that moment.

Well, it extends the time you have to wait for it, but I do think it's cool how they've started doing it at Olympics, so that you feel like you're a part of the pageantry and the moment, even if it's not the Olympics. You were at to be at the twenty twenty eight Olympics, and have that be a time when you get recognized alongside all these other incredible athletes does give it a little bit more oomph than just mailing it to you.

Well, it extends the time you have to wait for it, but I do think it's cool how they've started doing it at Olympics, so that you feel like you're a part of the pageantry and the moment, even if it's not the Olympics. You were at to be at the twenty twenty eight Olympics, and have that be a time when you get recognized alongside all these other incredible athletes does give it a little bit more oomph than just mailing it to you.

So yes, please, Yeah, And it's get to be home, you know, on my current.

So yes, please, Yeah, And it's get to be home, you know, on my current.

Home soil, which is really cool.

Home soil, which is really cool.

I'm hopeful they'll honor some of the things I want, which is lots of tickets for my family to be there. I want mine in stadium.

I'm hopeful they'll honor some of the things I want, which is lots of tickets for my family to be there. I want mine in stadium.

You know, I want that moment for me.

You know, I want that moment for me.

So askers are getters, so hopefully then that works out. Thank you so much for the time, and thank you for your continued work. We'll be interested in catching up even years down the road and see how the policies continue to evolve and best serve athlete moms. But you're on the forefront of it, so congrats on the work you've already done.

So askers are getters, so hopefully then that works out. Thank you so much for the time, and thank you for your continued work. We'll be interested in catching up even years down the road and see how the policies continue to evolve and best serve athlete moms. But you're on the forefront of it, so congrats on the work you've already done.

Thank you so much, Sarah.

Thank you so much, Sarah.

Thanks so much to Alicia for joining us. We got to take another break back into jiff Welcome back slices.

Thanks so much to Alicia for joining us. We got to take another break back into jiff Welcome back slices.

We love that you're listening, but we want you to get in the game every day too.

We love that you're listening, but we want you to get in the game every day too.

So here's our good game play of the day.

So here's our good game play of the day.

I mentioned it already, but go check out Alicia's op ed in the New York Times.

I mentioned it already, but go check out Alicia's op ed in the New York Times.

It's really powerful.

It's really powerful.

We'll put the link in our show notes and if you're hanging at home tonight, you can listen or watch the iHeart Podcast Awards. I'm presenting and receiving an Icon Award. The audio stream is available via the exclusive iHeart Podcast channel on the ihe Art Radio app starting at seven pm Central Tonight. Video stream on iHeartRadio's YouTube and Facebook channel starting at ten pm Central. If you miss it, it'll be available on demand on Iheart's YouTube channel following the initial live stream. We always love to hear from you, so hit us up on email good game at wondermedianetwork dot com or leave us a voicemail at eight seven two two o four fifty seventy, and don't forget to subscribe, rate and review.

We'll put the link in our show notes and if you're hanging at home tonight, you can listen or watch the iHeart Podcast Awards. I'm presenting and receiving an Icon Award. The audio stream is available via the exclusive iHeart Podcast channel on the ihe Art Radio app starting at seven pm Central Tonight. Video stream on iHeartRadio's YouTube and Facebook channel starting at ten pm Central. If you miss it, it'll be available on demand on Iheart's YouTube channel following the initial live stream. We always love to hear from you, so hit us up on email good game at wondermedianetwork dot com or leave us a voicemail at eight seven two two o four fifty seventy, and don't forget to subscribe, rate and review.

It's easy. Watch dress Codes rating five out of five. Huh review.

It's easy. Watch dress Codes rating five out of five. Huh review.

I need a Dress Codes for Dummies book. I think like, if it ain't black tie or casual, I'm out. I'm just constantly confused about everything in the middle, Like this weekend's events at south By Southwest quote business casual with a mix of Texas chic y'all, what the.

I need a Dress Codes for Dummies book. I think like, if it ain't black tie or casual, I'm out. I'm just constantly confused about everything in the middle, Like this weekend's events at south By Southwest quote business casual with a mix of Texas chic y'all, what the.

Does that mean?

Does that mean?

A blazer on top and cowboy boots on the bottom, like a ten gallon hat and a pencil skirt.

A blazer on top and cowboy boots on the bottom, like a ten gallon hat and a pencil skirt.

I don't know, Just I don't know.

I don't know, Just I don't know.

Tell me what to wear, and seriously, I mean like literally lay the outfit on the bed for me.

Tell me what to wear, and seriously, I mean like literally lay the outfit on the bed for me.

I'm not a fashion GIRLI wow the hell you think I got into.

I'm not a fashion GIRLI wow the hell you think I got into.